IT’S TRUE-BLUE ENVY: Dallas Cowboys have NFL’s best fan base | America’s Team haters face the most avid, engaged, passionate and supportive fans in the league
Here at The Boys Are Back website, we knew it all along. The Dallas Cowboys have the best fans in the NFL.
The new study from Emory University is sure to turn some heads and anger Dallas Cowboys demonizers, and haters, all around the world.
The Dallas Cowboys are not only “America’s Team”, but they are also have “the best fans” in the NFL according to Mike Lewis and Manish Tripathi (at Emory Sports Marketing Analytics). The authors define “best” as “the most avid, engaged, passionate and supportive fans.” Continue reading →
TEXAS-SIZED TRUE BLUES: Dallas Cowboys fans remain loyal despite results | Fan Poll
ARLINGTON — Dallas Cowboys fans faced Sunday night’s game against Philadelphia with excitement — but also some reservations.
With many players out hurt, the team had a high hurdle to overcome the Eagles to win the NFC East title and a pass to the playoffs.
Ron Barnes, 55, of Denton said the 8-7 record going into Sunday’s game had left him feeling lousy.
“I mean it’s just by the grace of God that we’re in a position where we might win the division,” Barnes said. “We’re lucky to be in the game.”
But he said he’ll always be there for his team.
“I mean they’re our team,” Barnes said. “I was born and raised in Texas. … Through thick and thin, I guess, and I hate the Eagles anyway.”
Eric Campos, 37, of Killeen said he came to Sunday’s game, though the season had left him frustrated, especially because of all the injuries.
The thing that keeps Campos going? Hope.
“We’re still Cowboys fans,” he said.
Elsa Rodriguez, 61, of Corpus Christi was primed to enjoy the game, regardless of the outcome, because it was her first time seeing the Cowboys in person.
But she conceded the team’s performance this season had taken a toll on her.
“The Cowboys have been nerve-racking. … So many emotions,” Rodriguez said.
Through it all, though, she has remained loyal.
“I wish they would just win them all easily, but that doesn’t happen. … They’ll still be my team,” Rodriguez said. “My whole family is Cowboys fans.”
NEW ERA – THE 12th COWPOKE: Rowdy Dallas Cowboys fans create home field advantage at AT&T Stadium (Special Feature)
IRVING, Texas – A Dallas Cowboys team that forced takeaways, held onto an early lead and found its star tight end in the end zone looked almost like an impostor Sunday at AT&T Stadium.
It was another close finish in the opener against the New York Giants, but practically everything leading to the one-score game appeared different from years past. The Dallas Cowboys never trailed Sunday, marking the first time since Week 15 they were tied or led the entire way.
That would be Week 15 of the 2011 season.
The (Texas 2) defense caused turnovers and the Cowboys’ offense only committed one of their own. A Dallas defense that finished with just 16 takeaways last season notched three on its opponents’ first three possessions of the season and finished with six total.
That constant defensive pressure kept the crowd in it throughout. Fans at AT&T Stadium aren’t accustomed to getting an early lead and holding onto it, and they’re also not known for creating an electric atmosphere. That was far from the case Sunday night.
Cowboys towels spiraled and rotated through the wave of fans, most of whom were on their feet, particularly as the game wound down. It wasn’t a smattering of cheers. It was a real home field advantage.
“I just want to say that was as good as I’ve seen our home stadium,” said quarterback Tony Romo. “The crowd was exceptional. They were outstanding from the moment we started until the end of the football game. If they continue to do that, this is going to be a tough place to play. I was just really excited about the way they brought the energy and the noise level that that was throughout he football game. That was awesome to see.”
That’s what happens when the team holds onto a lead against a division opponent. The Cowboys trailed at some point in every game last season. In only took one game in 2013 to stop that trend.
It’s tricky for a team to break out when it’s trailing and needing to mount a comeback. That typically will lead to a .500 finish or worse. The Cowboys staged a 23-point comeback to make it a game and still lost to the Giants when they came to Arlington last year.
But the teams reversed roles entirely to start the 2013-2014 season Sunday.
It’s a much more comfortable position to be leading the whole way and holding on late than hoping for a miraculous finish. Eli Manning and the Giants found out Sunday what the Cowboys’ offense found out so often last season. The Cowboys weren’t used to being in that spot and allowed too many big plays Sunday to let the Giants back in, but past Cowboys teams would have relinquished that lead and folded. This one didn’t.
Few things remained the same as they had throughout the 8-8 seasons of the past. One area that did look similar was in the red zone, where problems were still apparent. The Cowboys can’t expect to go 50 percent when they get inside the 20 and expect to win consistently.
On the other side, though, they found a red zone target in Jason Witten they couldn’t find at all last year. That will make teams think twice about doubling Dez Bryant the way the Giants did throughout Sunday’s game.
It’s only one game, and as the Cowboys found out at the beginning of last year, things can change quickly without a repeat performance a week later. But any change from the status quo should be recognized, and it was applauded by a noticeably rowdy crowd at AT&T Stadium on Sunday night.
PREGAME PREPARATION: Ten Atlanta Falcons that Dallas Cowboys fans need to know (Special Feature)
The Dallas Cowboys are coming of their most emotional loss of the season and get rewarded by facing the league’s only undefeated team. But you never know what can happen in the NFL especially on Sunday night. So before the Dallas Cowboys head off to Atlanta this weekend, here’s a look at 10 Atlanta Falcons you ought to know before kickoff.
QB Matt Ryan – Dubbed as ‘Matty Ice’ for being cool under pressure, Ryan is quickly climbing the ladder to become on of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks. In 2010, he set career highs in touchdowns (28), completion percentage (62.5) and yards (3,705) and earned a trip to Hawaii as a Pro Bowler. He followed that up by passing for over 4,000 yards and 29 touchdowns last season. Ryan is now on pace to have his best season yet and is the main reason why the Falcons are the only undefeated team in the NFL.
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DE John Abraham – The Dallas Cowboys offensive line will have a tough time handling Abraham, who is the Atlanta Falcons career leader in sacks with 64.5. Abraham has racked up six sacks in his past five games and is absolutely dominating opposing offensive tackles. The four-time Pro Bowler has also forced three fumbles and batted three balls down at the line of scrimmage this season.
WR Roddy White – While Julio Jones may be the new kid on the block, White still gets his share of targets and currently leads the Falcons with 40 receptions for 591 yards and four touchdowns. White has posted five straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons and is showing no signs of slowing down. He might not be as big and physical as Jones, but he creates separation and will nab anything in his vicinity.
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LB Sean Weatherspoon – Luckily for the Dallas Cowboys, Weatherspoon suffered an ankle injury on Sunday is listed as questionable. If he does play, Weatherspoon will certainly make his presence felt. He has been a tackling machine this season and leads the Falcons with 52 tackles and three sacks. If Weatherspoon is unable to go, it will be a huge loss for Atlanta not only as linebacker but as the leader of this defense.
WR Julio Jones – After being drafted sixth overall in the 2011 draft, Jones has blossomed into one of the NFL’s most dangerous wide receivers. Last season, he led all rookie wide outs in touchdown receptions with eight. This year, he has seen role grow as the Falcons continue to become a pass happy offense. So far, Jones has recorded 35 receptions for 499 yards and five touchdowns.
S Thomas DeCoud – In a secondary that features talented corners Asante Samuel and Dunta Robinson, it is DeCoud, who leads the Falcons in interceptions with four and pass deflections with six. Tony Romo is coming off a four interception game so if he continues this trend, DeCoud will more than likely be the man catching his errant passes.
RB Michael Turner – The burner is on the downfall but is still the primary option in Atlanta. Turner leads the Falcons with 415 yards and three touchdowns but has only rushed for over 100 yards once this season. Despite the decline in production, expect Turner to carry a heavy load and maybe even break a couple of big runs.
TE Tony Gonzalez -Simply put, Gonzalez is Mr. Reliable. The 36-year old has been to the Pro Bowl 12 times and continues to be one of the most dominant tight ends in the game. His 59 targets is tied with Roddy White for the team lead, which means Ryan still trusts his savvy veteran pass catcher. Gonzalez actually leads the Falcons in receptions with 46 and is tied for second on the team with four touchdown catches.
CB Asante Samuel – Low risk. High reward. All the Falcons had to give up to obtain the four-time Pro Bowler was a seventh round pick, which is pretty low price considering Samuel’s 38 interceptions since 2006 lead the NFL. Samuel has rewarded Atlanta by holding down his side of the field this season in place of Brent Grimes, who was lost for the year with a torn ACL. Samuel has deflected four passes and returned an interception for a touchdown against Oakland. Cowboys should already be familiar with Samuel, who is the second on the Eagles all-time interception list.
RB Jacquizz Rodgers – With Turner struggling, expect Rodgers to steal a few more carries. The Oregon State product is used often on third downs and is an excellent pass catcher out of the backfield. Being a scat back makes him a perfect compliment to a bigger back like Turner. This season Rodgers has rushed for 137 yards, caught 20 passes for 137 yards and scored two total touchdowns (see below).
Editors Clarification: Jacquizz Rodgers has scored a total of 2 touchdowns, including his TD in the 27-3 win @SD in Week #3 of the 2011 season.
Special Thanks: A shout out to Tandy at Falcons Life Forums in Atlanta.
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HOME AWAY FROM HOME: Loud rival fans could be sign of things to come
IRVING, Texas — Wherever the Cowboys travel their following is always there, even in New York, Philadelphia and Washington.
In the 2005 season opener at San Diego, Cowboys’ fans were so loud the Chargers had to use a silent count late in the game.
On Monday, Cowboys Stadium was hardly a home-field advantage. Of the 90,080 on hand, a number of them were Chicago fans and let their presence be known. As one “Let’s go Bears” chant broke out late, linebacker Brian Urlacher was seen mouthing, “Wow.”
“Last time we came down here, there’s nothing like hearing the “Let’s go Bears,” chant early and throughout the game,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said after the game. “I thought our fans were outstanding. The Chicago Bear colors were all around, they really were. I’m glad we are able to give our loyal fans that type of effort.”
Jason Garrett was asked about how loud the Bears fans were on Tuesday.
“Oh, the Bears have a great national following,” Garrett said. “They’ve had it for a long, long time, so that doesn’t surprise us. And certainly the way the game went, we gave them some reasons to get fired up. That’s just the nature of it. The Chicago people love their Bears. They have for a long, long time.”
Another visitor to Cowboys Stadium has a great national following, too. Pittsburgh visits Dec. 13. The last time the Steelers came to the area in 2004, Terrible Towels overran Texas Stadium. Cowboys Stadium could be more of the same.
After a 6-2 record to open the $1.2 billion stadium in 2009, the Cowboys have a 7-10 home record.
FICKLE FANS: Dallas Cowboys 16-10 win over Tampa Bay one of worst-rated games in recent memory
Cowboys-Buccaneers earned a 28.5 rating in Dallas-Fort Worth, making it the lowest rated, non-Christmas-day regular-season Sunday afternoon game of the last two seasons. The 28.5 on KDFW (Channel 4) translates into 737,580 homes.
The game peaked at a 33.2 (859,216 homes) from 3 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
For what it’s worth, the Rangers-Mariners began at 3:10 p.m. with a rating for that first quarter hour of 0.4 (11,400 homes). The Rangers audience built from there and finished with a 4.5 average (116,460 homes).
EDITORS RANT: Someday, Dallas area fans may discover the “12th Man” concept. Traditionally, the crowds at Dallas Cowboy games are among the quietest in the league. Pathetic. The Dallas Cowboys are taken for granted, in many cases. NFL fans in other major markets would LOVE to have the ‘boys in their backyard! I’d like to see people filling the seats that are willing to actually stand up and raise their voices! It’s not a ‘who’s who’ or a corporate board room … it’s a GAME!
Texas has always prided itself as being the ‘biggest and the best”. You have the biggest and best stadium in the country! You have a franchise respected around the world. Why don’t we hear some Texas-sized loud mouthed hell raising? This should be the loudest stadium in the country. Wake up. Who knows, you might even get seen on the big screen!
Other teams view Cowboys Stadium as THEIR home turf! Doesn’t that bother you?
DeMarcus Ware in the running for Madden 13 cover
Outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware beat out tight end Jason Witten in fan voting for the Cowboys’ representative in SportsNation’s Madden 13 Cover Vote.
Ware’s opponent in the first round is another sack specialist, Vikings defensive end Jared Allen.
You can vote on the matchup here.
First-round voting runs through March 28. Each round lasts a week, and the cover winner will be revealed April 25.
TBAB comment: Vote for your favorite player, or vote for the player you want to curse! haha
NEW YORK GIANTS BRANDON JACOBS: Dallas Cowboys fans are even worse than Eagles fans
Giants running back Brandon Jacobs might not be an All-Pro on the field this season, but he continues to be a superstar for reporters looking for a good quote.
With the NFC East title at stake in Sunday night’s game at MetLife Stadium, Jacobs bypassed taking a shot at the Dallas Cowboys … at least for now. Instead, he chose to throw some unprovoked daggers at Dallas’ fan base.
“You know what it is? You’ve got a lot of people on other teams hating the Cowboys. It’s their fans,” Jacobs said Thursday, according to the New York Daily News. “Some of their fans are loud, obnoxious and just bad.
“Just everywhere you go you’ve got them Dallas fans, running their mouth about Dallas," Jacobs went on. "They keep going. It’s not really the team and the star and all that. They’re just like any other team in the National Football League if you ask me. But their fans are the ones that have me really just feeling the way I feel.”
Jacobs said Dallas Cowboy fans out-obnoxious even the infamous “Iggles” supporters in Philadelphia.
“Yeah, they are (worse),” Jacobs said. “I’m not talking about being actually at the game and doing the type of stuff they do in Philly. I’m just talking about in everyday life. Cowboys fans get on my nerves.”
With his future in New York far from secure, this could be Jacobs’ last taste of the Giants-Cowboys rivalry. Did you really think he’d go out quietly?
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