Mandatory Credit: Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

There are still a lot of unanswered questions about both the 2012 version of the Cowboys and their regular season opponents.  And, other than a handful of proven elite QBs, it is difficult to predict how a player will play in the future simply upon the prior year’s stats.  But, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the QBRs for the quarterbacks that the Cowboys will face this coming season.

First of all, for comparison sake let’s note that Tony Romo had a rating of 102.5 in 2012 making him the 4th best QB in the league based simply on QBR (behind the usual suspects – Rodgers, Brees, and Brady).  These 4 quarterbacks were the only ones that finished the regular season with a rating above 100.  Although Tony made some bad plays at very bad times, Cowboy fans should not lose sight of the fact that we have a very talented quarterback who should be hitting his prime.

So, here are the 5 best QBs the Cowboys will face in 2012 in descending order based on last year’s QB rating:

1.  Drew Brees, Saints - 2012 rating: 110.2.  Brees had a record setting year in 2012 amassing almost 5,500 yards passing, completing 71 percent of his passes, and scoring 46 touchdowns.  Despite all that, his passer rating was only eight points higher than Romo.  But, that was last year.  Right now, he is mired in a bitter contract dispute and his team is reeling from “Bounty Gate”.  The Cowboys won’t see Brees until December 23rd – the Saints are talented but all the upheaval does not bode well for them in 2012.  It’s likely we catch them after they are already eliminated from the playoffs or resting for the playoffs if they are somehow able to overcome all the adversity.

2.  Eli Manning, Giants - 2012 rating: 92.9.  Giants fans would say, “so what” about Super Bowl XLVI’s MVP having a lower overall rating than Romo and they’d be right.  I’d rather have the ring and so would Tony.  But, it does demonstrate that it wasn’t necessarily Eli’s consistency or dominance that brought home the Lombardi trophy.  He has however developed an uncanny nack to come through in the clutch.  That is something Romo would be wise to try and emulate.  We face Eli twice of course – opening night on the road and then October 28th at home.  I can’t wait to see if our secondary helps our pass rush or our pass rush helps our improved secondary, but not even miracle Eli will be able to pull out the game lying under a pile of Cowboys pass rushers.

3.  Matt Ryan, Falcons - 2012 rating: 92.2. With New Orleans’ troubles, many see a window of opportunity for the Falcons this season and Matt Ryan will be at the center of it.  With Roddy White, Julio Jones, and the ageless Tony Gonzalez to throw to, Ryan is poised to have a good season.  But, similar to Romo Ryan has not been able to deliver playoff wins in his 4 seasons.  The Cowboys have to travel to Atlanta on November 4th in the midst of a brutal stretch of the season playing 4 of 5 games away from Cowboys Stadium.  Ryan is good at home in the dome – the Cowboys new secondary will be tested.

Mandatory Credit: Jim O

4.  Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers - 2012 Rating: 90.1.  The Steelers are always a tough team to beat – especially historically for the Cowboys.  But, they seem to be aging a bit and are facing a very disgruntled #1 receiver, Mike Wallace, who is not happy about how the Steelers have handled his contract situation this off season.  At least the Cowboys get this game – part of the brutal December finish – at home.  Big Ben is never spectacular but always seems to do just enough to pull out a win here and there.  I don’t expect the Cowboys to give him a chance to do that despite the date on the calendar.

5.  Jay Cutler, Bears - 2012 rating: 85.7.  There has been a lot of talk about the Bears this off season being a much improved team.  Granted, they have some weapons – assuming they get Matt Forte back in the fold.  They also traded for Brandon Marshall and drafted Alshon Jeffery, at one point a highly touted receiver prospect before falling a bit in the draft.  The defense will be stout and they help create turnovers and short fields for Cutler and the offense, but despite the fact that I like Cutlers’ “take no prisoners” attitude at times, I don’t see him in the same tier as Romo.  They catch the Cowboys on a Monday night the week before their bye though – which is early in the season before we or the team may have forged an identity yet.  Let’s hope both teams come in undefeated and the Cowboys emerge with a hard fought win as they head into their bye week to rest and heal.

Of course, I haven’t even talked about Robert Griffin III or the likely starter in Cleveland, Brandon Weeden because this ranking was based on last year’s stats.  Both are talented but I would caution people’s expectations to not be extraordinarily high for rookie quarterbacks.  What Cam Newton did was really rare.  The Cowboys also will likely see Matt Flynn with Seattle in the second game.  He had a passer rating of 124.8 but that was almost entirely based on a single game against the Lions.  He’ll have to not only win the starting job in Seattle – not at all assured based on how he has reportedly performed in OTA’s and minicamp so far - but also prove he can consistently perform at a high level.

It was suprising to see where some of the “hot” names from last year actually ranked – Andy Dalton, 80.4, Michael Vick, 84.9, Joe Flacco, 80.9, and Cam Newton, 84.5.  The Cowboys will face all of these guys – Vick and RGIII twice.  Any one of these players can have a good game and play above his rating, but it was certainly eye opening to me to see just where Romo’s season ranked last year among all QBs.  It’s an old cliche to say “it is a game of inches” but cliches exist because they are often true.  Romo had a very solid season and had he gotten just a few breaks, the story of 2011 might have had a happier ending.  Let’s hope the defense can dominate or at least contain these 5 quarterbacks as well as the signal callers on all their opposing teams.  If not, it won’t matter what Romo’s rating is at the end of the day.  Go Cowboys!

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Dec 17, 2011; Tampa, FL, USA; Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE

Every year movie theaters showcase a ton of bad horror films and they’re never awarded best film of the year. The 2011 NFL season brought us an abundance of teams I would certainly place in the horror genre. I have to consider the majority of the teams that didn’t make it to playoffs to be labeled under horror, for the simple fact that they were “HORROR”ble. These teams would include: The Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals, San Diego Chargers, Chicago Bears, and the New York Jets.

Now all of these teams were horrible for obvious reasons, but there are a few I want to point out.

The Indianapolis Colts: We all know that the QB is the most important position on a team, but how can a team go from a ever year playoff club to only having two wins after losing Peyton Manning for a season? I know the name Peyton Manning means so much more than just quarterback, but I didn’t think it meant, “carries team by himself“. Maybe that’s why he needed so many neck surgeries? Bottom line is the Colts minus Manning equals “HORROR”ble.

Jan 26, 2012, Honolulu, HI, USA; NFC quarterback Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers (1) reacts after a play during practice for the 2012 Pro Bowl at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

The Carolina Panthers: Everyone knows about the outstanding year Cam Newton had. He was one of the most exiting players to watch. To me, it seemed like he played more for himself than the team. I know that breaking NFL records is  exciting, but acting like you’re Clark Kent in a phone booth while your team is losing seems a little immature. I can understand that he is young and excited but he will need to grow out of it if he plans to reach true professionalism.

The Dallas Cowboys: Wow, where do I began? For the second year in a row the Dallas Cowboys didn’t make it to the Playoffs. They have the talent to be excellent playoff contenders but after blowing at least 4 games they should have won, falling short of the post season was inevitable. Tony Romo was wonderful with the exception of a game or two, but Rob Ryan’s complex schemes seemed to fall apart in the fourth quarter. Demarcus Ware was Demarcus Ware like usual, but Jason Garrett’s green coaching experience led to freezing his own kicker. The team had a lot of high points and hopefully the lows can be written off as a lesson well learned.

The Philadelphia Eagles: After the lockout buzz calmed down, the biggest story in the NFL was Michael Vick’s contract, and the Vince Young/Nnamdi Asomugha signings which turned the Eagles into the Dream Team. The team looked great at times but they didn’t come together like most thought they would. The Eagles went from Super Bowl dreaming to me comparing them to bad horror films. All the Eagles can ask for is to wake up out of the nightmare they created themselves by the 2012 season.

The next category in my football/movie genre would be comedies. This category mainly consist of teams that made it to the playoffs, with the exception of a few. I call them comedies because they joked themselves in the idea that they were Super Bowl contenders only to leave us laughing out loud in the end. These teams would be: The Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco  49ers, and the Green Bay Packers.

Obviously these teams have multiple reasons to give anybody the urge to laugh out loud but I’d like to point a few of these laughs.

The Tennessee Titans: The Titans didn’t make the playoffs but I cant help but laugh to myself that they had to use two QB’s on there roster and still finished with a 9-7 record only to watch the 8-8 Broncos enter the post season.

Jan 14, 2012; Foxboro, MA, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow (15) scrambles during the first half of the 2011 AFC divisional playoff game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-US PRESSWIRE

The Denver Broncos: The Tim Tebow believers were all over the place. And he made a believer out of almost everyone. I don’t know why everyone had so much faith in a QB that only completed 46% of his passes. The way Tebow carries himself  is something that shouldn’t go unnoticed, but his talent as a QB is highly overrated. The Broncos organization supported Tebow fully, all the way until the moment Peyton Manning was up for auction. (LOL)

The Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals where led by a rookie QB in Andy Dalton whom proved he has fantastic skills. He didn’t have solid success in the post season but this rookie’s play during the regular season indicates he has a bright future ahead. Another fun fact about Dalton is that when he takes off his helmet his hair color matches his uniform perfectly. (I don’t care who you are that’s funny right there)

The Houston Texans:  The Texans had no problem making the playoffs and getting the teams first post season appearance and victory. Arian Foster had a great year and T.J. Yates made a big impression on fans after the performances the NO.3 QB left on the field. But in the end, the Texans had to play the Ravens. Bottom line: Houston had a problem.

The Baltimore Ravens: I think anybody can agree that a QB with a Fu Manchu, and a kicker that can’t make a chip shot field goal in the clutch has comedy wrote all over it.

The San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers had a dominant team. The offensive line was solid, the defense was stingy, and the running game was powerful. In the end, you’re only as strong as your weakest link. And that link was Kyle Williams. Or maybe it was Alex Smith’s mediocre talent as a passer?  Guess it depends on how you look at it. Or at least how the 49ers organization look at it. Didn’t they just try to go all out for Peyton Manning?

The Green Bay Packers: They win comedy of the year for the outstanding performance that led up to their collapse at home as heavy favorites. The bad thing about comedy of the year is it usually reminds you of past comedies that were big hits. ‘09 Colts and ‘07 Patriots  anyone?

Every year a great love story is released to the world which has the majority of viewers reaching for the tissues. I cant help but compare those to The New England Patriots. Any time a team loses the Super Bowl, it’s like a great love story with a dramatic death at the end. Unfortunately not only did the Patriots lose the Super Bowl, but they suffered a death at the beginning of the First Lady of the Patriots, Mrs. Myra Kraft. The New England Patriots dedicated the season in honor of her. In his time of grieving Robert Kraft, the owner of the Patriots and husband to Myra, seemed like he deserved the Super Bowl more than anyone. But fate wouldn’t have it that way.

Feb 5, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl XLVI against the New England Patriots at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

And the last category would have to be fantasy. In the middle of the 2011 season, the New York Giants had fantasies of winning the Super Bowl but in all actuality seemed very doubtful. They had a decent start to the season but then hit a slope that most thought they couldn’t recover from. Some how they did and got on a hot streak like nobody would have thought possible. The Giants overcame all obstacles. By no means were they the most talented team, but they had more will to win. By willing themselves into a world champion team, they seem like a fantasy story that only someone in Hollywood could create.

Now with the moves made so far in free agency, I feel that the Dallas Cowboys have improved the team in some very important areas. With the draft still ahead, I don’t see them creating another horror season. The Dallas Cowboys are making the right moves and I believe they will be a high caliber playoff team. Jason Garrett and Rob Ryan wont allow another breakdown season. If they do, well, Garrett might be replaced and Ryan’s hopes for a head coaching job will be delayed. Can the Dallas Cowboys make it to the Super Bowl? I don’t know, but that’s my fantasy.

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Jan 27, 2012; Ko Olina, HI, USA; NFC linebacker DeMarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys (94) holds his children Marley (left and Junior (right) after their team photo at NFC media day for the 2012 Pro Bowl at the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort. Mandatory Credit: US PRESSWIRE

For those who did not watch the Pro Bowl this year, the AFC beat the NFC – 59 to 41.  Whatever.  Some played like it was a regular season game, though most did tone it down quite a bit.  Boring.  It was fun to see all the best players of 2011 get together.  After all, its all about the stars of the game, right?  I guess.

Do I sound less than thrilled?  A little cynical maybe?  Well, as a Cowboys fan, I think I have a right to be.  To begin with, only two Cowboys players went to Hawaii, least since 2002.   I thought we were loaded with talent?  Only Cowboys fans still think that, but regardless, to only pick 2 – why these two – .  I also find it ironic that those two, DeMarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff, were not only not as dominant in 2011 as in past years, but also came from the weakest of the three parts of the Dallas Cowboys in 2011, the Defense.  If the Pro Bowl were to represent the best players on each team from 2011, then for Dallas they would come from the Offense. (more…)