With a return of splendid rookie DeMarco Murray topping the wish list, it looks as if Santa may have to disappoint or somehow sell me on the Sammy Morris replacement action figure. You know, you wanted GI-Joe with the Kung Foo grip, but you get KP Bob with a spatula. Not quite the apples for apples trade off. With Felix nursing the ever-perplexing hammy, does it really matter if he plays, let alone starts, Saturday afternoon? How effective can you be laying out of practice all week and possessing a health condition that can give out with a simple step or cut? Felix is not 100%, and that's all you need to know about that. Sammy Morris, come on down.
For many reasons, Jones' absence tremendously-hurts the Cowboys, but it reflects the biggest factor plaguing the Dallas Cowboys all year. Consistency. As in lack thereof. They just can't seem to string together something back to back or week to week. Not that the Tampa Bay Bucs were '85 Bears or the 2000 Baltimore Ravens by any stretch, but the hard and punishing running by both Felix and Sammy Morris was encouraging. As football goes, the stronger the running the game, the more deadly Tony Romo becomes. If the Eagles do anything but stop the pass first and dare the Cowboys to beat them on the ground, then they have no business still being mathematically alive for post-season play. Tony Romo should see more pressure than a Goodyear Tire Center. Or can Sammy Morris be Timmy Smith of Super Bowl XXII?
Without a DeMarco Murray-led running attack, this one is going to fall squarely on the shoulders of Rob Ryan and his troops. 
Pressure and containment have to be applied to Michael Vick from opening bell to final buzzer. Allowing him to free-lance and make plays with his feet will undo the Cowboys faster than gift wrap on Christmas morning. If there ever was a time for a dominant defensive performance, this is it. Truth be told, it doesn't have to be anything other than old-fashioned hard work. Getting to the QB, disrupting the flow of plays and wreaking havoc all over the field. It does not have to be exotic or complicated. Hat on hat, beat the man in front of you. The Cowboys just have to want this one more than the other guy. Do they have it in them?
A lot of time has been wasted trying to figure out the 2011 Dallas Cowboys. There is no rhyme or reason for the way things have shaken out over the course of 15 weeks. Throw play-off scenarios and tie-breakers out the window. Trying to comprehend that mess is a sure-fire headache. This is all about winning. Just win. Don't rely on others to control your fate or destiny. Take control of matters yourself, and don't take the blinders off. Jason Witten has always been the critical cog when it comes to squaring off with Philly, and there's no reason not to hang your hat on that horse once again. Having to accept the fact DeMarco Murray is not coming back in time to distribute holiday cheer, then praying and hoping for intestinal fortitude now takes precedent on the wish list. Dear Santa, please, please, please bring a bone fide and heart-filled effort to Cowboys Stadium. Let the Cowboys reveal themselves as a surging playoff contender. Let's see the team we have hoped for all year long!!
