12/28/12: D-FW sports chat with columnist Rick Gosselin

Happy holidays & welcome back to the chat room. I'm heading to D.C. tomorrow for the big Sunday nighter. Should be fun. Kind of wish a game of this magnitude was back at old RFK... The atmosphere there would be electric. Let's get started...

The Pro Bowl has always been more about reputation than production. DeMarcus Ware has an established name and an established pedigree as a Pro Bowler. Anthony Spencer doesn't. Deserving first-time candidates usually make the Pro Bowl the following season. I don't put much stock in the Pro Bowl voting any more. It's become a popularity contest moreso than a selection of the best and most deserving players.

Dez ranks up there, but Alfred Morris may have been an even bigger snub. He ranks third in the NFC in rushing, fifth in the NFL and is playing for a team with a 9-6 record and a chance to win a division title. The Redskins also lead the NFL in rushing -- and Morris has been a big part of the reason. But, like I mentioned a second ago, the first-time candidates usually get their reward the following season. I think the Pittsburgh defense also has a pretty strong case for being overlooked. The Steelers led the NFL in defense and pass defense and ranked second in run defense -- yet not a single Steeler defender was selected for the Pro Bowl. Go figure...

I like to wait and see how the season plays out. There's still a game remaining. Manning is in the mix, Peterson, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and both Watt and Aldon Smith on defense. I wouldn't have a problem giving it to a defense player. I'm already on record as saying I'd have voted Manti Te'o for the Heisman if I had a vote. But the Heisman -- and NFL MVP -- are historically offensive awards. My guess is a quarterback will win it. If Denver wins Sunday and finishes with an 11-game winning streak and the top seed in the AFC, that would make Manning the favorite.

Not when you're playing the best ground game in the NFL. Alfred Morris is as great a concern with his legs as Griffin. Griffin may gash you with a long one but the pounding of Morris could give the Redskins a huge edge in time of possession. I think the team that gets to 32 minutes of time of possession will win this game. If it's cold and wet and sloppy, I think the edge goes to the Redskins and Alfred Morris -- especially against a depleted Dallas defense that is missing its five best run defenders. The Redskins also have the better offensive line in this game. If Morris gains 100 yards against the Cowboys for the second time this season, he'll wind up with the fifth best season by a rookie rusher of all-time.

Dirk is still working into shape and into the offensive flow with a whole new group of players. Dirk will get better with each game. I'm not worried about Dirk. He'll eventually get his. I'm worried about the rest of the starting lineup. This will be the worst supporting cast Dirk has had in quite some time.

I like the Redskins because:
1) the game is at home; 2) the Reat home.

Let's try this one more time: I like the Redskins because 1) it's a home game. 2) The Redskins have the NFL's best rushing attack and the Cowboys have an injury-riddled defense that is playing without its five best run defenders. 3) The Cowboys couldn't cover the Washington receivers on Thanksgiving day and that secondary also has some injuries that make Sunday an even more favorable matchup for Moss, Hankerson, Garcon & Co.

I didn't see any of the games live but I did watch some of the Guyer and Allen games on TV. IMO, Texas has the best high school football and most rabid HS fans in the nation.

Not as excited as Norm, obviously. But who is? It's for a worthy cause and Norm has a passion for it.