2008 Dallas Cowboys season

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2008 Dallas Cowboys season
OwnerJerry Jones
General manager
Jay Ratliff DT
DeMarcus Ware LB
Jason Witten TE
AP All-ProsDeMarcus Ware (1st team)
Jason Witten (2nd team)
Uniform

The

Cowboys Stadium in 2009.[1]
Despite entering the last month of the season four games above .500, they failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2005, losing three of their last four games and finishing with a 9–7 record.

Offseason

The Cowboys' offense breaks huddle against the New York Giants, December 14, 2008

Signings

Departures

Free agents heading into the 2008 season

  • Cornerback Nate Jones

Training camp

See also: Hard Knocks (2001 TV series)

The Cowboys arrived in

Oxnard, California for training camp on July 24. HBO and NFL Films filmed the Cowboys for the fourth season of Hard Knocks which premiered on August 6. The Cowboys began camp with all but three players: Felix Jones, Mike Jenkins, and Terry Glenn
. Jones and Jenkins both signed contracts the next day, and flew out to California to report.
Adam "Pacman" Jones
, and the injury to Terence Newman. Jones was proving daily in camp that he is still worthy of being named one of the top cornerbacks in the league, but was not fully reinstated to the NFL until August 28. Newman injured his groin on July 28, and is expected to be out for three weeks. The Cowboys cut the roster from 80 to 75 immediately after training camp, then waived more players following the final pre-season game to drop the roster count to league limit of 53, one of which was 6th-round draft pick Eric Walden. Walden was picked up on waivers by the Kansas City Chiefs. The following players made it through waivers to land spots on the practice squad: Danny Amendola, Alonzo Coleman, Tearrius George, Rodney Hannah, Mike Jefferson, Marcus Dixon and Julius Crosslin. Then, in a surprising turn of events, Dallas CB Evan Ogelsby was released to make room on the roster for Special Teams Ace Keith Davis who returned to the Cowboys after being cut from the Dolphins.

2008 draft class

Main article: 2008 NFL draft
2008 Dallas Cowboys draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 22 Felix Jones  RB Arkansas
1 25 Mike Jenkins *  CB South Florida
2 61 Martellus Bennett *  TE Texas A&M
4 122 Tashard Choice  RB Georgia Tech
5 143 Orlando Scandrick  CB Boise State
6 167 Erik Walden  DE Middle Tennessee
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Notes

  • The Cowboys traded their 2007 first-round (No. 22 overall) selection to the Cleveland Browns for 2007 second-round (No. 36 overall) and 2008 first-round (No. 22 overall) selections.
  • The Cowboys traded their first, (No. 28 overall) fifth (No. 163 overall) and seventh-round (No. 235 overall) selections for the Seattle Seahawks' first-round (No. 25 overall) selection in order to move up in the first-round and select Mike Jenkins.
  • The Cowboys traded their third-round (No. 92 overall) selection to the Detroit Lions for 2008 and 2009 fourth-round (Nos. 111 and 101 overall) selections.
  • The Cowboys traded linebacker Akin Ayodele and tight end Anthony Fasano to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a fourth-round (No. 100 overall) selection.
  • The Cowboys traded their fourth-round (No. 100 overall) selection to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for fourth (No. 104 overall) and seventh-round (No. 213 overall) selections.
  • The Cowboys traded their fourth-round (No. 104 overall) selection to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for fourth (No. 122 overall) and fifth-round (No. 155 overall) selections.
  • The Cowboys traded their 2008 fourth-round (No. 111 overall) selection to the Browns in exchange for a 2009 third-round (No. 69 overall) selection.
  • The Cowboys traded their original fourth-round (No. 126 overall) selection to the Tennessee Titans for cornerback Adam Jones. The Cowboys were to receive a conditional 2009 fourth-round selection if Jones is not reinstated, or a conditional 2009 fifth-round selection if Jones is reinstated but gets suspended again (the Cowboys received the Titans' 2009 fifth-round selection, No. 166 overall).
  • The Cowboys traded their fifth (No. 155 overall) and seventh-round (No. 213 overall) selections to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a fifth-round (No. 143 overall) selection.
  • The Cowboys traded defensive tackle Jason Ferguson and their 2008 sixth-round (No. 195 overall) selection to the Dolphins in exchange for 2008 and 2009 sixth-round (Nos. 167 and 197 overall) selections.

[4]

Preseason schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.com
recap
1 August 9 at San Diego Chargers L 17–31 0–1
Qualcomm Stadium
 Recap
2 August 16 at Denver Broncos L 13–23 0–2 Invesco Field at Mile High Recap
3 August 22 Houston Texans W 23–22 1–2 Texas Stadium Recap
4 August 28 Minnesota Vikings W 16–10 2–2 Texas Stadium Recap

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.com
recap
1 September 7 at Cleveland Browns W 28–10 1–0
Cleveland Browns Stadium
 Recap
2 September 15 Philadelphia Eagles W 41–37 2–0 Texas Stadium Recap
3 September 21 at Green Bay Packers W 27–16 3–0 Lambeau Field Recap
4 September 28 Washington Redskins L 24–26 3–1 Texas Stadium Recap
5 October 5 Cincinnati Bengals W 31–22 4–1 Texas Stadium Recap
6 October 12 at Arizona Cardinals L 24–30 (OT) 4–2 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap
7 October 19 at St. Louis Rams L 14–34 4–3 Edward Jones Dome Recap
8 October 26 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 13–9 5–3 Texas Stadium Recap
9 November 2 at New York Giants L 14–35 5–4 Giants Stadium Recap
10 Bye
11 November 16 at Washington Redskins W 14–10 6–4
FedExField
 Recap
12 November 23 San Francisco 49ers W 35–22 7–4 Texas Stadium Recap
13 November 27 Seattle Seahawks W 34–9 8–4 Texas Stadium Recap
14 December 7 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 13–20 8–5
Heinz Field
 Recap
15 December 14 New York Giants W 20–8 9–5 Texas Stadium Recap
16 December 20 Baltimore Ravens L 24–33 9–6 Texas Stadium Recap
17 December 28 at Philadelphia Eagles L 6–44 9–7 Lincoln Financial Field Recap

Standings

NFC East
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(1) New York Giants 12 4 0 .750 4–2 9–3 427 294 L1
(6) Philadelphia Eagles 9 6 1 .594 2–4 7–5 416 289 W1
Dallas Cowboys 9 7 0 .563 3–3 7–5 362 365 L2
Washington Redskins 8 8 0 .500 3–3 7–5 265 296 L1

Regular season summary

The team was coming from a 13-3 season in 2007 and there were great expectations for a

Pacman Jones and Tank Johnson. They also were the subject of the 2008 Hard Knocks TV Series
.

The team began the season with 3 straight wins but lost the week-4 game at home against the

Washington Redskins 24-26. Tony Romo injured the pinkie finger in his right hand in a 24-30 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in the sixth game. The Cowboys under his replacement Brad Johnson, went 1–2 the next three games, losing to the St. Louis Rams, beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and losing to the New York Giants
. Romo would return to play wearing a splint under the heavy bandage on his right hand in November after the bye week.

The team had a 24–33 loss in Week 16 against the Baltimore Ravens and the final game at Texas Stadium before it was demolished. In what became a de facto playoff game in the 17th week of the season against the Philadelphia Eagles on December 28, Romo and the Cowboys failed to compete in a 44–6 loss. The team finished with a 9–7 record, missing the postseason for the first time in franchise history after starting the season with a 3-0 record.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Cleveland Browns

Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 7 14 7028
Browns 0 7 0310

at

Cleveland, Ohio

The Cowboys began their 2008 campaign on the road against the Cleveland Browns. In the first quarter, Dallas got the first shot as RB Marion Barber got a 1-yard TD run. In the second quarter, the Browns would respond with QB Derek Anderson completing a 2-yard TD pass to TE Kellen Winslow. Afterwards, the Cowboys responded with QB Tony Romo completing a 35-yard TD pass to WR Terrell Owens, along with another 1-yard TD run from Barber. In the third quarter, Dallas pulled away with rookie RB Felix Jones getting an 11-yard TD run, which was his first carry in the NFL. In the fourth quarter, Cleveland's only response would be kicker Phil Dawson's 34-yard field goal.

Week 2: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Period 1 2 34Total
Eagles 6 24 0737
Cowboys 14 10 71041

at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas

Coming off their commanding road win over the Browns, the Cowboys played their Week 2 home opener under the MNF spotlight. In the last MNF game at Texas Stadium, Dallas would duel with their NFC East foe, the Philadelphia Eagles. In the first quarter, the Cowboys trailed early as Eagles kicker David Akers got a 34-yard field goal. Dallas would answer in their first possession with QB Tony Romo completing a 72-yard TD pass to WR Terrell Owens. Philadelphia replied with Akers kicking a 44-yard field goal, yet the 'Boys immediately added to their lead with rookie RB Felix Jones returning a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. The Eagles would take the lead with QB Donovan McNabb completing a 6-yard TD pass to RB Brian Westbrook, along with LB Chris Gocong recovering a Romo fumble in the Cowboys' endzone for a touchdown. Dallas immediately responded with Romo and Owens hooking up with each other again on a 4-yard TD pass.

On Philadelphia's next drive, the referees made two suspect decisions. The first was a non-call on a very obvious facemask on Brian Westbrook that would have given the Eagles a first down. The next call in question was a 40-yard passing interference penalty on Anthony Henry. Replays showed that it was Greg Lewis who grabbed Henry's jersey and pulled him down, not the other way around. With that decision, the Eagles were awarded a first down on the 1-yard line. Westbrook immediately ran it in for a 1-yard TD. On their next possession, Akers' hit a 22-yard field goal. To make the game the highest scoring half ever on MNF, the Cowboys ended the half with kicker Nick Folk getting a 51-yard field goal, bringing the total points for both teams to 54.

In the third quarter, the 'Boys regained the lead with Romo's 17-yard TD pass to RB Marion Barber. In the fourth quarter, the Eagles once again took the lead with Westbrook's 1-yard TD run. Afterwards, the Cowboys rallied with Folk nailing a 47-yard field goal and Barber getting a 1-yard TD run. The Eagles had a chance for a game-winning drive, but Dallas' defense stiffened for the victory, sacking the very elusive McNabb twice.

In a game that had 9 lead changes, it also set different point records, including most first half points in MNF history (54) and most combined points in the rivalry's history (78).

Also, Terrell Owens (3 receptions for 89 yards and 2 touchdowns) reached 132 career touchdown catches, placing him 2nd on the NFL's all-time touchdown receptions list (behind only Jerry Rice's record of 197).

Week 3: at Green Bay Packers

Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 3 10 7727
Packers 3 3 3716

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

(sideline reporter)

Coming off the MNF divisional home win over the Eagles, the Cowboys flew to Lambeau Field for a Week 3 Sunday Night duel with the Green Bay Packers. Dallas had never won in Lambeau Field heading into the game, going 0–5 (although Green Bay did play several home games in Milwaukee where the Cowboys won a few times against the Packers).

In the first quarter, Dallas got the first shot as kicker Nick Folk got a 25-yard field goal. The Packers responded with kicker Mason Crosby getting a 36-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Green Bay took the lead with Crosby kicking a 38-yard field goal. The 'Boys replied with rookie RB Felix Jones getting a 60-yard TD run, becoming the first player in franchise history to have a touchdown in each of his first three games with Dallas. In the third quarter, the Packers tried to rally as Crosby got a 33-yard field goal, yet the Cowboys responded with RB Marion Barber getting a 2-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, Dallas managed to put the game out of reach as QB Tony Romo completed a 52-yard TD pass to WR Miles Austin. Green Bay tried to rally as QB Aaron Rodgers got a 1-yard TD run, yet the Big D's defense held.

With the win, not only did the Cowboys get a second-straight 3–0 start for the first time since 1976–77, but they also picked up their first-ever win at Lambeau Field.

Week 4: vs. Washington Redskins

Period 1 2 34Total
Redskins 0 17 3626
Cowboys 7 3 7724

at Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas