Cowboys News

Rookies get taste of an old rivalry
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November 7
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"In the 100th meeting of the Cowboys and Eagles, a group of rookies - a few barely 21 years old - will experience their first taste of a rivalry that incites the primal urges of Philadelphia fans. They will walk into Lincoln Financial Field for tomorrow's 8:20 p.m. start feeling the "electricity of the crowd," as veteran Sheldon Brown called it, but then head into the Eagles' locker room where the emotion will be businesslike. "For me, it's just like any other team," Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb said earlier this week. "I don't get caught up in the whole rivalry aspect of it. It's just like playing any other team. Whatever is on your schedule, that's who you have to play and you have ..."
Stifling Romo will be key to Eagles' success over Cowboys
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November 7
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"WHEN TONY ROMO has been good against the Eagles, he's been very, very good. In his two career wins over the Birds, the Cowboys quarterback completed 74.5 percent of his passes, averaged 11.6 yards per attempt, threw six touchdown passes and two interceptions, and wasn't sacked a single time. When Romo has been bad against the Eagles, he's been very, very bad. No, check that. He's been putrid. Think JaMarcus Russell and multiply that by three. In his three losing starts to the Eagles, he had a 46.1 completion percent, a 5.18 yards-per-attempt average, one TD pass and six interceptions and was sacked 10 times. So forget about Marion Barber and Felix Jones and Tashard Choice. Forget about the ..."
For Eagles, no TO doesn't mean no problem
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November 7
Camden Courier-Post
 
"For the first time in four years, Donovan McNabb made it through a press conference the week before a Dallas game without fielding one question about Terrell Owens. But the Eagles spent much of this week game planning for another Cowboys receiver who threatens to embarrass their defense on Sunday when the NFC East's top two teams collide. Miles Austin comes with less drama and lower maintenance than Owens, but delivers just as much -- if not more -- punch to Dallas' passing game. Austin has 482 receiving yards in the three games since becoming a starter -- an average of more than 160 yards per game -- and five touchdowns. "It's remarkable," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said. "It's pretty ..."
Jersey guy a real threat for Cowboys
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November 7
Camden Courier-Post
 
"For the first time in four years, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb made it through an entire press conference the week before a Dallas game without fielding one question about Terrell Owens. But the Eagles spent much of this week discussing and planning for another Cowboys receiver who threatens to embarrass their defense Sunday when the NFC East's top two teams collide. It just so happens Miles Austin comes with less drama and requires less maintenance than Owens, but he delivers just as much -- if not more -- punch to Dallas' passing game. Since becoming a starter last month, Austin has seemingly come from nowhere to emerge as an NFL sensation. His 482 receiving yards in the past three ..."
Cowboys' 'No. 1 receiver' is only talking a good game
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November 7
Dallas Morning News
 columnist Tim Cowlishaw
"It's a time-honored cliché to say of a college football player having a big game, "He will play on Sundays." That was always the intent, always the dream of wide receiver Roy Williams. So far, after a year as a Cowboy, about the best we can give him is: "He will talk on Wednesdays." I have no doubt that Williams' midweek comments were not meant to be critical of Tony Romo, and his reference to himself as "the No. 1 receiver" merely echoed questions he gets constantly about being "the No. 1 receiver." As for ESPN's "DISSENSION IN DALLAS" storyline, it ranks right up there with the network's report last December that sources said Terrell Owens had called Jason Witten a name in practice. ..."
Philly will be sound test for Dallas
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November 7
Dallas Morning News
 
"The Cowboys' attempt to avoid pre-snap penalties by the offense during road games will receive a loud test Sunday at Philadelphia. Each of the Eagles' last six opponents at wall-of-sound Lincoln Financial Field have been called for at least one pre-snap penalty on offense. The totals are nine false starts and three delays. Coach Wade Phillips said the Cowboys have changed their snap-count procedures to help the offense but did not elaborate. The offense did not have a pre-snap penalty in the first two road games but had three penalties at Kansas City. "We have done some things I think will help us as far as being on the road," Phillips said. "It's more difficult for any team, basically.""
Reid and weep: Philly coach's team has been been hard on Dallas
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November 7
Dallas Morning News
 
"When it comes to addressing his team's rivalries in the NFC East, Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid is a man of few words. But one of his former assistant coaches will talk - and did - in the pages of the book Game Changers, which was released this fall. It details the 50 greatest plays in Philadelphia Eagles history. John Harbaugh spent 10 seasons as an assistant in Philadelphia, nine of them under Reid, before becoming head coach of the Baltimore Ravens in 2008. He offered up this assessment of the Cowboys-Eagles rivalry in the book: "Andy Reid is the guy who ruined the [current] decade for the Cowboys. Think about it. They've been trying to get back to where they were [in the ..."
Most eyes see an improved Romo
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November 6
Camden Courier-Post
 
"A disgruntled Dallas receiver complains that quarterback Tony Romo does not throw the ball his way often enough, and when passes do come his way, they are difficult to catch and make him look foolish. This isn't Terrell Owens. He's long gone from the Dallas scene. But Roy Williams seems to have taken his place, not so much in terms of production, but in terms of issuing complaints about Romo. "(Romo's passes) make me look like crap," Williams told the Fort Worth Star Telegram. "The only thing that keeps me going is 'cause I know I'm not. I know what I am. I know what people are trying to make me be. I know I'm not that.""
In a down economy, NFL viewership is up
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November 6
Washington Post
 
"When this NFL season began with some franchises struggling to sell tickets, there were concerns about the impact that the uncertain U.S. economy would have on the nation's most prosperous sport. While those concerns have turned out to be justified in a few NFL cities and unfounded in others, there has been an unforeseen development: The NFL's television ratings are soaring this season, and some analysts say it appears to be the result of consumers cutting back on other, more costly leisure activities in favor of watching pro football on TV. "I think there's only one answer and that is the NFL and television are actually getting the so-called 'benefit' of the recession," said Neal Pilson, ..."
Eagles prepare for well-rounded Cowboys offense
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November 6
Philadelphia Daily News
 columnist Les Bowen
"WHEN THE PASS-HAPPY Eagles run the ball effectively, as they have the past few weeks, their offensive players are eager to tell you how much of a difference balance makes, how it pushes defenses back on their heels. This Sunday night, when the Cowboys come to town, we'll see the other side of that coin - Sean McDermott's Eagles defense will be faced with a Dallas offense that in recent weeks has run and thrown very well, with multiple backs and multiple receiving threats. Kinda makes one pine for the old days, Eagles safety Quintin Mikell said yesterday. "You don't have a guy that wants the ball every play, one guy you can key on,'' Mikell said, referring to a former Cowboy and former ..."
In Dallas, Miles separating Williams and Romo
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November 6
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"IF ROY WILLIAMS is so upset with how infrequently Tony Romo is hitting him, he oughta take off his shoulder pads, look at his most recent paystub and remind himself that it could be worse.He could have drafted Roy Williams as a No. 1 receiver for his fantasy team.But while Williams has been a fantasy nightmare, Miles Austin has been a revelation. Miles Austin?A fourth-year pro out of Monmouth, Austin has been blistering hot the last 3 weeks and has taken over as Dallas' No. 1 receiver. Williams, who once had 1,310 receiving yards for the Lions (in 2006) and was acquired by the Cowboys in midseason last year, is a speck in the rearview mirror. He has fewer catches than Patrick Crayton and ..."
Cowboys' Kitna, workweek ends on Saturday
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November 6
Dallas Morning News
 
"Quarterback Jon Kitna passed the 13-month mark since his last appearance in a regular-season game. On Oct.. 5, 2008, Kitna started for Detroit against Chicago but did not return for the second half and has not played since. With a 38-10 lead early in the fourth quarter against Seattle on Sunday, the Cowboys kept Kitna on the bench and stayed with starter Tony Romo for three more possessions. The majority of Kitna's preparation work comes in practice, when he directs the scout team against the front-line defense. He does not get any snaps with the first-team offense. "You're never going to be as sharp as you'd be if you got every snap," said Kitna, who has 115 NFL starts. "But it is what ..."
Romo, Williams spend extra time trying to get in sync
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November 6
Dallas Morning News
 
"Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and receiver Roy Williams are spending more time together in their attempt to fix a broken connection. Romo and Williams had their second consecutive post-practice workout Thursday. Williams said the extra work will continue "until that light switches over." Williams has caught only 14 of the 37 throws Romo has targeted to him this season. Coach Wade Phillips has acknowledged the pair has been out of sync most of the season. "The only thing that's not working is Romo to Williams," Williams said. "There's nothing you can do. Just work. ... What I have to do is produce on the football field." Williams insisted comments about the inability to mesh with Romo ..."
Spread offense takes on new meaning for Dallas
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November 6
Dallas Morning News
 
"Memo to all who have been sucked into the vortex of wondering why Tony Romo and Roy Williams just don't seem to click: This offense is still pretty good. The Cowboys have gained more yards through the first seven games than at any time over the last 33 years. They are coming off a game in which six players ran the ball and 10 players had receptions, a show of diversity that has occurred only one other time in club history. This offense compares favorably with the prolific group of two years ago. It's true that Romo and Williams have developed little to no chemistry. What do you propose? Would the offense be better served trying to force a connection instead of letting Romo hit Miles ..."
Drop the idea that Roy Williams is causing turmoil
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November 6
Dallas Morning News
 columnist Todd Archer
"This was going to be a story about how the Cowboys are succeeding this season, in part, because players are accepting their roles. But then this Roy Williams thing happened. And by thing I mean not a big deal but it's the Cowboys and the perception becomes a team in turmoil. If there was/is turmoil, I must have missed it. I went in and out of Williams' interview a few times Wednesday and didn't conclude he was being overly dramatic. He called himself the No. 1 receiver. So what? He said the passes to him are off. Well, they are. At times he's run bad routes. At times Tony Romo's passes have been off. Unfortunately for them, the times when Romo throws a good ball and Williams runs a ..."
Williams: 'I'm not trying to be a T.O.'
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November 5
ESPN.com
 
"Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was defiant Thursday, saying that discussions about why wide receiver Roy Williams has such low numbers will not divide his team. Williams only has 14 catches for 249 yards and two touchdowns heading into the Cowboys' game at Philadelphia Sunday night. Williams said Wednesday that Romo throws better passes to the team's other receivers, and he can't figure out why. Romo said the two are working hard in practices, even doing extra work, but for whatever reason, the chemistry is not there. "I don't look at the numbers," Romo said before Thursday's practice at Valley Ranch. "We've been through this before with people trying to intersect and divide a football ..."
For now, no hitch in Romo's giddyup
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November 5
Philadelphia Inquirer
 columnist Ashley Fox
"To hear Tony Romo tell it, everything is rosy at the Ranch. The Dallas Cowboys are working hard, taking things day by day, focused on improving, not gazing at the big goal, just doing all the little things it takes to get there.Sounds good, except for this, courtesy of ESPNDallas.com, from Roy Williams, the Cowboys' No.1 receiver now that you-know-who is in Buffalo: "I'm the No. 1 receiver, but things are just going No. 2's way."By No. 2, Williams meant Cowboys receiver Miles Austin.About his lack of a connection with Romo, Williams said, "it's just not even close. It's not even funny. Not even close."Not exactly utopia after all.Dallas, like its 29-year-old quarterback, remains a work in ..."
Eagles' Westbrook Is Set to Play Against Cowboys
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November 5
New York Times
 
"Brian Westbrook is set to return from his latest injury when the Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys in a matchup of the top two teams in the National Football Conference East on Sunday. Westbrook missed the Eagles' rout of the Giants last week with a concussion sustained a week earlier in a victory over Washington. Coach Andy Reid said Westbrook, who practiced Wednesday for the first time since the injury, should be "good to go" against Dallas and will not need further testing. "Right now he's fine," Reid said. Westbrook said the headache he had last week is gone and he feels no ill effects from the concussion."
Offenses provide plenty of glitz for Cowboys-Eagles showdown
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November 5
San Antonio Express-News
 
"With both teams among the league leaders in scoring, Sunday night's NFC East showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field promises plenty of offensive fireworks for a national television audience. The Cowboys are 5-2 and tied with the Eagles for the division lead in large part because of a diverse offense that is tied for sixth in scoring with an average of 28.1 points. Philadelphia also has an abundance of weapons, many of which came to the fore in its last game, a 40-17 dismantling of the New York Giants that left the Eagles third in scoring with a 29.0 average after five different players scored touchdowns. "You have to be ready for them," ..."
Cowboys' Williams puzzled by lack of chemistry with Romo
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November 5
San Antonio Express-News
 
"Dallas Cowboys receiver Roy Williams said Wednesday his lack of production shouldn't be viewed as proof he can't be the team's No. 1 wideout. "I'm the No. 1 receiver," Williams said. "But things are just going No. 2's way." Through seven games, the "No. 2," Miles Austin, has 26 receptions for a team-high 563 yards and six touchdowns. In his first three starts, Austin set an NFL record with 482 yards. In his 16 games with the Cowboys, Williams has 33 catches for 447 yards and three TDs. Williams worked tirelessly during the offseason to get on the same page with Tony Romo, but there's been no payoff. Austin, meanwhile, has flourished. Williams suggested he would be doing the same if only ..."
Cowboys' Jenkins wants to get physical with Eagles receivers
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November 5
San Antonio Express-News
 
"Cornerback Mike Jenkins wants the Dallas Cowboys to get in the face of Philadelphia Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson. Blessed with blazing speed, Jackson routinely blows by defenders. So what should the Cowboys do Sunday night to slow down him and the Eagles' other speedy wideout, rookie Jeremy Maclin? "Just be physical," Jenkins said Wednesday. "Go out and hit them in the mouth." If that means playing press coverage, Jenkins might want to re-think that stance, Philadelphia safety Quintin Demps suggested in a phone interview. "I've never seen a guy that fast and quick at the same time," Demps, a Roosevelt graduate, said of Jackson. "And he's smart. He knows how to play off of leverage and ..."
Cover band: Big hits on rise for Dallas Cowboys' DBs
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November 5
Dallas Morning News
 columnist Bill Michols
"Mike Jenkins began the season fighting to make the starting lineup. Orlando Scandrick drew public ridicule from an opposing receiver after his first start. Veteran cornerback Terence Newman got beat repeatedly the first two games. And Gerald Sensabaugh got sidelined with a broken thumb. Probably the lowest lowlight of the Cowboys secondary was the second game, when New York Giants receivers Mario Manningham and Steve Smith roamed virtually uncovered. They combined for 20 catches, 284 yards and two touchdowns. But after taking some big hits, the Cowboys secondary has started hitting back. They have created enough big plays with their aggressiveness during a three-game winning streak to ..."
Dallas Cowboys motivated by more than revenge
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November 5
Dallas Morning News
 
"Bradie James avoids the word revenge. But the Cowboys linebacker doesn't want to fool himself or anyone else, either. He admits the team's 44-6 loss in Philadelphia to end last season is incentive as the Cowboys prepare to return to the scene of the crime. More important, James believes this game will speak volumes as to where the team stands at the midway point of the season. "We know," James said. "We know what happened last year. This is a different team, a different season, but we haven't forgotten. "The only way we can right that wrong is to go out there and win, whether it's ugly, sexy, it doesn't really matter. We've got to go out there and find a way to win. "We'll definitely ..."
Ex-Cowboys coach now on Eagles' side
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November 5
Camden Courier-Post
 
"The first time Steve Spagnuolo faced his former team, his defense sacked Donovan McNabb 12 times and held the Eagles' offense to one field goal. It was Spagnuolo's fourth game as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants, after serving on the Eagles' staff for eight years. He knew everything about the Eagles' offense and how to stop it. The Eagles are hoping for a similar advantage from secondary coach Brian Stewart as they prepare for their annual home clash against Dallas on Sunday night. Stewart was the Cowboys' defensive coordinator last season, but was stripped of his play-calling duties by head coach Wade Phillips during the season and then cast off after Dallas' playoff drive ..."
Covering Eagles' Jackson will be a chore for Cowboys
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November 4
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"DeSean Jackson is fast. Real fast. The Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver will be a major concern for the Dallas Cowboys cornerbacks, the veteran Terrence Newman and the up-and-comer Mike Jenkins. So how does coach Wade Phillips expect his cornerbacks to keep up? "Help, help, got to get some help on him," coach Wade Phillips said. "They know that. We know what. You got a guy like that who makes a lot of big plays, you got to get some help, you've got to have somebody else looking for him, too, not just the corners. "Because we've seen corners get beat." Jackson has 24 catches for 501 yards, an average of more than 20 yards a catch, and a team-high four receiving touchdowns. In Sunday's big ..."
Drink a Kool-Aid toast to the Dallas Cowboys
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November 4
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"I had to go buy another copy of the newspaper Monday morning. When I read Dallas Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking cautioning against drinking the "Cowboy Kool-Aid," I spit my Cowboy Kool-Aid all over the sports section. I already was on my second cup by the time I had reached Brooking's quote on Page 5DD. If Bill Parcells was still at Valley Ranch, I also would have gotten in trouble for eating the cheese he used to talk about for Monday morning's breakfast. I think have a case of "The Cow," or D1C1, as it is known in the medical world. I want to use my cellphone and my land line so I can get through on lines 1 and 2 to talk about how the Cowboys will win 44-6 in Philadelphia, how it's ..."
Eagles living up to their preseason expectations
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November 4
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"The Philadelphia Eagles are who we thought they were. Despite a hiccup against Oakland, Philadelphia has been the team it was picked to be before the season started. The Eagles lost to New Orleans 48-22 at home in Week 2, but that was without Donovan McNabb. Kevin Kolb was making his first career start. They have won four of five since, with the only blemish an inexplicable 13-9 loss at Oakland. The Eagles, a preseason favorite to win the division and challenge for the NFC title, are right where they were picked, at 5-2 and in a first-place tie with the Cowboys. Wildcat numbers The Eagles signed Michael Vick in part because coach Andy Reid is enamored with the single-wing offense. But the ..."
Adjusting to Eagles' script key to a happy ending for Dallas Cowboys
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November 4
Dallas Morning News
 
"In each of the last two games, the Cowboys have allowed the opponent to open with a well-conceived scoring drive. Two conclusions can be drawn from that. • The Cowboys' defensive coaching staff can make changes on the fly. The Cowboys won each game, and the opponents - Atlanta and Seattle - combined for only four more scores on 22 possessions. "It's more about making adjustments," outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware. "Every team is going to give us their best punch at the beginning." • If this continues, the Cowboys will be knocked down early on Sunday at Philadelphia. Like many teams, Atlanta and Seattle follow a "script" on offense to start games. The "script" concept, created by the ..."
Credit must be given to Dallas Cowboys' offensive line
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November 4
Dallas Morning News
 columnist Eddie Sefko
"You don't lead the NFL in yards per play and rank second in total offense and sixth in points without the offensive line playing well. Yes, they commit too many pre-snap penalties and they occasionally struggle with blitzes up the middle, but the Cowboys' offensive line is doing a good job. Put your hands together and give them some love. These Cowboys are averaging 28.1 points and 411.1 yards per game, including 147.5 yards rushing. Did I mention the Cowboys are averaging 5.4 yard per carry. That's insane. It all starts with the offensive line. Guards Leonard Davis and Kyle Kosier are playing well along with center Andre Gurode, while tackles Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo do more ..."
Dallas Cowboys' Crayton would make history with another punt return for TD Sunday
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November 4
Dallas Morning News
 
"Cowboys punt returner Patrick Crayton will try to set history in Sunday's game at Philadelphia. Crayton has returned a punt for a touchdown in each of the last two games. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no professional player has ever returned a punt for a touchdown in three consecutive games. Since 1941, only 13 players have had as many as three scoring punt returns in a season. Three players share the record of four punt returns for a touchdown in a season: Hall of Famer Jack Christensen with Detroit in 1951, Denver's Rick Upchurch in 1976 and Chicago's Devin Hester in 2007. Crayton said the entire punt-return unit now thinks score on every kick. "The guys up front are giving ..."
Bucs add cornerback Mickens from Cowboys' practice squad
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November 3
Tampa Tribune
 
"The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed cornerback Mike Mickens from the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad and released cornerback Marcus McCauley on Tuesday. Mickens was a seventh-round pick (227th overall) of the Cowboys in this year's NFL Draft out of the University of Cincinnati. He was released Sept. 5 before being signed to Dallas' practice squad the following day. Mickens left Cincinnati as the school's all-time leader in interceptions with 14, including three returned for a touchdown, while also compiling 233 tackles, eight tackles for loss, one sack, 48 pass breakups, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries while starting in 46 of 47 games he played in."
Cowboys emphasize support for frustrated receiver Roy Williams
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November 3
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"It was Victory Monday and another quiet day at the Dallas Cowboys' Valley Ranch headquarters. The players had the day off following the 38-17 shellacking of the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Coach Wade Phillips was passing out helpings of praise to his players like Halloween candy in Southlake. Conspicuously absent from the list was receiver Roy Williams, who, despite a 7-yard touchdown reception, had another disappointing game. Phillips has mastered the art of accentuating the positives, but even he can't sugar coat the lack of cohesion between Williams and quarterback Tony Romo. Williams, the team's third highest paid player with a $9 million annual salary, is fourth on the team in ..."
Can the Dallas Cowboys save Wade Phillips' job?
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November 3
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 columnist Jim Reeves
"Quirky thing about these resurrection stories; they can snowball in the blink of an eye and, before you know it, everyone's involved. The avalanche starts picking up momentum, cascading downhill, smashing trees, picking up a Miles Austin here, a Patrick Crayton there; next thing you know Tony Romo's on board, Keith Brooking is riding the wave and anything and everything goes. Out of nowhere, Austin zooms from bust to go-to receiver in the span of three games. Imagine the beating GM Jerry would be taking over the Roy Williams trade if Austin hadn't stepped up as the perfect distraction at the perfect time. Romo, for the first time in his career, patches together a modest three-game stretch ..."
No looking back when Cowboys play in Philly
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November 3
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"Many of the Dallas Cowboys have never seen a replay of their 44-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles to end last season. Receiver Patrick Crayton could stomach only part of it. "I watched it the week after the game," Crayton said Monday. "It was just kind of disgusting. It was just disgusting to watch. ... We just flat out got our tails whipped, man. No excuses or anything like that. They played good. They showed up to play that day, and they wanted to win to get into the playoffs, and we didn't. We had to sulk and deal with that the whole off-season." The Cowboys return to the field of their nightmares Sunday. Dallas has won only twice in their past 10 trips to the City of Brotherly Love. ..."
Tony Romo, Roy Williams still trying to connect
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November 3
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 
"It was Victory Monday and another quiet day at the Dallas Cowboys' Valley Ranch headquarters. The players had the day off following the 38-17 shellacking of the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Coach Wade Phillips was passing out helpings of praise to his players such as Halloween candy in Southlake. Conspicuously absent from the list was receiver Roy Williams, who, despite a 7-yard touchdown reception, had another disappointing game. Phillips has mastered the art of accentuating the positives, but even he can't sugarcoat the lack of cohesion between Williams and quarterback Tony Romo. Williams, the team's third highest-paid player with a $9 million annual salary, is fourth on the team in ..."
Eagles now have Cowboys on their minds
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November 3
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Having disposed of the New York Giants in most convincing fashion, the Eagles turned their attention yesterday to the Dallas Cowboys, their other bitter NFC East rival and the team that will be at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday night for a nationally televised game.In the ever-changing NFL, the Cowboys appeared to be the lesser of the Eagles' two rivals a few weeks ago when they lost at Denver to fall to 2-2 while the Giants raced to a 5-0 start.Now, it's the Giants who are reeling after three straight losses and the Cowboys who appear to present the biggest challenge to the Eagles' quest for their sixth division title in nine seasons. The Cowboys, 5-2, have won three straight and are ..."
Cowboys can add blue collar to jersey
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November 3
San Antonio Express-News
 
"When the buses carrying the Dallas Cowboys roll into Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, they'll be greeted by hate-filled Philadelphia Eagles fans eager to intimidate. Obscene gestures will flash, curses will sound and perhaps even a cup of beer or two will fly through the air. Never mind that this Cowboys team is made up largely of the kind of players the shot-and-beer Eagles fans would readily embrace if they were wearing wings on their helmets instead of stars. "We're a blue-collar team," receiver Patrick Crayton said Monday. Unlike the dysfunctional mess that got clobbered by the Eagles 44-6 in the regular season finale last year, the 2009 Cowboys don't have polarizing stars or ..."
No forgetting Eagles debacle, but Dallas Cowboys say this team is different
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November 3
Dallas Morning News
 columnist David Moore
"The loss was so disheartening, the outcome so painfully symbolic of a season gone wrong, no one refers to the date or opponent. All you need is the score. 44-6. The psychological trauma inflicted on the Cowboys that December afternoon in Philadelphia will be revisited in the days leading up to Sunday's return engagement. Before you get lost in the motivation for this game and begin to toss the words revenge and redemption about, keep in mind there is only one question the Cowboys must answer. Why is this team better than the one that ended last season with a sickening thud? "It's still to be determined if we're better or not," receiver Patrick Crayton said. Good answer. An air of ..."
A revealing return to Philly for the Dallas Cowboys
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November 3
Dallas Morning News
 columnist Jean-Jaques Taylor
"In five days, the Cowboys return to the site of the most gutless performance in franchise history. It's not debatable, so please don't waste time making excuses for the Cowboys' abject performance last December with a playoff spot on the line. You'll only make yourself look foolish. Philadelphia 44, Dallas 6. "We got our ... [rear ends] kicked," Patrick Crayton said. "Don't sugarcoat it." OK. This game against Philadelphia, the NFC's most consistent team during the last decade, will tell you just about everything you need to know about the Cowboys heading into the second half of the season. It will reveal much more about Dallas than victories over Kansas City, Atlanta and Seattle ..."
Brian Westbrook expected to practice Wednesday
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November 2
Dallas Morning News
 
"That's the word from Philly coach Andy Reid about all-everything running back Brian Westbrook. Westbrook didn't play Sunday against the New York Giants because of a concussion. He has done some working out since getting hurt vs. Washington and was scheduled to do more on Monday. Reid said Westbrook had a slight headache Saturday but he was better Sunday."
Marcus Trufant's performance falls short in his return to the field
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November 2
Seattle Times
 
"As a cornerback, Marcus Trufant begins every play by backpedaling. After Sunday's game, however, he stood up in the locker room and offered a sugar-free assessment in his first game back from a disk injury. "Not the way I wanted it to go," Trufant said. "Team-wise, individual-wise." Seattle's former Pro Bowl cornerback was penalized three times for pass interference for a total of 38 yards and — more importantly — three Dallas first downs, but he didn't bite at an offer to question the legitimacy of those penalties. "Some calls are 50-50," Trufant said. "I'm not going to complain about anything. I'm a professional, so I've got to play through it, and that's what I did." This was supposed ..."
Maddening performances have become the norm for Seahawks
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November 2
Seattle Times
 columnist Jerry Brewer
"Another fruitless drive had stalled early in the third quarter, and Seahawks wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh barged off the field, huffing and hollering. On the sideline, his tantrum grew louder and more animated, so much so that receivers coach Robert Prince ventured over to calm him. The moment epitomized the latest aggravating Seahawks defeat, and upon first glance, it seemed to be the match that would light a true throw-me-the-ball controversy. Only it wasn't. Houshmandzadeh wasn't mad solely because he didn't get the pigskin. He was just mad, period. Helplessly mad. Story of the Seahawks' season. "I was talking to nobody," Houshmandzadeh said. "I was talking out loud to whoever ..."
Dallas easily beats the Seahawks, 38-17
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November 2
Seattle Times
 
"Seattle showed small signs of progress early Sunday at Cowboys Stadium. However, they were very small. It was also extremely early. Seattle scored on its first possession for only the second time this season when Olindo Mare kicked a 43-yard field goal with 6:58 left in the first quarter and Seattle had its first lead on the road all season. It lasted for almost four minutes. Almost. Dallas found the end zone 3:46 later when Seattle showed a general disinterest in tackling Sam Hurd at the end of his 36-yard reception. Four Seahawks converged on Hurd at about the 3-yard line. Not only did they fail to keep him out of the end zone, they couldn't even knock Hurd off his feet. Dallas never ..."
Don't kid yourself ... the Seahawks are through
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November 2
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
 
"Good night everybody, thanks for coming, see you next year. For the second straight season, the Seahawks are done in November. After Sunday's 38-17 loss to the Cowboys, the Hawks are 2-5 and heading home to play the Detroit Lions. Here's what will happen -- they'll surely win that game, fooling the 12th man into thinking their favorite team can maybe get back in the NFC West race again. After all, the Cardinals and 49ers lost on Sunday too. But the next three games are on the road, where Seattle never wins anymore -- the talent disparity is the biggest reason, not the time difference. Can we finally admit it? Can we put the injuries aside and call it what it is? Healthy or unhealthy, the ..."
Cowboys defense hitting the sacks harder
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November 2
San Antonio Express-News
 
"When the Dallas Cowboys want blitz pressure from up the middle, they usually call on inside linebackers Bradie James and Keith Brooking. But on Sunday, it was Bobby Carpenter who shot through the center-guard gap to make a play. The much-maligned nickel linebacker sacked Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck for a 6-yard loss on a key third down in the Cowboys' 38-17 win. "It's been 37 games since my last sack, so I was pretty excited," Carpenter said. "Hopefully, there will be more." Dallas finished with three sacks. The Cowboys have 17 sacks in their last 18 quarters after having none the first 10 quarters. Brooking and outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware contributed the other sacks Sunday. Ware, who ..."
Cowboys spread the wealth in feel-good rout
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November 2
San Antonio Express-News
 
"After running away from two linebackers to get inside the 10-yard line, Sam Hurd wasn't about to let a safety keep him out of the end zone. "Safeties usually try to go low and knock you out of bounds," Hurd said, "so I faked like I was going to lower my shoulder and then stepped over him into the end zone." The Brackenridge graduate's play sparked a scoring onslaught that saw five different Cowboys score touchdowns in a 38-17 romp over the Seahawks on Sunday before 80,886. The Cowboys' third straight win left them 5-2 and set up a showdown with Philadelphia (5-2) next Sunday night for the NFC East lead after the Eagles' 40-17 shredding of the New York Giants (5-3). The last time Dallas ..."
Eagles will determine if Romo has changed
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November 2
San Antonio Express-News
 columnist Buck Harvey
"What's changed? Tony Romo needed a minute. "I'd have to sit here and think," he said. He sat there and thought, but he didn't come up with much of a list. He mentioned there are new players, and this is a new season, and we jotted that down. The Cowboys should hope for more. They should hope dumping Terrell Owens remade their locker room and that Jason Garrett has learned a few things. They should hope their karma is better without "Pacman" Jones around, and that they've found some heart, and that the last three games indicate something else. Such as: Romo is the one who has changed the most. The Cowboys will need all of this as they return to Philadelphia, and no one feels this quite as ..."
Cowboys cruise past Seahawks
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November 2
San Antonio Express-News
 
"At last, the Dallas Cowboys are showing the consistency they sought. Miles Austin caught a touchdown pass for the third straight game and Patrick Crayton returned a punt for a score for the second consecutive week, sending Dallas past the Seattle Seahawks 38-17 and into a share of first place in the NFC East on Sunday. Tony Romo went a third game in a row without an interception. Since a herky-jerky first month, the Cowboys (5-2) have found quite a groove, winning three straight, setting up a showdown next Sunday night against the co-leading Eagles in Philadelphia. Romo threw for 256 yards, with touchdowns to Austin, Sam Hurd and Roy Williams. Marion Barber added a TD run and Crayton broke ..."
Dallas Cowboys' success seems to be catching in 38-17 win
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November 2
Dallas Morning News
 
"We spent all off-season trying to figure out what the heck Jerry Jones meant by "Romo Friendly." Now, we know. Every question you've had about the phrase Jerry coined while explaining the reasons for T.O.'s release should've been answered Sunday in the Cowboys' 38-17 blowout win over Seattle. This is all you need to know: One minute into the second quarter, Romo had completed passes to Jason Witten, Miles Austin, Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd and Roy Williams. Uh-huh. That's right. Much-maligned Roy Williams caught a pass in the first quarter. Heck, he even caught a touchdown pass in the third quarter. Forgive me, I digress. The point is that wherever the coverage took away receivers, ..."
Dallas Cowboys continue strong sack attack in 38-17 win
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November 2
Dallas Morning News
 columnist Gerry Fraley
"When Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb begins preparing for the latest episode of Armageddon, NFC East, he will notice an unsettling trend on the video. The Cowboys are beating up quarterbacks both physically and mentally. On Sunday, they dropped Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck three times. That lifted the sacks total to 17 in the last five games. The Cowboys are 4-1 in those games. The record and the flurry of sacks are not coincidental. Sacks are about more than wasted downs and lost yardage. They represent the surest way to cut off the head of an offense. "You have to get pressure on the quarterback," said outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware, whose one sack gave him five in the last ..."