The December curse on the Dallas Cowboys is the big topic of conversation today on news sites, radio talk shows, and in the blogosphere. Everybody’s ready to bury this team alive.
But I see a glass half full.
The Cowboys traveled to a boisterous New York stadium and played a fired up Giants team whose season was on the line. It was a must-win game for the Giants, and a sure-would-like-to overcome-the-curse game for the Cowboys.
Even though the Giants had more motivation, the Cowboys played better overall and, without a rare Marion Barber fumble and a special teams collapse, would have won.
And they’re still a game ahead of the Giants in the division standings.
If the Cowboys are the solid team they appear to be, they will respond next week against the San Diego Chargers. Call me a rose-colored glasses kind of guy, but mark my words — the Cowboys win three of their last four games and win the division.
Flozell Adams is taking heat today for his “bush league” freak-out at the end of the first half, when he attacked two Giants players and appeared ready to clobber the entire team single-handedly.
“That is just absolutely uncalled for,” Terry Bradshaw said at halftime.
This column has given Adams plenty of crap for his offside and holding penalties, but I applaud him for going postal on the Giants. After seeing the Cowboys lose an early lead – and after staring at Coach Wade Phillips dull face on the sidelines all year — somebody needed to go psycho and try to fire up this team. Way to go Adams.
(And don’t forget that this Giants team defaced the locker room at Cowboys Stadium after beating the Cowboys 33-31 earlier this year.)
Kicker David Buehler’s kicks rarely got close to the Giants end zone. One kickoff barely made it to the 15 yard line. This is the guy who was drafted to kick the ball in the end zone nine times out of 10?
As for Nick Folk…somebody needs to dropkick him. Kickers tend to psychologically crumble when things go bad, and Folk’s floundering doesn’t bode well for the December stretch. Folk yelled at his placeholder in the fourth quarter after missing a 42-yard attempt (Folk has missed five of his last 11 attempts).
Somehow, Giants punter Jeff Feagles is still kicking well despite being 43 and logging more than 20 seasons in the NFL.
Game Ball Award On Offense – WR Roy Williams. (Jason Witten probably deserves it more, but Williams had his best game of the year and needs some positive reinforcement.)
Game Ball Award On Defense – Cornerback Mike Jenkins. (Did you notice that commentator Troy Aikman described Jenkins as the team’s best cornerback? All-Pro Terence Newman will flip when he hears that. Maybe it will inspire him.)
Don’t think Jenkins has improved 1,000 percent over last year? Check out his brain fart against the Giants last season:
I pray someone chop blocks Lemarcus Ware (Yes I said Lemarcus, have you seen him? There is no way he likes girls)