Dallas is For Real

   I can't believe how well the Dallas Cowboys are playing this season. The organization once dubbed, "America's Team," sits at 5-1 after going into a hostile environment in Seattle and defeating last year's Super Bowl champion Seahawks. I more or less mocked the Cowboys in the offseason, not expecting them to contend for their division, let alone the NFC. Well, they've proven me and many other sports analysts and talking heads dead wrong, sending a clear message to the other 31 teams: Their for real.

   The defense, considered to be the team's Achilles heel entering the season, has found new life under new defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli. A unit that lost the likes of DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher to free agency and the cap casualty, and star linebacker Sean Lee's season was lost before it even began. But there has been consistency from the defense and players are stepping up their game to fill the voids of those lost. Players like Rolando McClain, labeled a bust and retiring at the age of 23, he was a mere afterthought before joining the Cowboys this offseason and his career has been revitalized.

   Let's not forget, of course, the success of fourth-year running back DeMarco Murray. The former 2011 third-round draft pick is running like a man possessed. According to Pro-football-reference, Murray leads the league in carries (159), rushing yards (785) and rushing touchdowns (6). With Murray's injury history -- he's never played a full 16 game regular season -- one can't help but wonder if the 25-year old will be able to hold up at this rate. Tony Romo is playing well, although he still seems slowed at time by his back, the same back he had surgery on this past offseason. The offensive line has played well, particularly in the running game, but the trench warriors will be a man down after Jerry Jones announced right tackle Doug Free is expected to miss 3-4 weeks with a foot injury. The team must be feeling pretty damn good with where they stand and it's not farfetched to think they could be 9-1 heading into their Week 11 Bye. Their next four games go like this: home games against the Giants, Washington, and Cardinals and then they go on the road to face the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars. The toughest game is obviously their match up against a very good Arizona Cardinals team but after the Cowboys went on the road and beat Seattle, they should be able to beat any team in the league. I'm not crowning them Super Bowl Champions or anything, although it's not beyond the realm of possibility. All I'm saying is look out everybody, the 'Boys are back in town and they're a force to be reckoned with.

Injury Roundup: Week 6

Sorry for my absence for the past few weeks, my attention has been heavily focused on school and I haven't had as much time as I'd like to focus my attention on my blog. But, what an exciting and interesting season! Last week a number of teams lost significant players to injuries. Here's a list of some of the names we saw go down in Week 6:

Jerod Mayo- The New England Patriots saw several key players leave the game on Sunday, one of them was starting linebacker Jerod Mayo. The signal caller on defense and a team leader, Mayo's season is over after suffering a knee injury against Buffalo. The Pats have lacked depth at linebacker since the offseason and now they'll pay the price. Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins are going to have to step up big time.

Victor Cruz- Adding insult to injury, the Giants were shut out by their division rival Philadelphia, and lost their best offensive player in the process. Cruz suffered a torn patellar tendon and had to be carted off the field, he was visibly distraught. This is a huge loss for the Giants, and rookie Odell Beckham Jr. will see a lot more targets and a lot more pressure coming his way as the season goes on.

Alex Mack- The Cleveland Browns' offensive line has been the key to offense's success and against Pittsburgh the unit lost one of it's best players, center Alex Mack. The six-year veteran, who signed a five-year, $42 million contract this past offseason, suffered a broken leg and is expected undergo surgery and miss the rest of the season. Due to the talent on Cleveland's offense line, I don't expect them to fall apart.

Stevan Ridley- Another Patriot whose season is over. Ridley tore his ACL and MCL against Buffalo and the Patriots lose a key part of their offense. The remaining running backs are Shane Vereen, Brandon Bolden, and James White. Vereen is a shifty, change of pace back with a great hands. James White is similar to Vereen, but hasn't seen any meaningful playing time this season. Bolden is the closest thing the team has to Ridley, but he lacks the ability to give consistent production. Ridley is in the last year of his contract and I think he's played his last snap in New England.

Darren Sproles- According to reports, Philadelphia could be without running back Darren Sproles -- who suffered a knee injury against the Giants -- for several weeks. The Eagles currently have no healthy backs behind starter LeSean McCoy, so expect the team to activate Matthew Tucker from the practice squad or sign a free agent.

Other injuries- Patrick Willis (SF), Dee Milliner and Brian Winters (NYJ), Knowshon Moreno (MIA), Doug Free (DAL), Byron Maxwell (SEA), Tramon Williams and Sam Shields (GB), and Armonty Bryant (CLE).