Post by prossman on Dec 22, 2008 23:41:38 GMT -7
DMN: Cowboys must prove how big they are
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cowboys must prove how big they are
09:03 PM CST on Monday, December 22, 2008
IRVING – Big-time players make big-time plays in big games.
It's really as simple as that.
That's why I don't have to use last names when referring to Troy, Emmitt and Michael. They thrived in big games. They embraced the spotlight's glare; they didn't fear it.
And in the biggest games, they shined. It's the reason each has three Super Bowl rings.
Well, it doesn't get any bigger than Sunday's win-and-you're-in battle against the hated Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Win, and the Cowboys can erase much of the stench from the season's first 15 weeks, though it's going to take a trip to the NFC Championship to remove all of it. Lose, and their legacy as the most disappointing team in franchise history is secure.
So Tony Romo, it's on you. Terrell Owens, it's on you. DeMarcus Ware, it's on you.
Trust me, they're not alone.
It's on Ken Hamlin. And Terence Newman. And Jason Witten. And Roy Williams. And Flozell Adams. And Andre Gurode. And Leonard Davis. And Jay Ratliff. And Greg Ellis. And Anthony Henry. And Nick Folk.
That's just off the top of my head.
Hey, Chris Canty? You want to prove you deserve a fat contract in the off-season, you can do it in this game. You, too, Kevin Burnett.
Hey, Bradie James? You want to prove you should've been in the Pro Bowl, you can do it in this game. Hey, Pacman? You want to earn love from the fans, you can do it in this game.
Don't miss the point. I'm not calling out players. I'm simply saying that if you consider yourself a big-time player – trust me, a lot of guys on this roster do – then there's no better time to prove it than in the season's biggest game, especially since the football gods have granted Dallas a reprieve.
But let's be clear. This is not about trying hard. Or giving effort. We expect that.
You don't get credit for doing what you're supposed to do. You get credit for going above and beyond the call of duty.
We all know this team is among the league's most talented. We also know it has underachieved, which is why it's in this precarious position. We also know it's mentally fragile and capable of finding creative ways to lose.
Really, who loses on a blocked punt in overtime? Or allows 17 points in the final seven minutes to lose? Or allows touchdown runs of 77 and 82 yards in the final four minutes to prevent a comeback?
We know these Cowboys commit too many penalties. And too many turnovers. And they give up too many big plays on special teams.
But when they're focused, which doesn't happen often enough, these Cowboys can play with any team in the league. We'll get their best possible performance against Philadelphia, but it won't matter unless the Cowboys' best players make plays.
Think about all of the big plays the Cowboys didn't make against the Ravens. Make any of them, and they probably win.
Remember T.O. losing a potential TD pass in the lights and dropping another in the end zone?
Remember Romo overthrowing a wide open Miles Austin for another potential TD? What about
Hamlin somehow failing to fall on a fumble when he had a clean shot at the ball?
See what I mean?
That's why I always give Larry Brown credit for intercepting those two passes in Super Bowl XXX. How many times have we seen guys drop easy interceptions? Brown didn't.
He made a play. The Cowboys won.
So who's going make a big play at the right time for the Cowboys to beat the Eagles? We'll get the answer in six days.
__________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cowboys must prove how big they are
09:03 PM CST on Monday, December 22, 2008
IRVING – Big-time players make big-time plays in big games.
It's really as simple as that.
That's why I don't have to use last names when referring to Troy, Emmitt and Michael. They thrived in big games. They embraced the spotlight's glare; they didn't fear it.
And in the biggest games, they shined. It's the reason each has three Super Bowl rings.
Well, it doesn't get any bigger than Sunday's win-and-you're-in battle against the hated Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Win, and the Cowboys can erase much of the stench from the season's first 15 weeks, though it's going to take a trip to the NFC Championship to remove all of it. Lose, and their legacy as the most disappointing team in franchise history is secure.
So Tony Romo, it's on you. Terrell Owens, it's on you. DeMarcus Ware, it's on you.
Trust me, they're not alone.
It's on Ken Hamlin. And Terence Newman. And Jason Witten. And Roy Williams. And Flozell Adams. And Andre Gurode. And Leonard Davis. And Jay Ratliff. And Greg Ellis. And Anthony Henry. And Nick Folk.
That's just off the top of my head.
Hey, Chris Canty? You want to prove you deserve a fat contract in the off-season, you can do it in this game. You, too, Kevin Burnett.
Hey, Bradie James? You want to prove you should've been in the Pro Bowl, you can do it in this game. Hey, Pacman? You want to earn love from the fans, you can do it in this game.
Don't miss the point. I'm not calling out players. I'm simply saying that if you consider yourself a big-time player – trust me, a lot of guys on this roster do – then there's no better time to prove it than in the season's biggest game, especially since the football gods have granted Dallas a reprieve.
But let's be clear. This is not about trying hard. Or giving effort. We expect that.
You don't get credit for doing what you're supposed to do. You get credit for going above and beyond the call of duty.
We all know this team is among the league's most talented. We also know it has underachieved, which is why it's in this precarious position. We also know it's mentally fragile and capable of finding creative ways to lose.
Really, who loses on a blocked punt in overtime? Or allows 17 points in the final seven minutes to lose? Or allows touchdown runs of 77 and 82 yards in the final four minutes to prevent a comeback?
We know these Cowboys commit too many penalties. And too many turnovers. And they give up too many big plays on special teams.
But when they're focused, which doesn't happen often enough, these Cowboys can play with any team in the league. We'll get their best possible performance against Philadelphia, but it won't matter unless the Cowboys' best players make plays.
Think about all of the big plays the Cowboys didn't make against the Ravens. Make any of them, and they probably win.
Remember T.O. losing a potential TD pass in the lights and dropping another in the end zone?
Remember Romo overthrowing a wide open Miles Austin for another potential TD? What about
Hamlin somehow failing to fall on a fumble when he had a clean shot at the ball?
See what I mean?
That's why I always give Larry Brown credit for intercepting those two passes in Super Bowl XXX. How many times have we seen guys drop easy interceptions? Brown didn't.
He made a play. The Cowboys won.
So who's going make a big play at the right time for the Cowboys to beat the Eagles? We'll get the answer in six days.
__________________