The Cowboys game....

Well, here we go. The start of the real season is about to begin. The moment when the hopefulness can turn into the hopelessness and the real teams begin to separate from the pack. They do the little things to win; blocking as a team, playing hard every snap and make NO MENTAL Mistakes! The true mark of this team are penalties and turnovers. They are a good team as Zorn likes to say but they can't overcome dumb holding penalties that wipe out back-to-back touchdowns. They can't come back after they give up a first down on frouth and forever (Rams game - why Torrence was really cut) to set up a field goal. How many times has an offensive pass interference call stopped a drive short? How about a guy who drops a ball that hits him in the hands thus giving the entire momentum of the game back to his opponent and handing them the game? 

This team needs to come out on Sunday night and throw deep for 3 straight downs. I don't care if they throw a pick, they need to show the Cowboys that they want to beat them badly and they are going to step on their throat every step of the way. This is their opportunity to show the rest of the league that they can play in a big game and win convincingly, not that an ugly win won't do, but a solid win in which the outcome of the game is never in doubt which could propel them towards the end of the year with a force that could very well carry them into the playoffs. The type of game where you are always 7 to 10 points ahead and the other team doesn't scare you much. 

The problem is not an offensive situation only, the defense also needs to show that they want to be good. If the offense comes out and puts up a couple of quick scores early the D needs to show that, when truly called upon, they can stop the other team from scoring. How about a defense that gets a few sacks and makes the catches when they have a chance to make a pick and go for a touchdown. Maybe a defense that can actually win you a game, especially when your running back is not looking good just a few days away from Sunday (let's hope not!).  Give Tony Romo a welcome back gift by being in his face all day and hitting him every time he steps back. Swipe at the ball, maybe he drops it, if not, you're in his head for the rest of the game. Key in the first matchup...HIT T.O.! Horton and Landry need to blast him every time he steps across the middle so he begins to bitch and point fingers at everyone else. This is what I will be looking for this weekend. Which team shows up, the no-turnover team or the one that seems tentative and makes mistakes? I would prefer not to think about the latter.

If the Redskins can come out and beat the Cowboys, they can push their hated rivals into an abyss in which nobody will survive; T.O. will go off and the coach will be fired giving Jerry Jones the chance to finally put his wonderboy in as coach and tanking the rest of the the year. Not only would that be very nice, it would be one less team you wouldn't have to worry about at the end of the year. This team thrived on being against the wall last year, this year it would be nice if they can be consistent, as Zorn loves to say, just stay medium.