Post by prossman on Dec 23, 2008 21:03:17 GMT -7
DC.COM: Bigger Than Big; Eatman: Sunday's Game More Than Just Do-or-Die
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Bigger Than Big
Eatman: Sunday's Game More Than Just Do-or-Die
Nick Eatman
December 23, 2008 5:50 PM
IRVING, Texas - Maybe it's because Christmas is now officially staring us in the face.
Maybe it's because we're not even halfway through the week yet and Sunday is still quite a distance away.
Maybe it's because everyone is still a little shocked by the events that occurred last week - seeing your team fall flat in the end, watching Texas Stadium close on a losing note, thinking the playoffs are a lost cause and then getting revived on Sunday thanks to the San Diego Chargers.
For whatever reason, this upcoming game with the Eagles doesn't seem to be getting enough recognition.
Yeah, we all know this is a big game.
Ok, scratch that. This is a HUGE game. It's THE game. And not just for this season, but for the future of the Cowboys.
This game right here will a go a long way in defining what the Dallas Cowboys are all about. What Tony Romo is really about. What Wade Phillips is about.
Like it or not, and maybe it's unfair for one game to signify all of that, but that's where the Cowboys are. That's the hole they've dug for themselves. That's what not beating the lowly Rams will do for you. That's what running the ball only eight times against Washington does. That's what not closing out the Steelers on the road will do for you. And that's exactly what letting a team run through your defense for two huge running plays in the final five minutes of a game will do as well.
This is where they are. Through all of that, though, the Cowboys have this chance. It's not easy. Never is going up to Philadelphia.
And you know, it doesn't matter one bit what happens earlier in the day on Sunday. Chicago and Tampa Bay could both win and get to 10-6 and that would knock out the Eagles from playoff contention. And while it might suck the life out of the Eagles nation for a moment, just the pure sight of Romo and of course, T.O. will give those Philly fanatics a reason to beat Dallas on Sunday.
It doesn't matter if the Eagles are going to the playoffs or not. A win over the Cowboys Sunday and sending them home early as well will be the greatest, latest Christmas present of all time. The Eagles' hatred for the Cowboys will likely trump anything else.
And that's the way it should be. Who knows? Maybe this game does seem HUGE up in Philly.
Don't get me wrong. The players aren't looking past the Eagles and on to the playoffs. The fans here aren't ready to talk Mavericks or anything like that.
It just doesn't have that "game of the year" feeling. But it is the game of the year. In fact, you can make the argument that this game could have a lingering affect on the future of this team.
You know there are a lot of big games over the years with this franchise. Other than the Super Bowls or playoff games, most of the big ones are classified as big after the fact. Something happened that day that became a reference point for the future.
We didn't know before the Thanksgiving Day game in 1994 that this would be the defining moment of Jason Garrett's career and turn into one of the memorable games in Cowboys' history.
We call that one simply, the Jason Garrett game. There is a Leon Lett game, too, which happened the previous Thanksgiving in 1993.
Tony Dorsett's 99-yard touchdown run against the Vikings in 1982, or Emmitt Smith's 237 yards against the Eagles in 1993 - or what about the time Herschel Walker ripped through New England's defense on the fourth play of overtime to beat the Patriots up in Foxboro back in 1987?
All of these memories that just stick out, and of course, none of them could be predicted.
My point - yes, there is one - is that this game right here, this week, will probably be one of those games.
One of those "do you remember the time the Cowboys had to go into Philadelphia on the last week of the season to get into the playoffs and they . . . "
And trust me, the end of that sentence will be very significant to the immediate future of this franchise.
Let's start with the positive. If the Cowboys go up to Philadelphia and take care of business, more than likely, that will mean that Tony Romo played well. The Cowboys don't win too many games on the road against division opponents without strong play from the quarterback. It's no secret that he has to play well for this team to win. So in that scenario, the perception of Romo not playing well in big games will immediately dwindle.
Now, it won't go away completely, especially until he leads the Cowboys to a win in the playoffs. And that will be the next thing that a win Sunday could lead to.
There's no denying that the road would indeed get easier for the Cowboys ONCE they get into the playoffs. Usually, it's the other way around.
But it's likely the Cowboys would be favored in the playoffs if they played at Minnesota, Arizona or Chicago.
That certainly doesn't mean the Cowboys would win the game. But being favored for a playoff game, especially on the road, signifies that you have the best team. And considering that to get there, the Cowboys would've had to have beaten the Eagles to pull their road record to 4-4 this year, but 11-5 in the last two years, this team should have plenty of confidence they can win on the road.
Also, just getting into the playoffs alone should be considered a great accomplishment.
Sure, it's below the expectations we all had. But then again, what do we know? We all thought the Cowboys were this talent-laden team that won 13 games with 13 Pro Bowlers last year and only got better. That's we thought. We were wrong, a little.
But it happens all over the league. New England won 16 games last year and now has 10. Green Bay dropped from 13 to five. Jacksonville went from 11 to five and Seattle down from 10 wins to just four.
It happens. All of those teams were considered to be playoff-contenders and some had even higher expectations.
This isn't to say we need to have a party in downtown Dallas because they made the playoffs. No, it's just to point out that preseason hype means absolutely nothing.
The reality of the situation was right after the St. Louis game when the Cowboys were 4-3 and didn't know how long Tony Romo would be out and didn't know if they could function offensively without him.
So to pull things together and somehow manage to get to 10-6 and get in the playoffs, where now the clich� exists of "anything can happen," would be quite a feat, considering what they've had to endure.
Now, that flip side can be just as scary the other way.
If the Cowboys can't beat the Eagles on Sunday and fall to 9-7, this season will likely be considered a failure.
Fair or not, that's the way it is. No one will say that Romo got hurt for three games, or the Cowboys lost many key players to injuries, such as Terence Newman, Marion Barber, Roy Williams, Mat McBriar and Felix Jones.
None of that will matter. The only thing that will be written or said, is that the Cowboys were Super Bowl favorites in August and home for the playoffs in January.
And frankly, that's all that matters.
With that, changes will likely occur. Coaching staff and players included, there will be changes. Who knows just how drastic.
But with a win Sunday, your season is extended and the opportunity to reach your ultimate goal, as improbable as it might be, is still alive.
Lose on Sunday and you'll face a wrath of negativity that will probably fill up the entire seven months of the off-season.
Seems pretty big. Maybe, just maybe by the time things get kicked off on Sunday, this game will actually feel like a big game, too.
__________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bigger Than Big
Eatman: Sunday's Game More Than Just Do-or-Die
Nick Eatman
December 23, 2008 5:50 PM
IRVING, Texas - Maybe it's because Christmas is now officially staring us in the face.
Maybe it's because we're not even halfway through the week yet and Sunday is still quite a distance away.
Maybe it's because everyone is still a little shocked by the events that occurred last week - seeing your team fall flat in the end, watching Texas Stadium close on a losing note, thinking the playoffs are a lost cause and then getting revived on Sunday thanks to the San Diego Chargers.
For whatever reason, this upcoming game with the Eagles doesn't seem to be getting enough recognition.
Yeah, we all know this is a big game.
Ok, scratch that. This is a HUGE game. It's THE game. And not just for this season, but for the future of the Cowboys.
This game right here will a go a long way in defining what the Dallas Cowboys are all about. What Tony Romo is really about. What Wade Phillips is about.
Like it or not, and maybe it's unfair for one game to signify all of that, but that's where the Cowboys are. That's the hole they've dug for themselves. That's what not beating the lowly Rams will do for you. That's what running the ball only eight times against Washington does. That's what not closing out the Steelers on the road will do for you. And that's exactly what letting a team run through your defense for two huge running plays in the final five minutes of a game will do as well.
This is where they are. Through all of that, though, the Cowboys have this chance. It's not easy. Never is going up to Philadelphia.
And you know, it doesn't matter one bit what happens earlier in the day on Sunday. Chicago and Tampa Bay could both win and get to 10-6 and that would knock out the Eagles from playoff contention. And while it might suck the life out of the Eagles nation for a moment, just the pure sight of Romo and of course, T.O. will give those Philly fanatics a reason to beat Dallas on Sunday.
It doesn't matter if the Eagles are going to the playoffs or not. A win over the Cowboys Sunday and sending them home early as well will be the greatest, latest Christmas present of all time. The Eagles' hatred for the Cowboys will likely trump anything else.
And that's the way it should be. Who knows? Maybe this game does seem HUGE up in Philly.
Don't get me wrong. The players aren't looking past the Eagles and on to the playoffs. The fans here aren't ready to talk Mavericks or anything like that.
It just doesn't have that "game of the year" feeling. But it is the game of the year. In fact, you can make the argument that this game could have a lingering affect on the future of this team.
You know there are a lot of big games over the years with this franchise. Other than the Super Bowls or playoff games, most of the big ones are classified as big after the fact. Something happened that day that became a reference point for the future.
We didn't know before the Thanksgiving Day game in 1994 that this would be the defining moment of Jason Garrett's career and turn into one of the memorable games in Cowboys' history.
We call that one simply, the Jason Garrett game. There is a Leon Lett game, too, which happened the previous Thanksgiving in 1993.
Tony Dorsett's 99-yard touchdown run against the Vikings in 1982, or Emmitt Smith's 237 yards against the Eagles in 1993 - or what about the time Herschel Walker ripped through New England's defense on the fourth play of overtime to beat the Patriots up in Foxboro back in 1987?
All of these memories that just stick out, and of course, none of them could be predicted.
My point - yes, there is one - is that this game right here, this week, will probably be one of those games.
One of those "do you remember the time the Cowboys had to go into Philadelphia on the last week of the season to get into the playoffs and they . . . "
And trust me, the end of that sentence will be very significant to the immediate future of this franchise.
Let's start with the positive. If the Cowboys go up to Philadelphia and take care of business, more than likely, that will mean that Tony Romo played well. The Cowboys don't win too many games on the road against division opponents without strong play from the quarterback. It's no secret that he has to play well for this team to win. So in that scenario, the perception of Romo not playing well in big games will immediately dwindle.
Now, it won't go away completely, especially until he leads the Cowboys to a win in the playoffs. And that will be the next thing that a win Sunday could lead to.
There's no denying that the road would indeed get easier for the Cowboys ONCE they get into the playoffs. Usually, it's the other way around.
But it's likely the Cowboys would be favored in the playoffs if they played at Minnesota, Arizona or Chicago.
That certainly doesn't mean the Cowboys would win the game. But being favored for a playoff game, especially on the road, signifies that you have the best team. And considering that to get there, the Cowboys would've had to have beaten the Eagles to pull their road record to 4-4 this year, but 11-5 in the last two years, this team should have plenty of confidence they can win on the road.
Also, just getting into the playoffs alone should be considered a great accomplishment.
Sure, it's below the expectations we all had. But then again, what do we know? We all thought the Cowboys were this talent-laden team that won 13 games with 13 Pro Bowlers last year and only got better. That's we thought. We were wrong, a little.
But it happens all over the league. New England won 16 games last year and now has 10. Green Bay dropped from 13 to five. Jacksonville went from 11 to five and Seattle down from 10 wins to just four.
It happens. All of those teams were considered to be playoff-contenders and some had even higher expectations.
This isn't to say we need to have a party in downtown Dallas because they made the playoffs. No, it's just to point out that preseason hype means absolutely nothing.
The reality of the situation was right after the St. Louis game when the Cowboys were 4-3 and didn't know how long Tony Romo would be out and didn't know if they could function offensively without him.
So to pull things together and somehow manage to get to 10-6 and get in the playoffs, where now the clich� exists of "anything can happen," would be quite a feat, considering what they've had to endure.
Now, that flip side can be just as scary the other way.
If the Cowboys can't beat the Eagles on Sunday and fall to 9-7, this season will likely be considered a failure.
Fair or not, that's the way it is. No one will say that Romo got hurt for three games, or the Cowboys lost many key players to injuries, such as Terence Newman, Marion Barber, Roy Williams, Mat McBriar and Felix Jones.
None of that will matter. The only thing that will be written or said, is that the Cowboys were Super Bowl favorites in August and home for the playoffs in January.
And frankly, that's all that matters.
With that, changes will likely occur. Coaching staff and players included, there will be changes. Who knows just how drastic.
But with a win Sunday, your season is extended and the opportunity to reach your ultimate goal, as improbable as it might be, is still alive.
Lose on Sunday and you'll face a wrath of negativity that will probably fill up the entire seven months of the off-season.
Seems pretty big. Maybe, just maybe by the time things get kicked off on Sunday, this game will actually feel like a big game, too.
__________________