COWBOYS JUST PLAIN AWFUL & PLEASE SAY A PRAYER FOR TONY
If you didn't watch any of the Dallas-Arizona game tonight that was probably because you either prefer watching real football teams or you have a life that doesn't include watching a pair of losing teams play an awful game. But since I'm home bound & we were going to watch "The Town" on pay-per-view later on, viewing two losers not worthy of being called real football teams became our evening's diversion.
Cowboy QB Jon Kitna threw a pair of 1st quarter interceptions, both returned for touchdowns. Rookie QB John Skelton threw a 74-yard touchdown to a wide open Andre Roberts & the Cardinals led 21-20 at half. Including the 74-yard score, Arizona had 102-yards of total offense at intermission.
Kitna was injured right before the half & didn't return because of what the Cowboys were calling a "hip injury." Realistically, he suffered two 1st quarter pick 6's & he was benched. Stephen McGee took over for Dallas in the 3rd quarter.
Despite rushing for 183-yards while holding the Cards to 2 of 11 on 3rd down, Dallas never led until McGee hit Miles Austin with a pinpoint throw from 37-yards out with just 1:41 left in the game. Placekicker David Buehler promptly missed the extra point giving Dallas just a 2-point lead.
Skelton was faced with a 4th & 15 from his own 19, but for some reason the Cowboy secondary, who had shut out All-Pro WR Larry Fitzgerald all night, decided to let him run free thru their secondary. Skelton hit the wide open Fitzgerald for a 26-yard gain. He scrambled for 5-yards, threw a 6-yard completion to Tim Hightower & finally a 19-yard completion to Max Komar put the ball on the Dallas 24. After an illegal formation penalty with 10-seconds left, kicker Jay Feely calmly kicked a 48-yard field goal to put Arizona ahead with only 5-seconds left.
Arizona made a couple of big completions in the final drive, plus the 74-yard TD, but that was it. But they didn't commit any turnovers while the Cowboys gave it up 3 times. Here's what I can't figure out about Arizona. They play in the dreadful NFC West, easily the worst division in football & yet they have only one win within this division. Five wins, but an opening day win over the Rams is their only divisional win. They beat Denver, Oakland, Dallas & New Orleans(really????). This is the reason it's so freakin' difficult to pick winner in the NFL. Of course I had Dallas in the Office Pool Picks. But it took 2 int's returned for touchdowns & a missed extra point to lose the game. Unfortunately, the Cowboys were up to the task.
While were on the subject of the Office Pool Picks, with a 140-84 record, I am ahead of ESPN's Ron Jaworski, Adam Schefter, Mark Schlereth, Mike Ditka, Keyshawn Johnson & Chris Carter. I'm tied with Mike Golic. I'm also way ahead of The Kansas City Star's Adam Teicher, Randy Covitz & Kent Babb & yet I still get a few complainers regarding my picks. That's just what they are.....mine. I post them, hoping they might help a few of you who want to play with your office pals but don't know squat. If it's as easy as you seem to think it is, use the picks from one of the ESPN talking heads(oops, I've done better than them) or use your own selections, just throw some darts or flip a coin, according to some of you, that's what I do.
A couple of people asked Christmas Eve what I thought of the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. I told them I wasn't certain which side was the way to go, but I thought the two teams would top the 73 1/2 point total. Final score: Tulsa(10 1/2 point dog) 63 Hawaii 35.
Oklahoma State will be without the 5th leading punter in the nation for their Alamo Bowl date with Arizona. Quinn Sharp & long snapper Marc Yerry were both declared academically ineligible. They play Wednesday night.
It doesn't look as tho Jaguar RB Maurice Jones-Drew will be able to go today against the Washington Redskins. His sore knee hasn't responded like he needs. Backup Rashad Jennings will start in his place. Houston's All-Pro WR Andre Johnson may not go either, his high ankle sprain is "getting worse by the week & it's reached a point where I don't know if I'm really helping the team." I think he's about 50-50 for today's game at Denver.
If you're going out to Arrowhead today, turn up the volume, the Chiefs need all the help they can get come noon time. Beating the Tennessee Titans won't be easy & once again, the Chiefs are in must-win mode. Prior to last week's 31-17 win over Houston, the Titans had dropped 6 in a row. They are 1-2 vs. the AFC West & 3-3 on the road. The Chiefs are undefeated at home this season. A Chiefs win coupled with a Raider loss(they play the Colts) eliminates Oakland in the divisional race. A Chiefs win & a Charger win will take the division crown down to the last weekend. San Diego would need a win plus a loss by K.C. at home to the Raiders. The Chiefs must win.
Say a little prayer for Tony DiPardo, the 98-year old was leader of the Chiefs' pep band for decades. He suffered a brain aneurysm last week. DiPardo led the Chiefs' band for 45-years.
Cowboy QB Jon Kitna threw a pair of 1st quarter interceptions, both returned for touchdowns. Rookie QB John Skelton threw a 74-yard touchdown to a wide open Andre Roberts & the Cardinals led 21-20 at half. Including the 74-yard score, Arizona had 102-yards of total offense at intermission.
Kitna was injured right before the half & didn't return because of what the Cowboys were calling a "hip injury." Realistically, he suffered two 1st quarter pick 6's & he was benched. Stephen McGee took over for Dallas in the 3rd quarter.
Despite rushing for 183-yards while holding the Cards to 2 of 11 on 3rd down, Dallas never led until McGee hit Miles Austin with a pinpoint throw from 37-yards out with just 1:41 left in the game. Placekicker David Buehler promptly missed the extra point giving Dallas just a 2-point lead.
Skelton was faced with a 4th & 15 from his own 19, but for some reason the Cowboy secondary, who had shut out All-Pro WR Larry Fitzgerald all night, decided to let him run free thru their secondary. Skelton hit the wide open Fitzgerald for a 26-yard gain. He scrambled for 5-yards, threw a 6-yard completion to Tim Hightower & finally a 19-yard completion to Max Komar put the ball on the Dallas 24. After an illegal formation penalty with 10-seconds left, kicker Jay Feely calmly kicked a 48-yard field goal to put Arizona ahead with only 5-seconds left.
Arizona made a couple of big completions in the final drive, plus the 74-yard TD, but that was it. But they didn't commit any turnovers while the Cowboys gave it up 3 times. Here's what I can't figure out about Arizona. They play in the dreadful NFC West, easily the worst division in football & yet they have only one win within this division. Five wins, but an opening day win over the Rams is their only divisional win. They beat Denver, Oakland, Dallas & New Orleans(really????). This is the reason it's so freakin' difficult to pick winner in the NFL. Of course I had Dallas in the Office Pool Picks. But it took 2 int's returned for touchdowns & a missed extra point to lose the game. Unfortunately, the Cowboys were up to the task.
While were on the subject of the Office Pool Picks, with a 140-84 record, I am ahead of ESPN's Ron Jaworski, Adam Schefter, Mark Schlereth, Mike Ditka, Keyshawn Johnson & Chris Carter. I'm tied with Mike Golic. I'm also way ahead of The Kansas City Star's Adam Teicher, Randy Covitz & Kent Babb & yet I still get a few complainers regarding my picks. That's just what they are.....mine. I post them, hoping they might help a few of you who want to play with your office pals but don't know squat. If it's as easy as you seem to think it is, use the picks from one of the ESPN talking heads(oops, I've done better than them) or use your own selections, just throw some darts or flip a coin, according to some of you, that's what I do.
A couple of people asked Christmas Eve what I thought of the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. I told them I wasn't certain which side was the way to go, but I thought the two teams would top the 73 1/2 point total. Final score: Tulsa(10 1/2 point dog) 63 Hawaii 35.
Oklahoma State will be without the 5th leading punter in the nation for their Alamo Bowl date with Arizona. Quinn Sharp & long snapper Marc Yerry were both declared academically ineligible. They play Wednesday night.
It doesn't look as tho Jaguar RB Maurice Jones-Drew will be able to go today against the Washington Redskins. His sore knee hasn't responded like he needs. Backup Rashad Jennings will start in his place. Houston's All-Pro WR Andre Johnson may not go either, his high ankle sprain is "getting worse by the week & it's reached a point where I don't know if I'm really helping the team." I think he's about 50-50 for today's game at Denver.
If you're going out to Arrowhead today, turn up the volume, the Chiefs need all the help they can get come noon time. Beating the Tennessee Titans won't be easy & once again, the Chiefs are in must-win mode. Prior to last week's 31-17 win over Houston, the Titans had dropped 6 in a row. They are 1-2 vs. the AFC West & 3-3 on the road. The Chiefs are undefeated at home this season. A Chiefs win coupled with a Raider loss(they play the Colts) eliminates Oakland in the divisional race. A Chiefs win & a Charger win will take the division crown down to the last weekend. San Diego would need a win plus a loss by K.C. at home to the Raiders. The Chiefs must win.
Say a little prayer for Tony DiPardo, the 98-year old was leader of the Chiefs' pep band for decades. He suffered a brain aneurysm last week. DiPardo led the Chiefs' band for 45-years.
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