Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos will host Tom Brady and the New England Patriots for AFC Championship.
2016 AFC Championship Game
By: Da`Vince “Dino” Wright
Denver Broncos 12-4 AFC WestNew England Patriots 12-4 AFC East
Date: Sunday, January 24th
Time: 3 p.m.
Place: Sports Authority Field @ Mile High Stadium Denver
TV: CBS
Why you shouldn`t watch this game:
The pastor of your church asked you to visit a church for fellowship. And the service starts at 3 p.m.
Why you should watch this game:
We had “Spygate”, “Deflategate” and now we want to see how the Patriots will cheat on Sunday.
Let`s call it “Mountaingate”
Will this Peyton Manning`s last stand? Will Brock Osweiler come in if he begins throwing interceptions? These are the questions that lingers in the heads of Bronco faithfuls.
Will Tom Brady be “Tom Terrific” or will the Broncos defense disrupt his flow? The quarterbacks will be the keys to victory.
New England Patriots
Six AFC Championships and winning 4 Super Bowls is Tom terrific? Everyone in New England says he is. Tom Brady is the undisputed leader of the team but has the fire to keep proving everybody wrong. When the Patriots lost to the Broncos earlier this year no one in the Northern part of the country question his heart, drive or spirit. He came back firing on all cylinders. The New England Patriots will always find a way to win.
Denver Broncos
Denver has led the NFL in every defensive category across the board. The defensive line has recorded 17 sacks combined and linebackers added 11. Talib Aqib and Chris Harris, Jr. are the “Air Thieves” so throwing on these guys will be a problem by itself. Stopping the run and clogging the A gaps will be the Broncos game plan. We can talk about the quarterbacks all day, but defense wins championships. This defense was mentioned as the second coming of the “85 Bears”, now that`s a great compliment.
My Prediction
The Broncos will beat the Patriots by 6 points. Bookies and Las Vegas is giving the Patriots 3, but they`re dead wrong in this case. Once again I hate to say I told you so...
Dallas Cowboys vs New England Patriots Sunday, October 11, 3:25 PN CST on CBS AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Offense:
The one weakness of the Pats is their defense. They are currently ranked 20th in the NFL, giving up an average of 368.7 yards per game. Also an average of 5.9 yards per play.
The Cowboys will have to do what they have not done since inserting Brandon Weeden as quarterback...open up the offense. You may not have your best offensive threats (Dez Bryant and Lance Dunbar), but what other shot do you have to beat this team.
Malcolm Butler will be missing from the secondary, so throwing the ball deep should be the best option to soften the front-line of the Pats defense.
Even with a back-up, the Cowboys have the 8th best offense in the NFL. That is better than any of the three teams the Pats have faced all season.
Defense:
The return of Greg Hardy will be all the talk leading up to this game. Don't think for a second that Tom Brady is not aware of his comments about his wife!
But the only way to beat Tom Brady has always been to beat him up...mentally and physically. He has only been sacked six times this season. No matter if Hardy gets in the back-field, he will draw enough attention to allow everyone else to tee-off on rushing the passer. Rob Marinelli needs to dial-up his best blitz packages. Let Hardy get in Tom's ear while he is putting him on the ground.
This will leave the secondary in mostly man coverage most of the game. They real threat will be passing underneath the coverage to slot WRs and mismatches with Rob Gronkowski. Nobody can guard Gronk, so don't look for some player to step-up. Getting to Brady needs to be the sole focus.
Special Teams:
Time to put your best guys back there to return both punts and kick-offs. Go for 2-point conversions on every touchdown...everything is a go!
Bottom Line:
The Cowboys don't have a good chance to beat the Pats straight-up. Head coach Jason Garrett will have to get out of his structured comfort zone to take an extreme amount of risks.
Prediction:
Cowboys 10 Patriots 38
Fun Facts:
Tom Brady is 3-0 against the Dallas Cowboys
This will be the New England Patriots first trip to Cowboys Stadium
Dallas Cowboys trade for Matt Cassel gives them a better option than Brandon Weeden at QB.
The Dallas Cowboys announced a trade today with the Buffalo Bills to aquire QB Matt Cassel for essentially a fifth round pick in 2017. Although Brandon Weeden will get the start to replace Tony Romo, is having Cassel run the offense the better option? YES!!
The Cowboys invited Matt Flynn, Christian Ponder, Josh Johnson, and McLeod Bethel-Johnson to work out Tuesday. They even placed a wild call to Kyle Orton on Monday. Yet, instead of going with a much cheaper option to back-up the back-up they decided to trade for veteran arm making $2 million a year.
The local media love for this injured Cowboys team lacks all reality. From talk radio to the nightly news everyone seems to forget how bad Weeden was against the Arizona Cardinals last year with both DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant on the field. Don't let a 7-for-7 late performance against a terrible Philadelphia Eagles team get you over-hyped.
Cassel famously took over for Tom Brady after he was injured in Week 1 to lead the New England Patriots to a 10-5 record. He quarterbacked the Kansas City Chiefs the following year to a 10-5 record with an appearance in the Pro Bowl.
Weeden, in case you need to be reminded, has an overall record of 5-16 as a starter in the NFL.
“It’s the nature of this business,” Weeden said. “The quarterback position is so important, you’ve got to have guys in place if something were to happen. I’m not worried about it. I’ve met Matt once. Super nice guy. Great guy. Great guy to be around. I’m excited about that. He’s been around this league a long time. He’s been around [Tom] Brady, he’s been around some good quarterbacks. I’m sure he will have a lot of positive information for us. He’s a pro. He’s been doing this thing a long time, so I’m excited to have him. I’m not putting any extra pressure on myself. I’ve got to go out and play well. If I do that, everything will take care of itself.” - Brandon Weeden to ESPNDallas.com
How Soon Will We See Cassel?
Former Boise State QB Kellen Moore will be elevated from the practice squad to back-up Weeden against the Atlanta Falcons. But expect Cassel to move ahead of him by Week 4's road game against the New Orleans Saints.
If the Cowboys want to salvage this season and give themselves a chance when Romo and Bryant return, then the plan to get Cassel up to speed and ready is critical. If Weeden goes 0-2 against NFC teams, the Cowboys lose ground. More critical are games against both the Giants and Eagles before Thanksgiving.
It is time for us all to get real and get Matt Cassel ready to play...
Most are reporting that Bryant broke his foot in the fourth quarter on a crossing route, but our sources tell us the injury happened earlier in the game and he forced his way back on the field. The training and coaching staff finally convinced him to go to the locker room in the fourth quarter.
Bryant left the field early in the game for a reported dehydration, but our sources tell us that was the first indication of the injury.
A broken foot did not stop Dez from congratulating his teammates as they entered the locker room
The Cowboys do not plan to add another WR to fill-in for Bryant. There have been rumors involving the likes of Reggie Wayne or even retired Randy Moss. For now, it will be a combination of Devin Street and Lucky Whitehead getting snaps.
Randy Gregory and Ron Leary will miss some games due to injury also.
Jason Witten makes the game-winning catch from Tony Romo.
Is was a game to remember! The Dallas Cowboys capitalize on the New York Giants mismanagement of the time-clock to stage one of the greatest regular season comebacks in the franchise's history.
Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys come back from a 12-4 season missing some key players and higher expectations.
The 2015 Dallas Cowboys start the regular season much different than last season. They expectations weigh heavier coming back from a 12-4 season, NFC East title, and playoff win. Unlike most teams that are chasing recent success, the Cowboys return with new personnel and a new mission.
The only to end a dream season for the Cowboys was with a nightmare. A hall-of-fame highlight catch from Dez Bryant on 4th and 2 was ruled no catch to give the Green Bay Packers the win. The NFL rule that prohibited the catch was later reviewed, changed, and more difficult for fan's to interpret. The Packers would go on to lose in the last seconds of the NFC Championship game on the road to the Seattle Seahawks. The Cowboys were the only team to beat the Seahawks on the road that season.
We were all left to ponder the "what if"...
To say the Boys overachieved last season is an understatement. Most predicted them to finish with a losing record and Jerry Jones being forced to replace head coach Jason Garrett or himself. Tony Romo started training camp unable to practice consecutive days. The defense was coming off the worst statiscal season in Cowboys history and missing Sean Lee for entire season.
But...Garret's decision to remove himself from play-calling duties and bring in Scott Linehan and Rod Marinelli proved to be a master stroke. A healthy DeMarco Murray ran for a club record 1,845 yards becoming NFL Offensive Player of the Year and proving the offensive line built from the draft was one of the best in the league. A feared run attack allowed Romo to throw from a clean pocket and connect with Dez Bryant for a league-leading 16 touchdowns.
A rejuvenated Rolando McClain took up middle linebacker duties and saftey Barry Church led the team 87 tackles,
A New Day, A New Roster
Everyone knows the season starts at the NFL Draft. The Cowboys were able to bring in three first-round talents in one draft for both sides of the ball. During the offseason, the Boys picked up sack artist Greg Hardy, coming off a season-ending ban for outside activities. Dez Bryant was rewarded with a $70 million dollar contract to be a Cowboy for the foreseeable future.
The news is not the additions made, but the loses...
Gone is DeMarco Murray. The catalyst for the offense, the workhorse, the one reason the Cowboys could become a two-dimension offensive threat is wearing a Phildelphia Eagles uni. Just typing it doesn't sound right.
Replacing the league-leading rusher is a hjodge-podge of running backs that have not been able to be starters in the last few seasons. Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar will split carries with former #1 pick Darren McFadden. A name that has never been able to match his production in the NFL.
The philosophy is that the offensive line is the real MVP. If the Cowboys can get the line to block like it did last season then a group of guys can accomplish the same thing as DeMarco.
The defense suffered it's own setbacks as well. Orlando Scandrick is lost for the season due to knee injury. Both Hardy and McClain will miss the start of the season due to suspension. McClain has yet to even practice this offseason. This means familiar names like Justin Durant, Brandon Carr, Anthony Hitchens, and Morris Claiborne will have to set-up.
Stars On The Rise
This season will bring the emergence of Terrence Williams as a legitmate scoring threat. The focus on Dez Bryant and slot reciever Cole Beasley will continue to help Williams get more favorable matchups.
New defensive stars in Jack Crawford and rookie Randy Gregory will have big seasons. The defensive line for the Cowboys will be rotated constantly, a style that Rod Marinelli made famous. Both players have big play capability and the attention on Demarcus Lawrence and Greg Hardy will help them get in the back field.
Rookie Byron Jones and Barry Church will be standouts in the secondary. With a better pass rush, the ball-hawking can began, Both Jones and Church are unbelievable athletes they are at their best when they can roam.
Tony Romo
If you read any of my work since 2009, then you know that my relationship with Tony Romo is bittersweet. I still feel that in a moment of truth he could throw an interception or have a sack-fumble. It's Romo's Law...
My concern for Romo is still his health. Every quarterback is one-hit away from missing the season, but with the back surgeries that he has had over the years compiled with missing Murray concern me. Murray is one of the best running backs in the NFL with blitz pickup, a comfort that many seem to overlook.
Romo only attempted 435 passes last year. The lowest attempts in his entire career, yet the offense ranked 5th in the NFL averaging 29.2 points per game. If the have to regress back to the pass-happy Cowboys of old, then you have to be alarmed at 35-year old Romo dropping back 500+ times to pass.
Jason Witten
The 33-year old TE from Tennessee, Jason Witten, has become so much of safe bet year-after-year that we tend not to appreciate him. This year Cowboy fans need to cherish his reliability more than ever.
Jerry Jones vs Stephen Jones
It is finally time to put this family rivalry rumor to bad. Sure Stephen Jones is gaining more experience in the organization, but this is still Jerry's team. The argument that somehow Stephen is making roster decisions or overruling Jerry is totally ludicrous.
Schedule
Predictions
10-6, NFC Title Game
As a Cowboy fan, I can not allow myself to be a victim of the moment. Nobody wants a Super Bowl victory for the Cowboys more than me and Jerry Jones. The truth is I believe the team has taken a step back on offense, namely with the running attack, Until I can see this three-back rotation win in the NFL, I will be content with making it one step further than last year. That would be the NFC championship game.
6 Losses
I have them splitting with both the Eagles and New York Giants. I also have them losing to Seattle, Green Bay, Carolina, and Miami.
Dustin Vaughan unable to make the Dallas Cowboys roster.
The Dallas Cowboys decide to start the regular season with only two QBs on the roster. Dustin Vaughan and Jameill Showers could not make the final 53-man roster. They also cut RB Gus Johnson.
WR Lucky Whitehead makes the roster to add to both special teams and the receiving core.
Waived
Dustin Vaughan (West Texas A&M) Jameill Showers (Texas-El Paso) Gus Johnson (Stephen F. Austin) Ben Malena (Texas A&M) Ray Agnew (Southern Illinois) Clyde Gates (Abilene Christian) Nick Harwell (Kansas) A.J. Jenkins (Illinois) Laurence Gibson (Virginia Tech) Shane McDermott (Miami) John Wetzel (Boston College) Ronald Patrick (South Carolina) Ben Gardner (Stanford) Efe Obada (No College) Donnie Baggs (Texas A&M) Dekorey Johnson (Kansas State) Joel Ross (Appalachian State) Tim Scott (North Carolina)
Waived/Injured
Ka’Lial Glaud (Rutgers) Rod Sweeting (Georgia Tech)
Tony Romo celebrates one of this two touchdown passes in 28-14 loss to Minnesota
in third preseason game. Photo credit: Tony Gutierrez/AP
It was hard to get gauge on the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys after only seeing him take three snaps in the preseason. In their third straight preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Tony Romo was the bright star we all hoped to see.
The Dallas Cowboys did lose a third preseason game to the Minnesota Vikings 28-14.
Romo was 5-8 for 88-yards withh 2 touchdowns. He finished with quarterback rating of 139.6.
The second TD was the most impressive. He dodged pressure to find Lucky Whitehead for a 8-yard strike.
Darren McFadden had a much better outing than the previous game, averaging 9.2-yards per carry instead of 3.4.
Terrence Williams had the other Cowboy touchdown. Dez Bryant was held out again due to his hamstring, but indicated he will be ready for the regular season.
The Cowboys will play their last preseason game against the Houston Texans this Thursday.
Draya Michelle posts an x-ray of Orlando Scandrick
Orlando Scandrick notified ESPN's Ed Werder via text message that he has torn both his ACL and MCL ligaments in his knee.
After going down breaking on pass to rookie Lucky Whitehead, safety Barry Church called for the training staff as Orlando went down.
Scandrick has been the best secondary player for the Cowboys during training camp. His loss would be a huge blow to a defense that is already missing a few key players for various reasons: Greg Hardy, Ronaldo McClain, and others.
Corey White, free agent CB from the New Orleans Saints, will now have to take on a bigger role. White had a good outing against the San Francisco 49ers in the preseason game last week. Tyler Patmon, Mo Clairbourne, and rookie Byron Jones could be called upon to fill the void.
Cowboys Reaction
Sending prayers out to Orlando Scandrick...Fear he has a torn acl. Your the best bud.
Tony Romo hands off to Darren McFadden. Cowboys lose second preseason game to 49ers. Photo credit: Dallas News
It was hard to watch the performance of the Cowboys running game a day after watching DeMarco Murray run for a touchdown in an Eagles uniform.
by +Rodney Fisher
Greg Hardy returns to football. Photo credit: Dallas Cowboys
The preseason game of the Dallas Cowboys may not feature your favorite player, or even the starters, but there a five players you need to stay up and keep your eyes on.
1. Greg Hardy - DE
Hardy will be more than hyped to return to live football action after playing only one game in 2014. All indications from training camp prove that the chance the Cowboys took to improve the pass rush was worth it. Greg has taken the role of a leader on the defensive front line. Tonight he gets a chance to return to the field.
2. La'el Collins - OL
Although Collins went undrafted, he has first round talent. Many believed he would take the starting spot from Ron Leary at right guard, so tonight will be important. He should get plenty of reps early and have the chance to showcase his talent.
3. Randy Gregory - DE
Gregory has had a impressive camp so far working against the offensive line of the Cowboys, but tonight he will be at full speed. The team is counting on him to the be the second punch with Hardy in the pass rush.
4. Brandon Weeden - QB
Fans can not forget how important Tony Romo is to this team. His injury history has taught us all that the backup will get some playing time this season. Weeden was far from impressive last year and at this point is the only option if Romo should go down. Hopefully, in his second year with the team he has more confidence.
5. Gus Johnson - RB
There are no guarantees that Derek McFadden will be healthy enough to play for the Cowboys. The smaller statue of Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar make them liabilities to be an every-down back. The undrafted Gus Johnson from Stephen F. Austin will get the rock enough tonight to either make or break his pro career as a Cowboy.
Look for the Cowboys Report Card following every Dallas Cowboys game...
Aaron Rodgers gets a top ranking among all offensive players.
The fantasy football season is quickly approaching. Many are getting ready to find out their draft position and formulate their strategy for success. We may not be able to guarantee you the #1 pick, but we can give you the player rankings for the upcoming season by position.
QB
Aaron Rodgers
Andrew Luck
Peyton Manning
Tom Brady
Ben Roethlisberger
Russell Wilson
Matt Ryan
Tony Romo
Cam Newton
Drew Brees
Matthew Stafford
Ryan Tannehill
Philip Rivers
Eli Manning
Carson Palmer
Joe Flacco
Teddy Bridgewater
Sam Bradford
Andy Dalton
Colin Kaepernick
Jay Cutler
Derek Carr
Nick Foles
Alex Smith
Robert Griffin III
RB
Adrian Peterson
Le'Veon Bell
Jamaal Charles
Eddie Lacy
Marshawn Lynch
Matt Forte
Jeremy Hill
C.J. Anderson
LeSean McCoy
DeMarco Murray
Justin Forsett
Mark Ingram
Alfred Morris
Frank Gore
Lamar Miller
Carlos Hyde
Andre Ellington
Melvin Gordon
Joseph Randle
Latavius Murray
Joique Bell
Todd Gurley
Jonathan Stewart
Giovani Bernard
T. J. Yeldon
WR
Dez Bryant
Calvin Johnson
Antonio Brown
Demaryius Thomas
Jordy Nelson
Julio Jones
Odell Beckham
Alshon Jeffrey
A.J. Green
Randall Cobb
Mike Evans
T.Y. Hilton
DeAndre Hopkins
Jordan Matthews
Emmanuel Sanders
Kelvin Benjamin
Amari Cooper
Brandin Cooks
DeSean Jackson
Andre Johnson
Julian Edelman
Jarvis Landry
Jeremy Maclin
Keenan Allen
Sammy Watkins
TE
Rob Gronkowski
Jimmy Graham
Greg Olsen
Travis Kelce
Julius Thomas
Martellus Bennett
Delanie Walker
Jordan Cameron
Jason Witten
Vernon Davis
Coby Fleener
Owen Daniels
Zach Ertz
Dwayne Allen
Austin Seferian-Jenkins
Antonio Gates
Charles Clay
Kyle Rudolph
Heath Miller
Tyler Eifert
Ladarius Green
Josh Hill
Richard Rogers
Larry Donnell
Maxx Williams
K
Dan Bailey
Cody Parkey
Stephen Gostowski
Adam Vinatieri
Mason Crosby
Steven Hauschka
Connor Barth
Matt Bryant
Justin Tucker
Caleb Sturgis
Nick Novak
Matt Prater
Randy Bullock
Chandler Cantazaro
Nick Folk
Josh Brown
Graham Geno
Blair Walsh
Dan Carpenter
Mike Nugent
Phil Dawson
Sebastian Janikowski
Greg Zeurlein
Robbie Gould
Cairo Santos
DEF
Seattle Seahawks
Houston Texans
Buffalo Bills
St. Louis Rams
Arizona Cardinals
Baltimore Ravens
Green Bay Packers
Denver Broncos
New York Jets
Cincinnati Bengals
Miami Dolphins
Kansas City Chiefs
New England Patriots
Dallas Cowboys
Carolina Panthers
Philadelphia Eagles
Minnesota Vikings
Cleveland Browns
Indianapolis Colts
San Francisco 49ers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jacksonville Jaguars
New York Giants
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Diego Chargers
Top 10 Offense (Point Projection according to NFL.com)
Aaron Rodgers (363.84)
Andrew Luck (351.04)
Russell Wilson (335.18)
Ben Roethlisberger (300.66)
Peyton Manning (296.12)
Drew Brees (291.36)
Cam Newton (288.90)
Matt Ryan (286.38)
Tony Romo (280.36)
Philip Rivers (274.94)
Top 10 Best Defensive Matchups (Points Against Average Projection according to NFL.com)
Join us for the #1 late night sports talk show on the planet! Hosted by "The King of Late Night Sports Talk" Rodney Fisher and Royce Fisher. Tonight we talk the Wells Report on Deflate-gate and Tom Brady. What should the punishment be, if anything? How do we now view the New England Patriots after being caught a third time? Is Bill Belechik and Robert Craft liable at all?
The Dallas Cowboys decision to sign Greg Hardy amid a domestic violence dismissal charge has caused a massive public outcry from fans to the politicians. I simply ask why are we so surprised? Isn't this America's team?
Join us tonight for another episode of The Late Shift as we recap our NBA All-Star Weekend experience. Find out the inside scoop on the NBA for the second half of the season. Also, is franchising Dez Bryant such a bad thing?
Tony Romo and Jason Garrett celebrate their first playoff win together. Photo credit: NFL
Dallas-- The Cowboys win their wild card NFL playoff matchup over the Detroit Lions with a fourth quarter comeback. Our partners at D210TV all the inside view...
Dallas- The Dallas Cowboys redeemed themselves last week against the Philadelphia Eagles to regain the NFC East Lead by a game. After the Thanksgiving Day Game shellacking at the hands of Head Coach Chip Kelly’s high tempo offense, the Cowboys pulled off a must win against their division rivals. Dallas has yet to solidify a playoff berth and have the Indianapolis Colts lead by Andrew Luck at home this Sunday afternoon. The Colts have won the AFC South and clinched a playoff spot with a 10-4 record.
