Cowboys Respond To Eagles Trash Talk
By Shawn Lealos
The NFC East presents some of the most heated rivalries in the NFL, with the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins sharing a rivalry that stretches back over 50 years. While it is not as long standing, the Cowboys' rivalry with the Philadelphia Eagles is almost as fierce. Back in 1989, Eagles head coach Buddy Ryan allegedly put a bounty on the head of Troy Aikman. There was also the game where Eagles fans threw batteries disguised as snowballs at Cowboys players.
While this year's game doesn't appear to be as dangerous as those, the trash talking has already begun. As the two teams prepare to battle for first place in the NFC East, defensive tackle Bennie Logan fired the first lob. According to Logan, there is nothing special about the Dallas Cowboys offensive line.
One of the biggest things that Dallas has going for them this year is their offensive line. According to Logan, the offensive line is the same as they were last year, with the addition of just one player, and there is nothing special about them. He also claimed that DeMarco Murray was having a good year, but it wasn't because of the line.
On Sunday night, when the Dallas Cowboys were trying to win the game, the offensive line blocked on two different occasion for almost nine seconds, allowing Tony Romo all day to throw the ball. They also have blocked for the NFL's leading rusher, DeMarco Murray, who has run for 1,354 yards, over 400 yards more than the second best rusher in the NFL.
There are three first round draft picks on the Cowboys' offensive line in Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin. The oldest of those three players is 24. Their arrival has made Ronald Leary and Doug Free better than ever. This is an offensive line that the rest of the NFL wishes they had and one that will dominate for years to come.
They are also mature. When reporters approached center Travis Frederick about the comments of Logan, he didn't bite. Frederick just said that he isn't really a bulletin board kind of guy. He said that this is his job and it is what he is paid to do, so he is motivated every game to play his best. He even questioned if the comments might have just been spun by the media to cause a controversy.
However, bulletin board material can make a difference in a game. Last week, Detroit Lions defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh made the comment that Tom Brady was just another average quarterback. Suh has a lot more experience in the NFL than someone like Bennie Logan. However, he regretted the statement. NFL players don't exactly like to be talked down to.
After those comments, Tom Brady led his New England Patriots out and beat the Lions, 34-9. In the game, Brady threw the ball 53 times in the game, the second most of the season, for 349 yards. It was clear that he was motivated and took it out on the Lions' defense. In Dallas, the offensive line won't put numbers on the board, but someone else might step up for them. When told of the comments, DeMarco Murray just smirked and said that we will find out the truth on Thursday.
For more Cowboys news and updates, visit Cowboys Central.
Shawn S. Lealos is a freelance writer who graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2000 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. He writes for a variety of national publications and has over 15 years of sports journalism experience. Follow Shawn on Twitter @sslealos. Examiner.com.
