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Texas NFL Capsules: Romo, Austin more prepared for Giants this time
IRVING — When the Cowboys and Giants last met, Tony Romo was still making way too many mistakes and Miles Austin was an afterthought.
That's certainly not the trend going into the rematch Sunday.
Since having three passes caught by New York defenders in September, Romo has gone through the cleanest stretch of his career. He's thrown just four interceptions in nine games, never with as many as two in the same game.
Among the changes he's made, the most significant is looking for Austin more often.
Austin has blossomed into one of the most reliable and productive targets in the NFL over the last seven games. In that span, only two players have more yards receiving than his 743, no one has more than his seven touchdowns and his average of 20.1 yards per catch is tops by more than a full yard.
For both players, this rematch with the Giants is more than a chance to show off how much has changed.
A few days after that 33-31 loss, Romo called his sloppy performance a "hiccup" because he knew he could do better. Romo came into this season vowing not to be so careless and that he wasn't going to let it happen again. And he hasn't.
"I've definitely improved from years past and from that moment," Romo said Thursday. "But you are always trying to continue to get better, even from what improvement level is. I think there's always room to grow there."
Romo's biggest growth opportunity right now is showing he can win in December and January. He's 5-10 in his career, dooming the Cowboys to a pair of playoff losses and missing the postseason last year. This time, Dallas is 8-3 and first place in the NFC East going into what could be a defining five-game stretch for Romo and coach Wade Phillips.
Romo has been hearing about December since last season ended. Now that it's here, he's sticking with the stock responses he's been giving all summer: He's getting better bit by bit, day by day ... focusing on things they can control ... and this being the biggest game of the year because it's the next one.
As for it being against the Giants — the team that knocked Romo out of the playoffs a week after his trip to Mexico with then-girlfriend Jessica Simpson, and spoiled the debut of the new stadium earlier this season — he simply said, "I suspect our team will be very ready for this."
"We feel very prepared for this game," he said, noting the extra days of preparation thanks to last week's game being on a Thursday. "We know that this is an important, important game in our stretch."
Part of the excitement for Austin is returning home as a starter, and a star.
Austin grew up in Garfield, N.J., and went to college at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, N.J. He's played there twice before, but only as a backup receiver and a kickoff returner.
"I love New York," said Austin, who has worn a Yankees hat all week. "I've got a lot of friends up there."
Austin became a Yankees fan because his dad was. However, his dad's favorite football team was the Raiders, so he doesn't have any connection to the Giants, other than having been to a few games while growing up.
Austin is buying about 20 tickets, same as he has for the other games against the Giants. While he looks forward to seeing friends and family, he knows "they're not going to be helping me out on the field, and they're not going to be blocking me."
"During the game, you're so locked in that you're not really paying attention," he said.
So there wouldn't be extra significance to having a big game in the big city, which also is where he's from?
"For me, it's the same thing, same approach," he said. "I'm trying to run the play, whatever the play is, and do it to the best of my ability. ... I would love to have, hey, why not, 500 yards, give me whatever you want to give me. But I wouldn't say specifically for New York. I would like to have a good game anywhere I could get it. On the moon, why not?"
Two workers hurt during fall on Cowboys Stadium roof
DALLAS — Two workers doing maintenance on the icy roof of towering Cowboys Stadium slipped and tumbled at least 50 feet Thursday morning before landing on a rain gutter. Authorities said both workers suffered "significant injuries."
The two were working on the top hatch of the retractable-roof venue in suburban Arlington around 7:20 a.m. when they fell, Assistant Fire Chief Don Crowson said. They were not using safety equipment, he said.
"I know that it is a common practice that you should be wearing safety gear in a high elevated position," Crowson said. "The reports I have right now is that they were not using safety equipment."
One worker lost consciousness after breaking a leg and suffering injuries to his head and chest, Dallas Cowboys spokesman Brett Daniels said. He was taken by helicopter to a hospital. The other worker suffered a back injury and was transported by ambulance.
Arlington police spokeswoman Tiara Ellis Richard said the men fell from the top of the upper roof to a lower part. Daniels estimated they fell between 50 feet and 75 feet down to what he called a "parapet."
"It's bigger than your average rain gutter," Daniels said. "It's a pretty major channel there around the bottom of the (upper) roof."
Although the parapet stopped the men from falling to a lower roof, it likely caused their injuries, Crowson said.
"They got some pretty good speed up and when they hit that parapet, they suffered significant injuries," he said.
There was no immediate word on the workers' conditions from area hospitals, whose officials declined to release information. Crowson said one of the men was in "very, very serious condition."
The injured are iron workers, according to a statement from Birdair Inc., an Amherst, N.Y.-based contractor that specializes in long-span structures. The company said on its Web site that it was the roofing subcontractor for the stadium, which features the "largest, longest and steepest retractable roof ever constructed."
Karen L. Mathews, Birdair's general counsel, said the company is investigating the accident.
The National Weather Service said temperatures were near freezing at the time of the men's fall.
"It was certainly slick up there, and ice was present in the area," Crowson said.
Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple said the workers were on the roof for maintenance that will continue through the new year.
Live TV coverage showed fire department crews on the roof of the nearly $1.2 billion stadium, where the NFL's Dallas Cowboys began playing this season. Crews used baskets, lines and ladders to lower the workers in a rescue that took about 90 minutes.
The stadium has been the site of previous accidents, including the 2008 death of an electrician who came into contact with a high-voltage line.
The Cowboys' indoor practice facility in Irving collapsed in a wind storm May 2, paralyzing a member of the team's scouting department from the waist down and injuring 11 others less severely.
According to the team's Web site, the roof at Cowboys Stadium is one of the largest domed sports structures in the world, at 660,800 square feet. The support arches, soaring 292 feet above the playing field, bolster the retractable roof, described as the world's longest single-span roof structure.
-- Jeff Carlton
Texans rookie Barwin inspires deaf students
HOUSTON — High school senior Shaina Carthon is unlikely to ever step onto a football field.
Still, Carthon, who is deaf, realized she shouldn't limit her dreams after hearing Houston Texans rookie Connor Barwin share his story of making it to the NFL despite being born almost completely deaf.
"He inspired me," she said through an interpreter. "I always thought that being deaf I can't do this and this and this, but I see that he plays football. Deaf people can do a lot of these things. They can do a lot of things that hearing people can do."
Barwin spent more than an hour with about 50 deaf and hard-of-hearing students at Barbara Jordan High School in Houston this week. The program is the only one for deaf high school students in the state's largest school district.
The defensive end told students he was deaf until he was between 2 and 3 years old and doctors realized there was a problem. After the discovery, Barwin underwent almost a half dozen surgeries to repair his hearing and gained hearing in his right ear.
He remains completely deaf in his left ear despite the many surgeries, including one where his ear had to be cut open and flipped back because they'd already done too many procedures to enter it through the canal.
Barwin never learned to sign, but said he read lips when he was younger. Several sign language interpreters relayed his speech and helped students ask him questions.
It was Barwin's first experience in talking with deaf students about his hearing loss. He spent years avoiding the subject altogether because he felt so lucky to be able to hear.
"I thought sharing my story ... would make kids that weren't as lucky as me kind of upset and angry that they didn't have operations or surgeries to regain a lot of their hearing," he said. "Then I realized that it's not how people are going to look at it. They're going to look at it as a story about getting through adversity and finding a way to not think that you have a handicap and just figure out a way to get through it."
Tim Thorn, who teaches in the deaf program, said it's important for his students to meet a person with a hearing loss in a position like Barwin's.
"It's great for the students to see someone who has overcome a hurdle and to see that you can be successful, that you should not allow your disability to hinder you," Thorn said.
Houston coach Gary Kubiak said what Barwin has accomplished is impressive.
"It's never been an issue here," Kubiak said. "He has no problems. You can tell that he's always paying special attention to what's going on, whether it's from growing up that way I don't know, but he's very attentive and does not make mistakes."
Barwin was a second-round draft pick of the Texans this year after a college career at Cincinnati. He's done well this season, appearing in each game for Houston and getting two sacks. He's come a long way from a time a few years ago when he wondered if he'd make it this far in his career.
Barwin was a tight end when he started college and ran into trouble when he had to line up to the right of the quarterback. He couldn't hear the call in the noise of a college stadium and would routinely come off the line late.
After a meeting with his coach and some practice he learned to watch the ball out of the corner of his eye to avoid the slowdown. He told the students that it was the first time his hearing loss became a major problem.
"I thought, 'I'm not going to be able to keep playing, I might not be able to go to the NFL because of the way I was born and this isn't my fault,'" he said. "It was adversity that I just had to figure out a way to get around. I taught myself how to use my eyes so I didn't have to use my ears. I think it made me a better player in the end."
He moved to defense as a senior and found that not hearing the quarterback was beneficial.
"All I do is watch the ball and look for the snap and go as fast as I can," he said. "Some people look at it and say the fact that you're hearing impaired almost helps you play defensive line because I'm reacting solely on what I see and not what I hear."
John Martinez, who can hear out of one ear, enjoyed listening to Barwin's story, but it reinforced his belief that his goal of playing quarterback probably won't happen.
"I really want to be a quarterback but as a quarterback you have to have two ears that hear very well," he said. "It's hard for me."
Though football is probably out for Martinez, seeing what Barwin overcame to reach the NFL made him more determined to succeed in wrestling.
After the reaction he received from the class this week, Barwin hopes to spend more time with deaf students in the future. He loved their interest and had fun answering the dozens of questions he was peppered with.
"Knowing that I can help some kids and tell my story and they can somewhat get inspired by it and encouraged by it, makes me feel really good about it," he said.
Carthon, who asked several questions during Barwin's talk, said his story was eye-opening and she plans to share it with friends.
"He can play football and he is deaf," Carthon said. "I didn't know that we could have people with hearing loss playing pro football. I have deaf friends that want to play football but they think they can't do it and I will tell them yes they can."
-- Kristie Rieken
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Giants' Sheridan says defense will be physical
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Bill Sheridan knows all about the New York Giants' tradition of dominant, physical defenses that opposing teams fear.
The defensive coordinator also realizes this year's unit is no Big Blue Wrecking Crew. Not right now, anyway.
"It troubles me a lot, but honestly, I'm not worried about the past and the tradition," Sheridan said Thursday. "We're just worried about what is the next game. So, I'm well aware of that tradition, but we don't dwell on it."
Sheridan is in his first season as New York's defensive coordinator after replacing Steve Spagnuolo, and the Giants are ranked fourth in overall defense. Still, the big plays, intimidating presence and the ability to shut down opponents have been lacking.
"I'm responsible for the defense, so if we have subpar performances, that absolutely falls on my shoulders," Sheridan said. "I have no problem handling that."
Some fans and members of the media have pointed at Sheridan as the cause because he perhaps lacks the emotional temperament Spagnuolo had.
"I don't really know how to react to that," said Sheridan, a defensive assistant the previous four seasons. "I don't know what kind of response I can give that would be appeasing. That is so far from my level of concern, how I'm coming across."
Sheridan acknowledges that his performance has been "not good enough" based on how the defense has played and he understands the criticism. He cares more about how his defense is coming across, and believes the Giants will answer questions about their toughness against Dallas on Sunday.
"Yes," Sheridan said when asked if fans will see a physical defense. "Absolutely."
Sheridan said he has an excellent relationship with his players, and he has the personnel to turn things around in the last five weeks of the season. Truth is, New York needs to improve quite a bit if it has any plans of making the postseason.
The Giants allowed the Broncos to gain 373 total yards in a 26-6 loss at Denver on Thanksgiving. They gave up two fourth-quarter touchdowns to Atlanta in an overtime victory in their previous game, and allowed San Diego to go on a winning, 80-yard drive in the final minutes the week before.
"When individuals decide that enough is enough and they're determined to go out there and win their individual battle and not worrying about anything other than getting their job done, then things are going to change," defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka said. "Being around this locker room, all the right things are being said."
They just need to translate to the play on the field.
"We have been very inconsistent in our physical play, sure," Sheridan said. "The players know that."
The Giants will face a tough task against the Cowboys, a team that gained 378 total yards — including 251 rushing — the last time they played in Week 2. New York won that one 33-31, but the Giants know they need to be a lot better this time around.
"The key to stopping their offense is making them one-dimensional," defensive end Justin Tuck said. "As good as Tony Romo is, we want to put him in third-and-long situations. They have a great offensive line, they play well together and they have three backs who probably can start for just about any team in this league."
With Giants defensive leader Antonio Pierce gone for the season with a bulging disk in his neck, New York has been forced to find a replacement at middle linebacker. Chase Blackburn started the last two games, but Jonathan Goff could see increased action.
The fifth-round pick out of Vanderbilt in 2008 has played mostly on special teams, but has practiced with the starting defense this week.
"He's a guy who has been developing and we have a lot of faith in him," Sheridan said. "We just wanted to give him an opportunity to play. Chase is still going to play. We didn't feel we needed to make a move. We just wanted to get Jon on the field."
Cornerback Aaron Ross could also see more playing time against Dallas because starting safety Michael Johnson has missed practice with a strained groin. Since sitting out the first nine games with hamstring injuries, Ross has been playing at safety in a backup role.
"I'm still a corner," said Ross, who added that he's getting more comfortable playing a new position.
If Johnson sits, Sheridan said Aaron Rouse and C.C. Brown will start in the base defense, with Ross getting more playing time behind them.
Whoever's in, Sheridan wants to see more consistency from his defense.
"We look like world beaters on a lot of downs," he said. "The next down, you don't look that way. And, to me, that's been our Achilles' heel the entire year."
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
Giants RB Bradshaw, S Johnson don't practice
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw and safety Michael Johnson didn't practice because of injuries, leaving their availability for the team's game against Dallas uncertain.
Coach Tom Coughlin said it was "encouraging" that Bradshaw, the team's second-leading rusher, sprinted a bit during practice Thursday. Bradshaw, who missed the loss at Denver on Thanksgiving with left ankle and foot problems, was no longer wearing a boot.
"Knowing him, I think he will try to play," offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said. "I will be surprised if he doesn't try to play."
If Bradshaw can't go, the Giants would be short-handed at running back because D.J. Ware sustained a concussion against the Broncos and was ruled out Wednesday.
"There's no easy solution," Gilbride said. "They're being very courageous and fighting through it and banged up, and trying to act like there's nothing wrong."
Rookie Gartrell Johnson is the only other healthy running back on the roster besides starter Brandon Jacobs.
"If Danny Ware is out and Ahmad is iffy, do I expect to see more carries?" said Jacobs, repeating a question from a reporter. "Who else are they going to give it to? I'm joking, man. I do expect to see more carries and I do expect more playing time than I normally get. I'm looking forward to that challenge and that opportunity."
After rushing for career-high 1,089 yards last season, Jacobs has 683 yards rushing but has failed to run for 100 or more yards in game. He has gotten more than 21 carries in a game just once this season, and has a combined 34 attempts in his last three games.
That might change against on Sunday, when the Giants will need Jacobs to stay on the field.
"Hopefully his health will allow him to," Gilbride said.
Johnson was a fourth-round pick by San Diego in April, and was claimed by the Giants in September. He has 11 carries for 39 yards.
"He's getting there," Jacobs said of Johnson. "He's just like every rookie that comes in and struggles with the playbook. He's learning, and he's getting better and he's going to be able to take some snaps for us also."
Michael Johnson could miss the game with a groin injury, although Coughlin said he was able to do "everything but practice."
-- Dennis Waszak Jr.
Another Jaguars home game blacked out
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Make it six blackouts for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Jaguars (6-5) failed to sell out Sunday's home game against Houston (5-6). The game will not be televised in Jacksonville or in secondary markets that include Gainesville, Daytona Beach, Orlando and Savannah, Ga.
The Jaguars have distributed a little more than 46,000 tickets per home game this season, and the average turnstile count has been even lower.
Owner Wayne Weaver doesn't anticipate selling out any home games in 2009, although team officials hope to avoid a blackout when Indianapolis visits Dec. 17.
Weaver said earlier this season that winning would help the small-market franchise, but there has been only a marginal increase in ticket sales even though the Jaguars have won four in a row at home.
Jags waive Landri, elevate Wyche to active roster
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars have waived defensive tackle Derek Landri, a high school teammate and close friend of running back Maurice Jones-Drew.
The Jaguars parted ways with Landri on Thursday and activated defensive end James Wyche from the practice squad.
Jacksonville has struggled all season to pressure quarterbacks, ranking last in the league with 10 sacks, and wants to see if Wyche can help.
Landri, meanwhile, never found a niche. He added 20 pounds in the offseason in hopes of becoming an every-down defender, but the extra weight seemed to hinder his quickness. He was buried on the depth chart and inactive the last four weeks.
A fifth-round pick in 2007, Landri and Jones-Drew never lost a game together at powerhouse De La Salle High in California.
