Williams replaces Taylor in Pro Bowl

The late Sean Taylor's Pro Bowl replacement was announced today, Cowboys S Roy Williams. And while it may seem sacrilegious to replace Taylor with a Cowboy, it seems to make sense that one big hitter replaces another. Congrats to Roy on his trip to Hawaii but hopefully Washington will have the last laugh this postseason.

Happy 2008

I realize that it has been a long time since I have regularly updated this blog but in the tradition of New Year's resolutions, one of mine is to update this blog more frequently. But first things first, congrats to the Skins for making the playoffs despite the emotional and injury drains.

We get another shot at Seattle in the playoffs and considering where this team picked itself up from, we should be considered by everyone in the NFC as the scariest team in the playoffs. Excluding the loss to the Patriots, even when the Skins were down they managed to keep their other losses within 8 points.

It will take a lot to make the Super Bowl and it will take even more to beat the AFC rep, but I don't see any reason why Washington won't make it. Granted we beat a down Dallas team and we also lost to Green Bay and Tampa Bay during the regular season, but again, those were close games coming down to the final drive.

The postseason already got more exciting with Washington earning the final spot, but the fact that we actually have a shot at advancing makes it even better.

Game 2 recap

The best thing about Monday night's win isn't the fact that we beat Philly but it has to be the fact that the Skins are 2-0 for the first time since their last playoff appearance (2005). Here are a couple of other observations from Monday night.

1. I know this has nothing to do with the game but Charles Barkley actually made the booth enjoyable to watch. After hearing Mike Tirico stick up for the Eagles and saying they should have beat the Packers, Barkley responded with my favorite line, "If I didn't eat so much I wouldn't be fat."

2. Jason Campbell is still making young mistakes but he is getting better with each quarter he plays, as evidenced by the 2 TD drives he led in the 2nd half.

3. Joe Bugel is the best O-line coach in the NFL bar none. Depsite not having and losing Jon Jansen and losing Randy Thomas in the second half, the line still held up and gave Campbell the time he needed to make plays. It remains to be see how the backups will fare as starters the rest of the season but I really have no worries.

4. The NFC East is one of the toughest conferences in football, top to bottom. You can't tell me the 0-2 Eagles are that much worse than the 2-0 Cowboys or Skins and if the Giants could have avoided a couple of key injuries, they would not be 0-2 either.

5. Last year was an aberration defensively and if I hear another claim how awful the D was last year and act like that had been the trend in DC for years, I am going to start writing letters to ESPN, CBS and Fox telling them to open a stat book from the last five years and respond with where the Skins finished in total defense each of those years. When healthy our guys are just as good as New England, Baltimore and San Diego but because our offense hasn't been any good until now, the media has failed to recognize it. It's times like these that make me embarrassed to be a sports writer.

The reeling Giants are up next so let's see if these guys can get to 3-0 and be halfway to surpassing last year's win total.

2007 Previews: Dallas Cowboys

Note: This is a team-by-team look previewing the 2007 season. These are my official thoughts on how I think things will play out.

Here is a bonus for getting Monday's preview out so late.

Last year: 9-7 (second in NFC East)

Best addition: Leonard Davis (OL, Cardinals)

Key personnel loss: none.

2007 outlook: For a team that missed the playoffs last year, Dallas really didn't do much to improve, only adding Davis and not really losing much. The problem with this approach is that while most of the other top teams got better, the Cowboys stay the same, and having missed the playoffs last year I fail to see how they will match up with the top tier teams.

Tony Romo needs to prove he is more than a one-year wonder but Marion Barber, Julius Jones, Terrell Owens (as much as it pains me to say it), Terry Glenn and Jason Witten give Romo good weapons to play with while the defense, under the guidance of new HC Wade Phillips should only improve. This is not good for Redskins fans.

Key to success: Much like last year, chemistry will be the key, especially if TO is not kept happy. Able to easily disrupt any locker room, Owens will be happy if the Cowboys win. If they lose early on, trouble will ensue. Keeping TO happy will keep the rest of the team happy which will keep the fans happy.

Against Washington: The best rivalry in football, Dallas will host the first meeting between the two teams on Nov. 18 while the Cowboys will come to Washington to finish out the season on Dec. 30. If things play out like fans want, the second meeting could determine the playoff fates of both teams.

Fantasy sleeper: Marion Barber. Jones will get the yards but Barber will get the TD's, and in my book, TD's end up being more help in the long run. Barber quietly had a solid season last year fantasy-wise and was a late round pick at best. This year, Barber is mid-round talent so plan to pick him up before the starters on some of the teams that struggle to run. Barber could be a player that makes or breaks a fantasy season.

Blaylock fills void left by Duckett

The two things T.J. Duckett will be remembered for in his time with the Redskins are the bulldozing run against Dallas that drew comparisons to Redskins Hall-of-Famer John Riggins and the fact that he ate up space on the bench, playing sparsely and costing Washington a draft pick.

Apparently feeling they lack someone to fill that capacity, the Redskins signed seven-year vet Derrick Blaylock after the team's rookie mini-camp this weekend. Although he didn't cost a draft pick I am concerned by two things: 1) Do we really need another veteran on the bench that won't play in a game and 2) what was a seven-year vet doing at a camp for newbies?

It appeared the Redskins were not entirely thrilled with having to rely on Rock Cartwright and James Thrash handling kickoff duties, but I thought a couple of undrafted guys with sub-4.5 40 times were brought in as an option. And with most of the guys listed as running backs, it seems unlikely that a Terry Caulley or other back will make a roster that boasts four veteran half backs and a full back, even though Caulley is officially listed on the team's site and has been given No. 40.

I imagine this situation will resolve itself during training camp but it seems kind of odd the Redskins would sign a vet just to cut him in camp. Hopefully the return abilities of Caulley will make himself more valuable and a young guy with tons of speed will get a shot. If not, at least the reporters will have a new back they can ask what he is actually doing here in DC.