September 28, 2004
Cowboys vs. Redskins and Instant Replay
I pretty much agree with this article that says if you're going to have instant replay, then do it right. In other words, I'm against instant replay. In theory, it would be nice to get every call right, but that's impossible. Even with instant replay, you won't get every call right, as last night proved. A bad pass interference call helped the Cowboys win last night. I'm glad they won and I think they would have won anyways without it, but it was clearly a bad, but unreviewable call. Pass interference is the worst penalty in the game as far as I'm concerned, but I'm not sure how to improve it. Make it a 20 yard penalty? Then what's the disincentive to the corner who knows unless he interferes, it's a sure touchdown? Make it reviewable? Then why not all other penalties (as the article also asks)? It's a tough question. Even so, I think bad calls tend to even out over a season. Luck is part of football. If this bothered the fans, they'd be watching chess matches instead. Some nights, luck determines the whole game. The same goes with blown calls. Since it's impossible to get them all right, just trust the professional refs to call it right most of the time and let the game go on. Besides, games that hinge on bad calls give the losers something to grouse about.
Anyways, on to the game itself. The Cowboys need a running game. Why Parcells isn't giving Lee, the only chance of a decent running game they have, more carries is beyond me. I know he doesn't fully trust him yet, but I don't see how Lee can gain his trust when he only gets the ball a few times each game. Of course, Parcells is a master of maximizing his team's strengths. Right now the Cowboys' strength is their passing game. Antonio Bryant looks so much better than last year and Testaverde is, despite my earlier misgivings, an enormous improvement over Carter. So, Parcells is turning them into a high-powered, pass-oriented offense.
Unfortunately, the secondary still has problems, particularly now that Pete Hunter is out for the season with a torn ACL. I hope Jacque Reeves can step up and play well, but that still leaves a hole in the slot in the nickel defense, his old position. Suddenly cutting Edwards and not picking up a cornerback in the off-season is looking like a bad idea. Perhaps even worse, Newman's tendency to get faked out and burned is being commented on by even the sportscasters. I don't see how he can be a good cornerback and so easily fooled by wide receivers. If he doesn't fix that problem it's going to exploited by every offense until the end of the season.
I'm also afraid that this is turning into an injury season for the Cowboys. Not only did they lose Hunter for the season, but Julius Jones is out for at least a couple of months, Andre Gurode is still hurt, Darren Woodson is still out, and Dan Campbell was hurt last night. The team cannot sustain many more injuries and make it to the playoffs, particularly with the Eagles looking like they have a lock on the division.