Dallas Cowboys Update: Romo Out for 6-8 Weeks

As if the sports betting experts were not already questioning the NFL predictions that had the Dallas Cowboys in the Super Bowl, now things really get complicated with the broken collar bone of Dallas quarterback Tony Romo. In their week seven Monday night loss to the New York Giants, Tony Romo was sacked with a clean and legal hit by linebacker Michael Boley. As the weight of Boley landed on Romo’s upper body Romo’s collar bone, and the fate of the Cowboys season, was broken.

Backup quarterback Jon Kitna came in to replace Romo and, after a slow start, Kitna started to put up NFL scores for the first time in two years. By the time the game was over, the Cowboy had lost 41-35 and had fallen to a record of 1-5. Realistically, the Cowboys are going to need to win at least nine of their last 10 games to have a shot at the playoffs, and they are going to have to do it without their starting quarterback.

As an attempt to calm the Cowboys fans, wide receiver Roy Williams announced after the game that Jon Kitna is just as good as Tony Romo. Everyone in and out of the NFL betting world knows that is not the case, and a statement like that may do more harm than good in an already divided Cowboys locker room.

On a positive note for Dallas, rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant showed why he was worth a first-round draft pick by running a punt back 93 yards for a touchdown in the first half. The original yardage was pegged at 88, and the “Monday Night Football” broadcast crew could not resist the urge to label the return as “88 for 88.” The yardage was eventually changed and Bryant finished the game with 54 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns for a total of three scores in the game.

The feeling at Valley Ranch is that the 38-year-old veteran Kitna is more than capable of taking offensive weapons such as Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, Roy Williams and Felix Jones into the endzone. The fact that the Giants face a terrible secondary in the Jacksonville Jaguars in week eight also helps the Cowboys try and get on the right track with their starting quarterback down.

So where do the Cowboys go from here? Some in Dallas are hoping that Jerry Jones has learned the lesson of humility and will refrain from putting intense pressure on an already stressful situation. The Dallas Cowboys are constantly under the sports microscope, and making brash statements about going to the Super Bowl just makes the pressure more intense. The division in the locker room could be the result of that pressure. Others are thinking that head coach Wade Phillips could be in his last season with the Cowboys. Maybe it is Phillips that cannot handle the pressure of creating a Super Bowl winning team.

The Cowboys get the chance to re-group, dust themselves off and start their trek to the playoffs in week eight. Dallas will show a lot about their character as a team in how they respond to recent events.

Dallas Cowboys Update: Roy Williams is not the Dinner Culprit

Much has been made the past few days about the $55,000 offensive team dinner that Dez Bryant reportedly paid for unknowingly. The offensive team did go out to dinner, it did cost $55,000, and reportedly Dez Bryant did pay for it. But anyone that was betting on whether or not Roy Williams paid with Bryant’s credit card as payback for Bryant not carrying Williams’ pads in training camp would be wrong.

Williams vehemently denied pulling the $55,000 prank, and he sees the whole incident as the indication of a larger problem with the NFL betting media. Williams blasted the media for starting the rumor as an attempt to divide an already troubled Dallas locker room. According to Williams, everything is fine and the media has made much more out of this incident that it was.

The crowd that bets on NFL scores is starting to wonder where the two-headed running back monster is that was supposed to be one of the features of the Dallas offense. Running backs Felix Jones and Marion Barber were supposed to strike fear into opposing defenses, but instead Jones has touched the ball less than nine times a game. Even the third leg in this running back trio, Tashard Choice, has been sidelined with only eight carries all season long.

Speculation is running wild as to why the Cowboys are not utilizing their three very talented running backs. Barber proved last season that he could be a work horse every game, but Jones showed a tendency to get injured. It could be that the Cowboys are limiting Jones and Choice in anticipation of unveiling a new running attack in the playoffs. But in order to do that, the Cowboys have to get to the playoffs first.

Dallas tight end Jason Witten has had a rough season already. First he was sidelined with a concussion, and then he was injured in the week three win over the Houston Texans. But the bye week has been good to the all-pro tight end, and one of Witten’s NFL predictions is that he will be on the field in week five against the Tennessee Titans and ready to play.

With three sacks of Houston quarterback Matt Schaub, Cowboys defensive lineman DeMarcus Ware showed that he is back to mid-season form by grabbing the NFC defensive player of the week honors last week. Ware is not tied for third on the Cowboys all-time list of multi-sack games. He has 68.5 career sacks and is a force on the front line for the Cowboys this season.

Rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant should be making the sports pages for his play while being injured as opposed to any hazing gone wrong. Bryant fractured his ribs in week one against the Washington Redskins, but he has been playing ever since. The injury has required additional padding and injections for pain and inflammation prior to each game, but Bryant is working to find his role in the Dallas Cowboys offense.

Dallas Round-Up – Cowboys Finally Win, Rangers Finally Clinch

Online betting players should run to their betting services in Dallas as they are entering a very important time of the year as the Mavericks and Stars are starting their camps, the Cowboys have shaken off the rust and look like they’re ready to get going, and the Rangers are getting ready to go back to the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys played like a team with their backs against the wall in their 27-13 win in Houston in a Lone Star showdown, forcing three turnovers and generally shutting down the high-powered Texan offense. Tony Romo was 23-of-30 for 284 yards, a pair of touchdowns and no picks, and while the ground game wasn’t great, it was better, and that’s fair. The biggest surprise to NFL betting players was Roy Williams, who had five catches for 117 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and he has to be feeling the pressure of rookie Dez Bryant coming for his spot. Williams came up with arguably his best performance in a Dallas uniform, which is encouraging. Now the Cowboys can go into their bye week with a little bit of breathing room, because some (mostly in the media) were ready to hit the panic button if they would have went into the bye week 0-3. Now they have a week and a half to prepare for a visit from Tennessee and Chris Johnson, one of the top two backs in the league.

Texas Rangers

MLB betting players knew it was only a matter of time before Texas clinched, and they did last Saturday with a 4-3 win in Oakland, and now they can get down to the business of getting ready for their first playoff appearance since 1999. The first order of business is to get Josh Hamilton back and healthy, and he’s aiming to come back for the Rangers’ season-ended series at home against Los Angeles, the team they’ve supplanted as the dominant force in the American League West. Hamilton is sure to garner some MVP votes even though he’s been out for the last three weeks, and if he managed to play the full season, he’d probably be a shoo-in. The Rangers would also like to give Cliff Lee some rest as the ace wasn’t that sharp down the stretch. The Rangers are going to need him to be at his best because the rest of the staff doesn’t have any postseason experience, while Lee went to the World Series with Philadelphia last season. That the Rangers have done this with all of the questions surrounding their ownership is one of the great stories of the season, but it’s not over: Texas could make some noise in your best online sportsbook this fall.

Dallas Round-Up: Cowboys Panicking, Rangers Heading Towards Playoffs

Dallas Round-Up – Cowboys Panicking, Rangers Heading Towards Playoffs

Horse betting players are always skeptical of a slow-starting thoroughbred, but even they would be surprised by the Dallas Cowboys limping out of the gate to start the NFL season.  The Cowboys face a must-win this weekend in Houston, while the Texas Rangers are slowly getting ready to go to the postseason for the first time since 1999.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys fell 27-20 at home to Chicago, committing three turnovers that all came at untimely junctures.  Dallas is riddled with problems, particularly with the offense.  Coordinator Jason Garrett is coming under fire for poor play-calling, and he can’t figure out a way to get the ground game going.  This is a shame as the Cowboys have Marion Barber, Tashard Choice and Felix Jones, yet Tony Romo leads the league with 98 pass attempts in two games.  The Cowboys have to find a balance or else teams are just going to start picking off the aerial attack.  Also, it’s only a matter of time before online football betting players see Dez Bryant starting over Roy Williams.  He’s been far more productive, and he ran back a punt for a score against the Bears, while Williams fumbled in the fourth quarter to rob the Cowboys of a chance to score.  This week, the Cowboys face unbeaten Houston, who are 2.5-point NFL betting favorites and are soaring with confidence.  The Cowboys have a bye next week, and if they lose, the firestorm will really pick up by those who make NFL picks.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers have a magic number of four to clinch their spot in the playoffs heading into Thursday’s opener of a four-game set against Oakland on the road.  The Rangers dropped two of three in Seattle and Los Angeles last week, but their big mission is to avoid any more injuries.  Nelson Cruz had a pair of homers and four RBIs over the week to lead the Rangers, will host Seattle in a three-game set after the Oakland series.  But even NFL football betting players know how tough injuries can be, and the Rangers are waiting on the status of slugger Josh Hamilton, who has a couple of fractured ribs.  He hopes to be back for the final series of the season, a four-game set in Los Angeles which starts next Thursday, but that may be the Rangers and Hamilton being very optimistic.  Hamilton was a Triple Crown threat and one of the favorites to win the American League MVP award.  Without him, the Rangers definitely are missing their most explosive player, even though they still have a powerful lineup.  Without Hamilton in the lineup, the Rangers’ betting odds will take a fall.

Dallas Cowboys Update: Week 1 Blues

Dallas Moves on From Opening Day Loss
The sports betting experts bought into the preseason hype surrounding the Dallas Cowboys. The preseason NFL betting lines had the Cowboys as 12 to 1 favorites to win the Super Bowl. The only team given better odds was the preseason Super Bowl favorite Indianapolis Colts.

As the preseason moved along there were some questions being raised about the Cowboys offensive line. It seemed that offensive lineman Flozell Adams left a bigger hole than the Cowboys anticipated. Then starting offensive linemen Marc Colombo and Kyle Kosier got hurt right before the season started, and things started to look bad for the Boys.

Back-up offensive lineman Alex Barron is one Cowboy who cannot wait for Colombo to come back. While playing in place of the injured Colombo in the opening game against the Washington Redskins, Barron was called for holding on a play that saw quarterback Tony Romo throw what should have been the winning touchdown pass to receiver Roy Williams. It was the last play of the game and the penalty ended the game.

The Cowboys seemed to be able to throw the ball when they needed to in the Redskins game, but running backs Felix Jones and Marion Barber finished with 77 yards combined on the ground. The combination of the speed of the Washington linebackers and the poor play of the Dallas offensive line contributed to shut down what should be the most potent running game in the league.

But the Cowboys, and the football betting surrounding their season, rolls on. Roy Williams has stated that he isn’t worried about the Barron mistake, and the team should just move on. Whether the team can move on and win this week remains to be seen.

The Las Vegas experts that do the NFL predictions have not been discouraged by the Cowboys opening day loss. The Cowboys are favored by nine points in their upcoming game with the Chicago Bears.

The Cowboys got a scare in their last defensive series of the Washington game when all-pro linebacker DeMarcus Ware was left lying on the field after tackling running back Larry Johnson. Johnson’s knee had collided with Ware’s helmet, causing Ware to collapse to the field instantly. Ware left the field under his own power and has said that he could have played if he was needed. The Cowboys are evaluating Ware’s neck, but at this point it is being called a strained neck and Ware is expected to play this week.

The level of forward thinking going into preparations for Super Bowl XLV being played in the new Dallas Stadium in February of 2011 is starting to show no bounds. It has been reported that the NFL, along with several non-profit environmental groups in the Dallas area, will be planting over 6,500 trees in the next few weeks. The trees will help reduce the amount of pollutants in the air from the extra vehicles and people that will be visiting for the Super Bowl. The metro Dallas are and 12 surrounding communities are expected to be planting trees in anticipation of the Super Bowl crowds that will be arriving in February.

Dallas Cowboys Update: Austin Move has Crayton Closer to the Door

The World Cup betting has really started to heat up, and so has the competition for wide receiver roster positions with the Dallas Cowboys. Over the past few weeks the sports betting world has been trying to figure out what head coach Wade Phillips will do with his over-stocked corps of receivers. At practice last week, he may have finally tipped his hand.

For those betting on NFL final rosters, the question with the Cowboys has been revolving around the future of receiver Patrick Crayton. Last season, Crayton played the slot position in a three receiver set and wound up catching 37 passes. In practice last week, Wade Phillips started to give a little indication as to his final three receiver look and Crayton was not involved. The formation had rookie Dez Bryant and veteran Roy Williams on the outside, and Miles Austin in the slot.

Sam Hurd is the other wide receiver that seems to be left out of the picture, but Hurd has not made a spectacle of himself during OTAs and mini-camp by demanding a trade and sitting out to protest a lack of playing time. With Austin playing the slot, it looks like Crayton’s days in Dallas are truly numbered. It is doubtful the Cowboys will even want him back as a third or fourth receiver on the depth chart.

Wide Receiver Miles Austin has finally agreed to sign his tender offer of $3.168 million for the 2010 season under the premise that a long-term deal will be discussed before the end of the season. Head coach Wade Phillips and Cowboys’s owner Jerry Jones have both indicated the desire to get a deal done with Austin that will keep him in Dallas for a long time.

Rookie wide receiver Dez Bryant is already raising some concerns for the coming 2010 season. Bryant has performed beyond expectations during OTAs and mini-camp, but he has been nursing a bad hamstring for a week now. He expects to be back in action in time for training camp, but the Cowboys are taking their time on getting their star rookie receiver healthy.

During the Celtics Lakers betting that is going on, people choose the most focused team to win it all. In Dallas, it looks like Tony Romo still has not learned what it means to be a focused champion. Romo has been playing in the Wisconsin State Golf Association Match Play Championship this week, and shot a 71 to keep him in contention. Wisconsin is a long way from Valley Ranch, TX and the rest of his hard working teammates.

The Cowboys may have the best problem in the league at running back. There is the power of Marion Barber, the sure hands of Felix Jones and the all-around ability of Tashard Choice. It is doubtful that the Cowboys will be able to keep this trio together beyond the 2010 season as all three will want, and deserve, more playing time. But while the Cowboys have such a potent backfield, look for the team to be at the top of the rushing stats all season long.

Dallas Cowboys: Is Patrick Crayton Hurting Himself?

OTA’s are voluntary, but still help everyone get better. But Patrick has decided to sit this one out, and find a better deal. So far, no takers. Word is, apparently Crayton is not sending a message by skipping now according to his agent Fred Lyles. The reality of the situation is this, the Cowboys, and Crayton, might find it difficult in finding a trading partner as Crayton’s two years into a $14 million, four-year contract (with a base salary of $2 million for 2010). Unless a team is willing to trade for him and plans to start him, that’s a fair bit to be paying a backup.

Still today, Crayton remains one of the most reliable wide receivers since moving into the spotlight when Terry Glenn went down in 2007 (ending the year with career highs in catches (50), yards (697) and touchdowns (7)). That December Crayton signed a five-year contract extension and entered the 2008 season as the starting wide out opposite T.O. With the arrival of Roy Williams, Crayton dropped back on the depth chart to the 3rd option ending with 39 receptions, 550 yards and 4 TDs.  In 2009, Crayton racked up 37 receptions, 626 yards, and 5 TDs.

In 2010, the Cowboys are obliviously stacked at wide receiver, but that isn’t always the worst problem to have. After all, show me a recent high profile first round wide out, just turned multi-millionaire (with a little bit of an attitude) — that turned into an impact player in year one. Certainly, Dez has talent, and Roy Williams has something to prove. But to date, Crayton remains the most reliable wide out on the Cowboys – certainly capable of helping some team this season, but his best opportunity might be here in Dallas.

Play on Crayton.

Dallas Cowboys Update: Dallas Wide Receiver Drama Continues

When you place a bet online on the Dallas Cowboys for this upcoming season, you will be betting on a team that is a pre-season 12 to 1 favorite to win Super Bowl XLV. You will also be betting on a team in transition at a position that has been unstable for a couple of years now.

Wide receiver Patrick Crayton did not report to OTAs last week at the Dallas Cowboys Valley Ranch facilities, and receiver Sam Hurd was inactive during the workouts. Crayton is unhappy with his contract and his situation in Dallas, which adds more fuel to the NFL betting fire that Crayton was going to be the odd man out in the Cowboys’ wide receiver sweepstakes.

The Cowboys have tried a barrage of receivers in the past few seasons including Terry Glenn, Terrell Owens and Roy Williams. None of them have worked out to the satisfaction of Jerry Jones, and some of that has to do with Tony Romo. Just like with Stanley Cup betting, you can only count on a player that is comfortable in their team situation. Romo has not been comfortable with his receivers to this point, and that is why the Cowboys drafted Dez Bryant.

The speculation now is that Dez Bryant and Miles Austin will be the feature receivers on the outside with Roy Williams taking the beating in the slot. That would leave Sam Hurd and Patrick Crayton as fourth and fifth wide receivers. Hurd is sitting out these workouts because of a bad thumb, and says he is not unhappy with his situation in Dallas.

While Kobe Bryant is taking all of the mystery out of the Suns Lakers betting with 40-point games, Dallas Cowboys offensive line coach Hudson Houck is starting to take the guessing out of who will be the Cowboys offensive right tackle to replace Flozell Adams. Even though Marc Colombo is penciled in on the Cowboys’ website as the starter on the depth chart, it looks like fourth year man Doug Free could get the chance to win the job in training camp. Free had an impressive pre-season last year that saw him move up to the starting unit by the last pre-season game. He was inactive for 13 of the 16 games last season, but the Cowboys have big plans for Free and he could be the heir-apparent at right tackle.

After taking a beating in the media last season about going to Las Vegas during the playoffs and looking like he lost his focus on football, quarterback Tony Romo decided to participate in the team’s voluntary workouts rather than make his tee time to the PGA Tour’s Byron Nelson Championship. Dallas fans and teammates began to question Romo’s dedication to the team and the game when he developed a habit of partying rather than working, so Romo decided to show his new-found desire to play football by stepping on to the practice field rather than the first tee. According to Romo, it was not much of a decision at all.

Dallas Cowboys: Cowboy Corner – The Offseason

COWBOY CORNER – The Offseason

Cowboys Offseason

Sportsbook Super Bowl Odds (for XLV): Cowboys +1215

NFC Odds (5Dimes Reviews): Cowboys +685

Cowboys Plan To Spend Or Save?

Most fueled by the fact that the salary cap could expire this coming Friday and 2010 could be an uncapped season, there has been a lot of speculation regarding to what the Dallas Cowboys might do.

After all, the Cowboys are usually the big spenders and with an uncapped year, they could be wheeling and dealing.

But for now, a lot of internet betting experts are actually expecting the Cowboys to go in another direction and chop some salary.

The Cowboys have some big names with big price tags that could be set to go. Wide receiver Roy Williams, tackle Flozell Adams and safety Ken Hamlin are among the names to be rumored.

Of the three, Hamlin is the most likely to go.

Williams has a huge contract but a lot of it is already guaranteed. While the recent talk in regards to him is that he won’t even have a starting role next year and that he’ll have to fight for it, it’s unlikely that the Cowboys cut him loose at this point.

Meanwhile, Adams poses another conundrum. There is no question that he is past his prime but the reality is that there isn’t anybody better right now. A lot of people believe that Doug Free could be his successor but at this point, he isn’t the best option. Realistically, though, given the opportunity and playing time, Free could fit the role.

But Hamlin has an ‘x’ on his back. After signing a huge deal a couple of years ago, he simply hasn’t provided the big plays that were expected to come along with it.

The Cowboys don’t have a whole lot of needs areas, which means that a safety could be picked up in the first or second round, and that would likely spell the end of Hamlin in Dallas.

Overall, the Cowboys won’t be a big player in free agency this year and right now, their main and only focus is the 2010 NFL Draft. Vice president Stephen Jones has stated that they won’t be very active – if at all – when free agency opens up on March 5^th

It’s good that the Cowboys finally understand the importance of the draft. Considering how complete their roster is, a championship may be in sight with one more infusion quality young prospects.

COWBOY CORNER: Offseason Wade, Roy, Recap

Cowboys Offseason

Super Bowl Odds (for XLV): Cowboys +1215

NFC Odds (5Dimes Reviews): Cowboys +685

Playoffs Recap

It was an ugly finish to a very positive season and it will unfortunately be the last memory of the 2009-10 season. The Cowboys were crushed by the Minnesota Vikings 34-3 and what’s worse is that Adrian Peterson didn’t even run wild. The prolific Vikings back had just 63 yards on 26 carries, which means the Cowboys went through the entire year without allowing a 100-yard rusher, but the Cowboys could not stop the Vikings passing game.

NFL betting fans saw the Brett Favre-to-Sidney Rice combo rack up 141 yards and three touchdowns. Throw in a few Cowboys turnovers and you have your one-sided loss.

The Vikings did run up the score as they threw for a touchdown pass in the final two minutes of the game. That pushed the lead to 34-3 and players like Keith Brooking are already looking forward to the meeting with the Vikings next time.

Read about Wade and Roy after the Jump!

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