Cowboys @ Chargers

[Vin+ 3,121]

 

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(AP) -- The only game the Dallas Cowboys lost is the only one in which Anthony Spencer played. That sure doesn't mean they wish it was his last of 2013.

 

Unfortunately for the Cowboys, that's exactly the case. Then again, their DeMarcus Ware-led pass rush is a big reason they are the lone NFC East team above .500 heading into Sunday's road game against the San Diego Chargers.

 

Spencer's 11 sacks last season ranked second on the team to Ware's 11 1/2, leading to Dallas putting the franchise tag on the defensive end for a second straight season. A free-agent-to-be making $10.6 million this year, Spencer was put on season-ending injured reserve Wednesday because he needs another surgery on his left knee after getting one in July.

 

"He's a heck of a football player, and he's a guy that we will sorely miss," coach Jason Garrett told the team's official website. "He's been a great leader for our football team. He was a really productive player, a guy that people on our team, players and coaches, look to as an example of how we want to do things."

 

Spencer's only appearance this season was a two-tackle, zero-sack day in a 17-16 loss at Kansas City in Week 2. Ware had two sacks in that game and two more last Sunday as Dallas bounced back with a 31-7 home victory over St. Louis.

 

The Cowboys (2-1) totaled six sacks of Sam Bradford, who hadn't been sacked once in the Rams' first two games, to give them an NFC-leading 11.

 

Ware moved one past Harvey Martin's 30-year-old franchise record with his 115th sack.

 

"I can't say that it is unexpected because of how hard he works, and his talent level, and his competitiveness," owner Jerry Jones said.

 

While Ware's four sacks lead the team, defensive tackle Jason Hatcher has one in every game and former seventh-round pick George Selvie - starting in Spencer's place - has a pair.

 

That defensive line also has played well against the run, allowing an NFC-low 66.3 yards per game. That group has helped limit the Cowboys' last two opponents to an average of 262.5 total yards.

 

Dallas, seeking its best start since 2008, got its own ground game untracked last week as DeMarco Murray rushed for 175 yards and a touchdown. It was his first 100-yard game since the 2012 season opener.

 

"When you get a runner like that going, you can feed on him," Garrett said. "He gets a little contagious for everybody. Everybody starts feeling it."

 

Tony Romo will feel a lot less pressure if Murray keeps performing that way. His 24 pass attempts and 17 completions were his fewest since 2011, throwing for three touchdowns and no interceptions.

 

San Diego's Philip Rivers also had just 24 attempts last Sunday, completing 20, but only four in the fourth quarter as San Diego again wasted a late lead and lost 20-17 at Tennessee.

 

The Chargers (1-2) have blown fourth-quarter leads in all of their games. The only win came in Week 2, 33-30 in Philadelphia as Rivers threw for a career-high 419 yards. He's thrown for less than 200 in each of their losses.

 

"We have to build off the good things, but really clean up the mistakes as soon as possible," first-year Chargers coach Mike McCoy said. "... You see a lot of players making a lot of plays, doing their jobs the right way and then there is one little breakdown somewhere or another."

 

Rivers, who has eight touchdown passes to one interception, has been sacked five times after being dropped an AFC-high 49 times last year. However, the Dallas defense may be the biggest test yet to San Diego's offensive line.

 

Leading rusher Ryan Mathews has not topped 75 yards on the ground, going 17 straight games without reaching 100.

 

These teams last met in 2009 at Dallas, with the Chargers winning 20-17 as Rivers threw for 272 yards and a touchdown to Antonio Gates.

 

While the tight end has 13 catches for 179 yards and a score over the past two weeks, Eddie Royal leads the NFL with five TD catches but had none last week as he finished with a season-low two receptions.

 

Fellow wideout Malcom Floyd sat out with a neck injury and is unlikely to return this week. Right tackle D.J. Fluker (concussion) also missed last week's game and linebacker Donald Butler (groin) was limited.

 

Fluker practiced Wednesday and Butler and Manti Te'o practiced Thursday, putting them on track to start. Te'o hasn't played since injuring his right foot in the preseason opener Aug. 8.

 

Dallas will be missing wideout Miles Austin due to a hamstring injury.

 

The Chargers will play with heavy hearts after this week's news of the suicide of Paul Oliver, who played safety for San Diego from 2007-11.

 

[Dutch 874]

31

 

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[theMileHighGuy 656]

Good test for the Chargers' defense. They need to win this game if they have hope for a wild-card, but I don't see it happening.

 

31

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[Guest Phailadelphia]

Cowboys by 4. Chargers secondary is going to get shredded.

[Bay 2,003]

Dallas by alot

[Vin+ 3,121]

 

 

Chargers declared WR Malcom Floyd, LT King Dunlap, OG Chad Rinehart, OT Jeromey Clary, CB Shareece Wright, QB Brad Sorensen and S Brandon Taylor inactive for Week 4 against the Cowboys.

 

 

Cowboys declared WR Miles Austin, CB Chris Greenwood, OG David Arkin, G/C Phil Costa, OT Darrion Weems, TE Andre Smith and DE Caesar Rayford inactive for Week 4 against the Chargers.

Raw rookie Terrance Williams is starting in Austin's place, but we wouldn't be surprised to see Dwayne Harris end up playing more snaps. Both can be safely avoided for fantasy purposes. Rookie RB Joseph Randle is active for the first time this season.

[BwareDWare94 723]

Only the Dallas Cowboys seem to need 11 great pieces in order to have a consistent defense. Claiborne is getting abused. Teams barely throw at Brandon Carr. I can't remember a single pass that Rivers threw at him today. Perhaps Mo's awful Wunderlic score should have been scarier, I don't know, but he gave up catch after catch today. And then all the holding penalties on our OL. Jesus Christ, and our DL doesn't touch Rivers in that second half. Hard to believe, but what can you do?

 

I hate this team. There are just no excuses for this nonsense. Romo's playing excellent and everybody else is fucking off. The OL cost us a chance at this game by constantly

 

I've had enough of this shit.

 

I'd also like to add that it's absurd that we're bypassing Dwayne Harris for Terrance Williams when Williams is a rookie and no better, as of yet. Harris has great hands and wouldn't have fumbled that ball. Rookie's make mistakes. When you have a player who's as good or better, you leave him out there. Fuck.

Edited September 30, 2013 by BwareDWare94

[Dutch 874]

Only the Dallas Cowboys seem to need 11 great pieces in order to have a consistent defense. Claiborne is getting abused. Teams barely throw at Brandon Carr. I can't remember a single pass that River's threw at him today. Perhaps Mo's awful Wunderlic score should have been scarier, I don't know, but he gave up catch after catch today. And then all the holding penalties on our OL. Jesus Christ, and our DL doesn't touch Rivers in that second half. Hard to believe, but what can you do?

 

I hate this team. There are just no excuses for this nonsense. Romo's playing excellent and everybody else is fucking off. The OL cost us a chance at this game by constantly

 

I've had enough of this shit.

 

I'd also like to add that it's absurd that we're bypassing Dwayne Harris for Terrance Williams when Williams is a rookie and no better, as of yet. Harris has great hands and wouldn't have fumbled that ball. Rookie's make mistakes. When you have a player who's as good or better, you leave him out there. Fuck.

 

Just switch to the Vikings already. I won't judge you.

[BwareDWare94 723]

 

Only the Dallas Cowboys seem to need 11 great pieces in order to have a consistent defense. Claiborne is getting abused. Teams barely throw at Brandon Carr. I can't remember a single pass that River's threw at him today. Perhaps Mo's awful Wunderlic score should have been scarier, I don't know, but he gave up catch after catch today. And then all the holding penalties on our OL. Jesus Christ, and our DL doesn't touch Rivers in that second half. Hard to believe, but what can you do?

 

I hate this team. There are just no excuses for this nonsense. Romo's playing excellent and everybody else is fucking off. The OL cost us a chance at this game by constantly

 

I've had enough of this shit.

 

I'd also like to add that it's absurd that we're bypassing Dwayne Harris for Terrance Williams when Williams is a rookie and no better, as of yet. Harris has great hands and wouldn't have fumbled that ball. Rookie's make mistakes. When you have a player who's as good or better, you leave him out there. Fuck.

 

Just switch to the Vikings already. I won't judge you.

 

 

I don't mean for this to sound the wrong way, but is anyone leaving that game actually believing that the Chargers are a better team? Honestly. I don't see it, in any way.

[BJORN 679]

 

 

Only the Dallas Cowboys seem to need 11 great pieces in order to have a consistent defense. Claiborne is getting abused. Teams barely throw at Brandon Carr. I can't remember a single pass that River's threw at him today. Perhaps Mo's awful Wunderlic score should have been scarier, I don't know, but he gave up catch after catch today. And then all the holding penalties on our OL. Jesus Christ, and our DL doesn't touch Rivers in that second half. Hard to believe, but what can you do?

 

I hate this team. There are just no excuses for this nonsense. Romo's playing excellent and everybody else is fucking off. The OL cost us a chance at this game by constantly

 

I've had enough of this shit.

 

I'd also like to add that it's absurd that we're bypassing Dwayne Harris for Terrance Williams when Williams is a rookie and no better, as of yet. Harris has great hands and wouldn't have fumbled that ball. Rookie's make mistakes. When you have a player who's as good or better, you leave him out there. Fuck.

 

Just switch to the Vikings already. I won't judge you.

 

 

I don't mean for this to sound the wrong way, but is anyone leaving that game actually believing that the Chargers are a better team? Honestly. I don't see it, in any way.

 

SMFH can't even score more than 14 points on our 4th string secondary. No pass rush either, can't believe you just said that.

[BwareDWare94 723]

 

 

 

Only the Dallas Cowboys seem to need 11 great pieces in order to have a consistent defense. Claiborne is getting abused. Teams barely throw at Brandon Carr. I can't remember a single pass that River's threw at him today. Perhaps Mo's awful Wunderlic score should have been scarier, I don't know, but he gave up catch after catch today. And then all the holding penalties on our OL. Jesus Christ, and our DL doesn't touch Rivers in that second half. Hard to believe, but what can you do?

 

I hate this team. There are just no excuses for this nonsense. Romo's playing excellent and everybody else is fucking off. The OL cost us a chance at this game by constantly

 

I've had enough of this shit.

 

I'd also like to add that it's absurd that we're bypassing Dwayne Harris for Terrance Williams when Williams is a rookie and no better, as of yet. Harris has great hands and wouldn't have fumbled that ball. Rookie's make mistakes. When you have a player who's as good or better, you leave him out there. Fuck.

 

Just switch to the Vikings already. I won't judge you.

 

 

I don't mean for this to sound the wrong way, but is anyone leaving that game actually believing that the Chargers are a better team? Honestly. I don't see it, in any way.

 

SMFH can't even score more than 14 points on our 4th string secondary. No pass rush either, can't believe you just said that.

 

 

I said it because it's true. Dallas is a better team than San Diego. It was a strange game.

[BJORN 679]

Better team won yesterday and if you can't see that then you didn't watch the game, simple.

[BwareDWare94 723]

Better team won yesterday and if you can't see that then you didn't watch the game, simple.

 

LOL. Yeah, let's count on Danny Woodhead to score two TDs again and Sean Lee to get beat on a pass play, which never happens. Your Chargers caught lucky breaks and made three plays that they would not make again against Dallas. Not to mention a rookie making a dumbass play, the kind of play every rookie makes at least once a season. Don't act like your team is definitively better. We'll know by the end of the season who has the better team.

 

I've come to the conclusion that DeMarcus Ware's neck issues simply nullify him at times, and I personally guarantee that if you match him up with your OL again next Sunday, he'd play much better.

 

Oh, and by the way, Dallas is going to beat Denver next Sunday.

[Jayrus 51]

Calm it down, Bware. You asked a question and got an honest answer. The Cowboys are not better than the Chargers. I would say they are about equal with the Chargers. This was a game that could have gone either way. It was down to who would make the most mistakes, and this week it was the Cowboys.

 

Also you're not going to beat the Broncos. You have no chance in hell with that sieve of a defense you have.

[BJORN 679]

 

Better team won yesterday and if you can't see that then you didn't watch the game, simple.

 

LOL. Yeah, let's count on Danny Woodhead to score two TDs again and Sean Lee to get beat on a pass play, which never happens. Your Chargers caught lucky breaks and made three plays that they would not make again against Dallas. Not to mention a rookie making a dumbass play, the kind of play every rookie makes at least once a season. Don't act like your team is definitively better. We'll know by the end of the season who has the better team.

 

I've come to the conclusion that DeMarcus Ware's neck issues simply nullify him at times, and I personally guarantee that if you match him up with your OL again next Sunday, he'd play much better.

 

Oh, and by the way, Dallas is going to beat Denver next Sunday.

 

Bold: Easy to say with the state of your division.

 

Underline: Please do that, I usually like/root for the Cowboys.

 

Crezdon Butler and Johnny Patrick gave up 80 yards to Dez Bryant. Those guys are practically 4th stringers. While, Claiborne gave up 80 yards to Keenan Allen, a rookie who ironically wasn't even on your draft board LOL. Is it luck that Rivers outplayed Romo? Gates outplayed both Witten and Bryant? Hard to say his TD was a fluke when he was killing your defense regardless. And btw, Woodhead scored on the same play as Ryan Mathews against the Texans. It wasn't a fluke, proved by the fact that he beat you TWICE.

 

Jayrus, I agree. We are pretty much dead even. But it didn't come down to mistakes, it came down to the fact that Dallas was outplayed and outcoached yesterday.

[BwareDWare94 723]

 

 

Better team won yesterday and if you can't see that then you didn't watch the game, simple.

 

LOL. Yeah, let's count on Danny Woodhead to score two TDs again and Sean Lee to get beat on a pass play, which never happens. Your Chargers caught lucky breaks and made three plays that they would not make again against Dallas. Not to mention a rookie making a dumbass play, the kind of play every rookie makes at least once a season. Don't act like your team is definitively better. We'll know by the end of the season who has the better team.

 

I've come to the conclusion that DeMarcus Ware's neck issues simply nullify him at times, and I personally guarantee that if you match him up with your OL again next Sunday, he'd play much better.

 

Oh, and by the way, Dallas is going to beat Denver next Sunday.

 

Bold: Easy to say with the state of your division.

 

Underline: Please do that, I usually like/root for the Cowboys.

 

Crezdon Butler and Johnny Patrick gave up 80 yards to Dez Bryant. Those guys are practically 4th stringers. While, Claiborne gave up 80 yards to Keenan Allen, a rookie who ironically wasn't even on your draft board LOL. Is it luck that Rivers outplayed Romo? Gates outplayed both Witten and Bryant? Hard to say his TD was a fluke when he was killing your defense regardless. And btw, Woodhead scored on the same play as Ryan Mathews against the Texans. It wasn't a fluke, proved by the fact that he beat you TWICE.

 

Jayrus, I agree. We are pretty much dead even. But it didn't come down to mistakes, it came down to the fact that Dallas was outplayed and outcoached yesterday.

 

 

I think it's debatable that Rivers outplayed Romo. Romo's OL killed several drives with egregious penalties, and Rivers had, what, 9 extra minutes?

 

I think Tony's been fantastic so far, this year. So has Rivers, but I don't really think you can separate the two, at this point. Easily two of the most underrated QBs in this league.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

 

I don't mean for this to sound the wrong way, but is anyone leaving that game actually believing that the Chargers are a better team? Honestly. I don't see it, in any way.

 

 

This is why people hate Cowboys fans.

[Guest Phailadelphia]

Dude, Phillip Rivers threw for 400 to a bunch of dudes (outside of Gates, of course) that I've never heard of. SHREDDED. And Dallas couldn't take advantage of that terrible secondary either. Pathetic. We deserved to lose.

[RazorStar 4,025]

Rivers with Crayton > Romo with Crayton

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Rivers with Crayton > Romo with Crayton

 

By the subtraction property of inequality, Rivers > Romo, no?

[RazorStar 4,025]

Sure sounds like it.

 

QED BITCHES

Edited September 30, 2013 by RazorStar

[BwareDWare94 723]

Dude, Phillip Rivers threw for 400 to a bunch of dudes (outside of Gates, of course) that I've never heard of. SHREDDED. And Dallas couldn't take advantage of that terrible secondary either. Pathetic. We deserved to lose.

 

He shredded Mo Claiborne and Bruce Carter. Everybody else was pretty much fine. It's time to give Claiborne a benching. Carter, I don't think, is any kind of liability. Just had a couple bad plays against Woodhead.

 

Did he even throw at Brandon Carr? Once?

[BwareDWare94 723]

 

 

I don't mean for this to sound the wrong way, but is anyone leaving that game actually believing that the Chargers are a better team? Honestly. I don't see it, in any way.

 

 

This is why people hate Cowboys fans.

 

 

I understand that, but I don't think that San Diego is a better team than Dallas. I don't think they will be a few weeks from now, much less the end of the season.

[Jayrus 51]

 

 

 

I don't mean for this to sound the wrong way, but is anyone leaving that game actually believing that the Chargers are a better team? Honestly. I don't see it, in any way.

 

 

This is why people hate Cowboys fans.

 

 

I understand that, but I don't think that San Diego is a better team than Dallas. I don't think they will be a few weeks from now, much less the end of the season.

 

 

Maybe not, but Dallas isn't head and shoulders better than San Diego either. As I said before I view them as roughly equal. Dallas hasn't yet been able to look more than mediocre against anyone but two bottom of the barrel teams. So, forgive me, but I don't see why it is you think Dallas is so superior to San Diego. You're both .500 teams or there about in my opinion.

Edited October 1, 2013 by Jayrus

[seanbrock 1,684]

 

Dude, Phillip Rivers threw for 400 to a bunch of dudes (outside of Gates, of course) that I've never heard of. SHREDDED. And Dallas couldn't take advantage of that terrible secondary either. Pathetic. We deserved to lose.

 

He shredded Mo Claiborne and Bruce Carter. Everybody else was pretty much fine. It's time to give Claiborne a benching. Carter, I don't think, is any kind of liability. Just had a couple bad plays against Woodhead.

 

Did he even throw at Brandon Carr? Once?

 

Still don't see how that doesn't mean the Chargers are better. I mean, even when I disagree with somebody I can see the logic behind it but this just doesn't make sense. It's not like any of these issues are new with Dallas. Their pass defense has been very suspect since like what? '07 or '08? Their offense has been inconsistent since then too.