The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, with the book on the rest of the Dallas season still to be written.
Still, the Cowboys have moved to 4-2, putting them right in the thick of things in the NFC East, given that the Giants and the Eagles currently have two losses each, too.
And Dallas did it with their most impressive game of the year, against a Falcons squad that had been trying its damnedest to keep pace with the Saints.
Quarterback Tony Romo, the subject of constant criticism this year for being an overrated non-leader, led the way with 311 passing yards and three touchdowns. And Romo has a new BFF in Miles Austin, who followed a two-touchdown, 250-yard performance against the Chiefs with a two-touchdown, 171-yard effort versus the Falcons.
Meanwhile, wideout Roy Williams had one catch in what he called the "[w]orst game ever in my life." (Somewhere, former Vikings G.M. Mike Lynn is still smiling.)
Early on, it looked like the Falcons would handle the Cowboys easily, getting out to a 7-0 lead via a touchdown toss from Matt Ryan to Roddy White.
But the Cowboys stepped up, on both sides of the ball. Though the running game was a bit sluggish, Romo and Austin more than made up for it, and the defense showed up, with linebacker DeMarcus Ware finally playing like he's in a contract year, getting two sacks for the second straight game.
The Falcons need to be wondering what went wrong, and they've got only a week to figure it out. Next Monday, Atlanta heads to the Superdome for a showdown against the 6-0 Saints.
Win, and the NFC South is up for grabs. Lose, and it's time to jockey for a wild-card berth.
The Cowboys should move to 5-2 next week, when the Seahawks come to town. Then, trips to Philly and Green Bay will help everyone figure out -- Dallas fans, Cowboys haters, and the four or five people in neither camp -- whether this team has a chance to win a playoff game for the first time since late December back in
Now cue the Romo haters. He proved me wrong and I am damn sure he did. This Cowboys team did play like a playoff team but the question is if they can do it consistently. Despite the success the fat wade was still unable to show any type of leadership or emotion. Keith Brooking stepped up to emotionally lead the defense. It was a great game, but we will see if it keeps up.
Great play this week, even better with the Giants losing another one and another division team to lose one tonight. The Giants are overrated, Philly as lost to Oakland(enough said), and well Washington......I can just sum it up in 1 word....Circus
"The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, with the book on the rest of the Dallas season still to be written."
Unlike the other 31 NFL teams, who have already had their fates engraved in marble.
"Quarterback Tony Romo, the subject of constant criticism this year for being an overrated non-leader"
Don't worry, Florio. You'll still have plenty of opportunity to criticize and hold undrafted Romo to high standards that you refuse to hold any other QB to, much less the littany of QBs that were not only first round draft picks, but top 5 draft picks.
Good thing that Matt Ryan has the drive to succeed that you think that Romo doesn't have, otherwise his team might have been beaten by 50 points instead of just 16.
The Falcons got screwed in the schedule this year... Chicago coming off a bye, then Dallas coming off a bye, then @ the Superdome, then Washington coming off a bye (yeah, it's Washington, but with 2 weeks to prepare maybe Zorn can teach Sherm Lewis who the players are and what the plays are).
I think, just for clarity's sake, you should punctuate ALL of your articles with a last sentence that informs your readers when the team's last playoff win was.
Good job pretending you're not a Cowboy hater though Florio. Fairly convincing!
The Cowboys need to stop signing players named "Roy Williams"!!
"He proved me wrong"
I'm guessing it's not the first time that's happened, chapnasty.
Wow, I am so glad you came out with that stat about the Cowbioys futility in the playoffs. We had no idea prior to tyou telling us. You came up with that all by yourself, didn't you ? You're GREAT Florio ! That is soooo OLD.
Q: Who are the only 2 teams to win 3 Super Bowls since '92 ?
A: The Cowboys and The Cheatriots, in that order.
It's a much more positive stat that your overused 'since '96" crap.
By the way, 28 punts, none have even come close to hitting the video boards. Can't wait to read your expose on how a design flaw in Cowboys Stadium unfairly caused the sun to be in Mike Smith's eyes.
Ware, Witten and Austin - Bill Parcells picks.
Parcells even sent his boy Odessa back down to Monmouth to grade out another receiving prospect this year...hoping that lightning would strike twice for him in Miami's drafting of tight end John Nalbone.
Roy Williams, TO and Quincy Carter - Jerry Jones specials.
Enjoy it while it lasts Cowboys fans...your team doesn't have the talent assessors or coaches to bail you out much longer.
So Mike, now that you've defined yourself as a Cowboys Hater, since you posted in your blog last night
"11:22 pm ET - Do you think the Cowboys will make the playoffs?
One good game with two weeks to prepare for it doesn't make a mediocre team a great one."
Isn't it a little inconsistent to now try to appear to be neutral about them?
ROFL at the whining about your schedule grendel. Last season Dallas played 4 teams in a row coming off their bye, nobody cut them any slack for that, why should Atlanta get any?
"Isn't it a little inconsistent to now try to appear to be neutral about them?"
Luckily for him, most of his readers either don't pay attention or they just hate Dallas too (nice ad revenue).
The only ones that cared about the video boards getting hit by punts are either a) the idiots that believed it would be a factor or b) any media outlet starving for a story that the aforementioned chaps would obsess over, not to mention more fodder for this site to get hits from.
All that being said, if Dallas DIDN'T win this game with two weeks to prepare AND at home against the 24TH ranked pass defense in the entire NFL (including a robust sack total of TWELVE for the season), they might have been worse than we already know how putrid they truly are.
If that's possible.
Which, if anyone saw the last game they played in Philadelphia, we most certainly know it is.
"Ware, Witten and Austin - Bill Parcells picks. "
So were Barbie Carpenter, Stephen Peterman, Jacob Rogers, Isaiah Stanback, Skyler Green, Montavious Stanley, Pat McQuistan, EJ Whitley, Kevin Burnett, Justin Berriault, Bruce Thornton, Sean Ryan, Nathan Jones, Jacques Reeves, Al Johnson, BJ Tucker, Zuriel Smith, Justin Bates, Nathan Jones, Rob Pettitti, Pat Watkins, and Chris Can'ty.
Miles Austin was undrafted.
Parcells wanted to take Marcus Spears instead of Ware with the 11th overall pick in the 2005 draft, by the way. Jones overruled him and said take Ware with the Cowboys first round pick because he's never last until #20 or whatever that second pick was. Parcells took Spears when he was still there when that second first round pick rolled around.
The only person that will be more wrong about The Cowboys than Florioh-h-h-h is Colin Coward, I mean Cowherd.
"Roy Williams, TO and Quincy Carter - Jerry Jones specials."
By the way, so are Felix Jones, Tashard Choice and Larry Allen.
@ Johnson,
Barbie Carpenter, Jacob Rogers, Julius Jones (passed on Steven Jackson for him), Anthony Fasano , Stephen Peterman-- Parcells picks all the way. Austin was not a Parcells pick, he was a Free Agent
Felix Jones, Mike Jenkins, Martellus Bennett, Tashard Choice, Orlando Scandrick -- Jerry picks post Parcells.
I don't think your theory holds any water.
the sun in the eyes is hilarious. as if only atlanta had to travel in that direction all game. is that why they have a dome? because they cant handle playing in the sun.
complaining about your schedule is as old as the league itself. are the free wins against the bucs, (twice), panthers (twice), bills and redskins not enough?
"11:22 pm ET - Do you think the Cowboys will make the playoffs?
One good game with two weeks to prepare for it doesn't make a mediocre team a great one."
Isn't it a little inconsistent to now try to appear to be neutral about them?"
Not if you're telling the truth. Which his comment is.
The book is out on the Pokes, drones.
These mid October wins are nice, but when weather gets colder and the winds get stronger and tighter, so does Romo's sphincter when he's got to win.
That's no more of an accurate statement than Florio's.
Vox (Mr. profootballblog commentator / http://www.myspace.com/warlock978) A.K.A...a grown man above the age of thirty that still quotes comic books movies on his myspace page....
"Don't worry, Florio. You'll still have plenty of opportunity to criticize and hold undrafted Romo to high standards that you refuse to hold any other QB to, much less the littany of QBs that were not only first round draft picks, but top 5 draft picks."
Are you saying that because Romo was undrafted he should be excused for constantly choking in January?
Are you saying that a QB, (who, I will admit...has made the pro-bowl) Who in the last three years, has been surrounded by, an All-Pro TE, an All-Pro WR (2 if you count Glenn) Three (or maybe even 4) All-Pro Lineman, and an All-Pro RB, should not be held to higher standards than Matthew Stafford???? For god sakes man, the entire offense made the pro-bowl two years ago, and THEY STILL could not win a playoff game! Then to boot, that same offense goes and looses to a team soundly (44-6) AFTER said team TIED the freaking Bengals!!
Please WARLOCK978......just promise me, that when the birds KILL the 'boys in the up-coming weeks, that you don't run and hide from this post....but I will understand if the last season of Battlestar Galatica is replaying on sci-fi that week!
It's a much more positive stat that your overused 'since '96" crap.
Positive and factual are often not mutually exclusive.
But Pokes drones usually like to spin they are.
Especially when the facts are much harder to swallow.
Cowboys fans suddenly believe that the train to the Super Bowl is rolling again. Cowboys haters are convinced it was a one-time fluke, the product of the two weeks of prep and rest that the home team enjoyed via the bye week.
---------------------------------
Where do you see Cowboy fans announcing a road to the super bowl?
As a Cowboys fan, we all still saw things that need to be worked out. Penalties, secondary play, tackling. We're getting better, and we have lost two games, to two teams that are very good football teams by a slim margin. Had leads in both games. So quit acting like we're just some rag tag team that's getting lucky.
Your beloved Matt Ryan threw 2 ints and was clearly frustrated. Michael Turner didn't get going at all yesterday, yet you don't mention ANY of that in the article.
This is the Cowboys-FALCONS aftermath, and you didn't do anything but talk about everything Dallas. If you're not sold on Dallas, and you think the Falcons are led by a top tier (Peyton/Brady-esk)QB, then where is all the talk about what went wrong for the Falcons?
@ DJ,
You miss the point.
Florio defines a 'Cowboys Hater" as saying about the Atlanta game "it was a one-time fluke, the product of the two weeks of prep and rest that the home team enjoyed via the bye week."
Which is pretty much exactly what he says in hiis Sunday night talkfest. "One good game with two weeks to prepare for it doesn't make a mediocre team a great one."
Thus, he defines himself as a Cowboys Hater. Then, in his post on Monday morning he attempts to sound neutral about it, which he is not.
"For god sakes man, the entire offense made the pro-bowl two years ago, and THEY STILL could not win a playoff game!"
How did the other teams who had to play the NY Giants in the playoffs that season do?
hey REALPHAN:
Eagles fans sure love to bring that score, 44-6. Well, what about 13-9, that wonderful showing against the worst franchise in the NFL last week, Oakland. Seriously, a loss to Oakland?
hey REALPHAN:
Eagles fans sure love to bring that score, 44-6. Well, what about 13-9, that wonderful showing against the worst franchise in the NFL last week, Oakland. Seriously, a loss to Oakland?
@VoxVeritas and Bill In DC
First off Vox, get over yourself. You were not in the Cowboys draft room with respects to your "Jones overuled Parcells" theory on Ware. And Larry Allen was a Jimmy Johnson pick. To imply Jones gave total control to Parcells with respects to drafts is very misleading.
Bill In DC I happen to personally know who scouted Miles Austin for Parcells. Free agent pickup or not, he was a Parcells pick.
What you both need to understand is each man's draft history. For instance, Jerry Jones thinks he can replicate Emmitt Smith. That's why you see guys like Sherman Williams, Julius Jones, Tashard Choice and Felix Jones all being drafted by him. Check out their size and how these guys match up to Emmitt Smith.
Bill Parcells draft history speaks for itself. He likes big players. Steven Jackson would be right up his alley. Julius Jones is a Jerry Jones special.
The Cowboys were complete trash after Jimmy Johnson's draft picks and acquisitions faded out...just like they will be again with Bill Parcells draft picks and acquisitions fade out.
It is well known that most Cowboy fans are arrogant, ill-informed clowns that remember only the team's successes and have a case of violent amnesia over the last 14 seasons.
We all understand that.
We also understand that these same fans will genuflect at the Cathedral of Jerry and make Jonestown look like a slumber party compared to the undying loyalty they have to their thrice Super Bowl winning owner.
Read again: OWNER. Not General Manager.
Please don't embarass yourself and start doting the supposed "shrewd" talent evaluation of your double duty ownership/management staff of ONE over the last 16 seasons. His drafting prowess has more misses than Letterman's little black book.
I repeat: DO NOT DO IT. You will be embarrassing yourself and ONLY yourself.
( But then again, Dallas has been used to embarrassment over the last 16 seasons....so what the hell? Let 'er rip!)
hey REALPHAN:
Eagles fans sure love to bring that score, 44-6. Well, what about 13-9, that wonderful showing against the worst franchise in the NFL last week, Oakland. Seriously, a loss to Oakland?
"against the 24TH ranked pass defense in the entire NFL (including a robust sack total of TWELVE for the season)"
so now the Falcons suck, huh? Whatever. They're a little bit better than the Raiders. haha
"These mid October wins are nice"
Nicer than mid-October losses. Against the Raiders. bwaha
"Are you saying that because Romo was undrafted he should be excused for constantly choking in January?"
No, I'm saying that he shouldn't be held to higher standards than any other QB. Learn to read.
As a Falcons fan I need to give some respect to Dallas for a solid game. They really got pressure on Ryan, which hasn't been a problem for us recently, and Miles Austin is for real. I hope Ware does the same to Brees later this year and y'all pick the Saints apart the same way. I think Brooking was pretty pissed about not coming back to the Falcons (even though it turned out better for both sides) and he had the D pretty jacked up and ready to play with a lot of emotion. Oh, well.... Hopefully the Falcs don't make it back-to-back losses next week in New Orleans.
Wade Phillips gave the team Monday off. Typical.
@ Bill
I'm afraid you missed the point yourself.
He was contrasting two different points of view in interpreting which way the Cowboys season was going thus far in the first passage you referenced. You conveinently omitted that part. That defines "Cowboys apologist".
The second reference ("One good game with two weeks to prepare....") is absolutely accurate.
Let's refer to last season. Dallas entered the bye in 2008 coming off of a humiliating loss on the road, falling only one game above .500. Sound familiar?
Two differences from last year is that Dallas was playing a team whom was ALSO coming off the bye and the Cowboys were the visiting team.
Throw in the fact Dallas was also playing a hated and despised division rival (Washington) and this looked like a possible turning point of the season for the Pokes. A strong road win would mean a springboard for bigger and better things to come.
Oops. They went .500 for the rest of the season, including a December record of 1-3.
Florio can be a rumor-mongering quasi-"journalist". But one thing he always is accurate.
"Especially when the facts are much harder to swallow."
Here's a fact for you: 13-9. Here's another: Third place. Good luck fending off the Deadskins, who have whipped the Eagirls asses three of the last four times they've faced them.
@REALPHAN:
I love all of the talk about Tony Romo not winning a playoff game in his extremely young career.
Let's look at your savior Donovan McNabb. He has lead the team to several victories in the playoffs. Those wins and a $1.65 will get you a cup of coffee. They won't get you a championship! So at the end of the day you sit here and talk about Romo never winning the big one but when you look in the mirror what you really see is the fact that McNabb has never won "the big one" either. I know that it stings to be a lifelong fan of a team that has never won anything. The NFC East has produced eleven super bowl titles and not one contribution to that has come from the Eagles. Been there though; huh? But always left with head hung low.
@ Jerry's World
Seriously, a loss to Oakland?
Sorta like your loss to 2-win St Louis in 2008?
The Rams last win TO DATE for the franchise??
By TWENTY?
Seriously?
Wow, an almost neutral Cowboy article on PFT. And since we know how fair Florio is, I'm looking forward to the story questioning the Giants' coaching, and Manning's leadership since their only "quality" win came against Dallas, when Romo was at his worst. And they had to come from behind to do that. I'm sure I will see that story today, right?
"We also understand that these same fans will genuflect at the Cathedral of Jerry and make Jonestown look like a slumber party compared to the undying loyalty they have to their thrice Super Bowl winning owner.
Read again: OWNER. Not General Manager."
Hey, that's three more Super Bowl wins than all Eagirls owners put together. And all Eagirls GMs put together, too.
13-9.
Here's a fact for you: 13-9.
See Rams, St. Louis. Under "Last Win To Date In Franchise History"
Here's another: Third place.
In Week 6. Whoopdie damn do...
Same place they were last season and Dallas was ahead.
How'd that work out at the end for the Pokes?
Good luck fending off the Deadskins, who have whipped the Eagirls asses three of the last four times they've faced them.
LOL. Now he's a revisionist history expert for Redskins? And? Meant nothing in the long run.
It came down to one game in the end we all know how that turned out.
Sit down, shut up and let the grownups talk, Vox.
Hey, that's three more Super Bowl wins than all Eagirls owners put together. And all Eagirls GMs put together, too.
LOL. But it still doesn't answer why he's such a shithole GM in last 16 seasons, does it?
Nice deflection, though. Keep trying.
DJ, until your franchise actually does something like win a superbowl, no need to make comments here cause you have no leg to stand on. At this point, the only thing people can relate to the Eagirls is that terrible movie "Invincible". I bet you have a Mark Wahlberg signed copy framed up in your house.
13-9
"LOL. But it still doesn't answer why he's such a shithole GM in last 16 seasons, does it?"
You're all confused, kid. First you say he was just an owner during those Super Bowl wins of the 90's, now you say that he's been a GM for the last 16 years. Well guess what, dumbass... 16 years goes back to October of 1993, and the Cowboys have won two Super Bowls since then.
Eagirls fans - continuously proving to everyone that they're the dumbest animals on the planet. By a wide margin. Right behind garden slugs, apparently.
13-9.
@ DJ...so "Florio is always correct.".....you might take a look at his pick for the super Bowl representing the NFC. His credibility goes out the window in a Kansas tornado with that ridiculous pick. as for Jerry's 16 years as a piss poor GM...you're probably correct. So where does that put the Iggles leadership for the past FIFTY years?
DJ, until your franchise actually does something like win a superbowl, no need to make comments here cause you have no leg to stand on. At this point, the only thing people can relate to the Eagirls is that terrible movie "Invincible". I bet you have a Mark Wahlberg signed copy framed up in your house.
13-9
Thanks for glossing over your franchise lost to a club that has the longest active current and third longest of all time losing streak in NFL history.
Standard practice for an idiot Cowboys drone.
34-14.
Oh...and for shits and giggles: 44-6
Never saw the movie, Chief. Keep trying though.
"At this point, the only thing people can relate to the Eagirls is that terrible movie "Invincible"."
And that movie was almost as fictional as "Rocky". Main difference being that Vince Papale is an actual person.
You're all confused, kid.
First you say he was just an owner during those Super Bowl wins of the 90's,
Which he was. Johnson left AFTER the 1993 postseason. I know your myopic psyche can't handle this but Johnson was OVERWHELMINGLY responsible for the talent that were on those clubs.
Immediately after his departure, Jones named HIMSELF General Manager and has kept the title since February 1994.
now you say that he's been a GM for the last 16 years. Well guess what, dumbass... 16 years goes back to October of 1993, and the Cowboys have won two Super Bowls since then.
Really? So that's how strong your arithmetic is? It shows. Since this season has already started (and the draft and free agency has passed) Jones has been the GM of Dallas Cowboys for 16 seasons.
I know its tough but....give it a try!
1994 season thru 2009 season= 16 seasons
Here's another fact that you Dallas idiots will refuse to swallow:
After Johnson's ouster, the Cowboys won the Super Bowl two seasons later. Fact.
However, all but TWO starters on that 1995 team were brought in via the draft or free agency by Jimmy Johnson.
Those starters were Ray Donaldson (4-time Pro Bowler from Indy) and Deion Sanders. Both were free agent signings. Which means all Jones had to do is write a check and they are a Cowboy.
TWO.
Since that 1995 season, Dallas has won ONE PLAYOFF GAME IN SIXTEEN SEASONS and Jones is responsible for every single solitary player on that roster every season since then, since he named HIMSELF the GM.
Not to mention the FIVE head coaches he's hired since Johnson's departure.
Including the SEVEN quarterbacks since Aikman's retirement.
There isn't a general manager in the NFL today that has the same tenure with the same team with that kind of performance over the last 16 seasons.
Not. One. Single. Person.
5 head coaches
7 quarterbacks
1 playoff win
16 seasons.
Same owner AND general manager.
Tilt your head back. It goes down easier that way.
Oh, almost forgot....
44-6
@ DJ...so "Florio is always correct.".
Didn't say "correct". I said ACCURATE. And I was referencing when he uses facts to back up his statements.
Name me one prognosticator, journalist, blogger, talking head, slapdick, assclown, etc.. that gets those preseason picks right at the end. Just ONE.
It seems you're too stupid to realize he's saying the most outrageous thing to get the greatest reaction from his viewers. Oldest trick in the book and apparently it worked, judging from your reaction.
All I ever hear from Eagles fans is how the Cowboys haven't won a playoff game since....
No one ever seems to want to talk about the last time the Eagles won a Superbowl....Oh thats what I thought