Cowboys Corner

Murray earns stripes as every down back in tough game against Redskins

Rookie running back sensation DeMarco Murray didn’t put up eye-popping numbers in the 27-24 overtime victory against the Redskins.

He rushed for just 73 yards on 25 carries in what he called the most physical game he’s been.

It was far cry from the record-setting 601 yards he put in the four previous games.

However Murray’s toughness in continuing to hit up in there strong the entire game was very impressive to the Cowboys.

“He is a tough guy,” coach Jason Garrett said. “He is a mature guy. He has played a lot of football at high level. It wasn’t like he was making all these big runs. He was made some tough hard runs that went for three and four yards. But they were difference making runs in the game. They set you up to be in second in five and second and five. He had some bigger runs at the end of the game where we were trying to bleed the clock. So he is a tough guy He is a mature guy. He has handled transition to the NFL very well.”

Murray simply continued to the show the rest of the NFL what the Cowboys thought before taking him in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft: that he was a complete running back and not just someone who was just good in space.

“We felt very good about him when we drafted him,” Garrett said. “His track record at Oklahoma speaks for itself. He was a very productive back in a lot of different ways, carrying the football, caught the ball out of the backfield, as a guy who scored touchdowns. He blocked. He did a lot of different things. You saw that Oklahoma. You are hopeful those guys can make the transition. I think we are beginning to see him be that complete back we saw in college.”

Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Rookie linebacker Bruce Carter learning a few things about the NFL

After four games, rookie linebacker Bruce Carter has learned a few things about the NFL.

“There’s really no holding calls,” he said with a smile. “I learned that. I’m still learning that.”

Carter is playing on punt coverage and return and kickoff coverage and return. He’s made a special teams tackle in three of the four games and made a pass breakup in the regular defense against Seattle.

“I’m just learning my plays, just trying to get out there, get some experience,” said Carter, who was activated from the reserve non-football injury list the week before the Philadelphia game. He had been sidelined by a knee ligament injury suffered last season in college.

Carter gave credit to Redskins punt returner Brandon Banks, who had a 55-yard return against the Cowboys on Sunday.

“He’s a good returner. He’s hard to see,” Carter said. “It’s kind of an advantage for them. It’s an advantage for us because he’s smaller, but at the same time, it’s a disadvantage because you can’t see him.”

-- Carlos Mendez

Twitter @calexmendez

Bradie James remembers another Cowboys Thanksgiving tradition -- the Turkey Dance

Thanksgiving Day is about tradition. Inside linebacker Bradie James smiled as he reminded reporters about another one.

“We got to break out the Turkey Dance,” he said.

That’s the elbow-flapping, high-knee stepping move the Cowboys defenders started doing three years ago if they made a good play in the Thanksgiving Day game.

“We motivate each other,” James said with a smile. “It makes us go out there and play a little harder.”

It all started in 2008, when defensive ends Jason Hatcher and Marcus Spears were playing catch, and Hatcher made a nice grab along the sideline. He started dancing.

“I did the Billy ‘White Shoes’ first,” Hatcher said that year. “I said, ‘You know what? We need to break it into The Turkey. And pretty much all of the guys bought into it.”

Everyone was required to break out a Turkey Dance in that ’08 game, or face a fine from their teammates. The game had no lack of opportunities – the Cowboys sacked Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck seven times in a 34-9 victory.

DeMarcus Ware had three sacks. Bradie James had two. Tank Johnson and Greg Ellis each had one.

But does anybody actually look good doing the Turkey Dance?

“No, not at all,” James said and smiled. “But that’s why you can get away with it on Thursday.”

-- Carlos Mendez

Twitter @calexmendez

Jones says Cowboys didn’t play well against Redskins but not giving win back

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones acknowledged the obvious when he said his team didn’t play its best game in the 27-24 overtime victory against the Redskins Sunday.

The victory against the Redskins was the third straight for the Cowboys.  It was their fourth win and their last five games and has them tied atop the NFC East with the Giants with a 6-4 record.

If the Cowboys hope to continue their run and make the playoffs, Jones said they must play much better down the stretch.

“We did not play well against the Redskins,” Jones said Tuesday on his local radio show Tuesday on KRLD-FM. “(Tony) Romo did. Early, if we hit on a couple of things, then it might have been a different story. We just missed on a couple of throws, but still, we did not play well across the board. We’ve got to do better than that at a future here in terms of this year.” 

 Jones said each game each win is important from here on out. And despite the Cowboys getting a little lucky in slipping by the Redskins while not playing their best game, he said he’s not so upset that he will give it back.

Besides Jones said the Cowboys have lost some games earlier this year they should have won.

It’s also why Jones is not taking the next games against the 3-7 Dolphins on Thursday and the 3-7 Cardinals Dec. 4 for granted.

“We know we were lucky to get out of that game the other day, but we’ve lost some we weren’t lucky in, too,” Jones said. “But you’re going to have games lost by teams that on paper they shouldn’t have lost. That’s why you can’t tell anything now. You really do just have to put your nose down and head down and go get it one at a time.”

 

Clarence Hill

 

Romo, Moore up for FedEx Air NFL player of the week award

There could be an award-winner on the field Thursday when the Cowboys play the Dolphins.

Tony Romo is up for an NFL player of the week award, as is Dolphins quarterback Matt Moore. They and Matthew Stafford of the Lions are the candidates for the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week award.

Voting is open until 2 p.m. Friday at NFL.com/FedEx. The winner will be announced on NFL Total Access on NFL Network.

Romo completed 23 of 37 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns in the Cowboys’ 27-24 overtime victory at Washington.

Moore went 14-for-20 for 160 yards and three touchdowns in the Dolphins’ 35-8 victory against Buffalo, posting the highest quarterback rating of the weekend.

Stafford completed 77.8 percent of his passes for 335 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions in the Lions’ 49-35 win against Carolina.

-- Carlos Mendez

Twitter @calexmendez

 

Cowboys practice again without Sensabaugh, Fiammetta, Kitna

The Cowboys started practice Tuesday without safety Gerald Sensabaugh, fullback Tony Fiammetta and quarterback Jon Kitna. All three missed Monday's practice, also.

Sensabaugh hurt his foot in Sunday's game against Washington and was in a walking boot at Valley Ranch on Monday. Fiammetta has been experiencing nausea when he works out, the Cowboys said Monday. He missed practice all of last week, also.

Kitna has been out with a sore back.

Receiver Miles Austin (hamstring) and cornerback Mike Jenkins (hamstring) also missed practice and are not expected to play this week.

-- Carlos Mendez

Twitter @calexmendez

 

 

Jay Ratliff says Garrett 'coming into his own,' Ryan is 'head-coach material'

Jay Ratliff is usually a player of few words. The seventh-year nose tackle is serious business on the field and off. But he told reporters Monday at Valley Ranch that he is enjoying the season, playing for new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, appreciating head coach Jason Garrett and taking on more of a leadership role.

Some highlights from his chat with reporters:

On Garrett: “ ... One thing I really like about Jason, more than anything, he’s trying to get it done. You can tell he’s been in his head coach role. He’s coming into his own more and more. It’s definitely showing up. Players are definitely responding more to him. Even in the beginning, things got turned around immediately. Now it’s like everyone is really buying in what he’s trying to tell us and what he’s trying to teach us. ... Everything isn’t beautiful, but we keep winning. That’s the whole objective, is to get that W.”

On Ryan’s coaching: “Rob is a great coach. In my eyes, he’s also head coach material. It’s just an honor to play for the guy. It’s really fun. He listens to his players. If you’ve got input on a play or something like that, he’ll stop, take time, listen to it, and if it fits the defensive scheme, he’ll put it in. It’s really a player friendly defense. We’re just happy to have him on board.”

On his role in Ryan’s scheme: “One thing about this defense – there’s a lot more freedom in it. I feel I fit well in it. We haven’t quite done it yet, but i can play across the whole board if I’m needed to do that. It’s just fun.”

On being tied for first place in the NFC East: “Right now, there’s no time for that. There’s not time for us to look around the league and see what’s going on and get help from this team, that team. One thing Jason said that really stands out is we need to just play with blinders on. Look at what we’re doing and just work on the things that we can control. We can’t control anything else, what other teams try to do to us scheme-wise. Just play our best and do what we need to do.”

On his emerging role as a vocal leader: “I really don’t believe in pep talks. Truly just say what’s in my heart. Just talk about what needs to be done. Get everybody to try to see that. We’re fortunate to be here playing this game. No matter how long your career is, it’s a short window. So you want to try to make the most of it. I have blessed memories. What’s a better memory you can have than just winning?”

On Sunday’s crushing tackle of former teammate Tashard Choice, unlike easing up at practice all those years: “A lot of times, when he was here, we’d run up on him and we never really followed through with a tackle, so this was the first time (laughs). It felt good.”

-- Carlos Mendez

Twitter @calexmendez

Sensabaugh will try to play with foot injury, Kitna out against Dolphins

  Safety Gerald Sensabaugh suffered a foot injury against the Redskins and was seen at the team's headquarters on Monday wearing a walking boot.

Sensabaugh is not expected to practice this week but he said he plans on trying to play against the Dolphins Thursday.

Coach Jason Garrett said Sensabaugh has played through some injuries in the past and the team was hopeful that he could play despite such a short turnaround this.

If Sensabaugh can't go, look for Barry Church to replace him in the starting lineup. 

Quarterback Jon Kitna is expected to miss his second straight game with a sore back, according to coach Jason Garrett.

Former Texas A&M star Stephen McGee the primary backup for starter Tony Romo on Thanksgiving Day against the Dolphins.

Clarence E. Hill Jr. 

 

 

 

 

Fullback Tony Fiammetta remains sidelined with unknown illness

 

Fullback Tony Fiammetta is likely to miss his second straight game with an unknown illness, delivering another setback to the Cowboys running game.

Fiammetta was considered a key to the team's running success of late and the emergence of rookie DeMarco Murray, who has 601 yards in the four games prior to Sunday's 27-24 overtime victory against the Dolphins. 

Murray had just 73 yards on 25 carries with backup tight end John Phillips as the primary lead blocker against the Redskins. Coach Jason Garrett said Phillips did a credible job but he also couldn't deny the difference Fiammetta makes when he is in the game as a true fullback.

The puzzling thing for the Cowboys is that they don't know what's exactly wrong with Fiammetta who has been held out of practice since last week. His symptoms include nausea and sickness when he is working out, Garrett said. 

"We do not have an idea," Garrett said. "He’s been sick the last week or so, so we are just kind of attending to those symptoms as much as anything else. We are hopeful he can be around as soon as possible, but we will continue to test him to see how he’s doing to get him back to full strength. "

Asked the origin of the illness, Garrett said the doctors and trainers were stumped. He said the team's entire medical staff as well as specialists have been consulted.

"We are just evaluating the origin of the illness - without getting into too many details about what the different possibilities," Garrett said. "We are just trying to look at it and see why he is feeling sick...just trying to get to the bottom of it."

Garrett said right now there is no timetable for his return, athough the Cowboys are hopeful it’s soon.

"We are treating him like any other injury that we have, trying to get to the bottom of what happened, what we should do about it and hopefully we can get him back sooner rather than later," Garrett said. 

Clarence Hill

 

Cowboys focused on the Dolphins, not concerned with being in first place in NFC East

By Clarence E. Hill Jr.

Irving _ About the same time the Cowboys’ chartered flight arrived back in Dallas following the 27-24 overtime victory against the Redskins former Longhorns quarterback Vince Young was leading Eagles on game winning touchdown drive against the then-division leading Giants, putting the Cowboys into a first place tie in the NFC East.

Coach Jason Garrett and the Cowboys (6-4) greeted their new found status with the same singular focus that has helped them win three straight games for the first time since 2009 and four of the last five.

Garrett got off the plane and headed for the team's Valley Ranch training complex where he and the coaches pulled an all- night cram session in trying to prepare for Thursday's Thanksgiving Day game against the Dolphins (3-7).

"We’re not real concerned about the standings right now," said Garrett who had been working almost 20 straight hours when he greeted the media Monday afternoon. "We’re concerned about the Miami Dolphins at our place at 3:15 on Thursday. That’s what our focus is: really good day’s work today and starting our preparation for that. This game will be here before you know it. We have to be focused on that."

The reaction was the same among the players in the locker room who were mostly concerned with getting their bodies right in such a short week and focusing on a Dolphins team that has won three straight games after starting the season 0-7.

"We didn't pay attention to that," defensive Marcus Spears said of the first-place tie. "Right now it doesn't mean much. We have to keep the main focus on the game this week. They are playing real good football. They have been playing good football most of this year. They have just been losing some tough games like we have lost."

Even more so than the Dolphins, the Cowboys have turned their season around so much so that being in first place doesn't cause a ripple on team which has bigger goals in mind.

"If you are human you are excited about where you are going and where you are headed," Spears said. "But at the same time it’s just football. We have to keep it day to day and week by week and keep trying to get better."