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Do the Cowboys have a right to be upset after Vikings run up the score?

There is an unwritten rule in sports about not running up the score when you have an opponent beaten. About the only exception to this rule is if said opponent had run up the score in a previous meeting.

On Sunday, the Vikings had their foot firmly placed on the Cowboys’ neck late in the fourth quarter. Up 27-3 with only two minutes remaining and the ball inside Dallas’ red zone, Minnesota could have ran a play on fourth down and not add any further embarrassment for the Cowboys. Instead, Brad Childress decided that one more score was in order and Brett Favre hit Visanthe Shiancoe on an 11-yard touchdown pass to put the cap on a 34-3 Vikings’ victory.

After the play, Dallas linebacker Keith Brooking went to Minnesota’s sidelines and started screaming at Favre, presumably because the Vikings decided to run up the score. Following the game, the FOX NFL Sunday broadcast pair of Jimmy Johnson and Terry Bradshaw debated whether or not Brooking and the Cowboys had a right to be upset. Johnson said Dallas should have stopped the Vikings if they didn’t want to be embarrassed, while Bradshaw claimed that it was a classless move by Minnesota.

Personally, I side with Johnson on this debate. If you don’t want a team to run up the score, then stop them. If you don’t want an opponent to embarrass you, then don’t embarrass yourself by getting into that position. After all, this isn’t a 7-year-old Pop Warner league – it’s the NFL. And don’t whine about it Cowboys – send a message that you’re not going to take that.

That said, I fully believe in karma and think Favre and Childress will get what’s coming to them. There was no reason to throw the ball in that spot and even though I agree that the Cowboys should have stopped them, it was still a classless move by the Vikings.

I’m sure I’ll catch some heat from Brett backers, but Favre’s act is getting tired. As a NFL fan, I loved watching him play this season and have always appreciated his enthusiasm for the game. But he pranced around the field today like a freaking ballerina on a mixture of coke and caffeine.

I won’t necessarily be cheering for this outcome, but I wouldn’t hesitate to crack a smile if the Saints rout the Vikings next Sunday.


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What’s next for Romo, Phillips?

If recent history was any indication, a Cowboy postseason defeat was inevitable. They had played well throughout December and had gotten the playoff monkey off their backs with a first round rout over the Eagles last week. It figures that Tony Romo and Wade Phillips were due to fail, which they did in Dallas’ 34-3 loss to Minnesota on Sunday.

Romo didn’t play well today, but blame could hardly be put solely on his shoulders. He was under constant pressure because his offensive linemen couldn’t block a statue and he also received little to no help from his running game. That said, there was no excuse for him to turn the ball over three times. His fumble in the second quarter set up a Vikings’ field goal and his brutal interception late in the second half sealed any comeback attempt by the Cowboys.

The turnovers didn’t help, but what killed the Cowboys most of all was the fact that they couldn’t finish off drives. Several times throughout the game Romo led Dallas into Minnesota territory and failed to generate points. Of course, if the Cowboys had anything resembling a kicker they would have sported more than a field goal on the scoreboard. Shaun Suisham missed two field goals and essentially sealed his fate in Dallas this offseason.

As for Phillips, there’s not much more he could have done in terms of play calling. His defense just failed to execute and the big play doomed them in the end. Phillips was able to drum up some pressure and Dallas did a great job containing Adrian Peterson, but they couldn’t come up with that big stop to turn the momentum in their favor.

The question now becomes: Will Jerry Jones keep the combination of Romo and Phillips in the offseason? There’s no doubt that the ‘Boys failed to live up to Jones’ expectations, but Romo and Phillips each turned in a great season. I would have to imagine that Romo will be around in 2010, but there’s no guarantee for Phillips. People said he had to win a playoff game to keep his job, and he did that. But after they played so poorly today, that may not have been enough.


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Favre, Rice, Vikes’ defense crush Cowboys

For those that have been waiting for the Cowboys to self-destruct since December, your wait is officially over. Dallas was a complete disaster in the Metrodome on Sunday, as the Vikings pounded the Cowboys 34-3 to advance to the NFC Championship Game.

The Vikings were led by a defense that harassed Tony Romo the entire afternoon and forced three turnovers. Minnesota’ held Dallas’ potent rushing attack to less than 100 yards (92) and just 248 yards of total offense. They also sacked Romo six times and gave him zero time to scan the field and find open receivers (not that there were many to choose from).

Offensively, the combination of Brett Favre and Sidney Rice absolutely terrorized Dallas’ secondary. Favre completed 15-of-24 passes for 234 yards and four touchdowns, while Rice caught six passes for 141 yards and three scores. Given how well he played, I wouldn’t be surprised if fans inside the Metrodome confused Rice for Randy Moss. That’s how good he played today.

The Vikings showed today that when they play up to their potential, they’re as good as anyone in the league. A Saints-Vikings matchup was the best the NFC could offer and that’s exactly what fans will get next week. It should be a thriller at the Superdome.


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McGwire briefly faces fans and press in St. Louis

At Mark McGwire’s first public appearance since admitting to steroids he received a standing ovation from fans but evaded hard-hitting questions from reporters.

From ESPN.com:

His scheduled news conference, however, was shifted to an overcrowded hallway at the last minute, and McGwire evaded questions about the criticism he’s received from ex-players. The former home run king emphasized repeatedly he was ready to move on.

Dressed in jeans, a sweater and running shoes, the 46-year-old McGwire walked on stage to “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses, the hard-rock song played before his at-bats with the Cardinals.

He was cheered by fans who secured seats as much as 3½ hours earlier.

This is already playing out poorly. While McGwire’s confession was admirable, his claims that steroids didn’t increase his hitting power are ridiculous. Reporters are going to continue hammering him with embarrassing questions until he states the obvious.

Bears’ Gaines Adams dies of cardiac arrest

Bears’ 26-year-old defensive end Gaines Adams died Sunday morning after he was taken to a Greenwood, S.C., emergency room.

From ESPN.com:

Greenwood County Coroner James T. Coursey told ESPN that Adams was taken to the emergency room at Self Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9 a.m. ET Sunday morning.

Coursey said the preliminary autopsy performed Sunday indicated Adams died of cardiac arrest caused by an enlarged heart.
Adams, 26, listed at 6-foot-5 and 256 pounds, played in college at Clemson and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft. He was traded to the Bears in October.

Considering that Adams was in top physical condition, this is a sad, shocking story. But if he had the enlarged heart for his entire life and they didn’t discover it until his death, then it didn’t matter what kind of shape he was in. My condolences go out to his family.

The Bears traded their second round pick in April to acquire Adams from the Buccaneers in October. Chicago doesn’t have a pick in either of the first two rounds this year, after also trading their first rounder to the Broncos as part of the Jay Cutler deal.


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