I think back to something Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said last season:
"After looking at the tape, I feel like the best team lost the game. I thought we outplayed them. I just thought that we had a better team than they had. We'd proven it twice, and I thought we proved it again."
Cowboys Head Coach Wade Phillips the day after losing to the Giants in the NFC Divisional playoff last year.
With each Dallas Cowboys win last year, they started talking.
And they kept on talking.
They beat the Giants to open the season last year scoring 45 points. In the rematch at Giants Stadium, they scored 31 more, another victory and more talking came shooting out of their collective mouths.
Were the Cowboys really THIS much better than the Giants?
It sure looked that way.
Tony Romo was often never touched. His offensive line and the lack of a pass rush gave him time to shred the defense. Marion Barber could not be tackled. Jason Witten was open constantly and Terrell Owens was burning every Giants defensive back that dared to line up against him. They were unstoppable and it appeared that nothing could be done to stop it.
Fate (and playoff seeding) allowed the Giants to get a third chance at the Cowboys at Texas Stadium. They insisted that the difference between the two teams was not indicative in the score. Subtle mistakes they said during the two games, were correctable and thus the outcome would be different the third time around.
Dallas obviously felt differently. They were the media’s choice to go to the Super Bowl. Not the Giants or anything else would be a hindrance to them getting to Glendale, Arizona. They listened to the Giants words and dismissed them, almost mocking them in the process.
"It's funny that those guys talk, every time we get ready to play them. What I have learned is when players have to talk about another team like that, either they are scared or they are trying to talk themselves into believing they can do it. I think they are trying to talk themselves up into believing they can do it."
Patrick Crayton, three days before the NFC Divisional playoff game against the Giants.
Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones certainly did not think the Giants could do it. So much so that before the game, he placed two tickets for the NFC Championship Game (to be played in Dallas if they won) in each players locker.
As it turned out, the Giants were able to do it. Battling from behind and being able to tie the game just before halftime when the defense was sucking wind for nearly the entire half. They took the lead in the fourth quarter, and then holding on at end when it appeared that they would wilt at the worst possible moment like Giants teams of the past.
With nine seconds left, the Giants leading 21-17 and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones having made his way from his private suite to the sideline with his arms folded and within 10 feet of his head coach looked on as Tony Romo’s fourth down pass would be intercepted in the end zone by R.W McQuarters. Third time was the charm and the Giants were advancing the NFC Championship Game in Green Bay.
Dallas was dead.
Good riddance.
Those tickets in each locker now had a value price of $0 for the Cowboys. However, for the Giants, it had plenty of value.
"I don't want anybody talking about this in the media. Jerry (Jones) just sent the tickets over. So, we're all set."
Tom Coughlin, speaking to his players in the locker room after the Giants beat the Cowboys to advance to the NFC Championship.
All of their talk, excessive hubris and exuberance were dashed right on their turf as Texas Stadium was filled with the sweet sound of silence as the Giants fittingly ended their season. It was time for Big Blue to do the talking now.
"All I know is we have some butter and salt for all that popcorn everyone is trying to eat."
"We hope T.O. has his popcorn ready. Maybe him and (Patrick) Crayton can sit in his home theatre and watch us next week."
Antonio Pierce and Michael Strahan, referring to Terrell Owens’ “Getcha popcorn ready” slogan that he used during the season.
The Cowboys yapped and yapped and all it got them was earlier appointment at the golf course the day after losing.
"Words have never won a football game. They can talk all they want. They can tell people to bring popcorn or whatever. But we're going to continue to play football. It's as simple as that."
Justin Tuck, speaking after the Giants playoff victory over the Cowboys.
For the Cowboys, there was nowhere to run or hide now. They were exposed as the front running frauds that they are. Crayton was nowhere to be found on the field (his dropped pass in the third quarter was arguably the key play of the game) and hid from reporters question afterward. Tony Romo could only speak in hushed tones. Jerry Jones was set to give out refunds for tickets that would go unused. Wade Phillips was still trying to figure out what the hell happened. There was Owens, sunglasses and all, trying to explain the loss and giving us a “YouTube Hall of Fame” moment.
“This isn’t about Tony. You guys can point the finger at him. You can talk about the vacations. And if you do that, it’s wrong. It’s not fair. It’s really not fair. That’s my teammate. That’s my quarterback. If you guys do that, it’s not fair. We lost as a team.”
Terrell Owens, crying at the podium lamenting his team’s “shocking” defeat.
Owens’ comments while wearing shades reflected their entire team. They were bullies. When they finally were stood up to, and then chopped down, they were unable to directly look anyone in the eye and admit defeat. As the Giants went on to become eventual Super Bowl champions, the Cowboys looked on and felt that they were still the better team.
In training camp, HBO’s Hard Knocks spent all of training camp with “America’s Team”. Watching the show and hearing them talk about the playoff loss to the Giants; they all had the sentiment that the game was nothing more than a fluke. The feeling that if that game were played 100 times, they would win 99. While the Lombardi Trophy was hanging inside Giants Stadium, Dallas seemed to be under the impression at a trip to the Super Bowl was something that did not have to be earned, but rather an entitlement and the road still went through them.
"We can fast forward through this preseason, through the regular season, get to the playoffs and get to the Super Bowl or whatever and be there now.
Tony Romo on HBO’s Hard Knocks discussing expectations of the Cowboys 2008 season.
Strong words coming from a man yet to win a playoff game in his career. The same for a Cowboys team who has not won a playoff game since Bill Clinton was reelected as president. What was funny is that the rest of his teammates felt the same way. As this chatter got around, it left the Giants somewhat puzzled.
"I guess they won their Super Bowl rings in training camp, because they didn't win it last year."
Brandon Jacobs, responding in training camp to the Cowboys odd sense of bravado.
Jerry Jones decided to “go for broke”. He decided to add troubled (and at the time, suspended) cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones to a roster that was already filled with loose cannons, jailbirds and malcontents. He gave Owens and Marion Barber fat new contracts. 2008 now became “Super Bowl or bust” for the Cowboys.
One Giant was not impressed.
"Maybe it's because Dallas (has) tried to buy a Super Bowl this year. Can you buy the Super Bowl? I don't think so."
Tuck, responding to the Cowboys off-season moves.
This entire season, for as much “gravy” as I felt the season was going to be, was going to be about two teams, the Cowboys and the Giants. No one else in the NFL mattered. Everyone else in the NFC need not apply. The road to the Super Bowl was set to go through either Dallas or New York.
For the first month of the season, it appeared that way. Each team had not lost a game. Then, the Cowboys lost in convincing fashion to their archrival Washington Redskins and the wheels came off. It reached its crescendo in Arizona (ironically, the same stadium where the Giants won the Super Bowl) when they were beaten up physically and emotionally by the Cardinals in an overtime defeat.
Tony Romo broke his pinkie finger. Felix Jones injured his hamstring. Pacman Jones was awaiting suspension. With the help of Jerry Jones, he was finagled into the starting lineup because cornerback Terrence Newman was hurt. Punter Mat McBriar broke his foot on the game winning blocked punt. Owens was not getting the ball enough. The offensive line could no longer protect. The “Happy Go Lucky” Phillips had lost control and their bully team played like the least intelligent group in football.
Romo would be lost for at least a month. The rest of the team was in turmoil and no end appeared to be in sight. Jerry Jones gave Phillips the infamous “vote of confidence”, which in the league is code for “your ass is cooked”. All this, while the Giants quietly went about their business of winning football games and putting some distance between themselves and the Cowboys. In desperation, they decided to trade for Detroit Lions receiver Roy Williams to “boost” the offense and gave him 50 million top of it. They couldn’t keep their own players happy getting them the ball, and now they decided to make their typical “big splash”.
Veteran Brad Johnson has since taking over Romo and the results have been horrific. They hardly resemble the same team. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett sure doesn’t look the boy wonder genius he was 12 months prior. Owens is three seconds away from going nuclear. Jason Witten has suffered a broken rib. And the defense, loaded with big money and first round picks still cannot play any cover anyone who has talent.
Their record may say “5-3”, but they are right on the brink of extinction. Just as luck would have it, the Cowboys find themselves entering Giants Stadium on Sunday with the world champions waiting for them. All of their talk has gotten them nowhere and now the Giants wield all the power. A victory would put the Dallas three games behind them in the loss column (essentially, a four game lead). This is the ultimate chance to run them over with a semi truck and leave them for dead on the side of the road.
Tony Romo is out. The same for Felix Jones. Their three starting cornerbacks, Terrence Newman, Anthony Henry and Adam (we can’t call him “Pacman” anymore because he is a “changed” man) Jones are out. Safety Roy Williams and Mat McBriar are both on injured reserve. Witten is questionable at best and if he chooses to play, is one Kenny Phillips shot to the ribs away from landing in an emergency room.
What do I say to that?
Tough.
There is no sympathy coming from here or the Giants. You want sobbing? Go somewhere else for it.
The Cowboys are like the guy hanging with both hands on the cliff their legs kicking all over, looking for a generous person to save them by lifting them up. For the Giants, it is their chance to stomp on their fingers and send them straight down into the depths of oblivion never to be seen again, except for when an autopsy is done on the body.
13 Dallas players were named to the Pro Bowl last year. By my count four of them (Romo, Newman, Williams and Witten) are either out or injured. That leaves nine Pro Bowlers by my count. At last check, they still play with 11 on both offense and defense. If not, they should forfeit and save themselves the trouble of showing up.
Let’s be clear about this: If the Giants do not turn the ball over or do anything stupid, nothing the Cowboys can do can avoid an ass whooping in the Meadowlands on Sunday. It is that simple.
If they really have the audacity of subjecting Brooks Bollinger (the Cowboys backup to Johnson and lifetime achiever of nothing), to the potential onslaught of Giant pass rushers and blitz schemes, it would be wise to take for him to either take out medical insurance or simply run like hell.
The Cowboys already have their built-in excuse for losing this game because they always have one. Reality is not something that exists in their world. Not that it matters anything to the Giants. They have been waiting for this game ever since that Sunday in January when they turned off the lights and shutdown Dallas and Texas Stadium for the season.
"We hate them."
Tuck, speaking on Monday when asked him opinion of the Cowboys.
We Giants fans hate them equally as much. All of us have been waiting for this game from the moment the schedule came out.
All of the held in emotion and hate for the team with the star on the helmet is set to be unleashed inside Giants Stadium.
They are wounded and crying out for help. The Giants hold the gun and are ready to pull the trigger.
Payback is going to be a bitch for the Cowboys.
See you Sunday.
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