RADIO
Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers
Let’s start with that sorta-but-not-really-a-catch-call shall we? I watched this game with a few friends, and the first thing I said out loud to the group after seeing Dez Bryant almost come down with that ball was, “That was a fantastic play, but watch this get overturned thanks to that Detroit Lions call.” Yep. Then it happened. Call overturned, Cowboys lose.
I’m not sure whether I believe in makeup calls, but someone needs to explain to me what that was if it wasn't a catch. Picking up that pass interference flag in the Cowboys/Lions game was egregious, and this was just as bad, at least to me. To my thinking, they need to adjust that rule. That play left a bitter taste in my mouth for the rest of the game, and I'm sure I'm not alone in that.
Questionable calls aside, this game was actually quite good. The key players showed up for an entertaining contest, with DeMarco Murray rushing for 123 yards and a score for the Cowboys, while the Packers utilized both Aaron Rodgers and Eddie Lacy effectively. After all the chatter about Rodgers and his partially torn calf, he went out there in the Green Bay cold and threw for 316 yards and three touchdowns. The dude is simply an absolute stud. That Olivia Munn is a lucky gal.
I think it should go without saying that after the year Rodgers has had, he should be the number one fantasy quarterback in 2015. I’ll get to Peyton Manning when I discuss the Broncos game, but with Drew Brees fading and Tom Brady only showing up for half of the fantasy season, Rodgers is back to being the king of the mountain. He was threading some serious needles with the throws he was making-- there was one throw to Randall Cobb that was virtually flawless. Partially torn calf? Good one.
Peeking ahead to 2015, it’ll be interesting to see where running backs Eddie Lacy and DeMarco Murray are ranked for the year. More specifically, who knows what the Cowboys will do about Murray’s impending free agency? Throw in the fact that Dez Bryant is a free agent as well, and the Cowboys might have a serious dilemma. I can’t imagine they’d be able to pay both guys without franchising one of them, but I also don’t see Jerry Jones splitting up the band right after they finally got themselves back into the postseason. Something’s got to give here.
If it were me, I’d pay Dez and let Murray walk. I think anyone can run behind that beastly offensive line, and with the league being so pass-happy these days, I'd expect that you'd be able to find a decent enough running back on the cheap. Besides, Murray has never had a particularly clean bill of health anyway. But you know what would be the most Cowboys thing that’s ever Cowboyed? Keeping Dez Bryant, letting DeMarco Murray go and signing Adrian Peterson. Why not bring in Johnny Manziel too, just for kicks?
