The 2012 Dallas Cowboys schedule is out, and it looks like a tough one for the Cowboys. I would not be surprised if they go 8-8.

The Cowboys will be tested immediately. On Wednesday Sep 05, 2012, the Cowboys visit the Super Bowl champion New York Giants. The Cowboys have not fared well against the Giants in recent years. Defeating the defending Super Bowl champions on their home field, in the NFL season opener will be no easy task.

As if facing the Giants twice was not enough, the Cowboys will face the AFC North this season. That includes three teams that made the playoffs last season: Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals. Two of these games will be away.

The Cowboys will face two other playoff teams from last season. On Nov 04, they will visit the Atlanta Falcons. On Dec 23, the Cowboys will host the New Orleans Saints. Despite the bounty scandal on the Saints this offseason, they are still a talented team. By the time they visit Cowboys Stadium, the Saints could be on a roll.

And don’t forget the highly talented Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles struggled in 2011. They failed to meet their high expectations. This season could be different. The Eagles have something to prove. And a talented team with a purpose is always dangerous.

So it looks like a tough season ahead for the Cowboys. I see a mediocre finish in store for them. That means no playoffs. But hey, you never know. That’s why they play the games.

Here is the complete 2012 Dallas Cowboys Schedule:

Week 1: Wednesday, Sep 05, at New York Giants, 8:30 pm ET

Week 2: Sunday, Sep 16, at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 pm ET

Week 3: Sunday, Sep 23, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1:00 pm ET

Week 4: Monday, Oct 01, Chicago Bears, 8:30 pm ET

Week 5: Bye

Week 6: Sunday, Oct 14, at Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 pm ET

Week 7: Sunday, Oct 21, at Carolina Panthers, 1:00 pm ET

Week 8: Sunday, Oct 28, New York Giants, 4:15 pm ET

Week 9: Sunday, Nov 04, at Atlanta Falcons, 8:20 pm ET

Week 10: Sunday, Nov 11, at Philadelphia Eagles, 4:15 pm ET

Week 11: Sunday, Nov 18, Cleveland Browns, 1:00 pm ET

Week 12: Thursday, Nov 22, Washington Redskins, 4:15 pm ET

Week 13: Sunday, Dec 02, Philadelphia Eagles, 8:20 pm ET

Week 14: Sunday, Dec 09, at Cincinnati Bengals, 1:00 pm ET

Week 15: Sunday, Dec 16, Pittsburgh Steelers, 4:15 pm ET

Week 16: Sunday, Dec 23, New Orleans Saints, 1:00 pm ET

Week 17: Sunday, Dec 30, at Washington Redskins, 1:00 pm ET

More from Edwin Torres:

Running Quarterbacks Do Not Win Super Bowls

Dallas Cowboys 2012 NFL Draft Quick Look: Dre Kirkpatrick

Edwin Torres has been a fan of the Dallas Cowboys since the days of Tony Dorsett and Roger Staubach. As a longtime fan of the National Football League, Edwin follows many interesting games and stories each week. For more articles, follow him on Twitter @FlipPoker.

Sources:

NFL – Statistics – Yahoo! Sports

The Dallas Cowboys released Terence Newman after a year of lackluster play, but based on his history in the league, it was clear that someone would take a chance on him. That team is the Cincinnati Bengals, which comes as no surprise at all.

Newman is the second former No. 1 draft pick that the Cowboys let go for declining performance that the Bengals picked up. The reason that former Cowboys find a home in the Bengals’ defense is because they are led by former Dallas defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.

The last time that Zimmer grabbed up a Cowboys’ reject was when he took a chance on former Dallas safety Roy Williams. Williams was a big No. 1 pick for Dallas, a superstar in college for the Oklahoma Sooners. He never fit many fan’s idea of a strong safety because of his inability to defense passes well but his hard hits made him popular.

One of the moments that will follow Williams around the rest of his life is the picture of him leaping over the Texas Longhorns’ offensive line in college and smacking the ball out of quarterback Chris Sims hands, allowing the Sooners to beat the Longhorns in their annual rivalry game.

In the NFL, he was not as successful but still filled a solid role as a hard hitter, maybe one of the hardest since Ronnie Lott. He was exciting enough on the field to earn five Pro Bowl selections over his career as well as one All-Pro award. In Cincinnati, Williams added 85 tackles to his career numbers with three more fumble recoveries and an interception. In 2011, he was out of the NFL and served as the sideline reporter for Sooners’ games.

Terence Newman joined the Cowboys the year after Williams, with a first round pick as well. Newman was a solid cornerback out of Kansas State and translated that well into the NFL. Over his career in Dallas, Newman has been solid. He finished his run in Dallas with 32 interceptions, with a high of five in 2010. Newman also had 546 tackles over his career, with a high of 79 in 2010.

With him only one year removed from his best statistical season, there is no reason not to believe that he can rebound when given a fresh start and a clean slate. It also helps that Zimmer knows Newman and can put him in the best possible situation to succeed. I like Newman, and while I was one of the people that wanted him gone, I hope he can revive his career in Cincinnati.

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

Other articles by Shawn S. Lealos:

The Dallas Cowboys will be looking to revamp the offensive line by selecting a guard in the early rounds of the draft. The Cowboys have other critical needs as well, so the round we actually address the guard position is still up in the air. We all have our favorite players we’d like to see chosen. We all have different ideas on how to approach it.

Here are a couple options at each round that Dallas could be looking at in the 2012 NFL Draft:

First Round Possibilities (14th pick)

David DeCastro, Stanford (6’5″, 316) – He’s hands down the best guard in the draft. He has all the skills to be a future Pro-Bowler in this league. There are several teams who have their eye on DeCastro so he may not be available when Dallas picks at 14. Projected at 14.

Cordy Glenn, Georgia (6’6″, 345) – He’s a big boy. He has great athleticism for his size. Glenn would be a reach with our first pick, but if Dallas traded down, he could enter the equation. Projected at 22.

Second Round Possibilities (45th pick)

Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin (6’4″, 314) – His draft stock continues to rise. He would be a great value in the second round. If there is a good reason to pass on DeCastro in round one, it would be because of Zeitler. Projected at 37.

Amini Silatolu, Midwestern State (6’4″, 311) – His Division II status raises concerns about how he’ll transition to the NFL, but scouts are very impressed with him so far. The depth drops a bit after Silatolu, so this may be our last chance to get a quality guard in the draft. Projected at 39.

Third Round Possibilites (83rd pick)

Kelechi Osemela, Iowa State (6’6″, 333) – He is mean and aggressive. For a third-round pick, he has quite a bit of talent. Projected at 66.

James Brown, Troy (6’4″, 306) – He has long arms and good quickness. His raw ability and versatility can be helpful on the inside, but would probably be a work in progress. Projected at 94.

The guard draft class is rather deep this year and for that reason it seems practical that the Cowboys target a blue chip pass rusher in round one. That’s bad news for fans like me who want so badly to hear David DeCastro’s name with our 14th pick. I think DeCastro would give us an exceptional blocker for years to come, and that is very appealing to me. I do like our second round options so it won’t bring me to tears too badly if we passed on him. I’ve already started preparing myself for that.

Author Dan Rogers has been a Dallas Cowboys‘ fan since he was a child. He became interested in the Cowboys because their quarterback, Roger Staubach, had a cool sounding name. He loved the color blue and thought stars were pretty. It was really inevitable. Follow him on Twitter @DannyPhantom24 or on Facebook.

Other 2012 Free Agency Articles by Dan Rogers on Yahoo! Contributor Network:

The Real “America’s Team”

Why Tony Romo Will Lead the Dallas Cowboys to the Super Bowl

Is Jerry Jones Good for the Dallas Cowboys?

SOURCES:

Cbssports.com

Bloggingtheboys.com

The one area of the Dallas Cowboys’ free agent needs that people seem to be ignoring is the backup quarterback position. While this may not seem like a big deal to many people, look at Tony Romo the last two years. He broke his ribs this past season and missed most the year two seasons ago. That makes the Dallas backup quarterback a very important position to fill.

Chad Henne
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Here is a look at the Cowboys’ choices for the backup quarterback position in 2012.

Stephen McGee

Stephen McGee came to Dallas in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M. He played mostly in an option offense until Mike Sherman showed up and transformed the Aggies into a pro styled offense. He has been nothing more than a third string emergency quarterback since arriving and has only played in three NFL games. His stats are decent, with 420 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Drew Stanton

One player that Dallas might look at bringing in via free agency is Drew Stanton. The Cowboys originally wanted Stanton when he was in the 2007 NFL Draft but the Detroit Lions grabbed him in the second round. This caused Dallas to go with McGee two years later. Stanton has worked as a backup in Detroit for the last four years but might be a nice, young quarterback that can compete with McGee in the preseason. He has played in 12 games, throwing for 1,158 yards, five touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Chad Henne

If the Dallas Cowboys want to find a more experienced backup quarterback, they can look to former Miami Dolphins starter Chad Henne. In Miami, Henne underwent shoulder surgery and lost his job due to the injury. With Miami wooing Peyton Manning, Henne is available and Dallas might look into bringing him into Big D to backup Romo. He started for two years in Miami and compiled a 31-37 record with 7,114 passing yards, 31 touchdowns and 37 interceptions.

Jason Campbell

Jason Campbell was a great starter for the Washington Redskins, playing well despite having no real weapons in the passing game. He then went on to Oakland, where he played well when he was not injured. However, I don’t think he will find a new team to start for and will have to settle for a backup position. With an 84.2 career QB rating, Dallas could do worse than giving him a chance.

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: NFL.COM

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

Jerry Jones takes a lot of slack for his running of the Dallas Cowboys, specifically his job of filling in positions of need in the NFL Draft and free agency. I disagree with that sentiment because he has drafted close to 30 good to great players since taking over the team in 1989 and helped bring three Super Bowl titles to Big D.

Jerry Jones
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While younger players can’t be properly judged by their draft positions until a passage of time, some of the players like DeMarco Murray, Sean Lee and Dez Bryant have shown the promise to be quality draft picks by Jones and company. Ignoring those last few draft classes, here is a look at the Top 10 players drafted by the Dallas Cowboys while Jerry Jones owned the team.

1. Troy Aikman (1989, r. 1) – Emmitt or Troy? It is a hard choice for the No. 1 person on this list but I err on the side of the quarterback in this situation. Look at all the teams around the league with great running backs that still can’t win because they don’t have the quarterback. Aikman led Dallas to three Super Bowl wins and they wouldn’t have made it without him.

2. Emmitt Smith (1990, r. 1) – With Aikman in the first spot, the NFL rushing leader gets the No. 2 spot. There are still too many people who seem to think Emmitt would not have broke the rushing record without the offensive line in front of him. The fact is that no one else could run like he could with the same line. Emmitt is still the man.

3. Darren Woodson (1992, r. 2) – If there was a face to the Dallas Cowboys’ defense in the Super Bowl years, it is Darren Woodson. Sure, Charles Haley is the Hall of Fame contender, but Woodson was the heart and soul of this defense. He finished with four All-Pro selections, five Pro Bowl appearances and was on all three Super Bowl squads.

4. Larry Allen (1994, r. 2) – It is disappointing that Larry Allen came along just in time to only win one Super Bowl because he was one of the best defensive players the team had seen since the Doomsday Defense. He played in 11 Pro Bowls, a Dallas Cowboys’ record.

5. Jason Witten (2003, r. 3) – Jason Witten is the No. 1 tight end in Dallas Cowboys history, and by the time he retires, only Michael Irvin will rank ahead of him as a Cowboys’ receiver.

6. DeMarcus Ware (2005, r. 1) – DeMarcus Ware is still young but he will break the Dallas Cowboys’ all-time sack record within the next two years. He is the current star on the defensive team.

7. Daryl Johnston (1989, r. 2) – Daryl “Moose” Johnston didn’t have a great statistical career but is the best fullback to ever play for Dallas. He was as much a reason for Smith’s rushing title as the offensive line.

8. Leon Lett (1991, r. 7) – It is still hard to believe that the Dallas Cowboys found Leon Lett in the seventh round of the 1991 NFL Draft. By the end of his career, he played in 121 games, made it to two Pro Bowls, recorded 22 sacks and played on all three Super Bowl teams as an anchor of the defensive line.

9. Erik Williams (1991, r. 3) – With all the hoopla of the Dallas offensive line in the ’90s, Erik Williams was a monster that opened holes for Emmitt Smith and took out anyone trying to get to Troy Aikman. He was called dirty but he was simply dominating.

10. Jay Ratliff (2005, r. 7) – Much like Leon Lett, Jay Ratliff was also a seventh round draft pick that proved to be worth way more than that. He has been a rock on the Cowboys’ defensive line, with 212 tackles and 27 sacks as a nose tackle, while also getting into the Pro Bowl four times.

Others that almost made the Top 10: Mark Stepnowski, Tony Tolbert, Greg Ellis, Roy Williams, Terence Newman

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: NFL.COM

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

As the free agent period comes near, the Dallas Cowboys have made their first decision on their own free agent players. Cowboys’ Vice President Stephen Jones only offered one restricted free agent a tender and that went to fullback Tony Fiammetta.

Dallas Cowboys Stadium
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That means that receiver Kevin Ogletree and running back Chauncey Washington will not return at this time and, if either player returns, it will be for league minimum. That is not a big loss because Ogletree has had a few chances to prove himself as a starter and failed. When Miles Austin went down with a hamstring injury in 2011, Dallas did not trust Ogletree and went out to sign free agent Laurent Robinson instead. That is all that we need to know about their opinion of Ogletree.

Fiammetta, however, is a great return for the team. The fullback was the lead blocker when DeMarco Murray was breaking the Dallas record for most rushing yards in a game. When Fiammetta went down to injury, Murray’s numbers dropped. It is clear that Dallas needs a blocking back, especially with their offensive line a work in progress. Fiammetta is not the next Daryl Johnston but he will help the Cowboys run the ball, which is something they have to do if they want to win.

Next up for Dallas is figuring out what to do about Anthony Spencer. I think Dallas needs to re-sign Spencer and then add one more linebacker in the draft. If they get a good enough pick, they will have the middle of their defense locked up.

Then, Dallas will more than likely waive Terence Newman. There is a good chance he will be gone by the time free agency starts on March 13. However, if they release him after June 1, the Cowboys will save around $6 million, which will come in handy to sign their new draft picks.

There is also the question of what to do about a number of other unrestricted free agents, including Laurent Robinson, Mat McBriar, Alan Ball and Bradie James. March 13 is the deadline we are looking at and anyone unsigned at that time might be on their way out the door.

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: Dallas Morning News

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

With the NFL Combine coming to an end, there has been a lot of talk about strange 40-yard dash times. However, when it comes time for the Dallas Cowboys to bring in their new 2012 NFL Draft class, I want them to look way past how fast a person can run a 40-yard dash.

Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones
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Sure, if Dallas drafts one of the best cover cornerbacks from the NFL Combine, it would be a great pick as far as skills and talent goes but would it be worth it to take a chance on someone like Dre Kirkpatrick of Alabama? Kirkpatrick was arrested for possession of marijuana in January.

The charges were dropped but how can a kid get involved in a situation like that when the NFL Draft is approaching? It sounds a lot like the problems that Dez Bryant suffered throughout his tenure in Dallas. The charges were not always upheld but the fact is that he allowed himself to enter those precarious situations. Doesn’t the intelligence of the individual have to be worth as much as the talent on the field?

Take a long hard look at Adam “Pacman” Jones. Coming out of West Virginia, he had all the talent in the world. Jones was a first round draft pick in 2005 for the Tennessee Titans and should have been a huge star. The Titans knew that Jones was on probation for fighting but took the chance on him anyway.

Jones, shortly after the NFL Draft, was arrested again, this time for assault and felony vandalism. By the time it was all said and done, the NFL suspended Jones for the entire 2007 season and part of the 2008 season for a number of arrests and off-field problems. The Titans wasted their draft pick on a kid with talent but without a brain.

To make things worse, Jerry Jones took a chance on Jones in 2008, despite all the criminal charges, because everyone thought they could help rehabilitate him and give him a fresh start. When the Cowboys learned that Jones was a suspect in a shooting the year before, they finally dropped him.

Janoris Jenkins of North Alabama is another first round cornerback option but was dismissed from his football team after two marijuana possession charges as well as an arrest for a fight outside a bar. This brings up huge warning signs and sounds a lot like what Tennessee saw when they drafted Jones.

What Fitzpatrick did in college is nothing near as bad as what Jones or Jenkins did before the NFL Draft but it shines a harsh light on what a team should look for outside of obvious raw talent.

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.

Jerry Jones decided the most important aspect of the Dallas Cowboys that need fixed right now is not the secondary or the offensive line. Jones believes the biggest deficiency for the Cowboys right now is the pass rush.

Jerry Jones
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The Cowboys finished 14th in the NFL in total defense. Dallas finished 23rd in the NFL in passing defense but finished ninth in the league in sacks. However, of their 42 sacks, DeMarcus Ware had 19.5 of them. Anthony Spencer finished with 6.0 from the other outside linebacker spot and only Jason Hatcher finished with more than three on the defensive line with 4.5.

On offense, Dallas was 14th in the NFL in sacks given up, which explains the numerous injuries quarterback Tony Romo suffered through the season. Dallas expected three young, inexperienced linemen to replace the veterans that they let go, so Jones might expect them to improve in their second year as a unit.

Dallas ranked 19th in the NFL for interceptions with only 15 on the season. Linebacker Sean Lee logged four, the most in the NFL for linebackers, and Terrance Newman finished with four as well.

Those are the three areas that Dallas needs help at the most, but I can’t really see how a pass rusher will help more than a top notch shut-down cornerback.

What Jones is looking for is a strong pass rusher in the front seven, either a linebacker or defensive end. Jones sees Ware, Jay Ratliff and Spencer as his only options right now as pass rushers. I don’t see the need for a defensive lineman. Dallas, when running the 3-4 defense, have Hatcher on one end, can move Ratliff to the other end position and place Sean Lissemore on the inside.

In the linebacker corps, Ware and Spencer man the outside positions with Sean Lee at one of the inside positions. Dallas needs another inside linebacker but that does not help with the pass rush. If Jones thinks that Spencer can move inside and wants to bring in another outside linebacker, that might be nice. However, Dallas needs to find a shut-down cornerback and if Jones’ doesn’t believe Dallas needs one, the team is in trouble in 2012.

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.

I came into the 2011 NFL season believing that the Dallas Cowboys might struggle some as the season wore on. They lost three of their top offensive linemen and were starting a brand new defensive scheme. Changes often need time before the team is able to mesh.

Jerry Jones
Wikimedia Commons

However, Dallas fooled me as the season wore on and made me believe they had a chance to make it, not only into the playoffs, but deep into the postseason. Then they fell apart at the end and missed the playoffs by one win. Somehow, my opinion changed so much that I still think they could have won the Super Bowl if they had only beat the New York Giants in Week 17.

Jerry Jones seems to believe that as well.

“Had you beaten the Giants the first time, is getting to the playoffs competing for a Super Bowl? I think it is,” Jones said. “I thought the team last year had the talent to compete for a Super Bowl. I believe that.

The big difference here is that I believed, as a fan, that Dallas could have won the Super Bowl. Jerry Jones is the owner of the team, and while he should be optimistic, he should also be realistic. The Dallas Cowboys offensive line is not solid enough to protect Tony Romo. The cornerbacks are not good enough to stop players like Tom Brady from orchestrating come-from-behind victories. The pass rush is almost non-existent outside of DeMarcus Ware.

Mile Austin couldn’t stay healthy and the best option in the running game went on the IR. The Dallas Cowboys team that played in 2011 overplayed their abilities and did better than they ever deserved to do. Tony Romo became a true star in 2011 because he single handedly led them to a number of those wins. Romo can’t do this on his own.

As a fan, I like to believe the Cowboys could have won the Super Bowl this year if they had gotten past the New York Giants. However, as a realist, I know that the Cowboys were not good enough to win it. I would hope Jones is just being overly optimistic, because if he is not, he is fooling himself.

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.

The Dallas Cowboys’ season ended with a heartbreaking loss to the New York Giants in the final game of the 2011 NFL regular season. Here is a look at how the offensive stars finished the game for the Cowboys.

Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys
Wikimedia Commons

Tony Romo

Tony Romo came into the Week 17 game with the New York Giants with a bruised hand and seemed like the biggest question mark on the field. However, out of all the players in the game, Romo was the one who came to play. He completed 29-of-37 of his passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw an interception and fumbled the ball, but a lot of his problems had to do with bad offensive line play.

Laurent Robinson

Out of all the stars on the Dallas Cowboys’ roster, it is newcomer Laurent Robinson who leads the team in touchdowns with 11. In the final game of the season, while Dallas had few stars step up, it was Robinson who caught both touchdown passes from Romo. Robinson was the Cowboys’ best offensive weapon this season.

Felix Jones

When DeMarco Murray went down with a season ending injury, Felix Jones got his chance to prove he could help the team win. He did fine but it is obvious that the Cowboys need Murray back next year bad. Jones ran for 30 yards and caught seven passes for 47 yards in Week 17. It wasn’t horrible but Dallas needs a better rushing attack in 2012.

Dez Bryant / Miles Austin

Dez Bryant led the team with 70 receiving yards in the game on six receptions in the game. Miles Austin did not do anything of note, with two receptions for 20 yards. Neither man was a solid weapon in this game because Romo had little time to wait for routes to develop before the pass rush reached him.

Jason Witten

Jason Witten finally had a decent game but fell short of the 1000 yard mark for the first time since 2008. He finished the game with seven receptions for 69 yards.

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.

With the Dallas Cowboys’ loss to the New York Giants officially ending their season, there has to be a time to look back and see what went right with the franchise. One of the best stories of the season featured a wide receiver that had never reached his potential getting another chance and exploding in 2011.

Laurent Robinson
Wikimedia Commons

Laurent Robinson joined the Cowboys to help out the team when Miles Austin went down with a hamstring injury. After integrating himself into the offense in Week 3, with three receptions for 49 yards, he exploded against the Detroit Lions in Week 4. While Dallas might have lost the game at the end, they found a new star for the wide receiver corps. Robinson caught seven balls for 116 yards.

Austin returned in the next game, after the bye week, but by Week 8, Robinson made his name with the Cowboys. Against Philadelphia, in that game, Robinson caught five balls for 103 yards and his first touchdown of the season.

Over a five game stretch, Robinson caught at least one touchdown pass in each game, with two against Buffalo and Miami. He broke 100 yards again in Week 14, against the New York Giants, and then finished the season, against the Giants once again, with two more touchdowns.

By the end of the Dallas Cowboys’ 2011 NFL season, Laurent Robinson finished with season high in receptions (54), yards (858) and touchdowns (11).

Robinson started his career in Atlanta and then moved on to the St. Louis Rams. At both stops, he was supposed to be a star but failed to hold onto a job at either location. With this fresh chance in Dallas, and a Pro-Bowl caliber quarterback throwing him the ball, Robinson finally showed what he is capable of.

If anything, Robinson has shown that he has a chance to be a solid starter for a team in 2012. It would be nice to see him return to Dallas, but does he really want to play secondary roles behind Dez Bryant and Miles Austin? He said he loves it in Dallas and would love to return, though. Fans of the Cowboys will have to wait and see, but if Robinson comes back in 2012, Dallas should have one of the top receiver corps in the NFL once again.

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.

The disappointing 2011 National Football League (NFL) Season is finally over for the Dallas Cowboys. There were some high moments and some very low ones. Here are five areas that need fixing on the Cowboys.

The Philadelphia Eagles embarrassed the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8.
commons.wikimedia.org/Billy Bob Bain

Primary Running Back?

Who will be the primary running back for the Dallas Cowboys next season? DeMarco Murray should be the guy. However, Murray suffered a fractured ankle in Week 14 that ended his season. That is cause for concern because the Cowboys are thin at running back. Felix Jones continues to be plagued by injuries. Even when healthy, Jones is not the power back the Cowboys need.

Defense When it Counts

New defensive coordinator Rob Ryan implemented a new scheme that promised aggressiveness. The defense played well at times but failed in the most crucial moments. Poor defense resulted in two late-season losses to the New York Giants. Are the players still learning the new system? Do the Cowboys simply lack enough talent on defense?

Dr. Tony and Mr. Romo

Will the real Tony Romo please stand up? Sometimes you get a gutsy performance like the Week 2 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Other times you get the Romo who literally threw the game away against the Detroit Lions in Week 4. How many more chances does Romo get? He is still not an elite quarterback in the NFL.

Is Garrett the Guy?

Why is owner Jerry Jones convinced that Jason Garrett is the right coach for the Cowboys? Jones criticized Garrett for being too conservative in Week 6 against the New England Patriots. Garrett goofed in Week 13 against the Arizona Cardinals. His clock management effectively iced his own kicker and lost the game. The Cowboys were embarrassed by the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8. They failed to clinch the playoffs in Week 17 against the Giants. Garrett is supposed to know these teams. Aside from the Washington Redskins, his division rivals got the best of him this season.

Involved Owner

Jones is one of the most involved owners in the NFL. But his control on the team may be part of the problem. Jones is the owner, president and general manager of the Cowboys. He is not the head coach. Jones needs to step back and let the coach be the coach. He needs to give his coach the power to make all coaching decisions and fully support those decisions. Until that happens, this team will not move forward.

These are five areas that need fixing on the Cowboys. They have a lot of work ahead of them. The offseason starts now.

More from Edwin Torres:

The Ten Commandments of Tim Tebow: Explaining His Stunning Success

Giant Loss Reveals Truths About the Dallas Cowboys: Fan Reaction

Top Ten NFL Stories in 2011: Fan View

Edwin Torres has been a fan of the Dallas Cowboys since the days of Tony Dorsett and Roger Staubach. He enjoyed watching the Dallas teams of the 90s dominate opponents on both sides of the ball. As a longtime fan of the National Football League, Edwin follows many interesting games and stories each week. For more articles, follow him on Twitter @FlipPoker.

Sources:

NFL – Statistics – Yahoo! Sports

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

Brandon Jacobs has a message for Dallas Cowboys’ football fans. He said that it is not the team’s fault so many people hate them. The New York Giants’ running back said the reason people hate the Cowboys is because their fans are so bad.

Brandon Jacobs
Wikimedia Commons

Jacobs even said that Dallas fans are worse than Philadelphia Eagles fans. He did back up and say it is not the way they act at games that makes them bad but it is instead the way Cowboys’ fans act in their everyday life.

This week, Dallas Cowboys’ fans are at the tip of Jacobs’ hate filled tongue.

It is nice to see that Jacobs has moved on. If you remember right, this is the same Brandon Jacobs who went face to face with Rex Ryan last week when Ryan told the running back to shut up until they win the Super Bowl. Jacobs then told Ryan he would punch him in the face and called him fat.

While Rex Ryan took a lot of grief for the confrontation, it was Jacobs who kept talking. In the press conferences and interviews after the game, Ryan said it was a private conversation and he knows that Jacobs doesn’t like him. When Jacobs was interviewed after the game, he made more fat comments and reiterated that he would punch Ryan in the face.

Someone needs anger management classes.

In interviews this week, Rex’s brother Rob Ryan, the defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys, was asked about the situation. He said he respects both his brother and Jacobs and then said that he was pretty sure it was not a one-sided argument. He then pointed out that Jacobs ran for 101 yards last time the Cowboys played the Giants.

In interviews, Jacobs also claimed there was a long standing feud between the Ryan family and Giants’ assistant coach Kevin Gilbride. Rob Ryan laughed that off as well.

This is a championship game between the Giants and Cowboys. This isn’t about grudges, it is about winning the NFC East. Anyone who thinks otherwise is only trying to create problems. Of course, if you ask Jacobs, that is what Dallas Cowboys’ fans might be best at.

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

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Dallas Cowboys’ tight end Jason Witten missed the Pro Bowl in 2011, his first time to miss the big game in eight years. Witten played in the Pro Bowl from 2004-2010, but in 2011, it is Tony Gonzalez and Jimmy Graham getting the call instead.

Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys
Wikimedia Commons

While Dallas fans might complain about his omission, the fact is that Witten, once the best tight end in the NFL, is now realistically not even the third best in the NFC.

Jimmy Graham has given the New Orleans Saints something they have not had, a tight end who can contribute major stats for the team’s offense. Heading into the final week of the season, Graham has 91 receptions for 1,213 yards and ten touchdowns. Graham is also only 25 and looks to be the next generation’s Jason Witten.

Tony Gonzalez is at the other end of the spectrum, 35 years old but enjoying his best season since he played for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2008. Heading into the final game of 2011, Gonzalez has 79 receptions for 867 yards and seven touchdowns. The Pro-Bowl loves rewarding legendary comeback players.

Unless Jason Witten has his best game of the 2011 season, he will miss out on 1,000 yards for the first time since 2008. He has 72 receptions for 873 yards and five touchdowns. There is a chance he will have his lowest yardage totals and receptions since 2006.

In the first two games of the season, it looked like Witten was going to have another great season. He had 13 receptions for 113 yards in those first two games. He has not gained 100 yards in a game since. Since pulling down eight receptions in Week 4, he has not caught more than five balls in a game. Over the past three weeks, heading into the season finale, Witten has two games with under 25 receiving yards.

This is not the same Jason Witten that Dallas Cowboys’ fans are used to. He is still a solid player but is a step below what he once was. In 2011, he definitely wasn’t a Pro Bowl tight end.

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.