Burress’ phone hasn’t rung much this off-season, coming off his first year back in the NFL after being charged with two felony weapon counts, and serving jail time. He hasn’t generated any interest in the free agent market after the one-year deal he signed with the New York Jets expired.

Apparently, until now.

Multiple sources have indicated that Dallas and agent Drew Rosenhaus are engaging in early talks about Burress signing with the Cowboys.

Dallas lost some depth when WR Laurent Robinson left via free agency to join the Jacksonville Jaguars signing a 5-year, $32.5 million contract. The Cowboys’ best receiver Miles Austin is again showing up in the headlines with some injury issues, currently battling a hamstring strain. Those headlines though, are still better than the ones his teammate Dez Bryant has made as of late. The troubled receiver was recently in the news (again), this time for having some physical altercation with his mother.

Although owner Jerry Jones has shot down any rumor, dealing with the Cowboys and Burress, it seems unlikely they wouldn’t at least pick up a phone.

Burress, who is set to turn 35 on August 12th, is certainly past the prime of his career. However, he is still a serious threat in the red zone. Last year he tied Santonio Holmes with a team high 8 receiving TDs. With Romo, Witten and either Austin or Bryant (or both) Burress wont gather the attention he did in New York (for either the Jets or Giants).

A potential deal would make sense for both sides, but with Jerry Jones, who really knows what makes sense?

 ”I’m seeing him do what you almost expect from him,” Jones said Sunday, via Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com. “What I want him to do is, and we want to do, is be able to do that all year long, all game long. That hasn’t happened. He’s disappeared at the end of some ballgames, and then we haven’t had at him because of injury in the season.”

The Cowboys knew what they were getting into when they decided to draft Bryant with a first-round pick in 2010. His physical talent is not just good, it’s freakish. He has ability to be the game-changer their offense needs. However, it’s his problems off the field that have everyone looking at him for all the wrong reasons.

Jones is going to keep the pressure on Bryant to perform and stay out of trouble. He took a huge chance on drafting Bryant and wants to make sure he gets more of a return on that investment from him instead of only the flashes he’s shown.

It might be exactly what Bryant needs right now at this stage in his career, someone who cares enough to let him know it’s time to get it together or find somewhere else to go.

The Giants finished their regular season in style, with a little flash, and according to the script we laid out last week in an article titled Giants All In  The Giants are looking stronger as a team each week and are NFC EASTERN DIVISION CHAMPS.  They now host the Atlanta Falcons in the first ever playoff game at New Giants Stadium Sunday at 1:00 Eastern.  Let’s take a quick look back at the Cowboy game.

The Giants for the first time in a long time started quickly.  Electing to defer after winning the toss, they figured they would test Tony Romo and his bruised hand quickly, and see how he did in the wind and the rain.  Tony actually had a pretty good statistical night finishing 29/37 with 2 TD’s and one INT. A rating of 106.  However after running just 7 plays in their first two drives the Cowboys found themselves down 7-0.  One of the keys we discussed was the Giants healthy defensive line against the Cowboys Offensive line. The rotation of fresh players took it’s toll on the Cowboys as a combination of J.P.P., Tuck, Canty, and Osi Umenyiora accounted for 5 of the 6 sacks the Giants had on the night.  There were a few errant snaps from the Cowboy centers as we had discussed, and overall their line played poorly.

The other topic we touched on last week was the playmaking ability of both teams in the passing game.  Both Laurent Robinson and Victor Cruz made some big plays, but on this night Victor was the star again…even though Laurent thought he could dance the salsa too.  Cruz finished the game with 6 catches for 178 yards and another memorable TD.  Hakeem Nicks had a solid game as did Dez Bryant, but the Giants FINISHED their plays, as the Cowboys seemed to muddle along.

In the running game the Giants, although it sure didn’t seem like it, rushed for 106 yards, while the Cowboys managed just 49.  The ability to get some production out of the running game for the Giants is paramount to success.  The fact that Ahmad Bradshaw can run it in from anywhere, and Brandon Jacobs punishes those that dare get in his way when he makes it into the secondary, allows the Giants to be balanced and keeps defenses on their heals.

The Giants have FINISHED the seasons of the Cowboys, Eagles, and Jets, the past three weeks.  Let’s see if they can’t send the Dirty Birds from Atlanta south for the winter.

It appears that last week’s game against the Packers proved to be the moral victory that the Giants needed if they’re to avoid another late-season collapse and make the playoffs.

This game was a must-win for the Giants, and they rose to the occasion. It wasn’t a pretty victory, but you don’t get any style points in the NFL. A win is a win, and this was a particularly thrilling and satisfying one. Their 37-34 win (another fourth quarter comeback!) over the Cowboys gave them a half  game lead over Dallas in the NFC East.

Looks like the Giants-Cowboys showdown in the final week of the season is going to be a very significant one.

Observations from the game:

-There was, of course, lots of buzz about the fact that Ahmad Bradshaw didn’t start or play in the entire first half for disciplinary reasons. It sounded like he was late to curfew. I didn’t think it was as big a deal as so many people were making it out to be. Nothing wrong with Tom Coughlin sticking to his guns. And honestly, Brandon Jacobs played so well throughout the entire game- averaging close to six yards per carry- that the Giants didn’t really miss him too much.

The running game has looked much better in the past two weeks, which is an encouraging sign for a team that has struggled with running the ball all year, and needs to win big down the stretch.

-I wish Kevin Gilbride knew that he’s allowed to call a play in the red zone that’s not a fade in the back corner of the endzone. We all know that it’s coming at this point. Variety is the spice of life, so mix it up a little please.

-That’s not the only bone to pick with Gilbride’s play calling either. Towards both the end of the second quarter and a little more than halfway through the fourth, the Giants had a third and short around midfield and both times, Gilbride had Eli Manning take a shot downfield. Why would you not focus on getting the first down there? There’s the “they were trying to catch the defense off-guard” argument, but Dallas didn’t look fooled on either play to me. (more…)

Who's to Blame?

I re-watched the Dallas Cowboys vs Arizona Cardinals game last night on NFL Network and came to the conclusion that the LAST timeout taken was not the problem.  It is my take that Jason has taken a ton of heat off of Tony Romo this week.  After what was a pretty good game to watch the Cowboys got the ball back with 2:54 on their own 32 in a tie game.  Now if Eli was the QB, and had the ball at the 32, I think we all feel pretty comfortable.  Here is how it went for Tony and the Cowboys:

2:54…After a holding penalty on a punt return by Dez Bryant, the Cowboys get the ball 1st and 10 on their own 32.

On the first play, Tony hits a pass to their own 45. 1st Down, Two Timeouts Remaining

2:00 minute warning…Cowboys still at their own 45. Two Timeouts Remaining

1:06…Cowboys Ball at the 50. Two Timeouts Remaining

1:01….After penalties and backward passes….back to their own 45. Two Timeouts Remaining

:30…..Finally the Cowboys get into Cardinal territory at the 46. Two Timeouts Remaining

Tony then hits Dez Bryant on a crossing route at the Cardinal 32.  FIRST DOWN..Two Timeouts Remaining.

Inexplicably, on the very edge of Field Goal Range, in a game where the kicker has already missed a long FG, Romo and the Cowboys get to the line,and make sure everyone gets set. Romo even takes the time to move a receiver into the proper position. Then he snaps the ball and clocks it with :07 left in the game.  If that’s what you were going to do, why take the chance of a false start?  An illegal formation?  A bad snap? Just run the clock down and use your SECOND timeout.  This still leaves you with ONE and reduces the risk.  More importantly didn’t  you think you might want to try and get a few more yards?  Also, if you take the timeout, you are not worried about the play clock running down which started the second Romo clocked the ball, and the reason Garrett had to call his now infamous timeout.

I’m not sure who’s decision making was worse, but for this week at least, Jason Garrett is taking the heat.

Timm Matthews was kind enough to visit us here at GMENHQ.COM and answer some questions about the Giants Cowboys showdown this Sunday night.  Timm has been a sports anchor/reporter/editor in Dallas/Ft. Worth for 25 years.  Timm was a sports anchor at KXAS-TV NBC-5 and then at KTVT-TV CBS-11 for 21 years. More recently he’s served as Editor-in-Chief of Scoreboard Magazine, the only sports/lifestyle magazine in Dallas/Ft. Worth.   In addition Timm is an anchor/host for Fox Sports Southwest, hosting Mavericks, Stars and Rangers shows.  Timm is the host for the ESPN Golf Connection show on ESPN radio in Dallas/Ft. Worth.  Throughout his career Timm has hosted numerous local television programs covering the Dallas Cowboys, NASCAR, golf, tennis and high school sports.  He’s also served as an emcee for various charity and business events.

1. Jason Garrett was touted for years as the “next hot assistant” and a great Head Coach in waiting.  In the short time he has had the job what is your take on the job he has done, and what is the general take of fans?

I think he still has a lot to learn as a head coach…he’s not sure if he wants to be aggressive and unpredictable like his former coach/mentor Jimmy Johnson or play it safe to keep Jerry happy, so he’s a little of both. Most fans are thinking that Princeton is over-rated for brilliance.

2. Dez Bryant is one of the most talented athletes we have seen in years.  Of course, he has also been one of the most injured, and perceived as a knucklehead at times.  Is he soon to be the dangerous weapon he can be, or is he a disaster waiting to happen? (more…)

We have landed at the halfway point of the 2011 season. Every team in the NFL have played out their first 8 games. Only two teams have played into the second half of a 16 game schedule, the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts. The second half is upon us and the playoff brackets are beginning to take shape.

The NFC East has always been a competitive division, in and of itself and outside of the conference/division. The first impressions that many had of the NFC East have been blown out of the water. Regardless of record, any team in this conference is capable, at any time, of making the opposition sorry for mistaking a losing record for terminal weakness. We’ve got the grades and projections for the remainder of the season right here. Welcome to the NFC EAST Midseason Report Card! Check it out!
(more…)

“I feel like, it may sound crazy, I think we are unbeatable,”

Bryant went on to say that the pros are easy

“I really think the pros is much easier,” Bryant said. “The reason I say that is because in college I didn’t see too much man, too much one-on-one. I always got double-teamed and a lot of zone coverages. When I see that one-on-one in the league, my eyes get big. I start visualizing what I’m going to do after the play.”

For the full article you can click here.

By the way his Stats this year are pretty crappy: