The Halfway House of the NFL

What Took Him So Long?

It’s been a long season. The Cowboys won 12 of their first 13 games. The team’s resident head case, Terrell Owens, was happy. He has been a “good boy” and a team player thus far this season. This contributed greatly to the Cowboys’ success thus far this season.

But, just like death and taxes, it is a sure thing that T.O. will say something he shouldn’t. He did just that today, by commenting on his quarterback’s love life. Regarding Tony Romo’s new/old squeeze Jessica Simpson, he said: "Right now, Jessica Simpson is not a fan favorite in this locker room or in Texas Stadium. I think with everything that has happened, and obviously the way Tony played and the comparisons between her and Carrie Underwood, I think a lot of people feel like she's probably taking his focus away. Other than that, she was at the top of my list until last week."

I’ll be the first to say that Romo’s pursuit of women in the music industry has been a distraction. However, T.O. is not the one to be calling him out, and definitely not through the media. I’ve seen T.O. drop more than a few balls thrown his way. Sunday’s performance was a two-way street. Romo hurt his thumb and kept playing. However, T.O. had plenty of chances to make plays.

T.O.: Shut your mouth already. You have a chance to win a ring this year. Don’t blow it.

Bizarreness

The Dallas Cowboys remain undefeated, in the most unlikely of ways.

The Cowboys went to Buffalo and snatched a 25-24 win. How did it happen?

Tony Romo threw five interceptions and lost a fumble for the Cowboys. The Bills ran two interceptions back for touchdowns, and also scored a touchdown on a kickoff return.

At the end of the game, Romo led the Cowboys on an 80-yard drive for a touchdown. The Cowboys scored with 20 seconds left, and missed a tying two-point conversion. The Cowboys then improbably recovered an onside kick. Romo led the Cowboys down the field to set up a long game winning field goal. Nick Folk kicked a 53 yard field goal to win the game. But wait! The Bills called timeout right before the snap, forcing the rookie kicker to think about what he was doing. What does Folk do? On the rekick, he kicks a 53 yard field goal to win the game.

There was a little bit of fortune involved in this game, and a whole lot of skill. The Cowboys went out there and stole a game they deserved to lose.

It would really suck to be a Buffalo fan. All of the ghosts of Buffalo teams past came back to haunt them. All of western New York has to be totally sick right now.

The Super Bowl Is Coming

Today, on the fourth ballot, the NFL owners awarded Super Bowl XLV to Arlington. The 2001 game will be played at Jerryworld, the new stadium to be named later in Arlington.

This is one of the major reasons for the new stadium: attracting a Super Bowl. The Super Bowl will be good for business in North Texas.

I hope the Cowboys are a Super Bowl contender in four years. Maybe they will get to play a Super Bowl on their home field.

Progress

The Cotton Bowl today made official their attempt to reinvent their bowl game. As has been rumored for the last month, the Cotton Bowl board of directors voted to move their game to the new Cowboys stadium in Arlington, effective in 2010.

The Cotton Bowl will now attempt to crowd into the BCS bowl rotation. It is one of the traditional New Year's Day bowls, but suffered in recent years from a decaying and decrepit stadium. The game was in danger of being passed up by other cities in the pecking order of Big XII and SEC teams.

The new Cowboys stadium would be a great place for a BCS bowl game, and a national championship game. It would also benefit the Big XII, as the Big XII often finds itself playing in a hostile environment for national championship games (see Orange Bowl-OU vs. Florida State, Sugar Bowl-OU vs. LSU, and Rose Bowl-Texas vs. USC).

I am excited that the Cotton Bowl has made this move. I hope that OU and Texas follow suit and move the Red River Rivalry to Jerry's Palace on Johnson Creek.

Not A Bum

Poor Wade Phillips. He has always had to follow in the footsteps of his colorful and famous father, former Houston Oilers coach Bum Phillips. Wade has actually coached longer in the NFL than his father. He also has an above average record as a head coach in Denver and Buffalo.

I applaud Jerry Jones for hiring a coach based on his coaching ability, and not his ability to sell tickets or draw TV cameras. This is not a sexy hire, but this team does not need a sexy name for this hire. This is a coach hungry to prove that he should not have been fired from two NFL jobs, and one that has been successful everywhere he has been. The Cowboys are a team that should be better than 9-7.

I hope this works out. I don't expect a train wreck, but I'm not sure if greatness is in the future.

What's Taking Jerry So Long?

It's slowed down a lot here at the old blog, but Jerry Jones is still looking for a coach.

Today, Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera visited Valley Ranch. Tomorrow, Colts quarterbacks coach/assistant head coach Jim Caldwell is scheduled to interview with Jerry.

I think Norv Turner becomes the new coach, with Jason Garrett as offensive coordinator, and Todd Bowles gets promoted to defensive coordinator.

Go ahead and pull the trigger, if that's what you're going to do, Jerry.

From The Archives, Part 2

In my infamous knee-jerk reaction to the Cowboys' meltdown against the Redskins in D.C. on November 5, I offered this potential head coach:

Heck, while talking about the Saints, let’s bring back Gary Gibbs. He can be the second ex-OU coach to be the head man in Dallas.

Well, it looks like Jerry Jones is going to interview Gary Gibbs, the current Saints defensive coordinator, and former OU head coach and Cowboys assistant.

Gary Gibbs is a darn good defensive coordinator. He has had good defenses everywhere he has been: OU, Georgia, LSU, the Saints (with considerably less talent than the Saints' offense). He also did a better than average job in a trying situation at OU, bringing the Sooners through probation. Though he didn't ring up Switzer-like numbers, he brought integrity to the program, and looked really good compared to his two successors: Howard Schnellenberger and John Blake. Gibbs' wheels fell off in the 1994 season, when his team quit on him in a 6-6 season.

For what Jerry is looking for, Gibbs would be as good as anyone. He is looking, for all intents and purposes, for a lead coordinator. Jason Garrett has been hired to run the offense, and Jerry is now looking for a defensive guy.

For better or for worse, Jerry is now the football czar once again. In my opinion, that is worse, as Jerry is making all personnel decisions, including players and assistant coaches. We saw where that led us before: 5-11 three years in a row. But, if Jerry is going to go back down that road, he could do a lot worse than Gary Gibbs and Jason Garrett.

New Coaches?

The Dallas Cowboys yesterday interviewed former quarterback Jason Garrett for coaching positions. Not only did they discuss the position of offensive coordinator, but they also discussed the position of head coach. I wasn't surprised at all by the former, but I was shocked by the latter. I wouldn't be surprised if the Joneses actually offered him the gig. His current employer, the Miami Dolphins, have given him until today to accept a job, if offered.

Wade Phillips is the next candidate to be interviewed. In my opinion, the job is his to lose. He brings a combination of head coaching experience and expertise with the 3-4 defense. He would also allow Jerry Jones input into the selection of assistant coaches and player personnel.

I look for Wade Phillips to become the head coach, with Jason Garrett to become the offensive coordinator. Jerry is comfortable with both of them, and would once again function as football czar, as he did before the Parcells years.

From The Archives

I can't believe I said this. This turned out to be prophetic. This was part of a kneejerk reaction to the Cowboys' loss in Washington, November 5, 2006:

This is the beginning of the end of the Big Bill era. Parcells has brought the Cowboys from the level of sucking to the level of mediocrity. However, the team does not appear to be ready to move to the level of greatness which Jerry Jones and Cowboy fans expect.

Wow.

Jerry, go get us a coach!

Lovie Field

How about that for a stadium name? Jerry Jones is building a stadium in Arlington, and he has an opportunity for a name.

Lovie Smith is a native Texan. He is without a contract for 2007. His mother had a vision, over 20 years ago, that her son would one day be coach of the Dallas Cowboys. The job is open, and Lovie is in the Super Bowl with his Chicago Bears.

Smith played for one of the great dynasties in Texas high school football, starring on three consecutive Class B state championship teams at Big Sandy High School. I remember him as a player at the University of Tulsa in the late 70's.

He has more than proven himself as a coach, as last year's NFL Coach of the Year, and taking this year's Bears to the Super Bowl. He brings tons of credibility with him. I would love it if Lovie came back to Texas to fulfill his mother's vision, and to become coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

Is this a pipe dream? I'm afraid it is. The Bears will work out a deal to keep Lovie, and Jerry will look elsewhere for a coach.

And I was looking forward to the Cowboys' move to Lovie Field at (sponsor's name) Stadium. Oh, well.

Who's Going To Work For Jerry?

Who is going to become the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys? Here are some candidates, and their odds of becoming the next coach:

Wade Phillips, defensive coordinator, San Diego, 3-1. The son of legendary Houston Oilers coach Bum Phillips brings a 45-35 overall record in five seasons as a head coach of the Broncos and Bills, including two playoff trips. More importantly for Jerry Jones, he is a guru of the 3-4 defense, which the players learned this season and for which team defensive personnel is tooled. He has a good reputation in coaching circles, and it doesn’t hurt that he is a native Texan.

Norv Turner, offensive coordinator, San Francisco, 5-1. Turner is no stranger to the Cowboys, having served as offensive coordinator in the glory years of the 90’s, and as Troy Aikman’s quarterback guru. He is also no stranger to difficult head coaching situations, having coached seven years in Washington (49-59-1, one playoff trip) and two years with the train wreck known as the Oakland Raiders (9-23 record). Turner is still well-respected and well-liked in these parts, and would be a trustworthy mentor for QB Tony Romo.

Bob Stoops, head coach, Oklahoma, 20-1. Stoops would be crazy to go after this job, as he is already making over $3 million per year, and could get elected governor of Oklahoma. Joe Castiglione is a better boss for him than Jerry Jones would be. But, there is a rumor that Stoops and Jones have spoken. If Stoops really wants to coach in the NFL, this would be the job for him. However, he has a good thing going at OU, and I look for him to stay in Norman.

Ron Rivera, defensive coordinator, Chicago, 20-1. The hottest assistant left out there, but is not available for an interview for another two weeks. Jerry may not want to wait that long. Plus, Jerry may want an established head coach as he moves the Cowboys into the new Arlington stadium in 2010. It wouldn’t be bad PR for the Cowboys to hire a Hispanic coach, especially in Texas.

Bill Cowher, retired, 35-1. Cowher would be an excellent choice, but is still under contract to the Steelers. Jerry would owe the Steelers at least one draft choice if he hired Cowher this year. Plus, Cowher wants to rest for at least this year. Excellent coach, bad timing.

Jeff Fisher, head coach, Tennessee, 50-1. Fisher just re-signed with the Titans, so compensation would be involved in his hiring, as well. He has been a solid coach throughout his tenure with the Oilers/Titans, and would do well in Dallas. Vince Young made him look like a genius this year. Once again, excellent coach, bad timing.

Pete Carroll, head coach, USC, 50-1. Having too much fun at the college level. Would love to have the right opportunity to repair his image in the NFL, but has too much of a good thing going at USC.

Goodbye, Big Bill

Today, Bill Parcells retired from coaching pro football for the third time. This time, it was from the Dallas Cowboys. As could be expected, it sent shockwaves through the world of the NFL.

Big Bill did not work the same magic in Dallas that he did in New York and New England. He had two playoff appearances in four years, both resulting in first-round losses. However, he took the team from sucky to mediocre. The last two seasons ended in late-season collapses, ending in 9-7 finishes. This year happened to be one in which the Cowboys backed into the playoffs. The team is in better shape than when Parcells found it, but Super Bowls are the standard in Dallas.

Jerry Jones finds himself in an improved position. He has a new stadium under construction in Arlington. The Cowboys are still a huge draw on TV. Only four Cowboy games this season were played in the early Sunday time slot at 12 PM. This means that networks wanted to show them in the late game or in prime time, when ratings are higher. Ratings went up when the Cowboys were on. Also, Jerry finds himself with a young quarterback with potential in Tony Romo. Finally, Jerry has shed some of the reputation as a meddling owner, thanks to relinquishing some control to Parcells. It remains to be seen if Jerry will allow another coach the same amount of freedom in personnel decisions. My guess is no.

Overall, the Big Bill era has been a disappointment. But, he returned expectations and a bit of excitement to Valley Ranch.

I couldn't resist...

American Idol brings down America's Team...

Sorry, I love Tony Romo. But, this was too good to pass up.

Sick

I'm speechless. I'm sick. The Cowboys stole defeat from the jaws of victory tonight in Seattle.

I feel horrible for Tony Romo. I like him. I hate it that he dropped the snap on the field goal attempt. He almost made lemonade out of the lemon, but was stopped short of a first down on the run.

I want to throw up.

The sun will come up tomorrow, however.

NFL Picks-Week 14

The playoff picture is becoming clearer in the NFL. There are leaders, there are pretenders, and there is everyone else. Each division has a clear leader, followed by a dogfight for wild card positions in both the AFC and NFC.

In the AFC, Indianapolis and San Diego have the best records, at 10-2, and lead the South and West divisions, respectively. Close behind, at 9-3, are Baltimore and New England, leaders in the North and East divisions. There is a whole gaggle of teams at 7-5, in contention for two wild card spots. They are the New York Jets, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, Kansas City, and Denver.

A similar situation exists in the NFC. Chicago has the best record at 10-2, and has clinched the North division. Dallas, New Orleans, and Seattle are all 8-4, and lead the East, South, and West divisions. Another gaggle of teams are 6-6, contending for two wild card spots. They are the New York Giants, Philadelphia, Carolina, and Atlanta.

Since there is a Thursday night game, the picks are ahead…

Last Week: 8-8 Overall: 116-76

New Orleans at Dallas: “Sunday Night Football on NBC…the only place that you’d want to be…” With apologies to Pink, this is the game of the week. Both teams are in line to win division titles, and one of them will have a bye in the first round of the playoffs. There is a good chance for a rematch in the second round. The Saints have had an incredible run, fueled by QB Drew Brees and RB Deuce McAllister. The rookie stud for the Saints has not been Reggie Bush, but WR Marques Colston, who is expected back this week. Bush broke out last week, however, for four touchdowns. The Cowboys are riding the golden arm of the Rib Man, Tony Romo, and have gotten six touchdowns in the last three weeks from goal-line specialist RB Marion Barber. They got a gift last week from new K Martin Gramatica, with three key field goals, including a game-winner in a 23-20 victory over the Giants. Pick: Dallas, of course.
Tennessee at Houston: The long-awaited Vince Young Bowl. Vince has guided the Titans to a 5-4 record since he became the starter, and returns to his hometown to face the mediocre Texans. The natives are restless in Houston because many feel Vince should have been drafted to be the quarterback of the Texans, and because QB David Carr has been rather pedestrian for five years. The Titans are fun to watch, and it will be interesting to watch the crowd reactions at Reliant Stadium this week. Vince’s mojo continues…Pick: Titans
Cleveland at Pittsburgh: Cleveland looks to be without QB Charlie Frye for the rematch in the Steel City. Pittsburgh has been a decent home team, especially against inferior competition. Pick: Pittsburgh
Atlanta at Tampa Bay: The Bucs are sliding, fast. Actually, they never climbed that high to begin with. The Falcons are a schizophrenic team. One week they’re great, another week, they’re horrible. The Falcons are still in playoff contention, and should have enough to get past Tampa Bay. Pick: Atlanta
Baltimore at Kansas City: I’d like to see this game. This is a possible playoff matchup. The Chiefs are coming off a heartbreaker in Cleveland, where they blew a 14-point lead to lose in overtime. The Ravens are also coming off a loss in Cincinnati. This one is in Kansas City, where the Chiefs have always been much better. Pick: Chiefs
Indianapolis at Jacksonville: The Colts are loaded for bear after losing at the buzzer to the Titans last week. The Jags helped their playoff chances with a win in Miami. The Colts are just a little bit better, even on the road. This will be close. Pick: Colts
Minnesota at Detroit: Yuck. This is a candidate for that Sunday afternoon nap. The Vikes are mediocre. The Lions are bad. This might actually be a high-scoring game. Detroit is usually good for three or four games a year. This could be one of them. Pick: Detroit.
New England at Miami: The Dolphins lost a big game last week to the Jags, severely hurting their slim playoff chances. The Patriots are rolling along, as usual. The Pats are a better team. Pick: New England
New York Giants at Carolina: Just another game between two 6-6 teams. Wait a minute, both of these teams have strong playoff hopes. This game is huge. The Giants’ ship is sinking fast. The Panthers haven’t been able to put any kind of consistency together. What gives? QB Jake Delhomme is injured for the Panthers, and may not play. I’m going out on a limb here: Pick: Giants
Oakland at Cincinnati: Here are the Bengals, putting together a playoff run, and they get one of the best gifts a team could get: a home game with the awful Raiders. Look for the Bengals to score early and often here. Pick: Cincy
Philadelphia at Washington: The Jeff Garcia mini-era is underway in Philly, as he had three touchdown passes Monday night in a win over the Panthers. The Redskins are like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get. Philly has a lot more to play for. Will it matter? Pick: Philly
Green Bay at San Francisco: These teams have had a lot of great games through the years. This probably won’t be one of them. The 49ers have surprised a lot of people, and have won 5 games this year. The Pack is improved over last year, but are far from greatness. Look for a shootout here. Pick: San Francisco
Seattle at Arizona: Yuck. The Seahawks are back, as Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander have returned from injury. The Cardinals got a win last week in St. Louis, which is enough to tease the good people of Arizona. This could be ugly. Pick: Seattle
Buffalo at New York Jets: The Jets are in playoff contention at 7-5. The Bills have been competitive most of the time. The Jets could really help themselves with a win here. Pick: Jets
Denver at San Diego: A month ago, this was a good matchup. The last time these teams met, the Chargers put on a great comeback and squashed the Broncos in the fourth quarter, behind the greatness of LaDainian Tomlinson. That was also the beginning of the end of the Jake Plummer era in Denver. Jay Cutler is now the QB for the Broncos, but that won’t matter. San Diego is the real deal. Pick: Chargers
Chicago at St. Louis: The Bears are doing it with defense, defense, defense. The Rams are rebuilding their team, and don’t have much to show for it this season. This won’t be pretty, but the guys from the Windy City should win. Pick: Chicago

Super Bowl or Bust

Kicker Mike Vanderjagt was cut today from the roster of the Dallas Cowboys. Vanderjagt had struggled this season after signing a free agent contract in the off-season, making only 13 out of 18 field goals, after a record as the most accurate kicker in the league while kicking for the Indianapolis Colts. Vandy was in a season-long funk, after missing a game-tying field goal in a playoff game last season. The Colts lost that game to the Steelers, after being favored to win the Super Bowl.

This is not surprising. Bill Parcells is playing to win, and is playing to win now. The message has been sent: Super Bowl or Bust.

The Cowboys picked up ex-Buc kicker Martin Gramatica off waivers. Is the 33rd best kicker in football the answer? Parcells doesn’t trust Vanderjagt, so he had no choice.

The Cowboys have now changed quarterbacks and kickers. Is Parcells greatness, or is he just a glorified gym teacher? Time will tell.

You Know You're Getting Old..

...when someone your age is getting inducted into a Hall of Fame.

I had to keep myself from feeling old on Saturday. I watched as Troy Aikman was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Troy and I were born a week apart, but I graduated from high school a year later, as he started school in California, where the cutoff date was later than the one in Oklahoma, where I started school.

Troy's paths and mine have come so close together, yet so far apart. I didn't realize it, but I first saw him play when he was in 8th grade, and I was in 7th grade. My school used to play Henryetta, and I played football in 7th grade. Our team stayed for the 8th grade game, as we shared a bus, if I remember correctly. I first remember seeing him play when he was a sophomore, and we went over there to play them in the last district game of the year. I remember him being a freak athletic specimen (especially for what was then class 2A in Oklahoma), and being the best player on the field even then. I followed his career from there, and was in the stands that October 1985 day in Norman, when he tore up his knee in a game between the Sooners and the Miami Hurricanes. Both teams were full of NFL players, and Miami won the game that day, but OU went on to win their remaining games and their sixth national championship.

Troy went on to UCLA and was drafted by the Cowboys in 1989. His first year in Dallas was my first year in Fort Worth. There were 4,000,000 other people in the Metroplex at that time, as well. A few years later, I served on staff at a church in Henryetta. Troy goes back there from time to time to see friends, and we saw him from a distance at a high school basketball game one night. We didn't want to bug him, so we didn't even try to meet him. He and I have a lot of common acquaintances. Troy still speaks well of Henryetta, and they speak well of him. It's an awesome thing: a guy from a small town in Oklahoma winds up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The people in Henryetta should be proud, as they rightfully are.

Troy is obviously wealthier than I am. :-)

Back to the original topic: I'm not old enough to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, am I? Time flies...