Redskins @ Cowboys

[BLUE 1,026]

(AP) -- The Dallas Cowboys are rolling to a degree that is even surprising owner Jerry Jones thanks to the productivity of DeMarco Murray and Tony Romo.

 

Their next opponent, the Washington Redskins, isn't even sure who will start at quarterback.

 

The Cowboys seek a seventh straight win Monday night when they host a Redskins team that will likely give third-stringer Colt McCoy his first start in three years.

 

Dallas (6-1) is enjoying its longest win streak since a seven-game run in 2007. That has surprised Jones, who called the Cowboys a team with plenty to prove before the season.

 

"I think our record is above what we could have expected, but we have it and it's a credit to a team that's building in confidence," he said.

 

Murray is the catalyst, becoming the first running back in league history to start a season with seven straight 100-yard efforts. He leads the NFL with 913 yards and seven rushing touchdowns, gaining 128 yards on 28 carries with a score in last Sunday's 31-21 win over the Giants.

 

The fourth-year pro has a league-high 187 carries - 61 more than any other player.

 

"Teams have geared up to stop the run and even though they've done that we've still been able to continue to run the football and DeMarco's a big part of that," coach Jason Garrett said. "I think he's seeing the holes well, he's feeling the softness well and like he always does, he finishes runs."

 

The NFL's top rushing attack has made life easier for Romo, who has a league-high 69.2 completion percentage. His passer rating is a career-best 104.7 after he threw for 279 yards and three scores last weekend.

 

"Obviously we were very productive in the passing game," Garrett said. "We didn't throw it that much but when we threw it I think he was 17 out of 23, averaged over 10 yards an attempt, big-time plays down the field, made a lot of little plays, his pocket presence was outstanding."

 

Washington (2-5) ended a four-game slide with last Sunday's 19-17 win over Tennessee. McCoy was 11 of 12 for 128 yards and a touchdown in relief of an ineffective Kirk Cousins, who was intercepted for the NFC-worst ninth time.

 

Coach Jay Gruden has named McCoy the starter Monday, though he also said there is a chance that Robert Griffin III can return from a five-game absence due to an injured left ankle.

 

"I've already made the decision. I've said it's going to be Colt," Gruden said. "I've said Robert will be the wild card, possibly, if he's ready to go, and that still hasn't been decided yet."

 

Gruden said Griffin has yet to be cleared for full contact, and that he'd like to see Griffin go through a couple of days of rigorous practice once the OK comes from doctors.

 

"There's a lot of variances as to whether or not we think he'll be ready for Monday night," the coach said.

 

McCoy went 6-15 as a starter between 2010-11 with Cleveland. He thinks his experience as a backup the last two years will help him Monday.

 

"I would say I'm older, maybe a little bit stronger," McCoy said. "I think I've learned from my past experiences and watched a lot of good quarterbacks play and hopefully by doing that you naturally gain a little bit of confidence even though you're standing on the sidelines."

 

These teams feature explosive receivers. The Cowboys' Dez Bryant enters Week 8 in eighth place in the league with 590 yards and the Redskins' DeSean Jackson is ninth with 528.

 

Jackson, however, had one receiving touchdown in 10 games against the Cowboys with NFC East rival Philadelphia.

 

The Redskins could use a boost from Alfred Morris, averaging a career-low 62.9 yards on the ground. The third-year back gained 313 in a sweep of Dallas in 2012 before amassing 168 last year in two defeats.

 

Washington will be without three-time Pro Bowl linebacker Brian Orakpo, who will miss the rest of the season due to surgery on a torn right pectoral muscle. Rookie second-round pick Trent Murphy will start in Orakpo's spot.

 

The Redskins have dropped eight straight to NFC East foes for their longest skid in the division since a 15-game slide from 1993-94.

 

Source: Hosted.Stats.com

[RazorStar 4,025]

I think the Cowboys will come out a little flat and have to struggle for a win in this one, but it's the Redskins... so the Cowboys will still win.

 

30

27

[Vin+ 3,121]

Not even gonna watch.

 

 

 

 

Cowboys declared RT Doug Free, DE Jack Crawford, QB Dustin Vaughan, S Jakar Hamilton, DT Davon Coleman, LB Keith Smith, and OT Donald Hawkins inactive for Monday night's Week 8 game against the Redskins.

Jermey Parnell will make another start at right tackle in place of Free (foot).

 

 

 

 

Robert Griffin III (ankle) is inactive for Monday night's Week 8 game against the Cowboys.

Colt McCoy will get the start, as expected. There's belief RGIII has a good chance to return for Week 9 against the Vikings. The Dallas defense is an elite streaming option Monday night.

Also inactive for the Redskins are RT Tyler Polumbus, WR Aldrich Robinson, CB Greg Ducre, OLB Jackson Jeffcoat, OL Spencer Long, and DE Clifton Geathers.

[FartWaffles 1,857]

McCoy vs. Weeden

 

Dual of the ex-Browns quarterbacks.

[Bay 2,003]

This game has been awesome because the Zebras hardly got any airtime aka flags.

[FartWaffles 1,857]

Wow there was a terrible hold there in the endzone. Should have been a safety for the Redskins.

[RazorStar 4,025]

Well this is certainly exciting. Why are the Redskins responding to Colt McCoy of all people...

[BwareDWare94 723]

You gotta put lesser teams away or they'll bite you. They are NFL players, after all.

 

Dallas just got embarrassed. There are no excuses for that loss. None, whatsoever. Losing Romo for a series doesn't matter when fucking Brandon Weeden leads a TD drive.

 

Not that he's better than Tony, but why not sit Romo for the rest of the game? Haslett's been trying to kill him all night. It's an off night for the boys. Fuck it. Just rest #9 and let whatever happens happen.

 

Joseph Randle and DeMarco Murray cost their team this game. One pathetic fumble by Randle, and one where it could maybe be argued that his forward progress is stopped, but fighting for yards and fumbling has plagued Murray throughout his short career. When will he learn?

 

Jason Garrett has a tough job ahead of him--calm everybody down and keep this from going into a tailspin. Dallas can re-establish their running game and go into their bye at 8-2, or they can panic and go in at 7-3. It's that simple. They're going to beat Jacksonville. If they stick to what's worked for them so far, they're going to beat Arizona.

 

Fans need to be careful about overreacting to this. This wasn't telling, in any way. Two fumbles, and a bunch of blitzes where 6 and 7 were sent isn't going to work for more than 1 week. Dallas will implement plays to counter excessive blitzing and this game will be an anomaly.

 

Bad losses will happen. Dallas has a chance to truly contend. It's up to them to not overreact and fall into the same old same old place.

[Guest Phailadelphia]

Dallas is the only team in the league that can't figure out Haslett blitzes.

[Thanatos 2,847]

I think you're severely underestimating Zona, Bware.

 

They have a very plausible argument for best team in the NFC- before this Skins loss by the Cowboys.

 

The Cards are more than capable of taking on and taking down a Dallas squad even if they are not "in tailspin mode."

Edited October 28, 2014 by Thanatos19

[BwareDWare94 723]

I think you're severely underestimating Zona, Bware.

 

They have a very plausible argument for best team in the NFC- before this Skins loss by the Cowboys.

 

The Cards are more than capable of taking on and taking down a Dallas squad even if they are not "in tailspin mode."

 

Oh, I don't mean to imply that. Arizona is definitely a top 2 NFC squad with Green Bay. I'm just trying not to assume that Dallas' sky is falling. I still think they're pretty much a lock for a 1-3 seed as long as they stay relatively healthy.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Dallas taking the L to Colt McCoy and the Redskins. Dallas has had a history over the last few years of playing down to their competition, but I have to admit I didn't see this was coming. You gotta love it though. Cowboys showing their true colors by getting beat by the basement dwelling Redskins and their 3rd string QB on MNF, a prime time game just in case any of you guys didn't know. I don't care what seed this team gets. Guaranteed 1 and done.

[BwareDWare94 723]

So is any team with Nick Foles at quarterback

[SteVo+ 3,702]

[Maverick 791]

Dallas taking the L to Colt McCoy and the Redskins. Dallas has had a history over the last few years of playing down to their competition, but I have to admit I didn't see this was coming. You gotta love it though. Cowboys showing their true colors by getting beat by the basement dwelling Redskins and their 3rd string QB on MNF, a prime time game just in case any of you guys didn't know. I don't care what seed this team gets. Guaranteed 1 and done.

Have you seen who's been under center for your team? I'd worry less about our playoff seed (thank you for implying we're automatically making the playoffs btw) and more about your shitty QB that looks like he's a fraud after last season.

 

Nothing to really see here. We were due for a loss. Redskins deserve credit. They made things work with McCoy and Haslett's blitzes were killing us. Redskins won their Super Bowl. The biggest problem I have with the loss is the play selection the OT drive. I don't even care that Romo was in - I've seen it before and he's a fucking warrior. But after Murray gets 8 yards on first down, the next three plays we pass the ball......wut. Murray's been his usual monster self, Romo was injured and having an off game anyway....RUN THE BALL. DRAW, TOSS, SOMETHING - GET MURRAY THE BALL.

 

Edited October 28, 2014 by Maverick

[BwareDWare94 723]

I thought that was dumb, too, Mav. Classic Cowboys from the last 4-5 years.

 

I was happy to see they gave Randle most of some possessions, though. They can't run Murray into the ground, and Randle would be challenging for featured back on a lot of teams. Might as well use him.

[FartWaffles 1,857]

Redskins won their Super Bowl.

I hate when players/fans say this. It's just a shitty excuse/cop-out to cope with losing to what is perceived the "lesser team."

 

The truth is Dallas lost to a team they should have beat. It's an indictment on the Cowboys, not the Redskins. Good teams put away the bad ones. Remember that when the Cowboys get bounced quickly from the playoffs.

 

The Cowboys are a paper tiger.

[Maverick 791]

I hate when players/fans say this. It's just a shitty excuse/cop-out to cope with losing to what is perceived the "lesser team."

 

The truth is Dallas lost to a team they should have beat. It's an indictment on the Cowboys, not the Redskins. Good teams put away the bad ones. Remember that when the Cowboys get bounced quickly from the playoffs.

 

The Cowboys are a paper tiger.

 

Nah, just mocking the significance of what the Redskins season currently is (that's my duty as a Cowboys fan). That will be their biggest game of the season. Besides, I said give the Redskins credit. I complimented them twice.

 

Oh, and calling the Cowboys a paper tiger is pretty stupid. We lost one close game and it was to a division rival. Anything can happen on any given Sunday and even more so when it's two NFC Beast teams battling each other. I was angry with Garrett's dumbass play-calling, but as far as the loss is concerned I'm not bothered at all. We lose our next two - then you have my permission to refer to us as a paper tiger.

 

Just wait until we face Hou-- oh wait we already beat them.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Have you seen who's been under center for your team? I'd worry less about our playoff seed (thank you for implying we're automatically making the playoffs btw) and more about your shitty QB that looks like he's a fraud after last season.

 

Nothing to really see here. We were due for a loss. Redskins deserve credit. They made things work with McCoy and Haslett's blitzes were killing us. Redskins won their Super Bowl. The biggest problem I have with the loss is the play selection the OT drive. I don't even care that Romo was in - I've seen it before and he's a fucking warrior. But after Murray gets 8 yards on first down, the next three plays we pass the ball......wut. Murray's been his usual monster self, Romo was injured and having an off game anyway....RUN THE BALL. DRAW, TOSS, SOMETHING - GET MURRAY THE BALL.

 

Nick Foles is bad, but he didn't lose to the Skins, let alone when they were starting their Browns reject and midget, Colt McCoy. The Eagles are still in first place and are still the best team in the NFCE. Cowboys are the ones who are frauds.

[BwareDWare94 723]

I hate when players/fans say this. It's just a shitty excuse/cop-out to cope with losing to what is perceived the "lesser team."

 

The truth is Dallas lost to a team they should have beat. It's an indictment on the Cowboys, not the Redskins. Good teams put away the bad ones. Remember that when the Cowboys get bounced quickly from the playoffs.

 

The Cowboys are a paper tiger.

 

One bad loss does not make a team a paper tiger. This Dallas team is really fucking good as long as the coaching staff doesn't fail them late in games, like last night.

 

2nd and 2, eh? Let's throw three times!

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Nick Foles is bad, but he didn't lose to the Skins, let alone when they were starting their Browns reject and midget, Colt McCoy. The Eagles are still in first place and are still the best team in the NFCE. Cowboys are the ones who are frauds.

Don't forget about his noodle arm.

 

I also like how Mav thinks the Boys beating Houston is relevant to this conversation at all.

 

Regardless, Boys don't have it easy coming off this tough loss. Arizona is beatable, but gonna take some fight.

[BwareDWare94 723]

Eagles the best team in the NFCE?

[seanbrock 1,684]

Eagles the best team in the NFCE?

First place since week 1 dawg. Eagles have been dominant.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Eagles the best team in the NFCE?

 

It's not an outlandish claim. Despite a decimated offensive line, the Eagles are 2 plays from being 7-0. I would personally put the Cowboys ahead of us right now, though Tony Romo's health is a (temporary?) concern. Thankfully, this will be settled on the field in a month.

[seanbrock 1,684]

 

It's not an outlandish claim. Despite a decimated offensive line, the Eagles are 2 plays from being 7-0. I would personally put the Cowboys ahead of us right now, though Tony Romo's health is a (temporary?) concern. Thankfully, this will be settled on the field in a month.

DEFENDING DIVISION CHAMPS SON! GET SOME!