Many of you are probably rolling your eyes both at the very stale cliche’ and the idea that a Rams team without their star RB Steven Jackson, an O-line playing musical chairs before each game, and a QB that is nursing broken ribs can surprise Dallas and limp out of Texas Stadium with a win Sunday. I also understand that this warning is like telling Texas Ranger fans that they better hurry and get their season tickets before they run out.

But, it’s happened before.

You can’t be a Cowboys fan and ignore the stark reality that this team has historically fallen to down-and-out teams after a spirit of overconfidence and laziness overtook them. Does anyone remember the very first game of the expansion Houston Texans on national TV on their turf? How about the 9-5 Dallas Cowboys in 1985 losing to the 7-7 Bengals 54-20 at Texas Stadium? I could go on…

Here’s another cliche’. The Cowboys simply have to take care of business this Sunday. If they put mental sharpness and unequivocal focus in their arsenal against St. Louis, this game will be over by halftime. If Dallas stumbles, and lets St. Louis stay close most of the game, then there is that deadly scenario staring all of us in the face of Bulger facing a Cowboys secondary that loves to give up the big pass play.

Rams WR Isaac Bruce has guaranteed a win. If he’ll look back at some of the verbal promises that the Giants’ Brandon Jacobs and Miami’s Joey Porter declared before they faced Dallas, then he’ll see how that turned out.

Isaac, may the best man win.

Some other notes and observations heading into Game 4:

1. Wade Phillips has given Greg Ellis a “50-50 chance” of playing Sunday. I don’t see that happening.
2. Dallas really needs Newman in there this Sunday even more than just the nickel packages considering St. Louis’ deadly receiving corps.
3. You hear that defense wins games, but that must mean that the offense has to contribute to a degree. The Rams’ D-unit is ranked 7th in the NFL and the offense is 25th.
4. I’m beginning to wonder if we’ve seen Terry Glenn for the last time.
5. How’s that 3-4 defense that Wade Phillips has installed? Dallas leads the league in INT’s and turnover ratio.
6. There will be a segment on Tony Romo during ESPN’s NFL Countdown and on the FOX pre-game show. FOX’s Terry Bradshaw interviewed Romo at Valley Ranch and was seen leaving with a Dallas Cowboys baseball cap on his head. Don’t you know Art Rooney is turning over in his grave!

The Monsters of the Midway had developed a reputation for a very stingy and suffocating defense, a dynamic special teams, and an offense that was not explosive or potent but effective when it had to be. They were also the NFC Champions of 2006 and smothered opposing offenses at home. Given the state of the weak NFC, the Chicago Bears were considered the team to beat this year.

I wouldn’t call it a beating, but rather a mauling. The Boys went into Soldier Field last Sunday night and completely dominated Da Bears!

There were concerns going in that the Dallas offense was finally going to meet their match and that Tony Romo wasn’t quite ready for this kind of defense especially on the road on the national stage. Many wondered if Rex Grossman might finally break out of his shell vs. the Cowboys’ suspect secondary freeing up RB Cedric Benson to explode onto the scene.

Not tonight.

Dallas continued to display their resolve, resiliency, refinement, and even some very necessary roughness. Bears CB Charles Tillman groaned as he took off his jersey after the game. He said, “The most physical game I played this year.” Of course, Tillman was assigned T.O. most of the game and paid dearly as Owens put on a clinic and showed muscle going after balls and juking out defensive backs.

And, Tony Romo was not a bit fazed by this daunting defense. He struggled a bit in the first half but came out with all guns blazing in the second half thanks in part to OC Jason Garrett’s continued cutthroat play-calling. Romo showed poise, and his decision-making was excellent after an early INT.

RB Marion Barber III appears to be from another planet as he scored two more times. This guy knows nothing else but how to play with immense fortitude, vigor, and stubborness. The two-back RB system has its advantages and disadvantages and I think Julius Jones is a nice compliment to this tandem, but I do expect that J.J. will be with another team next year.

Defensively, Dallas steam-rolled Rex Grossman and made him look like a rookie. CB Anthony Henry had two more INT’s (one for a TD) and LB Demarcus Ware showed up three weeks late and got two sacks. They simply reversed roles when Chicago had the ball.

But, it’s only been three games. The excitement of this early success is definitely rampant among Cowboy fans nationwide and local media, but this is just the kind of trap that can mess with the players’ minds and invites a spirit of over-confidence that can spread like cancer.

The key is having stark focus and mental sharpness (meaning no more 12-penalty games) against every single opponent the rest of the season. If they can manage this crispness and hone their game plans on both sides of the ball, then flight arrangements to Arizona just might be reality.

I’ve been hearing a lot of insight and commentary from all sorts of venues regarding the battle this Sunday night between Dallas and Chicago. There has been in-depth analysis from NFL Network, local sports talk shows, ESPN, etc. on Dallas’ high-powered offense vs. this smothering Bears defense. Questions are raining down about whether to punt to Devin Hester or kick it out-of-bounds and avoid him like the Bubonic plague.

You can dissect this game any way you want to, but it all boils down to this: The Dallas Cowboys need to play damn good football all the way around!

Their offense must control the clock and wear down this defense which means the running tandem of Jones/Barber must excel and Romo must stay vertical. This starts with the O-line, which you can see from the space shuttle, as they have to overpower the Bears’ D-line, create running lanes, and protect Romo’s blind spot. Romo and Co. must also avoid turnovers and stay mentally sharp.

This is a statement game for the defense. QB “Train Rex” Grossman is not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, RB Cedric Benson is about as intimidating as Barney Fife, and the receiving corps is ranked 29th probably due to Grossman’s 55.1 passer rating this year. Dallas’ secondary must be perfect because I believe that Grossman sees this game as an opportunity to break out of his shell. They’re ranked 31st in the league and hurting, but they really showed some muscle last week vs. Miami. Stick to the receivers like glue and give the Dallas front seven time to smother Grossman, and the Dallas offense will have shorter fields.

And, yes, this will also be a measuring stick for the special teams which must contain Hester like a rabid Bengal tire at a zoo but there is also something not being mentioned. The Dallas Cowboys’ Tyson Thompson leads the NFL in kickoff returns averaging 28.5 yards per return which is far ahead of Devin Hester (19.3), and #2 behind Hester (28.6) in punt return average is Patrick Crayton (16.0).

Yes, it’s only Week Three, but this is a litmus test for the Dallas Cowboys as they face the defending NFC champions on their turf on national TV. They will either solidify their position as the team to beat in the NFC or they will be staring at themselves in the mirror stark naked and see exactly what needs to be repaired in order to not lose ground.

Some other notes and observations heading into Chicago:

1. CB Terence Newman just might be allowed to make his NFL debut Sunday night. I wouldn’t. The Rams are coming to town next week and I’d rather have a healthy Newman to defend their passing attack.
2. Dallas’ best secret weapons may not even be at the game. QB coach Wade Wilson is serving his 5-game suspension but he used to be the Chicago QB coach and, no doubt, has given Wade Phillips vital information. Suspneded Ex-Bear “Tank” Johnson is now a Cowboy.
3. Head Coach Wade Phillips is from Orange, TX and Chicago head coach Lovie Smith is from Big Sandy, TX 234 miles apart.
4. Dallas is playing on national TV for the second time in the first three weeks of the season. It’s the first time since the Baltimore Colts in 1978 that a team has done that.
5. Dallas 20   Chicago 10

I’m not at all upset about the signing of Tank Johnson. He’s a superb talent on the field and trying to redeem his life off the field. This is a forgiving country, but that level of clemency is not reached in today’s NFL. With Sheriff Goodell walking the streets, all I can say is that Johnson better be watching Letterman instead of partying or hanging with his posse.

If he becomes a cancer in the locker room and/or lands on the police blotter, he’ll land on the streets of Goodell’s town once again.

Tony Romo claims he’s not sweating over getting his first big NFL contract, but he and the rest of the Cowboys were pouring persperation due to the humidity Sunday afternoon as they overpowered the Dolphins 37-20.

It was a meager 10-6 Dallas at halftime, but that was before the floodgates opened. Tony Romo and Co. carried out OC Jason Garrett’s game plan with precision, and Fins QB Trent Green was flustered all afternoon. Miami committed five turnovers and never could find a rhythm offensively while the defense looked strong but simply got thwarted by the Cowboys.

In Game One vs. the Giants, the Cowboys appeared to be exhibiting two valuable and unique qualities: Freedom and smiling. These two elements were absent during the Parcells Inquisition, but they have begun to blossom under the Wade Phillips early regime. I mean, Phillips was out on the field arms raised high after a field goal in the second quarter last Sunday. Did you ever see Parcells do that? You haven’t seen this kind of enthusiasm and pride since JJ was coach.

You also haven’t see true grit. It was fourth and five on the Miami 34-yard-line and leading by 10 points while also being out of rookie K Nick Folk’s range. Garrett had a decision to make so what did he do? He and Phillips listened to Terrell Owens who went to the sidelines and asked for the ball promising a first down. The result was a 34-yard TD pass to T.O. After the game, Coach Wade said, “There was no use in punting it.”

What do you think The Tuna would have done?

Week 2 of the NFL season can be a barometer for emotional and bandwagon fans to gauge their team’s doom or success for the upcoming year. An opening week win followed by another victory will instigate Tasmanian Devil-like dances in the middle of their living room or grocery store. A win followed by a loss will give them the impression that inconsistency is going to be prevalent all year. Losing Game One and then winning the following week is like Tums on a queazy stomach. Two losses in a row to open a season breeds disilluision and a frantic desire to fill out a will.

A loss in Week 2 is not likely, but it won’t be the end of the world. I typically don’t get caught up in historical facts to determine the outcome of a team’s success for a season or a game, but Dallas did begin the 1993 season 0-2 and then went on to win Super Bowl XXVIII.

While I do pick the Cowboys to fly out of Miami International Airport Sunday evening with a victory, the ingredients are there for a Miami upset. The players and coaches naturally downplay extreme weather like a speed bump, but you can’t argue or debate what heat and humidity does to the human body. Also, the Cowboys won’t be facing a defense that will remind them of the Giants from last week. They are getting older, but they still pack punch and can smother offenses. QB Trent Green and Co. don’t scare me, but the holes that the Dallas defense has right now due to injuries does.

Here are some other notes going into sunny Florida:

• Greg Ellis is out and I seriously doubt we’ll see Terence Newman.
• As if facing the potent Dallas offense isn’t bad enough, Miami S Yeremiah Bell is out for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Air Romo should have some decent numbers this week too.
• I’m not sure what the bigger game this weekend. The Dallas-Miami game or the Southlake Carroll-Miami Northwestern high school game.
• For a second straight week an opposing player is trash-talking Dallas. This time it’s LB Joey Porter who wants a piece of RB Marion Barber who he says, “…thinks he’s a tough guy…..”
• How’s this for a game plan? Get the ball to Terrell Owens. Any time T.O. scores two TD’s in a game, his teams are 22-5.
• Dallas 22  Miami 18

Last night’s 45-35 win was huge for Dallas.

Yes, the supposedly revamped defense orchestrated by defensive guru/head coach Wade Phillips gave up 35 points to an average offense. I understand that the loss of CB Terence Newman and LB Greg Ellis was felt…much like falling on a cactus. And, yes, there was obviously some Cowboys who overslept and missed the tackling drills in training camp. 

I agree that QB Tony Romo very well could be the real deal after living up to the off-season hype and piling up career numbers last night. RB Marion Barber played like a demon pissed off. The receivers were catching passes and running with a driven purpose. When you think about it, it’s no surprise that Jerry Jones hired Jason Garrett before Phillips.

I watched the game last night from start to finish, and I kept thinking to myself, “What is so different about this team? I see the product on the field scoring TD’s, giving up big plays, sacking Manning, missing tackles, etc. I know there are new faces weaved throughout this franchise, but there is something else about this Dallas Cowboys team that is peculiar.”

And then it hit me — They’re smiling.

There is a fresh, explosive wave of exuberance and revelry that is permeatting the locker room and carrying over onto the field that is contagious. Garrett is laughing and shoving players in good nature as he greets them coming off the field and talking to them. Romo makes a mistake, in a split second realizes what he did, and then grins. He gets over it. When he calls plays in the huddle, his hand gestures and facial expressions are lively.

Terrell Owens is smiling, laughing, and chest-bumping teammates who made big plays BEFORE he caught his first pass.

Even the defensive players were clapping hands and exhibiting poise while leaking at the seams.

Coach Wade Phillips cheered when the team scored and/or made big plays and ran onto the field hands raised when the final gun sounded. We haven’t seen this excitement from a coach since Jimmy Johnson.

I then realized how refreshing it is to not have grumpy Bill Parcells on the sideline. He did an excellent job finding his type of players to lay an unshakable foundation to build upon, but these athletes had unharnessed jubilance that were kept bottled up due to Big Bill’s demeanor and Marine-soaked philosophies. When he won a game, he walked onto the field like someone had left a steaming pile of manure on his freshly-stained deck.  If the offense conducted a momentum-changing play, he grabbed an offensive lineman and would chew him out for missing his assignment.

There is much to be excited about entering 2007, and you can tell by the shaken champaign bottles being uncorked.

…until the Dallas Cowboys begin their 2007 campaign!

All the hype surrounding this team since Phillips’ hire , the NFL draft, and training camp is coming to a head as Dallas prepares to wage war vs. the much-hated Giants in Texas Stadium on national TV. The road to the season opener has been been filled with fervor and high expectations along with a sense of purpose and pride that Phillips has brought to this team.

While there have been some turbulent moments due to injuries and some off-field issues, the general feeling in Bid D is that Cowboy fans are going to see a brand of football that has not been witnessed in quite some time if ever.

And, it all starts tomorrow night. Here are some notes going into the inaugural game:

1. WR Terry Glenn is out and maybe for the season. It all depends on what he wants to do for his knee that has torn cartilage. He can either have micro-fracture surgery and end his season and possibly his career or have damaged tissue removed and be out three to four weeks. Either way, I believe that his glory days are over and he physically won’t be able to perform at the level he once did.

2. Patrick Crayton will start and probably Sam Hurd will be in the slot. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone to step up and prove themselves, but I do believe that Dallas will look for insurance. I’ve heard that recently-cut WR Reche Caldwell’s agent has contacted the Cowboys.

3. Don’t expect CB Terence Newman to play. Owner Jerry Jones is optimistic that he’ll be out there, but does that really surprise anyone? It’s his job to be positive.

4. LB Greg Ellis is officially out which is not headline news.

5. Missing a star #2 WR, while it throws a curve ball in OC Jason Garrett’s game plan for the season, is not the end of the world. First of all, the position is so deep that I believe someone will step up. If not, they’ll go get someone proven. Secondly, as I recall, the Cowboys in the 90’s won a few title rings with Irvin who was not complemented by another headliner. And, besides, the Giants secondary is porous so I don’t believe it will make a difference for this game.

6. New starting RB Brandon Jacobs declared earlier this week that the Giants were going to go down to Dallas and “whip their ass.” Mr. Jacobs has talent and is a monster to tackle, but he has never started an NFL game and his first is against a hated division rival on their turf. It’s like walking into a lion’s den and begin throwing rocks at them.

7. Dallas 27   N.Y. Giants 14

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