Sports Radio Interviews

Is It Too Much to Expect the Cowboys to Win Again This Week?

This year’s Dallas Cowboys team has done something that the previous thirteen teams were not able to accomplish, win a game in the playoffs. Now that they have won their first playoff game, they are looking for their first road playoff win since 1995 when they head up to Minnesota this weekend. The Vikings had the week off last weekend after securing the second seed in the NFC and I am not sure if that is a good thing. The Cowboys are red hot after dominating the Eagles 34-14 last week and match up well against the “Purple People Eaters’” huge offensive line. The Vikings ability to handle the pass rush from DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer could play a huge role in the outcome of this weekend’s game. The Cowboys defense needs to first stop the run and force the Vikings to be one-dimensional to allow for their defensive line to pressure Favre and force him to turn the ball over. As we all know, a good running game helps neutralize a good pass rush. I have bet against the Cowboys all season long and I am not sure if I can do it again. I expect the Cowboys to squeak out the win this weekend and head to New Orleans for the NFC Championship game.

Miles Austin joined ESPN Radio with Scott Van Pelt to talk about why he thinks this year’s Cowboys team is better than in years past, whether the mantra “all for one and one for all” has a lot to do with the team’s success, whether he would agree that Tony Romo is a different quarterback this year, and how much of his confidence is helping him play the way he is.

On why he thinks this year’s Cowboys team is better than in years past:

“I mean I just think that we have got a bunch of good guys in here.  I mean we have always had a bunch of good guys on the team but I feel like this year everybody is kind of playing for one another.  Offense is playing for the defense.  Defense is playing for the offense and we are all playing for special teams, and the special teams is for all of us.  I think everyone is just fighting for one another which is important especially in playoff time.”

On whether the mantra “all for one and one for all” has a lot to do with the team’s success:

“Yeah I think you need everyone fighting for one another.  It is a good team chemistry.  We are fighting for one another and I think all of that has to do with preparation too.  We are practicing really hard.  Everyone is locked in and focused on doing what we have to do for one another.”

Whether he would agree that Tony Romo is a different quarterback this year:

“Uh I don’t think that he is a different quarterback.  I mean he has always been determined and always had that fire.  He has always been a leader in my eyes.  I think he has been doing the same things that he has been but he has been playing some great football and I think that is him playing good football, guys up front blocking, it is everyone playing for everybody like I said.” 

Whether there was a time that he thought that he could do what he did this season:

“No, I mean I think when I was younger in the league I wasn’t doing the right things all of the time.  Not off the field I mean on the field like I would mess up on a route or I would do something to kind of give them some sort of doubt I thought so at that point last year I got a shot and from then on I have just tried to work hard every day.  I have always have been but this time I am just working harder for it.”

On how much of his confidence is helping him play the way he is:

“I think a lot of it has to do with confidence and how well you play.  But it is a lot of work too you know?  I mean I think it is great to have all of the confidence but you also have to go in there and put in all of that work.  I work hard, we all do as a whole team, but I try to work hard every day in practice and I try to make it seem like a game-type situation and sometimes it helps out to work harder in practice.  I got that from all of the guys who, you know all the receivers work hard, so it is great to be out there and put it together on the field.”

Miles Austin on ESPN with Scott Van Pelt (the interview starts at 7:12)

Tags: Brett Favre, Cowboys vs. Vikings, Cowboys wide receiver, Dallas Cowboys, Miles Austin, Minnesota, NFC East, NFL, NFL Division Playoffs, NFL Playoffs, Tony Romo, vs