ALLEN APPLEGARTHTAMPA, FL
With all the talk of the 12th man, and the Cowboys' success, can we finally expect our stadium to be predominantly loud for Dallas, instead of for the other team?
Bryan: I am from this city and I can honestly say that we are very much a fair weather sports town. When it's going well we are all on board, and that is a problem. Jason Garrett has come out and said that the team needs to give them a reason to come to the game and cheer – well the team is playing better so the fans need to do their part and I believe you will see that.
David: Yeah, my guess is it's a safe bet. Obviously, the Cowboys are winning, but the Giants are also a bit of a different fanbase than the previous three home opponents. New Orleans and Houston are two of the closest NFL cities to Dallas, so it's natural for them to bring a lot of fans. San Francisco, much like Dallas, Green Bay and Pittsburgh, has a huge national fanbase. It's logical that those three opponents would bring sizable crowds to AT&T Stadium. The Giants don't really fit that mold. I expect the Cowboys to have a real homefield advantage in this game.
JAMES ROGERSWINDSOR, CT
I heard Brian Dawkins on the radio say J. J. Wilcox was playing "out of his mind." It's the first time I've heard that positive a comment about him. How does that compare to what you're seeing?
Bryan: I am a huge Brian Dawkins fan from my days with him in Philadelphia, but I am surprised the former safety made those comments. He must have studied his tape against the Texans. Wilcox has had his moments but playing out of his mind would be the last thing I would have said. If Dawkins would have said Rolando McClain it would have made far more sense. I will say that I have been encouraged by his play but he really needs to be more consistent with his play, especially his tackling.
[embeddedad0]David: Those comments seem a little strong, but I have been impressed by Wilcox's level of play – for the most part. He shows up much more often in the running game than the passing game, which is probably not what you want from a safety. But he hits hard, and he does seem to have a knack for always being there to clean up after everyone else. In order for him to be "playing out of his mind," I'd like to see a few more game-changing plays – batted balls, interceptions, forced fumbles, etc. For now, he's playing decently and not getting in the way of the more experienced defensive backs around him -- which is pretty good for a second-year player.
