Bills vs. Cowboys Preview: Behind Enemy Lines With The Landry Hat

Editor’s Note: We’re very lucky here at BLD to be part of Fansided, a wide-reaching network with blogs for every NFL team (as well as a huge selection of NBA, NHL, MLB, and other blogs as well). We’d be dumb not to take advantage of these resources, so welcome to our weekly feature: Behind Enemy Lines. Each week, we’ll be checking in with the staff from the Fansided blog representing the Bills’ opponent for that the week.

This week we’re checking in with Steven Mullenax, editor of The Landry Hat, Fansided’s excellent Cowboys blog. Steven and his staff put out a ton of great content, so be sure to check out The Landry Hat for all Cowboys-related information. A big thank you to Steven for taking the time to answer some questions for us as we get ready for Buffalo’s trip to Big D this weekend.

Q: What the heck is going on with this Cowboys team? Great
performances seem to alternate with awful showings (like that Sunday
night debacle in Philly).

A: The Dallas Cowboys have the talent to win big games as they proved against the Jets and Pats this year. Unfortunately, they are their own worst enemy. Lack of red zone conversions, inconsistent quarterback play and a young offensive line are the major issues that continue to plague a team that really should be 7-1 instead of 4-4.

Q: Do you think the Cowboys are actual contenders in the NFC?

A: The NFC as a whole, I’d have to say no at this point. The NFC East alone, then yes. It’s arguably the worst division in football this year and that means any team can still make the playoffs.

Q: Is Tony Romo the long-term answer for the ‘Boys at QB? Or is
patience wearing thin with him? 

A: According to Jerry Jones, Romo is the long term solution. But I don’t think the majority of Dallas fans will agree if they don’t win in the playoffs within the next two years. His contract expires in 2013. That is pretty much Romo’s deadline to finally win in Big “D”. Some fans hope we pick up his eventual successor in next year’s draft.

Q: How are Cowboys fans feeling about the Jason Garrett era so far? 

A: At first, the fan base was excited. Now, the feeling has turned a little sour. The problem is not his overall coaching style, but his play calling. I think most of Cowboy Nation would like a new offensive coordinator to jump-start the offense.

Q: DeMarcus Ware (12 sacks) is an absolute monster. Um…I really
don’t have a question here, I’m just really jealous. Here’s a question
I guess: do the Bills have any prayer of blocking this guy?

A: Sure they do. All they have to do is put two guys on him. I’m not saying that will work all the time, but it should slow him down. You know the bad thing about having a player like Ware on the team is that you feel pressure to take full advantage of him. If the Cowboys can’t win the big one while we have the best defensive player in the league on the team, it will be a major disappointment.

Q: RB DeMarco Murray’s put up huge numbers lately. Is he a superstar in
the making or did he just feast on the crappy St. Louis and Seattle
defenses?

A: Murray actually has played well in the last three games. Until he shows otherwise, the former Sooner is a star on the rise. But I’d say temper your expectations a bit. Great running backs earn their reputation through consistency and length of career.  I’ve seen too many running backs be set back by injury after garnering early praise as a potential superstar. (See Julius Jones)
Q: Any other young Cowboys playing well that are still flying under
the national radar?

A: I think Laurent Robinson will surprise a lot of Buffalo fans this week. The former Ram has really come on as of late and made some tremendous plays. He’s earn the trust of Tony Romo, even over Dez Bryant, despite not playing until Week Three of this year. Jason Witten is still undoubtedly Romo’s security blanket. But Robinson is running a close second. He might be the best wide receiver on the team right now…which is scary to actually type out.

Q: Any other storylines or players to watch out for?
A: Second year phenom linebacker Sean Lee is a big storyline we’ve followed all week. The Penn State alum dislocated his left wrist two weeks ago in the game against Philadelphia. After missing last week’s game, Lee returned to practice this week with what is essentially a club over his entire left hand. Lee says the cast is more comfortable than he imagine it would be and he thinks he can play with it on. He is listed as questionable on Dallas’ final injury report. If Lee can play, it will be interesting to see how effective he will be. Lee leads the team in tackles and interceptions.