Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/The Star-Ledger via US PRESSWIRE

We’ve known since the NFL schedule was released that the opening game of the entire season would be our beloved Cowboys at the Giants on September 5th.  A lot has already been written about how big this game will be.  A win over the defending Super Bowl champions and division rival Giants on the road would be big anytime.  But, with a worldwide audience watching the start of the NFL season it would be monumental.  A win and a season with so much promise gets off on a very good footing.  A loss and the heartbreak, doubt, and frustration of so many previous seasons creeps in once again.  If you’re anything like me, the bitterness of that would be palpable.  But, win or lose, it’s one game and there will still be 15 more before it is all decided.  But, it will no doubt set the tone for the season.

The Cowboys have not fared very well in season-opening games of late – remember the 4th quarter meltdown last year against the Jets when the game was seemingly going our way?  But, it got me thinking.  Can we draw any real correlations between the opening day results and the success of the overall season?  Is it as important as we think to get out of the gate with a win?  Here are a few interesting facts:

• The Cowboys inaugural season was in 1960 – the 2012 season opener will be their 53rd opening game in their history (counting the 2 strike shortened seasons in 1987 and 1982)
• Thirty of those 53 games, the Cowboys opened the season on the road.  With 16 opening week games, 16 teams have to start the season on the road, but 57% of the time the Cowboys have had to pack a bag.  Which one of the NFL scheduling gurus doesn’t like Dallas? 
• In fact, in the last 20 seasons including this coming year, the Cowboys have only opened at home 5 times – only twice in the last 10 seasons with the last home opener coming at the start of the 2007 season.  Seems like a league that is so in love with parity would try to spread the home openers around too…tough to win in the NFL on the road and tougher still to start the season in the hole with a loss.
• The Cowboys overall record on opening day is an impressive 34-17-1 (.654) but like Super Bowl victories (last one in 1995) a lot of those wins are in the past.  In fact, the Cowboys have lost their season opener the last 2 years in a row (at Jets in 2011 and at Washington in 2010).  In the last 10 seasons, the Cowboys are a less than impressive 4-6 in opening day games.  Since Jerry Jones bought the team in 1989, the ‘Boys are barely above .500 with a record of 12-11.  At one point, the Cowboys lost their opener 5 years in a row – the worst stretch in the team’s history – from 2000 to 2004.
• The Cowboys used to be known for dominating season opening games.  In 29 seasons under Tom Landry, their record was an outstanding 22-6-1 (.776) at one point winning 17 consecutive years (1965-1981).  It’s a different league today with free agency and some of the rules changes, but in a tribute to his excellence, no other Cowboys coach has been even close.  In chronological order, the other Cowboys coach’s opening day records were:  Jimmy Johnson – 3-2, Barry Switzer – 3-1, Chan Gailey – 2-1, Dave Campo 0-3, Bill Parcells – 1-3, Wade Phillips 3-1 (the one loss coming in the 2010 opener the year he was fired mid season), and Jason Garrett – 0-1.  Landry lost his very first opening season game too, so let’s hope Garrett can get on a roll starting this year.
• There are a lot of different factors that go into the end result for the total season, but when the Cowboys have started a season on the right foot and won their season opener, their overall record is 341-172-3 (.664).  Winning the opening game doesn’t guarantee a good season, but there have only been 4 times in the team’s entire history that they won the season opener and finished the season below .500.  Four times in 52 years!  It definitely sets the tone and builds confidence.
• The Cowboys have opened the season 24 previous times against a division opponent and have a record of 17-6-1 (.708).
  

  Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

• Interestingly, the Cowboys have opened the season against the Giants 5 times in the past (2012 will be the 6th time) – most recently in Dallas in 2007, a game the Cowboys won 45-35.  Their record in opening games against the G-Men is 5-0!   Things that make you go “hmmmm”…

The numbers are what they are.  Winning the opener doesn’t automatically generate a playoff berth or Super Bowl victory, but numbers don’t lie either.  For this team – one with so much promise – it will be critical to their fragile psyche and to their season to win this game.  Based on their history, I like their chances on getting opening day win #6 against the Giants!  Keep the streak alive!  Go Cowboys!

 Like what you see? Give The Landry Hat a “like” on facebook, become a follower on twitter, or grab our RSS feed

One of course was the secondary, where coaches Dave Campo and Brett Maxie were replaced by new defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson, and secondary assistant Joe Baker.  Of course cornerback Terence Newman was released, and free agent strong safety Abram Elam wasn’t resigned. They will be replaced by free agent cornerback Brandon Carr, first round draft pick ( 6th overall ) cornerback Morris Claiborne, free agent safety Brodney Pool, and 4th round pick safety Matt Johnson.

Carr and Claiborne will be the starting cornerbacks, Gerald Sensabaugh will be returning to strong safety ( where he started all 16 games at free safety in 2011 ), and Pool and Johnson will battle it out for the open free safety spot.

Talk about a facelift. The Cowboys will definitely have a new look in the secondary, but what about the offensive line ?

Let’s start with how the Offensive line looked in 2011 first of all :

2011 First round pick ( 9th overall ) Tyron Smith started 16 games at Right Tackle
5th year veteran Doug Free started all 16 games at Left Tackle
10th year veteran Kyle Kosier ( now released ) started all 16 games at Right Guard
2nd year veteran Phil Costa started all 16 games at Center

And then there was a changing of the guard at Left Guard :

2011 6th round pick Bill Nagy started 4 games before breaking his ankle at New England, and placed on injured reserve
2011 free agent pickup Derrick Dockery ( not resigned ) started 2 games
Released and resigned Montrae Holland ( not resigned ) started 10 games
2011 rookie free agent center/guard Kevin Kowalski played 114 snaps with 0 starts

As soon as the 2012 offseason began, Offensive Line coach Hudson Houck retired. And in comes former N.Y. Jets Offensive line and assistant head coach Bill Callahan, who will take over as Offensive Line coach and Offensive Coordinator.

Callahan was handed the duties to place 5 players on the field that can protect the quarterback in passing situations, and open up the holes to form running lanes for the running backs. A simple chore ? Not exactly.

There will be plenty of work and competition once training camp begins. Smith and Free will be switching sides at the tackles. This will be Smith’s first campain at left tackle, while Free showed promise when he started 7 games in 2009 at right tackle when he replaced Marc Columbo after Columbo had suffered a broken leg.

When free agency started in March, Dallas was quick to sign free agent guards Nate Livings ( Bengals ) and Mackenzy Bernadeau ( Panthers ). And even though the Cowboys failed to address any players in the draft in April, Jerry Jones was beside himself, and couldn’t hold back in his press conference following the draft that they had reached an agreement with rookie free agent guard, Ron Leary, whom the scouting and coaching department had rated as high as a 3rd round pick on their draft board. Leary, who was a starter for 4 years at Memphis, fell off of many team’s draft boards due to a degenerative knee problem. But after being checked out by the team’s doctor, the Boys couldn’t help themselves by taking a chance on him.

As it stands, Livings will most likely be starting beside Smith at Left Guard, Bernadeau has been held out of OTA’s and mini camp due to hip surgery he had in early May that will sideline him for 10 to 12 weeks. Leary has been practicing with the first team at right guard, and has been impressing the coaching staff during the drills. Even though the contacts were light, The pads haven’t came on yet.

Center will be a 3-4 way battle as Costa will be battling Kowalski, Nagy, and possibly Bernadeau when training camp begins.

Other notable players that will be fighting for a roster spot next month will be 2011′s swing tackle Jermey Parnell, 2011 draft pick guard David Arkin, former Cowboys 2006 7th round draft pick OT Pat McQuistan ( recently resigned ), and rookie free agents OT’s Jeff Adams ( Columbia ), Levy Adcock ( Oklahoma State ), Tyrone Novikoff ( Idaho ), and Guard Harland Gunn ( Miami ).

In my honest opinion, when the dust finally settles and the season begins, the Cowboys will most likely carry 9-10 offensive lineman on the 53 man roster, the starting lineup will be : ( LT ) Smith ( LG ) Livings ( C ) Costa ( RG ) Leary ( RT ) Free … and your depth ( Swing Tackle ) Parnell ( Swing Guard ) Bernadeau ( 2nd string Center ) Kowalski ( Swing Guard/Center ) Nagy.

Regardless how the cards fall, just like the secondary, you are going to see some new faces as the coaching staff finally seals this offensive line once and for all. Well at least we hope anyway.

Sep 13, 1992; E. Rutherford, NJ, USA; Dallas Cowboys safety Darren Woodson (28) prior to the game against the New York Giants at Giants Stadium. FILE PHOTO; Mandatory Credit: US PRESSWIRE

When the Dallas Cowboys announced that they hired former Cowboys defensive lineman Leon Lett (the cat) as a defensive assistant-defensive line coach,  it got me thinking about Leon Lett’s playing days.  Back then, Dallas had one of the best defenses in the league.  Charles Haley, Jim Jeffcoat, Ken Norton, Darren Woodson – players with heart that played with passion and purpose.  Remember Ken Norton’s famous line – “Dallas Cowboys defense…UNCONSCIOUS!” (more…)