Rick joins us shortly, but ask your questions now and he will have them when he arrives. Thanks for your readership!
by SportsDayDFW 11/12/2012 4:52:42 PM
Welcome back to the chat room. Short night for me. I got back to my Philadelphia hotel room from the game last night around midnight and had a 6am flight back to Dallas. Lots to talk about -- Cowboys, A&M, Mavericks, Josh Hamilton, Zach Greinke, Johnny Touchdown...
by Rick Gosselin 11/12/2012 5:00:08 PM
Kudos to A&M for scrambling the national title picture. If you're going to lose, lose early in the season, not late. You give yourself a chance to build yourself back up with an early loss. But a November loss likely knocks Alabama out of the national title picture. If Kansas State, Notre Dame and Oregon all remain unbeaten, someone is going to be very disappointed. Who would have guess a national title game without an SEC team? We haven't had one of those in quite some time. If Texas and Texas A&M both wind up 10-2, how attractive would that potential bowl matchup be?
by Rick Gosselin 11/12/2012 5:05:46 PM
On to the Cowboys. The fact that the Cowboys sit 4-5 may be disappointing -- but the fact they have played six of the first nine games on the road softens the hurt. The schedule swings dramatically in the Cowboys favor from this point on, starting with a three-game home stand against three potential W's -- Cleveland, Washington and Philadelphia. The defense is really developing into a force and when DeMarco Murray returns, the Cowboys on paper will look like a playoff contender. They need three wins these next three games, though.
by Rick Gosselin 11/12/2012 5:08:39 PM
I think this will be Reid's last year and I don't necessarily think he'll be fired. He may just walk away, take a year off and recharge the batteries like so many of his peers. The guy is a good coach but after 14 years, the message can get stale. I think he needs a change of pace as do the Eagles. They played the Cowboys last night without four starters on the offensive line and then lost their quarterback in the second quarter. They were a beatable team and the Cowboys did just that. I'm not sure Michael Vick is the answer at quarterback and if Reid did stay, he'd have to spend a few years grooming Nick Foles. I'd be surprised if Reid is on the Philadelphia sideline in 2013.
by Rick Gosselin 11/12/2012 5:12:23 PM
Actually, I think the line has done better given the limited talent Callahan has to work with. Tyron Smith is the only one of the five starters with a chance to be elite. The two free agent guards were more hype than substance. They made the Cowboys bigger in the OL's interior but not necessarily better. And the starting center Ryan Cook was on the streets at the end of August. Doug Free is an average guy who was overpaid because the Cowboys feared having to go find another left tackle. This is an average line that plays average. That said, Tony Romo isn't getting beaten up like he did at the start of the year. He's been sacked once or fewer in four of the last six games. That's this line's main goal each Sunday -- keep Romo standing and in one piece.
by Rick Gosselin 11/12/2012 5:15:40 PM
He'll sign here. I think given his age and limited success in the post-season, the best deal on the table will come from the Cowboys. I also thinks he likes the idea of being the quarterback of the America's Team. You may go to a Charlotte or a Cincinnati for more money, but he wouldn't walk around those towns with the same public stature.
by Rick Gosselin 11/12/2012 5:17:13 PM
Very much so. I think they'll be more entertaining than last year's team because of the unknown. We're still learning about these players, what they can and can't do. I didn't question the talent that Cuban assembled -- Brand, Mayo, Collison were known commodities. I questioned whether Rick Carlisle could brew up enough chemistry to make them competitive from the start. Carlisle gets my vote for best coach in town. The Mavericks are competitive and will remain competitive. But I see them as a playoff contender, not a championship contender. They'll make the playoffs at the back end of the West bracket.
by Rick Gosselin 11/12/2012 5:21:25 PM
Both Sean Lee and Bruce Carter were first round values anyone could steal in the second round if that team was willing to show some patience and wait a year. I remember all the email I received last November and December calling Carter a bust. I got some of the same email about Lee toward the end of his rookie season. If you don't start as a rookie, at least in this town, folks think you're a bust. All these players needed was a chance to get healthy. I thought Lee was playing at a Pro Bowl level when he went down -- and now Carter is playing at a Pro Bowl level. The Cowboys are set for the next 6-7 years at inside linebacker. Lee brings tremendous work ethic and leadership to that lockerroom and Carter brings tremendous speed to the field.
by Rick Gosselin 11/12/2012 5:24:56 PM
His time may be coming very soon. Kevin Ogletree disappeared yesterday. Romo didn't throw him a single pass. Cole Beasley got a look this week and it could be Harris next week. He showed game-breaking skills with long punt returns each of the last two games. But right now I want him exactly where he's at -- returning punts. He's more valuable to the Cowboys on special teams right now than he is on offense.
by Rick Gosselin 11/12/2012 5:28:00 PM
I think you build a name over time. I would expect Sumlin to finish out his contract at A&M. He's got a top tier team in the best conference in football. He's also got Johnny Manzeil for three more seasons. I doubt he'll be looking to leave any time soon.
by Rick Gosselin 11/12/2012 5:30:58 PM
A 9-7 record won the NFC East last season. I could see an 8-8 mark winning it this year. The Giants are backing up fast -- and the Cowboys are advancing. The Cowboys need to go 3-0 the rest of the way in the division and they will be in deep playoff contention in this division. The Cowboys already have five losses. They can't afford to lose any more of the win-able games.
by Rick Gosselin 11/12/2012 5:33:54 PM