Week One Win: Hard to Measure

It's strange to start an NFL post with a comment on a Basketball note, but today it's appropriate. I would like to draw attention to the passing of a legend in the world of Collegiate Basketball. Don Haskins passed away on Sunday after loosing his battle with congestive heart failure. While the interests of this blog are served by the NFL, Haskins' courage has effected the entire sporting world. Don Haskins was the first coach to ever win an NCAA Basketball title with a starting line up consisting of 5 African American Players in 1966 while coaching for Texas Western College.

Now on to Week 1 in the NFL. Sunday was day marked with huge headlines by teams in almost every division. From Tom Brady's season ending knee injury, Brett Favre's debut as a Jet and the Colts first loss in the months of September or October since 2004; there was plenty to talk about on the Monday morning sports shows. Not surprisingly, Dallas' routine win over Cleveland wasn't at the top of the newscasts.


Jason Witten called Sunday's game "the best game Romo has played in three years." In the same article Randy Galloway wondered when the last time a Dallas quarterback has had that much time to throw the ball. Matt Moseley of ESPN.com said that the Browns looked like a scout team for Dallas and that the Cowboys thoroughly embarrassed the Browns.

I don't think that I am going to go as far as many sports-writers have. Tony Romo's 320 passing yards on Sunday were wonderfully, but isn't that what he's supposed to deliver? He isn't he paid the big bucks to lose to the Cleveland Browns, even on the road; I don't care how hyped they are. If Tony Romo's eighteen point spread against a banged up Brown defense is his best game of the year than I see them barely getting out of the NFC East.

I'll start doing the Superbowl shuffle when Dallas beats a legitimate team in Philadelphia next week. However, I did have some observations from the game:

1) Lebron James should be ashamed of himself for sporting a New York Yankees hat and Dallas Cowboys shirt in the same city where he makes his money in another professional league. The fans of Cleveland should feel betrayed.

2) It appears as if Marian Barber will be sharing the backfield with another Jones this season. The Cowboy's first round draft pick, Felix Jones scored an 11-yard touchdown on his first carry of the game. A third quarter rib injury took Barber out of the game and gave Jones the opportunity to convince coaches that he's ready. While Barber's injury doesn't seem serious and he will be back next week, it appears as if it gave Jones an opportunity he might not have had otherwise.

3) Jerry Jone's might have found a #2 wide receiver on Sunday and I'm not talking about Patrick Creighton. T.O. stole a play from the Olympic Gold medalist when he mocked Bolt's effortless win in the Olympics by "walking" out fake starting blocks. The touchdown celebration gave Dallas a 15-yard penalty, but it might have given Jerry Jones the epiphany he needed.