DALLAS
After watching the Cowboys recording, the most important thing to really emphasize is how gritty the team has become under Jason Garrett. I fully believe we lose a game like that under Wade Phillips, especially this year and maybe even last year. But this team has a resolve and "never quit" attitude that it didn't have under Phillips. There is no doubt about it. Dallas could have caved after the blocked punt, after the Colts took the lead but they marched right down the field on a long, time-consuming TD drive in the fourth to retake the lead. They could have caved in OT when the Colts first got the ball, and then got it again after a punt. But the players never quit, something that was definitely missing against Jacksonville and Green Bay and to a lesser extent earlier in the year.
The defense is actually giving up MORE yards since Phillips left, but it is also creating more turnovers, and the offense is more efficient than ever. The thing about the offense that is particularly confusing is that the air-ground ratio is more balanced. Since Garrett took over as head coach, the run-to-pass playcalling ratio is right around 50-50. When Phillips was head coach, I believe the graphic displayed during Sunday's game showed it was 67 pass-33 run. Garrett called the plays under Phillips and is still doing so as head coach but perhaps Phillips did have some influence over the playcalling. The belief was that Phillips dealt with the defense while not really dabbling in the other side of the ball but perhaps that wasn't entirely true. Either way, on offense, by being more balanced, Dallas has kept opposing defenses off balance and has scored 33, 35, 27, and 24 (two TDs against Indy were off Peyton Manning INTs) offensive points in each successive game while Garrett has been head coach. We actually have some semblance of a running game, too! The Cowboys recorded 200, or close to 200, rushing yards against the Colts. Of course, the line is playing better overall in both pass protection and run blocking, so the rushing game that has gotten stronger under Garrett might not be just because his playcalling has improved. The whole team is playing better--with more energy and fire and that is apparent on the offensive line as well and I'm sure that has helped the running game.
It was great to see Tashard Choice have a 100-yard game. He seems like such a solid running back. Whenever he gets his chances, he's made the most of them and I don't know why he hasn't gotten more carries. Hopefully his workload continues to increase. I feel like he is a combo of the best things that Felix Jones and Marion Barber bring to the table. He brings some of Jones' quickness and some of Barber's toughness and attitude. His running style seems to be a hybrid of the two and I feel like because of that, he might be the most complete running back the Cowboys have.
Since Garrett took over for Phillips, perhaps no player has improved his play more than Jon Kitna. Since the second New York game, Kitna has thrown for 7 TDs, 2 INTs, and 238.5 yds/game. Against Jacksonville and Green Bay, he threw 2 TDs and 6 picks. I've always liked Kitna. I always thought he got a bad rap with bad teams in Detroit and Cincinnati (he also played for Seattle). He threw for lots of yards and TDs, but also lots of INTs. This is definitely the best team--at least most talented--he's ever been on, and he said as much a couple weeks ago. During the Saints game, I believe, Troy Aikman said that Kitna said he had waited his whole career to play in an offense with this many weapons. Looks like he's showing what he can do finally after sub-par stops at other cities during his career.
Hopefully Dez Bryant can fully recover from his fractured ankle. He is certainly an explosive rookie and a real commodity for the offense. The way he hit the crease on that one kick return against the Colts was awesome. If we were in the middle of the playoff race, he would be a big loss but it was great watching him this year and I can't wait to watch him next year as well.
Dallas probably would not have won the game had it not been for intercepting Manning four times, but it is a team game and the better team Sunday won. The defense gave up lots of yards but came through with points and also with another pick in OT when it really mattered to set up the game-winning drive. Rookie LB Sean Lee had a terrific game with one INT that he took back for a score and he had the one in overtime off a Mike Jenkins deflection. I've noticed some new jersey numbers on the defensive side of the ball since Garrett has taken over so perhaps players are being held more accountable and different players further down the depth chart are getting their chances after working hard during practice. Phillips was unwilling to really discipline veterans for playing poorly or not working hard. Perhaps the new players on defense are contributing to the unit giving up lots of yards but I'd rather play with developing players who are working hard than veterans who may not be. Hopefully, with more games under its belt, the defense can get their swagger back after adding some new faces into the mix.
Has Manning lost some of his ability? That could be the case, but I'd give him a break for now. The entire team is ailing from injuries and what Manning has done over his career speaks for itself. He hasn't been extremely clutch, but he still should be considered one of the best of all-time. To cement his legacy, however, he needs another ring or to at least play better in bigger games. He needs to make people forget the game-clinching interception the Saints had against him in the Super Bowl last year.
VIRGINIA
Speaking of gritty wins, the Virginia men's basketball team got one over Virginia Tech on Sunday, shortly after Dallas got a game-winning field goal in OT from David Buehler. It's been five years I believe, maybe longer, since the Cavs won at Cassell Coliseum, and to defeat a highly-touted team was great to see. The team lead by 16 points at one point in the first half but, as expected, the Hokies made a second-half run. What was more unexpected was the way UVA dug down and held on for the win. It was very impressive to see the team rise to the occasion as Tech got within two points at 51-49. For such a young team to pull out the victory in such a hostile environment is a solid stepping stone for the program.
Tony Bennett seems to have really developed this team into what he wants after some early losses. I think the team has learned a lot from those early losses, all by double digits, to Stanford, Washington (by 43) and Wichita State. Bennett is doing it with a roster mostly bereft of capable veterans. Mike Scott is the only senior who consistently contributes. Mustapha Farrakhan, Will Sherrill, and Assane Sene (on defense, at least) all have their moments, but can't seem to perform well game-to-game. Sammy Zeglinski is probably the second-most consistent senior but has has been recovering from surgery for most of the year. He played his first minutes of the year against Virginia Tech and then again vs. Radford on Tuesday, but he still hasn't recorded a point this season.
Virginia has been able to get excellent contributions early on from freshmen Joe Harris and K.T. Harrell. Harris has proven capable of shooting the three and driving the lane while Harrell caught fire early on against Radford and has shown he can light it up as well. The workhorse has been the aforementioned Scott (17 points, 12 rebs vs. VT), who so far is experiencing his best season as a Wahoo and has really blossomed into an all-around player on both the offensive and defensive end. He is averaging a double-double (around 16 points, 10 rebounds per game) but struggled against Radford. Still, in that matchup, he was solid on the defensive end as opposed to other years where he himself has admitted that he focused mostly on the offensive side of his game. Instead of pouting and finishing with a bad night overall, Scott helped contribute on the defensive end. By the end of the Radford game, he had a another double-double, barely, with 10 points and 13 rebounds despite his struggles. It was his fifth consecutive double-double and he was the first Cavalier to accomplish that feat since Ralph Sampson. Good company I'd say.
Against both Virginia Tech and Radford, the Cavs played excellent defense. Malcolm Delaney scored 26 points for the Hokies and Jeff Allen chipped in 12, but no other Tech players registered in double figures. Only one Radford player scored more than nine points. Virginia struggled in that game, but still won by 10, 54-44. Sometimes you have to win ugly and that's what we were able to do. I was at the game, actually, and it seemed like Virginia was going to blow out the Highlanders once the game reached halftime. UVA struggled in the early part of the game, but with Radford leading 19-15, Virginia then went on a 22-0 run that lasted into the second half to put the game out of reach. It would have been nice to win by more than 10, but a win is a win and there were still some positives to take from the game. The Cavs held the Highlanders scoreless for more than 14 minutes during the 22-0 run, an incredible feat no matter who the opponent is. Virginia had seven blocks in the game, and during one possession in the first half, Sene had two consecutive blocks and Farrakhan had one as the shot clock expired. Harris and Harrell both scored in double figures again, showing that they are continuing to perform at a level beyond that of freshmen. Virginia is off until Dec. 17 when it faces Oregon at home.
Virginia Tech, meanwhile, is in serious trouble after falling to 4-4 with its loss against Virginia. A season that started with promise is quickly turning into a must-win situation for the Hokies. Last year, they finished 10-6 in the ACC and still missed the NCAA tournament because of a weak non-conference schedule. This year, Tech had chances against Kansas State, Purdue, Oklahoma State, and UNLV to beat some quality teams. They only beat OK St. They get to play Mississippi State on Dec. 18 so they'll get another chance for a decent-quality win then. If they run the table before non-ACC play, they'll be 9-4, and then they have 16 ACC games plus a contest against Longwood. Assuming they beat Longwood, they'd be 10-4. With nine ACC wins, they'd get to 19-11, which would probably place them on the bubble but not make them attractive enough to make the tournament. Tech could be looking at a situation where it has to get to 10-6, maybe even 11-5 in the ACC to make the tournament, and that's assuming they win the rest of their non-conference games. Nothing should be taken for granted after what we saw last year, when the Hokies had less than 10 losses overall and 10 conference wins but were snubbed.
NEXT UP
On Friday or Saturday, I'll post a mock FBS postseason tournament. I created a playoff for my Cav Daily column last year, and I'd like to see what the first-round matchups would be this year. I'll tinker with a couple different formats and see what I can imagine if FBS football actually had a playoff instead of the bowls.
After watching the Cowboys recording, the most important thing to really emphasize is how gritty the team has become under Jason Garrett. I fully believe we lose a game like that under Wade Phillips, especially this year and maybe even last year. But this team has a resolve and "never quit" attitude that it didn't have under Phillips. There is no doubt about it. Dallas could have caved after the blocked punt, after the Colts took the lead but they marched right down the field on a long, time-consuming TD drive in the fourth to retake the lead. They could have caved in OT when the Colts first got the ball, and then got it again after a punt. But the players never quit, something that was definitely missing against Jacksonville and Green Bay and to a lesser extent earlier in the year.
The defense is actually giving up MORE yards since Phillips left, but it is also creating more turnovers, and the offense is more efficient than ever. The thing about the offense that is particularly confusing is that the air-ground ratio is more balanced. Since Garrett took over as head coach, the run-to-pass playcalling ratio is right around 50-50. When Phillips was head coach, I believe the graphic displayed during Sunday's game showed it was 67 pass-33 run. Garrett called the plays under Phillips and is still doing so as head coach but perhaps Phillips did have some influence over the playcalling. The belief was that Phillips dealt with the defense while not really dabbling in the other side of the ball but perhaps that wasn't entirely true. Either way, on offense, by being more balanced, Dallas has kept opposing defenses off balance and has scored 33, 35, 27, and 24 (two TDs against Indy were off Peyton Manning INTs) offensive points in each successive game while Garrett has been head coach. We actually have some semblance of a running game, too! The Cowboys recorded 200, or close to 200, rushing yards against the Colts. Of course, the line is playing better overall in both pass protection and run blocking, so the rushing game that has gotten stronger under Garrett might not be just because his playcalling has improved. The whole team is playing better--with more energy and fire and that is apparent on the offensive line as well and I'm sure that has helped the running game.
It was great to see Tashard Choice have a 100-yard game. He seems like such a solid running back. Whenever he gets his chances, he's made the most of them and I don't know why he hasn't gotten more carries. Hopefully his workload continues to increase. I feel like he is a combo of the best things that Felix Jones and Marion Barber bring to the table. He brings some of Jones' quickness and some of Barber's toughness and attitude. His running style seems to be a hybrid of the two and I feel like because of that, he might be the most complete running back the Cowboys have.
Since Garrett took over for Phillips, perhaps no player has improved his play more than Jon Kitna. Since the second New York game, Kitna has thrown for 7 TDs, 2 INTs, and 238.5 yds/game. Against Jacksonville and Green Bay, he threw 2 TDs and 6 picks. I've always liked Kitna. I always thought he got a bad rap with bad teams in Detroit and Cincinnati (he also played for Seattle). He threw for lots of yards and TDs, but also lots of INTs. This is definitely the best team--at least most talented--he's ever been on, and he said as much a couple weeks ago. During the Saints game, I believe, Troy Aikman said that Kitna said he had waited his whole career to play in an offense with this many weapons. Looks like he's showing what he can do finally after sub-par stops at other cities during his career.
Hopefully Dez Bryant can fully recover from his fractured ankle. He is certainly an explosive rookie and a real commodity for the offense. The way he hit the crease on that one kick return against the Colts was awesome. If we were in the middle of the playoff race, he would be a big loss but it was great watching him this year and I can't wait to watch him next year as well.
Dallas probably would not have won the game had it not been for intercepting Manning four times, but it is a team game and the better team Sunday won. The defense gave up lots of yards but came through with points and also with another pick in OT when it really mattered to set up the game-winning drive. Rookie LB Sean Lee had a terrific game with one INT that he took back for a score and he had the one in overtime off a Mike Jenkins deflection. I've noticed some new jersey numbers on the defensive side of the ball since Garrett has taken over so perhaps players are being held more accountable and different players further down the depth chart are getting their chances after working hard during practice. Phillips was unwilling to really discipline veterans for playing poorly or not working hard. Perhaps the new players on defense are contributing to the unit giving up lots of yards but I'd rather play with developing players who are working hard than veterans who may not be. Hopefully, with more games under its belt, the defense can get their swagger back after adding some new faces into the mix.
Has Manning lost some of his ability? That could be the case, but I'd give him a break for now. The entire team is ailing from injuries and what Manning has done over his career speaks for itself. He hasn't been extremely clutch, but he still should be considered one of the best of all-time. To cement his legacy, however, he needs another ring or to at least play better in bigger games. He needs to make people forget the game-clinching interception the Saints had against him in the Super Bowl last year.
VIRGINIA
Speaking of gritty wins, the Virginia men's basketball team got one over Virginia Tech on Sunday, shortly after Dallas got a game-winning field goal in OT from David Buehler. It's been five years I believe, maybe longer, since the Cavs won at Cassell Coliseum, and to defeat a highly-touted team was great to see. The team lead by 16 points at one point in the first half but, as expected, the Hokies made a second-half run. What was more unexpected was the way UVA dug down and held on for the win. It was very impressive to see the team rise to the occasion as Tech got within two points at 51-49. For such a young team to pull out the victory in such a hostile environment is a solid stepping stone for the program.
Tony Bennett seems to have really developed this team into what he wants after some early losses. I think the team has learned a lot from those early losses, all by double digits, to Stanford, Washington (by 43) and Wichita State. Bennett is doing it with a roster mostly bereft of capable veterans. Mike Scott is the only senior who consistently contributes. Mustapha Farrakhan, Will Sherrill, and Assane Sene (on defense, at least) all have their moments, but can't seem to perform well game-to-game. Sammy Zeglinski is probably the second-most consistent senior but has has been recovering from surgery for most of the year. He played his first minutes of the year against Virginia Tech and then again vs. Radford on Tuesday, but he still hasn't recorded a point this season.
Virginia has been able to get excellent contributions early on from freshmen Joe Harris and K.T. Harrell. Harris has proven capable of shooting the three and driving the lane while Harrell caught fire early on against Radford and has shown he can light it up as well. The workhorse has been the aforementioned Scott (17 points, 12 rebs vs. VT), who so far is experiencing his best season as a Wahoo and has really blossomed into an all-around player on both the offensive and defensive end. He is averaging a double-double (around 16 points, 10 rebounds per game) but struggled against Radford. Still, in that matchup, he was solid on the defensive end as opposed to other years where he himself has admitted that he focused mostly on the offensive side of his game. Instead of pouting and finishing with a bad night overall, Scott helped contribute on the defensive end. By the end of the Radford game, he had a another double-double, barely, with 10 points and 13 rebounds despite his struggles. It was his fifth consecutive double-double and he was the first Cavalier to accomplish that feat since Ralph Sampson. Good company I'd say.
Against both Virginia Tech and Radford, the Cavs played excellent defense. Malcolm Delaney scored 26 points for the Hokies and Jeff Allen chipped in 12, but no other Tech players registered in double figures. Only one Radford player scored more than nine points. Virginia struggled in that game, but still won by 10, 54-44. Sometimes you have to win ugly and that's what we were able to do. I was at the game, actually, and it seemed like Virginia was going to blow out the Highlanders once the game reached halftime. UVA struggled in the early part of the game, but with Radford leading 19-15, Virginia then went on a 22-0 run that lasted into the second half to put the game out of reach. It would have been nice to win by more than 10, but a win is a win and there were still some positives to take from the game. The Cavs held the Highlanders scoreless for more than 14 minutes during the 22-0 run, an incredible feat no matter who the opponent is. Virginia had seven blocks in the game, and during one possession in the first half, Sene had two consecutive blocks and Farrakhan had one as the shot clock expired. Harris and Harrell both scored in double figures again, showing that they are continuing to perform at a level beyond that of freshmen. Virginia is off until Dec. 17 when it faces Oregon at home.
Virginia Tech, meanwhile, is in serious trouble after falling to 4-4 with its loss against Virginia. A season that started with promise is quickly turning into a must-win situation for the Hokies. Last year, they finished 10-6 in the ACC and still missed the NCAA tournament because of a weak non-conference schedule. This year, Tech had chances against Kansas State, Purdue, Oklahoma State, and UNLV to beat some quality teams. They only beat OK St. They get to play Mississippi State on Dec. 18 so they'll get another chance for a decent-quality win then. If they run the table before non-ACC play, they'll be 9-4, and then they have 16 ACC games plus a contest against Longwood. Assuming they beat Longwood, they'd be 10-4. With nine ACC wins, they'd get to 19-11, which would probably place them on the bubble but not make them attractive enough to make the tournament. Tech could be looking at a situation where it has to get to 10-6, maybe even 11-5 in the ACC to make the tournament, and that's assuming they win the rest of their non-conference games. Nothing should be taken for granted after what we saw last year, when the Hokies had less than 10 losses overall and 10 conference wins but were snubbed.
NEXT UP
On Friday or Saturday, I'll post a mock FBS postseason tournament. I created a playoff for my Cav Daily column last year, and I'd like to see what the first-round matchups would be this year. I'll tinker with a couple different formats and see what I can imagine if FBS football actually had a playoff instead of the bowls.
i still say tech is over rated. i'm interested to see how we match up against a weaker (but still talented) unc team in jan.
ReplyDeletegreat poise and grit shown in that game though. we lost the same game last year.
definitely true about virginia. less vets than last yr but we somehow won this game but lost both games against tech last yr when both gms were close. and tech starts all SRs and JRs.
ReplyDeletethey prolly were overrated to start the yr. not to mention the ACC is in its biggest slump in awhile. 5 teams in NCAA for ACC is not usually a stretch but it prolly will be this yr. who's ready besides duke? maybe unc, maryland and fsu. so the fact that the ACC is down makes it more likely that tech will have to REALLY impress in the ACC season.
Tech isn't so much over rated as they are plagued by injuries. Three of their best players including a freshman are out. Still a huge confidence builder for us. I think these wins are bigger for us than they'd normally be just because there are so many young players. Wins like the ones we're getting, however lucky/gritty/pure, get the young players to buy into Bennett as a coach and helps solidify the program for the future. The ACC is in a slump but they'll be out soon. Lots of young guys in the conference. J.T. Terrell for Wake, keep an eye on him. Against Iowa he put up more points than an ACC freshman so far this year (to my knowledge).
ReplyDeletePeyton is going to be fine. I am not worried about him one bit. I hope he reads and soaks in every national column that's pooping on him. It just shows how overpaid national sportswriters are. Remember last year when New England lost to Baltimore in the playoffs? "Is this the death of the decade's greatest franchise?" They know nothing. They're paid to write and be provocative, and they couldn't care less about intellect. The only people less knowledgable than them about their own profession are Congressman/women.
A word of caution about the Cowboys: isn't this usually the time of year when we see them step their game up? And then everyone says "here come the Cowboys and they'll be loaded next year?" And then they start bad and "oh no WWJD (what would Jerry do)?"
ReplyDeleteI like Jason Garrett. I think he'll be a good coach and I love his personality. But I think the players quit on Wade and wanted him out anyway, which is the sign of a bad coach but also of dumb foolish players. Jason Garrett is going to need personnel if he wants to shine there as the first coach to win with Jerry Jones in 10 years. Alot of pieces are already there and I think he can do it. Defense is a big problem though. Manning dumped two touchdowns in their lap with picks, and still took it to overtime. How did Reggie Wayne have 200 yards, he's done nothing all year because since there's no other threat they double up on Wayne.
yeah, tech does have injuries, but i dont know if they are top 25 material anyway. we'll see. idk the injury situation--when they are getting ppl back. they prolly have the potential to be a tourney team. they had all their starters returning from a team that i thought shouldve made it last yr. i was surprised they werent selected despite the subpar nonconference schedule. the problem this yr so far has been they have had their chances against good teams that could boost their resume, but they have lost those games. and they cant afford to lose to teams in the ACC who are supposedly weaker (like UVA) if they wanna make the tourney. last yr, they were like 23-9 and didnt make it, and this they could be looking at 19-11 or 18-10 something like that. still, even with the losses though, their strength of schedule will be higher so they could have a better chance of making it this yr than last yr even with a worse record.
ReplyDeletepeyton said last night after the game he doesnt pay attention to anything written. it was funny in his news conference he said to someone, "dont wanna hurt ur feelings, but i dont read ur column" or something like that. yeah, i think it was that blogger link u sent me that pointed out that baltimore crapped on new england last yr in Boston and of course peyton went on to the SB and im sure the critics were singing a different tune then about brady-manning.
yes, the players should not have quit on wade, esp if they liked him--which to this day thats what u hear, that they did like him. which doesnt make sense, since they sucked so much, or didnt try i mean. obviously they didnt suck cuz u see them now. its essentially the same team as last yr so we know they are capable of playoffs. wade had just kind've turned into a graddad figure for them who gives them a lollypop when they feel bad instead of whoopin them into shape like a real father. grandparents butter up the children but parents mold them and discipline them. and i can only hope they play like this next yr the whole yr. an old assistant coach in Dallas right now said Jason Garrett is the second best locker room coach he's seen and hes been on lots of sidelines. the defense is an issue, which is odd because it was so dominant for the most part under wade. so idk whats gone wrong there. and to be championship caliber we will need to straighten it out for sure.
Well part of the problem was that Wade manned the defense, right? And I saw that there were something like 5 injuries that the team have now, I don't know how many are on defense. If Garrett doesn't get the full-time job after this year then he should go somewhere who would take him. Maybe the Giants if they don't make the Playoffs this year.
ReplyDeletethe defense hasnt been good at all this yr. idk what was going on the other years that was different. lots of dallas assistants have gone on to better days. tony sparano (some success at miami but still buidling) sean payton (sb champ) and todd hayley (has the chiefs in playoff contention. i say unless we have a home run dinger hire for sure, garrett's the guy. hes getting a team that has nothing to play for to play hard and win games. one play changes against the saints and we are 4-0 under garrett. and thats with a crap d.
ReplyDelete