Analyzing The Dallas Cowboys Featuring Robert Allred
November 6, 2009 by | Jerry Jones, Joe DeCamillis, Keith Brooking, Miles Austin, Robert Allred, tony romo, Wade Phillips
One thing I learned very quickly when I was a writer was that I may not have the answers. Because I am a human being, I am capable of error, so it never hurts to have a second opinion.
This is where Robert Allred comes in. I met Robert through are common love for the Dallas Cowboys, and he is a writer whose work I definitely would pay to read.
I was up a few nights ago, and I thought, ‘Why not ask him for a second opinion?’ So, I emailed him immediately with a few questions, and the results are in.
The paragraphs in bold are the questions, the paragraphs in italicized print are Robert’s answers, and my own answers are in regular print.
Without further adieu, here is the article:
Robert, my first question is, what do you thing about the sudden surge the Cowboys have had these past two weeks following the bye week? Do you think the Cowboys are just hot or did the team make severe changes over the bye week?
I really don’t know yet. Being a Cowboys fan quickly teaches you to be guarded about your analysis of the team and to not let one or two games (or 11 for that matter) get you too excited.
Still, this has looked like a different team ever since the OT catch by Miles Austin and the ensuing dog pile. This team is probably the tightest looking Cowboys team I have seen in over 10 years, and I think that is part of the change we are seeing in Dallas.
You see what I mean by second opinion? I’m only 20 years old, and I’ve been following these guys for only three years and only one year as a real analyst instead of a passionate fan.
Robert has been doing this for over a decade, so it is good to have a veteran writer give his two cents.
Now, I have to agree with Robert on the idea that we can’t get too excited. If they win in January, then get excited, but this is still November.
And, he’s also right about that Kansas City game. It seems that Dallas has now found an explosive wide receiver with Miles Austin, and they were lacking that since Terrell Owens was released.
In my opinion, I think this team really got a motivational boost by that win, and now is starting to play with confidence again, and that kind of mental factor wins games.
However, I can’t say if our luck won’t fizzle out this Sunday.
What is your personal opinion of the two teams the Cowboys defeated? Would you call them easy, medium, or hard teams?
I think that Atlanta is a tough team. I think that, although according to Vegas the Boys were favorites, most people without a bias would have put them above Dallas going into that game. That was a huge win for Dallas. Seattle, on the other hand, is a bad team. However, the Cowboys did what they could not manage to do a few weeks earlier, and they beat a bad team convincingly.
I’m not so sure about Atlanta or Seattle. When Dallas went up against Matt Ryan, they got in his face and he made a lot of mistakes. I wonder if it is possible that Matt Ryan may have been a product of his offensive line.
Of course, every QB needs a line, but the point is how well does that QB do when he is in trouble, and I can’t remember Matt Ryan ever being in trouble and succeeding. Maybe I’m wrong, but I just don’t remember it.
The Seattle game is almost the question. Seattle has great players. They have good receivers, a great tight end, and a very capable quarterback. The Dallas defense shut them down though.
Dallas even did well against Marcus Trufant, a Pro Bowl cornerback, who was in charge of guarding Miles Austin. Trufant didn’t do so well.
I think that Atlanta is a good/very good team while Seattle is still a good team. Seattle is far from a bad team in my opinion. They just have been struggling with injuries.
The Giants have had three losses in a row to good teams, and Dallas has certainly improved over the past few weeks, do you think Dallas could defeat the Giants the way they are playing right now, and the way the Giants are playing right now?
Well I think that any team in the NFC East can beat any team in the NFC East on any given Sunday, no matter how good they all are at the time. These are good rivalries, and none of these teams can be overlooked when they play head to head—even Washington. That being said, the Cowboys have been the better team for the past three weeks without a doubt. Time will tell whether that trend will continue.
My thoughts exactly. Even the Skins can get fired up enough to win an NFC East ball game.
However, I think Dallas is a better team than New York even when they lost that game. That game should have been on Saturday Night Live. That’s how bad that game was from the Dallas standpoint. Take away one mistake and the Giants lose that game.
I want this trend to continue so that the Giants can really see what this team is capable of.
Miles Austin has recorded more yards in his first three starts than any other wide receiver in NFL history, what is your opinion of this young receiver?
He is fun to watch, very likable, and hopefully a star in the making. These are the kinds of guys you root for. I think that his production is sure to drop some as defenses continue to put more focus on slowing him down, but I do not think that hurts his value to this team at all. By proving that we have a real big play threat in the passing game, Miles has made every other skill player’s job easier.
This guy is just amazing to me. Tremendous speed, amazing breakaway ability, and great awareness of the boundary lines. The guy has learned a lot from watching guys like Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens and is starting to showcase some new moves for Dallas.
Will he keep this up? I doubt it because teams will double him, but will he continue production at a different level? Absolutely.
What is your gut feeling on this matchup against the Eagles? How important is it to Dallas and to you as a fan?
I have absolutely no gut feeling on this game. One second I think the Boys win, and the next I think, “no way!” Either way, it should be a great game.
In terms of importance, I do not want to under- or over-state this game’s importance. I think that it is about as important of a game as can be played at this time of year, because it will give both teams a true idea of just how good they are. Still, this game will not make or break either team’s playoff chances. I think that, when the dust settles, both of these teams will be in the playoffs.
I’m the same way on the outcome of the game. It depends on if Dallas shows up. The Eagles are as deadly as the majority of their fans. They will kill us on the field while the fans will try to kill us off the field.
As a fan, I want this win. I do think Dallas can make playoffs without this win, but this win could decide homefield advantage for whoever wins the division, and that is something Dallas fans should want for this team.
What is the most impressive improvement of the Dallas Cowboys in your opinion? The addition of Keith Brooking for a linebacker, the special teams improvement by coach Joe DeCamillis, or how well Tony Romo has played the past three weeks with eight passing touchdowns and no interceptions?
It has got to be Tony Romo’s play. He has had some classic Romo plays over the past few weeks, but without the signature mistakes. The Romo we have seen for the past three weeks is playing better than he has ever played. If he can continue this level of play, then the sky is truly the limit for this team. Keith Brooking has been a wonderful leadership addition both on and off the field, and there is no question that our special teams play is leaps and bounds better than last year, but the most important position on the field is the quarterback. Romo has been one of the best in the game over the last three games.
I have to think that it is Joe DeCamillis. This team lost games just as badly because of poor special teams play as much as Tony screwed up. Look at the Arizona game last year. We give up the opening kickoff for a touchdown, and the Cardinals block a punt, breaking Matt McBriar’s foot in the process, and win the game in overtime.
Joe DeCamillis was one of the victims when the practice facility collapsed, and he almost was paralyzed after his neck was broken.
He has been an inspiration by coming back from that injury and the players respect him immediately. That and his genius knowledge of special teams has lead this team to having two back-to-back punt returns for touchdowns, and amazing tackles on defense.
Last, do you think Dallas can keep up this consistency or are you prepared for a possible meltdown?
Both. I think that, at this point, you are crazy if you are a Cowboys fan and you haven’t prepared yourself for a possible meltdown. That being said, I still think that this team appears to be the tightest and most in-sync Cowboys team that we have seen some time. At this point, nothing would surprise me, but I am hoping for the best.
I’m really hoping for the best here. This team is so much fun to watch now, so besides playoffs, I want to have some fun and excitement watching these guys play, and it is fun right now.
Come on Dallas, keep it up!
I think the interesting thing to see now is how will Dallas respond to the pressure of expectations. Everyone thinks they are good again and now they have to go out and prove it.
Good game. I’m glad the Cowboys won, I think their defense played well for the most part.