Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee has heard the criticism that his team lacks a leader in the locker room, and he’s ready to step into the role in his third year.

In February, defensive end Jason Hatcher questioned whether the Cowboys had a player who could keep everyone in the locker room accountable. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett responded by saying there was nothing wrong with the team’s dynamic.

Working at the team’s practice facility Friday, Lee said he would call out any issues that might arise among the players.

“If there’s something that needs to be addressed I have no problem addressing it,” Lee told the Dallas Morning News. “I think all my teammates realize that I have their back. I want to see them do the best.

“I want to see our team win a Super Bowl and be successful, so I have no problem stepping up and saying something if I find something that I feel is wrong.”

After a second-year campaign in which he became a starter and led the team in tackles (105) and interceptions (four), Lee said his next step would be becoming a more vocal presence.

“I think playing more last year, being a guy that makes the calls in the huddle, I’m definitely going to have to step up from a leadership standpoint on the field and off the field,” said Lee, who was sporting a red Texas Rangers hat. “I got a ton of great guys on the team right now to look up to. Guys like obviously Tony (Romo), Jason (Witten) and DeMarcus (Ware). So, there are a lot of guys that I’m looking up to and trying to be like, but at the same time, trying to become a better leader myself.”

While Dez Bryant could turn into the playmaking wide receiver that Dallas Cowboys’ fans hoped, the better player that came out of the 2010 NFL Draft is linebacker Sean Lee.

Taken in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft, Sean Lee was the 55th player taken and after an injury prone year, he came out in 2011 and became one of the Cowboys’ stars on defense. Along with DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer, the Cowboys have three of the four pieces of the 3-4 linebacker puzzle and Lee might be the best all-around player of the group.

Lee went to college at Penn State, where he started for the Nittany Lions for two seasons. Lee was second team All-American in his junior season and was named defensive MVP in the team’s Alamo Bowl game that season. He missed the next season due to a torn ACL but remained with the team as an undergraduate assistant coach, proof of his dedication to his craft. By the end of his career in Penn State, he had 121 tackles and six interceptions.

Lee came into Cowboys’ training camp as a rookie and Dallas decided to move him from outside linebacker to inside, since Dallas played in the 3-4 and outside backers need to be able to rush the passer. Lee, a more accomplished tackler and ball hawk, fit better on the inside. Unfortunately, he played little in his rookie season, bothered by injuries the entire season. He did intercept Peyton Manning twice when the Cowboys played the Indianapolis Colts.

In 2011, Lee took over as starting inside linebacker for the Cowboys and finished the year leading Dallas in tackles with 105 tackles. The next closest Cowboys’ player, Gerald Sensabaugh, had 75. Lee accomplished this despite playing the second half of the season with a cast on his wrist. He also tied for the league lead for linebackers with four interceptions.

Dez Bryant might be one of the best receivers Dallas has seen in years, but based on their first two seasons, Sean Lee is the best player the Cowboys chose in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: dallascowboys.com

Other articles by Shawn S. Lealos:

The Dallas Cowboys will not see many players on this year’s Pro Bowl squad. As a matter of fact, they were shut out completely on the offensive side of the ball. However, they will send two defensive players to the Pro Bowl, so Dallas fans have something to look forward to in the season ending exhibition game.

Sean Lee, Dallas Cowboys
Wikimedia Commons

It should come as no shock to anybody that DeMarcus Ware is the highest vote getter on the Dallas Cowboys’ squad. Ware is tied for second in 2011 for sacks at 18 and is widely considered not only one of the best linebackers in the game but one of the best overall defensive stars in the NFL.

Over his seven year career in Dallas, Ware has averaged 14 sacks a season and needs only two more in the final game with the New York Giants to match his season high over his career. He also has 53 tackles on the year for Dallas.

The second player to make the Pro Bowl is nose tackle Jay Ratliff. Even as a Dallas fan, this is a little strange to me. Ratliff has 35 tackles on the season, 26 solo, and two sacks. It’s not bad but is it a Pro Bowl year? Cullen Jenkins of Philadelphia had 37 tackles, 29 solo, and 5.5 sacks.

But at least Ratliff was the second Cowboys’ player to make the lineup.

Now, let’s talk about who got shafted.

Inside linebacker Sean Lee has been hurt a couple of times this season but it didn’t matter. He kept playing. The second year player out of Penn State has 94 total tackles on the season with two fumble recoveries and four interceptions, tied for the most of any linebacker for picks in the NFL alongside New York Jets linebacker David Harris. Something else the two have in common is that neither made their respective Pro Bowl teams.

Starting linebacker Patrick Willis is a monster. He has also been injured since Week 14. He has 93 tackles on the season, one interception and four forced fumbles. Willis and Lee are very similar when it comes to stats. Brian Urlacher is the other man headed to the Pro Bowl. He has 92 tackles on the year with two fumble recoveries and three interceptions. I argue that all three men deserved to make it to the Pro Bowl.

Only two made it and that means that, despite his amazing year, Sean Lee was snubbed in the NFL Pro Bowl. In any other year, he could have been the starter. Luckily, he is young and his opportunity will come.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday is now behind the Dallas Cowboys and now it is time to look ahead to the New York Giants. The Eagles loss means nothing in the grand scheme of things but the Giants game will mean everything.

The most important thing for the Cowboys, and this is especially true of the Eagles loss, is to come into the Giants’ matchup at 100-percent. That means that losing to the Eagles, because they rested Tony Romo and Felix Jones, was exactly the right decision. Dallas also has to hope that defensive players, like cornerback Mike Jenkins and linebackers Sean Lee and DeMarcus Ware are also ready to go.

Tony Romo

Tony Romo injured his hand on this second pass attempt of the Eagles’ game when he knocked it against the helmet of a rushing Jason Babin. It was really the closest that Babin, the NFL sack leader, got to a Dallas quarterback in the game, which says great things about that maligned offensive line.

X-rays were negative and the hand bruised and swelled. It is thought to be broken vessels in the hand but it should be healed and ready to go for the big Giants’ game. The hope is that there is no soreness in the hand. Romo has not thrown an interception since Week 12 against Miami and he has eight touchdown passes since that game.

Felix Jones

Felix Jones had back-to-back 100-yard games heading into the Eagles matchup. However, early in the week he showed up on the injury report with a tight hamstring. When this started is unknown, but once Romo left the game and Dallas learned the Giants won, they pulled Jones out to allow him to rest his leg. There should be no worries here as Jones averaged 6-yards a carry before leaving the game.

Mike Jenkins

Mike Jenkins has been battling injuries all season but Dallas needs him in the lineup against the Giants. With the playmakers that New York has, and Eli Manning able to throw the ball all over the field, the Cowboys secondary needs all the help it can get.

DeMarcus Ware

You can’t get Ware out of the lineup. Even after Dallas learned that the Giants won, and the Eagles game meant nothing, he remained in the game and finished with two more sacks, moving his total to 18 on the season. He has been dealing with a neck injury but has not missed a game. He needs two more sacks to tie his own personal best.

Sean Lee

Sean Lee injured his hand in the first game with Philadelphia. He missed one week and has been playing with a cast ever since. In this game, he injured his hamstring. He says he could have come back into the game but didn’t because of the Giants win. He finished with five tackles before leaving the game. He says he will be ready for the Giants.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: dallascowboys.com

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones created quite a buzz earlier this week when he said on his weekly radio show that he was “scared” of the Philadelphia Eagles.

---

NFL power rankings | This week’s games | NFC standings | AFC standings

---

Jones backtracked from his comments a couple of days later, explaining that fear has motivated him his entire life.

But if anyone should be scared, it probably ought to be the Eagles (6-8), whose slim playoff chances will evaporate if they lose at Cowboys Stadium Saturday against Dallas (8-6).

In fact, Philadelphia could be eliminated before kickoff. That will happen if the Giants defeat the Jets earlier in the day.

But if the Eagles can beat the Cowboys and then defeat the Redskins, they can sneak into the playoffs if the Jets beat the Giants and then the Giants defeat Dallas at MetLife Stadium next week.

“It’s definitely a challenge,” Eagles running back LeSean McCoy said on a conference call. “We want to win the game no matter if we’ve got a shot or we don’t.

“Obviously, we need some teams to lose. But what we can control is just winning games. This is one of the games that we need to win, so I think that probably drives us a little more.”

If the Cowboys need any motivation, it’s that they can clinch the NFC East if they beat the Eagles and the Giants lose to the Jets. And if that isn’t enough to spur them on, they can use this game as payback for the way Philadelphia thrashed them back in Week 8.

In that game, a 34-7 rout by the Eagles, McCoy ran for 185 yards and two touchdowns and Michael Vick threw for 279 yards and two touchdowns.

But it is McCoy, who leads the NFL with 20 touchdowns, who has the Cowboys’ full attention.

“He is as good as it gets when it comes to making people miss,” Cowboys inside linebacker Sean Lee said. “I don’t think there’s anybody in the NFL really as elusive as he’s been and has as much success as he has making people miss.

“That’s a big thing we’re focused on, being able to stop him, rallying and making sure a bunch of us guys are running to the football.”

The Eagles, meanwhile, will have to contend with a seemingly re-energized Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. Since his three-interception game against Detroit, Romo has been picked off just four times in his past 10 games and has thrown 22 touchdown passes in that stretch.

His quarterback rating has soared to 102.6, which would be a career high if he can sustain it for two more games. Romo said he no longer is trying to win games by himself, that he’s not forcing passes and instead, he trusts his offense to make plays.

“You can’t be up and down,” he said. “If you look, we’ve been a lot more consistent here the past few months and you’ve just got to keep doing that. The rest is going to take care of itself.

“Our team is starting to figure out who we are a little bit and obviously we’ve had a couple of close loses, but we’re ready to go now.”

The Dallas Cowboys hope to avenge an early season loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Christmas Eve and have a chance to clinch a playoff spot if they win and the New York Giants lose. Dallas can also mathematically eliminate the Eagles from playoff competition as well with a defeat.

Owner Jerry Jones has already stated he is scared of the Eagles and here is a look at the players Dallas should be afraid of.

LeSean McCoy

LeSean McCoy has 1,274 rushing yards on the season and 17 touchdowns. He ran for 185 of those yards against the Dallas Cowboys. He also ran for two of his touchdowns against Dallas. Sure, he did it with the Cowboys losing defensive starters Sean Lee and Mike Jenkins but he did it anyway. McCoy is the man the Cowboys must stop if they want to gain vengeance on the Eagles.

Michael Vick

At the start of the season, people asked who you would rather have in fantasy football between Aaron Rodgers and Michael Vick. Now, people question if Vick is even worth starting in fantasy football. Vick has struggled with injuries and recently suffered the same rib injuries that Tony Romo did earlier in the season. However, Vick sat out and let them heal. Last time against Dallas, Vick threw for 279 yards with two touchdowns. Dallas has allowed 20 touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks. Once they stop McCoy, they have to contain Vick.

Jason Babin

It is interesting. A few weeks ago, DeMarcus Ware and Jared Allen were battling for the 2011 sack crown and both men had Michael Strahan’s record in their cross-hairs. Now, it looks like neither man will reach it and someone new has passed them both in the sack race. Jason Babin has back-to-back three sack games heading into the Dallas matchup. When he played Dallas last time, he had two sacks. With eight sacks in the last three weeks, Babin could be the man to break the record.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: dallascowboys.com

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

IRVING, Texas – With another NFC East title so close for the Dallas Cowboys, team owner Jerry Jones seems to be caught between the excitement and fear of what could happen.

The Cowboys can clinch their 18th division title since 1970 by winning their last two games. They are in that position after plenty of close games, with five of their losses coming by an average margin of four points and the biggest being six points in overtime.

But there is also that one lopsided blemish, a 34-7 loss nearly two months ago at Philadelphia, the team the Cowboys (8-6) play in their regular-season home finale Saturday.

Maybe that’s why Jones uncharacteristically expressed publicly being scared of the Eagles.

“There is obviously a thrill to dream about what can be out here, the success,” Jones said during one of his regular weekly radio appearances this week. “But I’m also, because it is the Eagles, after the butt-kicking they gave us up in Philadelphia, I’m scared.”

Jones probably also remembers the 2008 season finale the Cowboys lost 44-6 at Philadelphia to get left of the playoffs.

Because Jones is so often overly optimistic, maybe there is some psychological theory to his sudden seemingly pessimistic outlook.

“It’s probably not my position to explain that,” coach Jason Garrett said Wednesday. “I know that we as coaches and players are focused on getting ready to play our best on Saturday. … We have great respect for their team. I think everybody is excited about the challenge.”

A day earlier, Garrett just smiled when asked about Jones’ comments.

Like their coach, Cowboys players don’t seem to be worried about or trying to analyze what Jones said.

“We obviously took a tough loss to the Eagles last time, so we know this team is dangerous,” quarterback Tony Romo said. “We have to play a great game out here to get a win. I know we’ve approached it that way. We’re excited about going and playing those guys.”

The Eagles (6-8) still have a chance to win the NFC East and get to the playoffs, if they win both of their last two games and get some help.

That would include the New York Giants (7-7) losing their game earlier Saturday against the New York Jets. But if the Giants win, Philadelphia would be eliminated from the playoffs even before kickoff at Cowboys Stadium, which could alter the dynamic of the game.

Until then though there seems to a sense of uneasy anticipation for Jones.

“I have that kind of feeling about the respect turns into being afraid of what they can do to you if you have some breakdowns out there,” Jones said during an interview on KRLD-FM, the team’s radio flagship station. “You can put that scared in there if you want to. I think sometimes I do the best when I’m scared.”

If the Cowboys had won some of those close games, most of which they led in the fourth quarter, they might have already wrapped up a playoff spot.

Dallas led by 14 points in the season opener against the Jets before losing 27-24, and there was the 24-point lead against Detroit that evaporated into a 34-30 defeat after the Lions scored 17 points in the fourth quarter. New England got a winning touchdown with 2:31 left for a 20-16 victory.

Before winning last week at Tampa Bay, there were consecutive losses by the Cowboys to start December when they missed field goals at the end of regulation. One of those was in Arizona, where the Cardinals blocked a kick on the final play of regulation and won with a touchdown in overtime.

“You can’t really concentrate on that. … We still have a ton of opportunity ahead of us that we need to take advantage of,” linebacker Sean Lee said. “So as much as those losses were tough, I think we’ve done a good job of moving on, and have focused on what we need to do.

“When you have a team like the Eagles coming in, you better be focused,” he said. “Or it could be another night like it was last time.”

It is time for the Dallas Cowboys to try to gain some revenge against the Philadelphia Eagles but this is a definite trap game for the Cowboys. Even if Dallas loses to the Eagles, they can still beat the Giants the next week and make the playoffs. However, Philadelphia just found a glimmer of light, and if they win their last two games, they might still make the playoffs as well depending on the Giants final two games.

It is a trap game because Philadelphia has to win but Dallas does not. Of course, if the New York Jets beat the Giants in the noon game then the Cowboys can clinch a playoff spot by beating the Eagles that afternoon. But, if the Giants win, it all comes down to the last game of the season.

And that might be a good thing, because the last times these teams played, Philadelphia beat Dallas, 34-7. The Eagles out-gained the Cowboys, 495-267 in total yards and held onto the ball for 42:09 while Dallas only notched 17:50. Needless to say, Philadelphia whipped Dallas every way there is to beat a team.

The bad thing is that the Eagles dominated the Cowboys offense and took them completely out of their game plan. DeMarco Murray only ran eight times in the game, and when Dallas runs less than 20 times in a game, Dallas loses. Miles Austin and Dez Bryant only finished with three receptions each. Laurent Robinson was the only reliable target in the game, catching 103 of Tony Romo’s total 203 yards of passing.

The Dallas defense was shredded as well. Coming into the game, it was an exciting matchup pitting the No. 1 rush defense in the nation against the No. 1 rushing offense. LeSean McCoy made a joke out of the matchup by running for 185 yards on 30 carries with two touchdowns. Dallas’ defense has not even sniffed the top of the rushing defense leader board since.

That was also the game that Sean Lee was injured. Punter Mat McBriar and corner Mike Jenkins also left the game with injuries. It was a game Dallas might want to forget but should take strong note of heading into Saturday.

After the Eagles trounced Dallas, they lost four of the next five but have won two straight heading into Week 16. Their season is on the line this game. Win and their playoff hopes are still alive, with a Giants loss. Lose and go home. By the time the two teams play, they will know the result of the Giants game. If the Giants win, the Eagles are only playing for pride. If the Giants lose, Dallas is playing for and early division win.

This might be the most exciting game of the season for one of these teams.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: dallascowboys.com

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

“It was a big win, no doubt,” Giants quarterback Eli Manning said after throwing for 400 yards and two touchdowns. “We’re excited. It’s been a while since we’ve had that winning feeling.”

The Cowboys led, 34-22, with just less than six minutes to play after quarterback Tony Romo’s 50-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Dez Bryant. But the Giants got an eight-yard touchdown pass from Manning to tight end Jake Ballard with a little more than three minutes remaining. They got the ball back and drove to tailback Brandon Jacobs’s one-yard touchdown run with 46 seconds to go, and added a two-point conversion.

Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey missed a 47-yard field goal attempt with one second left. The Giants called a timeout just before Bailey made the kick on his first try, then Jason Pierre-Paul blocked the ensuing attempt that counted.

“It wasn’t easy, obviously,” Giants Coach Tom Coughlin said. “Gosh, there’s plays out there you just shake your head.”

Manning also connected with wide receiver Mario Manningham for a third-quarter touchdown pass. He threw what appeared, at the time, to be a costly fourth-quarter interception to linebacker Sean Lee, just before Romo’s touchdown pass to Bryant. But the Giants persevered for their first victory in more than a month.

“We were just clicking,” Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz said. “We understood what we had to do. We understood we had to get down there and get down there fast, and that’s what we did.”

Manning added to what has been a superb season for him, although it largely has been overshadowed by the potential record-breaking exploits of other quarterbacks like Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers, New England’s Tom Brady and Drew Brees of New Orleans.

“He was really upset over the interception,” Coughlin said. “But he comes right back. He made some great plays coming down the stretch.”

Said Jacobs, who also had a first-half touchdown run: “If you ask me, he’s the best in the business when we have our backs to the wall and we need a score.”

The defeat was particularly painful for the Cowboys, who lost rookie tailback DeMarco Murray to a season-ending ankle injury suffered on a first-quarter carry. The team announced that Murray suffered a fractured right ankle and a high ankle sprain, and Coach Jason Garrett said after the game that he doesn’t expect Murray to play again this season.

Felix Jones filled in capably at running back and Romo threw four touchdown passes to four different receivers. But it wasn’t enough for the Cowboys.

“I just think you have to keep going,” Garrett said. “We’ve won probably four or five games this way, too.”

Sunday night provided an amazing game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys that featured multiple lead changes, a heart-stopping finish, and a huge collapse by the Cowboys as the Giants prevailed, 37-34.

Cowboys fans can’t blame Tony Romo for this fourth-quarter collapse.
Wikimedia Commons

The two teams combined for over 950 yards of offense and 71 points, and each side gave up an embarrassing touchdown on completely blown pass coverage. What struck me, though, as I watched the last 5:41 of the game was how the Cowboys repeatedly shot themselves in the foot.

After an incredible interception and return by linebacker Sean Lee, Dallas took a 34-22 lead with 5:41 left when Tony Romo hit a wide open—and I mean wide open—Dez Bryant for a 50-yard touchdown strike on a play in which the nearest Giants defender was somewhere in Fort Worth. The Cowboys appeared to be on the verge of taking a two-game lead in the NFC East with three weeks to go.

But then something went terribly wrong. The Cowboys couldn’t get out of their own way.

Lousy Pass Defense

Eli Manning kept hitting Victor Cruz for considerable chunks of yardage, including a 23-yard gain on 3rd and 1. When the Cowboys finally contained Cruz, Hakeem Nicks caught one over his head and tiptoed out of bounds at the 8-yard-line for a gain of 23 yards. With 3:14 left, Manning found Jake Ballard for the touchdown.

You could see it in the Cowboys’ faces and body language. Having blown large leads twice previously this season, Dallas players and fans feared the worst, and it turned into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

On the ensuing drive, Dallas ran a couple of clock-killing plays on the legs of Felix Jones, and then on 3rd down, Romo missed a wide open Miles Austin on a play that would likely have sealed the game. Austin had beaten his defender and had no one between him and the end zone, but Romo overthrew him. Not only did it become 4th down, but the incompletion also stopped the clock and saved the Giants a timeout.

Back-Breaking Penalties

After a less-than-impressive punt by Mat McBriar, the Giants set up on their own 42-yard-line with 2:12 left. Manning immediately found Ballard for a 21-yard gain, but on the next play, Manning was not on the same page as his center, and the snap came too early and too high. The ball bounced around the field before it was finally recovered by the Giants, but for a huge loss.

Except that there was a flag on the play. DeMarcus Ware had lined up in the neutral zone. Instead of a big loss, the Giants had the ball 1st-and-5 on the Cowboys’ 32-yard-line.

After Mario Manningham dropped a perfectly placed throw by Manning in the end zone, the Cowboys forced an incompletion that set up a 3rd-and-10 for the Giants.

Except that there was another flag. Defensive holding. Automatic first down.

Another big pass to Ballard took the ball to the 1-yard-line where Brandon Jacobs pounded it in for a touchdown. D.J. Ware weaved his way through Dallas defenders for a two-point conversion, and the Giants had suddenly taken a three-point lead with :46 left to play.

Mind Games and Poor Blocking

When Dallas got the ball back, Romo found Austin on a couple of long passes and set rookie kicker Dan Bailey up for a 47-yard field goal attempt to send the game into overtime. Giants head coach Tom Coughlin played it perfectly, though, calling timeout a fraction of a second before Dallas snapped the ball.

Bailey’s kick was true, but it didn’t count. Just like in last week’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Bailey was iced—only this time, by the opposing coach instead of his own.

After the timeout, the Cowboys lined up to try the field goal again, but Jason Pierre-Paul burst through the center of the line, got his arm up, and blocked the kick. Game over. Cowboys choke again.

Don’t Blame Romo

It may be tempting for Cowboys fans to blame Romo for another 4th quarter collapse, but this one isn’t on him.

True, he missed a wide open Austin on one play. But he also got the Cowboys into field goal range to force overtime. Romo wasn’t out there getting torched on defense, nor was he the one committing two back-breaking penalties at the worst possible time. It wasn’t Romo who failed to block Pierre-Paul on the second field goal attempt. In fact, Romo went 21-of-31 for 321 yards, 4 touchdowns, and no interceptions. That’s normally a game-winning performance.

For the defensive wizard that Rob Ryan is supposed to be, that unit is not very good. The Giants had 510 yards of offense and scored 37 points, and at the worst possible time, the Dallas D imploded.

If fans want to direct their wrath at someone, aim it at the defense.

The author is a Featured Contributor in Sports for Yahoo! Contributor Network. You can follow him on Twitter at @RedZoneWriting and on Facebook.

Also by this author:

10 random thoughts about NFL’s Week 14

Orlovsky, Colts don’t enjoy return to Northeast

Kevin Sumlin returns to Texas A&M

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Rob Ryan has completely turned around the Dallas Cowboys’ offense. I can’t put my finger on what he has done, other than sending in exotic blitz packages, moving DeMarcus Ware(notes) all over the line and bringing out the best in Sean Lee(notes), but Ryan has done it.

It is even more impressive because Dallas fired head coach Wade Phillips, who then went down to Houston and turned them into one of the best defenses in the NFL. This is the same Houston team that has never won their division because their defense couldn’t stop anybody. Yet, Phillips couldn’t do it in Dallas.

But Rob Ryan has and that means he may not be there for long.

When Jacksonville fired Jack Del Rio, the list of coaching candidates went up. Rob Ryan’s name is on that list. He has the pedigree. His brother has taken the New York Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship games. His dad is Buddy Ryan, one of the most respected defensive coaches in the history of football.

Rob has been coaching a long time, as well. When I attended the University of Oklahoma as a journalism major, I covered Oklahoma Sooners football games for student publications. We had a tough-as-nails defensive coordinator named Rex Ryan. However, head coach John Blake was fired and Rex went with him in large part because Oklahoma couldn’t beat in-state rival Oklahoma State. The defensive coordinator of the Cowboys at that time was Rob Ryan.

Now, Ryan is working his way up the NFL ranks. He worked as the linebackers coach for the New England Patriots during two of their Super Bowl runs (2001, 2003). He moved to Oakland where he served as the defensive coordinator and then took over the role for two seasons at Cleveland. He is now in Dallas, where he has the Cowboys winning close games and fighting for the NFC East crown.

However, I don’t know if a team will take a chance on him. He has proven to be a winner. However, he has an attitude and arrogance that might be bigger than his brothers. He refuses to cut his hair and, at one time, said that if a team didn’t want him because he wouldn’t cut his hair, he didn’t want to work for them anyway. It is this attitude that will hold him back. However, no one can say he hasn’t earned it on the field.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has followed the Dallas Cowboys since he was a child, his favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s. Through the great years of the ’90s and the hard times of the ’80s, Shawn never turned his back on America’s Team.

Source: Dallas Cowboys

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Read More: Miles Austin (WR – DAL), Tony Fiammetta (FB – DAL), DeMarco Murray (RB – DAL), Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals

While the majority of the Dallas Cowboys fan base (and fantasy football) owners will worry about Miles Austin still being held out of practice due to a hamstring injury. If you asked running back Demarco Murray who he’s most concerned about, he’ll probably say third-year fullback Tony Fiammetta.

In two games with Fiammetta healthy and starting at fullback, Murray’s averaged 137 rushing yards a game. In two games without, just 80.

Here is the practice report for the Cowboys as they prepare for the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday:

Did Not Practice

• Receiver Miles Austin (hamstring)
• Nose Tackle Josh Brent (knee)
• Fullback Tony Fiammetta (illness)
• Quarterback Jon Kitna (back)
• Right Guard Kyle Kosier (foot)
• Running Back Phillip Tanner (hamstring)

Limited in Practice

• Linebacker Bruce Carter (knee)
• Cornerback Mike Jenkins (hamstring)
• Safety Gerald Sensabaugh (foot)

Full Participants

• Punter Mat McBriar (left foot)
• Inside Linebacker Sean Lee (wrist)

For more insights and analysis on the Cowboys, check out the SB Nation blog Blogging with the Boys. For more insights and analysis on the Cardinals, check out the SB Nation blog Revenge of the Birds.

Read More: Miles Austin (WR – DAL), Mike Jenkins (CB – DAL), Sean Lee (LB – DAL), Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins

The Dallas Cowboys are entering an easier stretch of their schedule, but will be playing the Redskins in Week 11 without Miles Austin and Mike Jenkins, according to the team injury report.

Austin and Jenkins are each out for the NFC East rivalry game with the Redskins on Sunday with hamstring injuries. Austin’s injury has led to the emergence of receiver Laurent Robinson, who has 13 catches for 208 yards and four touchdowns in the Cowboys’ last three games, while Jenkins’ injury has left the Cowboys without one of their best cover corners.

The good news for Dallas is that linebacker Sean Lee is probable for Week 11. Lee returned from injury in Week 10 against the Buffalo Bills, but made just three tackles, well under his season averages.

Here’s the rest of the Cowboys injury report for Week 11:

OUT: Wide receiver Miles Austin (hamstring), cornerback Mike Jenkins (hamstring), fullback Tony Fiammetta (illness).

DOUBTFUL: Quarterback Jon Kitna (back).

QUESTIONABLE: Running back Felix Jones (ankle), guard Kyle Kosier (foot).

PROBABLE: Linebacker Sean Lee (wrist), punter Mat McBriar (left foot).

For more on the Cowboys, head to Blogging the Boys; for more on the Redskins, visit Hogs Haven.

The Dallas Cowboys beat the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9 but did not look super in doing so. They also lost Miles Austin(notes) for the next few weeks and played without leading tackler Sean Lee(notes). In Week 10, the surprising Buffalo Bills (5-3) come to town and Dallas has to win this game if they want to have any kind of chance to wrestle the NFC East title out of the New York Giants’ grasp.

The biggest problem for Dallas comes in the form of Bills’ running back Fred Jackson(notes). When the season began, the Bills were reluctant to name Jackson the starting running back but finally relented when he complained about his status and tabbed him their No. 1 runner. He has responded with 803 rushing yards through the Bills first eight games, good enough for best in the AFC and third best in the NFL.

Dallas, on the other hand, entered the Philadelphia Eagles game two weeks ago as the best rushing defense in the nation. LeSean McCoy(notes), the top runner in the NFL after Week 9, responded with 185 rushing and and two touchdowns. The next week, Marshawn Lynch(notes) came into the game with Dallas with 263 total yards on the season and ran for 135 yards and a touchdown against Dallas. Jackson has five 100-yard rushing games on the year and Dallas will be hard pressed to stop him Sunday.

Of course, the same could be said for Buffalo stopping Dallas rookie DeMarco Murray(notes).

Handling the passing duties for the Bills is Ryan Fitzpatrick(notes). The young signal caller has almost identical numbers to the Cowboys’ Tony Romo(notes). While Romo throws for more yards, the two have an almost identical touchdown to interception ratio and similar completion percentage rates. Fitzpatrick’s QB rating is 0.1 higher than Romo’s. Fitzpatrick was just rewarded with a new contract extension for his work in Buffalo while Dallas fans want Romo out, which tells where each franchise sits in the NFL echelon.

Buffalo is a team on the way up. While they have lost three games over the past five weeks, they are still considered one of the surprise success stories of the NFL season. While Dallas has lost three games over the last five contests, they are one of the biggest disappointments. This game should be interesting as the two teams meet.

Dallas gets Sean Lee back in the lineup on defense, and while he will wear a cast, Dallas has to hope their defense steps up. They need all the help they can get to stop Jackson, Fitzpatrick and the suddenly dangerous Buffalo Bills.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has followed the Dallas Cowboys since he was a child, his favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s. Through the great years of the ’90s and the hard times of the ’80s, Shawn never turned his back on America’s Team.

Source: Dallas Cowboys website

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.