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The season-long suspension of New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma pretty much is unprecedented in the NFL.

There have been plenty of one-year suspensions (and some longer) for substance-abuse violations. But Vilma’s suspension ranks as one of the longest in history.

With help from the Associated Press, by way of ESPN Stats & Information, here’s a list of the longest non-substance-abuse suspensions in NFL history:

• Art Schlichter, Life, suspended 1 year for gambling in 1983, never reinstated
• Merle Hapes, 8 years, suspended for conversing with known gambler in 1946, reinstated in 1954
• Frank Filchock, 3 years, suspended for conversing with known gambler in 1947, reinstated in 1950
• Michael Vick, 2 years, 2 games, suspended indefinitely in 2007 after pleading guilty to role in dogfighting
• Plaxico Burress, 2 years, suspended for duration of jail term in 2009 after pleading guilty to criminal possession of a weapon
• Donte’ Stallworth, 1 year, suspended for 1 year after pleading guilty to DUI manslaughter in 2009
• Paul Hornung, 1 year, suspended 1 year for gambling in 1963
• Alex Karras, 1 year, suspended 1 year for gambling in 1963
• Adam Jones, 1 year, suspended 1 year for violating Personal Conduct Policy in 2007

Those suspensions all involved off-field actions. Here is the list of the longest NFL suspensions for on-field incidents:

• 2006: Albert Haynesworth suspended five games after stomping on head of Cowboys center Andre Gurode. Gurode was not wearing a helmet at the time.
• 2011: Ndamukong Suh suspended two games after stomping on right arm of Packers lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith.
• 1986: Charles Martin suspended two games for body-slamming Bears QB Jim McMahon to turf.

In Sunday's game between the Ravens and Texans, four players will be on the field from the same high school.

Justin Ray from ESPN Stats and Info reports that North Shore High School, located in the Eastern portion of Houston, is where three Ravens and one member of the Houston Texans played high school football.

Texans defensive tackle Earl Mitchell will be able to talk Mustangs football with three Ravens: center Andre Gurode, cornerback Chykie Brown and defensive end Cory Redding.

The Baltimore Ravens added a Pro Bowler to their offensive line on Sunday. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Ravens agreed to terms with Pro Bowl center Andre Gurode to a one-year deal.

Here are some thoughts on the move:

• I like that the Ravens haven't been afraid to patch holes on their roster. Baltimore recently traded for receiver Lee Evans, signed left tackle Bryant McKinnie, and just solidified the center spot with Gurode. These were three big question marks on the team several weeks ago. That is no longer the case.
• What does this mean for veteran center Matt Birk? He's coming off knee surgery. This could be a sign the Ravens aren't confident in Birk heading into the Steelers game. Gurode has been a starter most of his career and will be the starter in Baltimore. It's just a matter of how quickly Gurode can pick up the offense with just one week of practice.
• I keep harping on the point that defensive lineman Haloti Ngata still has the franchise tag. The Ravens could add a couple more solid players if they reach a long-term agreement with Ngata. An extension was expected weeks ago, but talks clearly have been more difficult than expected.

The news of the day so far in the NFC East is the Dallas Cowboys' decision to release center Andre Gurode and apparently head into the season with three new starters on the offensive line. Now, as happens whenever anyone we've ever heard of gets released, fans of the teams in this division want to know if he's going to end up on their teams. So:

• Cowboys: No, obviously.
• Giants: Extremely unlikely. They targeted and signed David Baas to play center and they like him. They like their guards, too.
• Eagles: Doubtful. They want Jason Kelce to win the job, and even if he doesn't, they already have Jamaal Jackson.
• Redskins: Possible, but I admit I don't have any insight into whether they're still looking to add to their line.

Miami makes sense, and I think I saw somebody mention Chicago. If Gurode is to be a division alum, we wish him well, but we're not likely to pay him much more attention. I'd rather focus on the offensive linemen who are actually in the division, and since the line pictures are starting to come into clear focus with all four teams (for better or for worse), let's take a look at each. Alphabetically, of course, since that's the only way I know to minimize hurt feelings.

Dallas Cowboys

Starters: LT Doug Free, LG Bill Nagy, C Phil Costa, RG Kyle Kosier, RT Tyron Smith

Reserves: G David Arkin, G Montrae Holland, T Sam Young, C Kevin Kowalski

Analysis: Wouldn't be surprised to see them add a veteran swingman who can back up the tackles. Nagy or Kowalski can handle center if Costa's not ready for the start of the season. I'd expect Arkin to get the first shot at playing time over Holland if a guard spot opened up, but if they should need a long-term fill-in, they might lean toward Holland. They like Arkin a lot but believe he needs more seasoning. Overall, there are more question marks here than you'd like to see. Nagy knows what he's doing but may not be strong enough yet to play the position full-time in the NFL. Smith is a beast, but his footwork still needs some refinement. And the group as a whole hasn't played together for more than a couple of weeks. The most important guy may be Kosier, whom line coach Hudson Houck described to me last week as "kind of a secondary coach out there" because of the way he communicates with and among the other linemen. If they come together quickly and the rookies develop, Kosier is likely to get a lot of the credit.

New York Giants

Starters: LT William Beatty, LG David Diehl, C David Baas, RG Chris Snee, RT Kareem McKenzie

Reserves: T Stacy Andrews, T Jamon Meredith, C Adam Koets, G Kevin Boothe

Analysis: Koets may have to begin the season on the PUP list because of his injured knee, which could open a spot for Mitch Petrus or even rookie James Brewer. With Snee and McKenzie, the Giants have as strong a right side as any line in the entire league. Baas looks like a professional and a mauler, and the only question is how quickly he can get up to speed with Eli Manning and his linemates, since he's the new guy in town and they haven't had many here lately. Moving inside to guard should help Diehl, who struggled at tackle last year even when he was healthy. For me, the whole thing rests on whether third-year man Beatty is ready to handle the role of starting left tackle in the NFL. Diehl is right there to help him, and Beatty isn't a rookie or new to the Giants. They believe they've groomed him for this and that he's ready. Assuming he is, the talent and the relative lack of major changes makes this the division's top line.

Philadelphia Eagles

Starters: LT Jason Peters, LG Evan Mathis, C Jason Kelce, RG Danny Watkins, RT Todd Herremans

Reserves: C Jamaal Jackson, T Winston Justice, T King Dunlap, G Reggie Wells

Analysis: If Justice isn't ready, maybe Mike McGlynn grabs that spot. Still some things unsettled here, including among the starters. Mathis, Kelce and Watkins are all new, the latter two are rookies and Herremans is changing positions from left guard. Watkins is the first-round draft pick and as such he can expect to be the starter no matter how badly he's struggled in the preseason. They're saying the same about Kelce, but if he's clearly not ready they can always go back to Jackson until he is. Peters is a given, and a stud, in the passing and running games. And Herremans should be fine at tackle, though it says a lot about where the Eagles are with the state of their line that they moved him there with two weeks left in the preseason. I predict that this line will struggle at the outset, and maybe even cost Philadelphia an early game or two, but that it will show improvement under Howard Mudd as things move along and ultimately be good enough to deliver effective protection for Michael Vick and the Eagles' other outstanding skill-position players.

Washington Redskins

Starters: LT Trent Williams, LG Kory Lichtensteiger, C Will Montgomery, RG Chris Chester, RT Jammal Brown

Reserves: T Sean Locklear, G Artis Hicks, G Selvish Capers, C Erik Cook

Analysis: One of the reasons I couldn't rule out Gurode here was that the group could use some depth. As for the starters, though, this is the line in the NFC East that looks most like it did last year. Only Chester is new, and while Montgomery wasn't the starting center last year, he played there and is likely to be an upgrade over Casey Rabach. Due to Mike Shanahan's zone-blocking scheme, this is a group that must play and execute together in order to be effective. If one guy looks bad, the whole line is going to look bad. A lot rests on Williams, the fourth overall pick in the 2010 draft, who must play with more consistency this year if he's to prove his talent justified that pick. Brown was a big re-signing, as he was well liked by teammates and linemates and brings a veteran presence among a relatively young group.

Assuming my power stays on long enough here in Northern New Jersey Saturday night, I will be watching the Dallas Cowboys' preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings. But even if the power does stay on, I won't be seeing center Andre Gurode, who is apparently healthy but won't be playing as the team ponders his future, his salary and his spot on the roster. Gurode has a $5.5 million base salary and a $7.2 million cap number this season, and it appears as though the team would like him to take a pay cut.

Seems like odd timing, but it apparently speaks to how impressed the Cowboys have been with the play of Phil Costa, who's been filling in at center this preseason while Gurode has been hurt. Costa won't play Saturday either, since he's out with a knee injury. But Jerry Jones told reporters in Minneapolis that they expect Costa to be back by the season opener. If Gurode is gone (or even if he stays and takes that pay cut), Costa looks like the likely starter at center to begin the season as long as he's healthy.

This likely also says a lot about what the team thinks of rookie Bill Nagy, the seventh-rounder who's been starting at left guard lately in place of the injured Montrae Holland. The starting left guard job is still probably Holland's if he gets back and healthy, but the team has been impressed with Nagy, who can play guard or center, and his strong showing thus far improves their position in these talks with Gurode.

With rookie Tyron Smith already set to start at right tackle, the Cowboys' offensive line is clearly in flux with a couple of weeks left before the season starts. Keep a close eye on Nagy Saturday night to see how he holds up. Kevin Kowalski's going to start at center Saturday, but he's not likely to be a factor during the regular season.

You have injuries along the offensive line, and it's preseason, so you throw your seventh-round draft pick in there to see what he's got because ... well, why not? Worst that happens, you try something else. Best that happens, you get pleasantly surprised. Dallas Cowboys offensive line coach Hudson Houck was pleasantly surprised by Bill Nagy when things started to go wrong.

"There are a lot of things you can't coach, and one of them is recovery," Houck told me after a recent Cowboys practice. "This guy can get into kind of an awkward position and still figure out a way to get the job done. And that's important, because you want to teach good technique, but not everything always goes according to plan on that field."

Things didn't go exactly according to Nagy's plan at Wisconsin. As a junior, he got into a moped accident and suffered serious injuries that cost him playing time and, ultimately, his spot in the Badgers' starting lineup. He started only a handful of games as a senior last year, and much of the action he did see was as an extra tight end near the goal line and in short-yardage situations. Once a top line prospect, he headed into the NFL draft not knowing what to expect.

"I went into the process understanding that, at first, it wasn't likely that I was going to get drafted, but that I could get an opportunity," Nagy said. "And then I performed fairly well at my pro day and some more opportunities started opening up."

The Cowboys took him at the back end of the seventh round, with the third-to-last pick in the entire draft. He was three picks away from spending the locked-out summer wondering where he'd end up. Instead, he knew he'd be a Cowboy. What he didn't know was that he'd be the Cowboys' starting left guard for last week's preseason game and, it now appears, their next one as well. With starting center Andre Gurode and projected starting left guard Montrae Holland out with injuries, the interior of the Dallas offensive line has offered opportunities for Nagy and fourth-round pick David Arkin to show what they can do. Houck said the Cowboys like Arkin a lot, but that Nagy looks more ready to step in and play right away if need be.

"We knew he could run and we knew he competed, but there's stuff about a player you can't know until you get him into your camp," Houck said. "He's a real smart player, got a lot of savvy and knows how to play the game. He played in a real tough conference against some real serious competition, and I think that shows up. He's got a lot of high-level experience, even though he may not have had an opportunity play as much in college as some others."

Wisconsin isn't the easiest place in the world for an offensive lineman to get comfortable. Nagy said that, when you get hurt and miss time there, you have real concern about losing your spot.

"To get on the field at Wisconsin is an achievement," Nagy said. "At Wisconsin, there's always somebody coming up behind you and there's always a lot of talent. Every day was competition there, and that's helped me because, every day, that's what it is here."

The Cowboys have used Nagy at guard and at center this offseason. (Houck said it's a testament to Nagy's relative readiness that they've worked him at center and haven't done so with Arkin.) They still expect Gurode to be the starting center and to be back soon, so there's a chance Phil Costa, who's been filling in at center, could land at that left guard spot. But if Holland doesn't hurry back (and Houck didn't seem to think he was all that close), that spot is up for grabs. And it just might be the Cowboys' late seventh-round pick who grabs it.

"I feel good about him," Houck said. "He's been very impressive."

Thoughts from the Cowboys' 20-7 preseason loss to the visiting Chargers.

Defense is what matters for the Dallas Cowboys. Defense is what killed them in 2010, and defense will determine whether or not they can rebound and return to playoff contention in 2011. And so, when you tune in to watch a Cowboys preseason game, you're going to watch the defense. And it is, as we mentioned in Camp Confidential, a work in progress.

New defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's defense is based on multiple and varied looks. It's intended to confuse the opposing offense, but before it can do that, the players playing the defense must learn the scheme and develop trust and confidence in it. Since the lockout eliminated OTAs and minicamps, the Cowboys couldn't start practicing their roles in Ryan's new scheme until a couple of weeks ago, and the lack of experience in the new system has shown in both of their preseason games so far.

The best example was Randy McMichael's touchdown catch from Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers. The Cowboys' pass rush had Rivers cold and he looked as though he was about to throw the ball away. But because cornerback Alan Ball and safety Gerald Sensabaugh had both gone after the same receiver, McMichael was wide open. Rivers saw him and found him for the touchdown, and Ryan had something to say to Sensabaugh when he came off the field.

There were good things that happened, too. Barry Church had an excellent game, knocking down a touchdown pass in the first half and making a great open-field tackle in the third quarter. And Ryan lined top linebacker DeMarcus Ware in several different spots -- left side, right side, dropped him into pass coverage. As a coordinator, Ryan's never had a player as good as Ware, and he's going to have more and more fun with him as everybody gets comfortable in the new system and he can keep moving Ware (and others) all over the field into unexpected spots.

But the question is how soon that will be. Can this Cowboys team learn and become comfortable in this new system in just two more preseason games and three more weeks of practice? There are still communication issues in the secondary, and injured starting cornerbacks Mike Jenkins and Terence Newman haven't even played yet, so there's no way to even know if they'll be good enough to allow Ryan to do what he wants to do up front. Long way to go before the Cowboys' defense looks like a cohesive unit, and they don't have a lot of time.

Here are some other things I saw in the loss to San Diego:

1. The first-team offensive line looked good. Especially rookie right tackle Tyron Smith, who is big and strong and athletic and just looks like a nightmare to try and get past. They've been working with Smith on his footwork, specifically the alignment of his left foot, and it's a matter of him getting comfortable with the new foot position and trusting it. He looked better and protecting the outside Sunday night than he had in the first game. Fellow rookie Bill Nagy got the start at left guard and handled himself well, but he gets overpowered by stronger defensive linemen, as rookie David Arkin did a bit last week. If everyone's healthy (including starting center Andre Gurode), I still think either Montrae Holland or Phil Costa starts at left guard three weeks from now in New York. But Nagy and Arkin will still get opportunities in the meantime to show what they can do, and there are plenty of reasons to like both -- for the near future, if not immediately. You can always build strength.

2. I don't have anything, really, to say on Tony Romo. Yes, his interception was terrible -- terrible decision, terrible throw, terrible all the way around. But from the Twitter reaction you'd have thought it was his 700th consecutive pass attempt that resulted in an interception. His touchdown pass was a very good throw, and while it seems clear that those who don't like Romo will always be looking for reasons to point and shout, "See? Told ya!", he has offered no reason to worry and remains very low on the Cowboys' list of concerns.

3. Lonyae Miller and Phillip Tanner. With Tashard Choice and DeMarco Murray injured, the younger running backs on the Cowboys roster have had a chance to show their stuff. Miller looked good early, and the block he threw against the blitz early in the third quarter will show up on his personal highlight film. But his fumble will not, and fumbles can kill a fringe guy's chances of making the team. Tanner struggled in pass protection last week, but he looks like a better runner than Miller does. I don't think any defenders let up on the play after he lost his helmet on the touchdown that got called back, so on tape that's going to show up as a tough touchdown run. Difficult call, if it comes down to two of these guys for one spot, or if they're looking to see whether or not one can unseat Choice.

4. Oh, and the starting running back. Felix Jones, for the second week in a row... wow. Fast, tough and resilient. Guy is moving up those fantasy draft boards, I guarantee. He's running like he means it. His teammates like the spark he brings. He's seeing the field and his lanes from the backfield, and he's working for extra yards against a very good defense in a game that doesn't count. Everything you'd want to see out of Jones when presented with a chance to be the every-down guy, he's showing. My only concern? He's taking a lot of hits, and hasn't exactly shown himself to be Mr. Durable in the past. If he can hold up, he's got a chance to bring something special.

5. The No. 3 receiver issue. If it's Kevin Ogletree's job to lose, he didn't do anything to lose it Sunday. He looked very speedy and very determined, and we didn't see any of the Dwayne Harris magic we saw last year. Manuel Johnson was the down-the-roster receiver who made the strongest second-half impression with Stephen McGee under center. Which is probably another reason for Ogletree to feel good about things.

6. No blood in the kicking battle. Neither Dan Bailey nor David Buehler got a field goal attempt, and I'm not sure I get why neither got one in the final minute. Is it more important right now for the Cowboys to see these guys kick or see if their third-team offense can get in on fourth-and-goal? I guess you could say a 20-yard field goal would be a poor indicator anyway, but still. Why not put one of the kickers in a real game situation if you can?

7. Finally, I'm a little bit surprised by the choice of James Spader for "The Office." My hope is that it allows the very funny people that populate the rest of the cast to shine now that they don't all have to orbit Steve Carell.

Offensive line was the position of greatest need for the Cowboys in this year's draft. They used three of their eight picks on offensive linemen, and all three have been factors so far in training camp. The latest is seventh-rounder Bill Nagy, who took some snaps at left guard with the first-team offense Monday. With Leonard Davis cut, Montrae Holland hurt and Kyle Kosier having moved from left guard to right guard so he could work more closely with rookie right tackle Tyron Smith, left guard is an open position, and the Cowboys are mulling several different options.

"I think we're just continuing to work the different combinations on the offensive line and the guard position is one of them," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said in his news conference Monday. "Montrae has been out, so David Arkin played a lot of it the other day. Nagy has done a really nice job for us with the opportunities he's gotten both at guard and center, so he'll take some snaps. We'll just kind of keep working the different combinations and see what feels right."

Lots of moving parts here still. As Todd Archer points out in the link above, Jerry Jones has hinted that Phil Costa, who's been playing center with starting center Andre Gurode out, could be a candidate for left guard. Todd also suggests that Gurode could move to guard (with Costa, presumably, playing center). This has become a major issue to watch as Cowboys camp and the preseason roll along, and Garrett says he's perfectly fine mixing and matching for now if the end result is that they find their best five in time for the season to start.

"I think you'd rather have your starting five guys established, but oftentimes, when you have injuries or young guys or new guys, it becomes a little bit of a work in progress," Garrett said. "We feel like we have some options to look at. You'd rather have the starting five guys that have been playing together for eight years, but that's not really the case in the NFL, so you adjust accordingly."

Playing the numbers and hoping someone steps up to make the decisions easy for them. This is where the Cowboys appear to be with their offensive line. The reviews on Arkin last week were good. Guess they want to see if Nagy can be even better.

For the second night in a row, the Cowboys agreed to terms on a new contract with a key piece of the left side of their offensive line. This time, it's left guard Kyle Kosier, who will return to Dallas on a three-year deal worth about $9 million. Tuesday night, they reached agreement on a new deal with left tackle Doug Free.

The Cowboys' focus this offseason was going to be on defense, and in the end it will be. But these two offensive line moves were critical at the outset of free agency. Free was the big name everybody thought they had to keep, but Kosier makes a lot of the line calls from his spot on the left side and was a big help to Free last year in his transition from right tackle to left. With right guard Leonard Davis being cut and center Andre Gurode revealing that he had knee surgery last month, the Cowboys may still have some work to do on the interior of the line. But Free and Kosier were the two key moves, and each seems to have been pulled off without much difficulty.

Now, about those safeties ...

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Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 17:


Are the New York Giants playing for Tom Coughlin's job Sunday against the Washington Redskins? If the Giants somehow lose this game at FedEx, there will be immense pressure on co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch to fire Coughlin. And even a win doesn't guarantee Coughlin will return. The Giants dominated the Redskins at the line of scrimmage in their last meeting and Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw both had big days running the ball. The Skins have shown a lot more pride on defense in recent weeks, though, so I don't expect another blowout. Coughlin has asked his players to show more intensity early in this game. He was embarrassed by how his team was physically whipped by Green Bay last Sunday. If that happens against the Redskins, we could be reporting about a coaching search next week.

This is a golden opportunity for Dallas Cowboys third-string quarterback Stephen McGee. If McGee can back up his nice performance against the Arizona Cardinals by leading the Cowboys to a win, he'll have the inside track on being Tony Romo's backup next season. Once McGee got comfortable against the Cardinals, he used his legs to create plays. He even had a Romo-like shovel pass when things broke down in the pocket. If McGee protects the ball, he'll have a great chance to get a win. The Eagles aren't going to do anything that exotic on defense as they prepare for a wild-card playoff game. Interim coach Jason Garrett, on the other hand, will pull out all the Ivy League stops to get a win and impress owner Jerry Jones.

Could this be Kevin Kolb's last start with the Eagles? We all thought Kolb was the heir apparent to Donovan McNabb, but that was before Michael Vick began his MVP campaign. Kolb will have an opportunity to put some more work on film for the teams that are desperate for quarterback help. I think Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg will keep things pretty vanilla with this game plan against the Cowboys, but Kolb will still take a couple of shots downfield against Dallas' cornerbacks. If the Eagles can get a first-round pick for Kolb, they'd have to think about moving him. And if you're the Cardinals or the Vikings, I think Kolb might be a better option than some of the rookies in this draft. And it's not like he'd break the bank since he's already earned the bulk of his money from the Eagles.

I'll be watching the interior of the Cowboys' offensive line Sunday. There are several players -- Kyle Kosier, Leonard Davis, Marc Colombo -- who could be replaced up front this offseason. If the Eagles let defensive tackle Antonio Dixon play for at least the first half, he'll pose a great test for Kosier and center Andre Gurode. Dixon took over as the starter in Week 5 and Brodrick Bunkley's not been able to regain his spot. The Cowboys' interior linemen have had trouble moving their feet and creating any push in the running game this season. Dixon's tough to move and I could see him being a difficult matchup for Kosier.

This is an important game for Mike Shanahan because of the evaluation process. Shanahan loves the fact that New York is still fighting for a playoff spot. He wanted the chance to have one last true evaluation of quarterback Rex Grossman heading into the offseason. Giants coordinator Perry Fewell will bring pressure from a lot of different areas, so Shanahan will see how Grossman responds. It's hard to imagine the Skins heading into 2011 with Grossman as the starter, but for now, that's still a possibility. I also think this game will give the Redskins a chance to see how young players such as outside linebacker Rob Jackson and safety Kevin Barnes build on last week's game against the Jaguars. Starting outside linebacker Brian Orakpo will likely return to the lineup, but Jackson will receive plenty of reps. Barnes made a big play against the Jaguars in overtime, but Shanahan wants to see him improve in other areas. He has to do a better job of tackling in the open field.

» NFC Pro Bowl: East | West | North | South » AFC Pro Bowl: East | West | North | South

Perfect sense: I think right guard Chris Snee was the one New York Giants player who truly deserved to start, so the voters got this one right. And Giants defensive end Justin Tuck is one of the most feared pass-rushers in the league, so he deserved to make it as a reserve. Tuck's six forced fumbles probably helped him grab the final spot ahead of Eagles defensive end Trent Cole (nine sacks), who has been excellent against the run. I think the Philadelphia Eagles' Michael Vick was the most obvious choice in the division. He'll start at quarterback, and he'll be throwing to reserve wide receiver DeSean Jackson of the Eagles. Jackson was edged out for a starting spot by Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions and Roddy White of the Atlanta Falcons. And considering that Jackson's numbers were down when he played with Kevin Kolb early in the season, it's understandable that he didn't receive a starting nod.

I thought Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware and punter Mat McBriar were all no-brainers. Witten has 90 catches and he's lifted his game since Jon Kitna replaced Tony Romo in the starting lineup. Ware hasn't been as dominant as in the past, but he's still considered one of the two or three best pass-rushers in the league. And McBriar has had a phenomenal season. He's led the league in net and gross average for much of the season. But the Cowboys getting five starters while the Eagles only had four seems a bit ridiculous considering their records. I could go either way on Washington's DeAngelo Hall. He has six interceptions and eight takeaways overall, but it's not like he was a picture of consistency. He probably played well enough not to end up in the next category.

Made it on rep: The voters always seem to make major errors along the offensive line. Bears center Olin Kreutz was still starting after he'd faded as as a player. And though Giants center Shaun O'Hara is a good player, he missed way too many games (nine) to be named to a Pro Bowl team this season. Rich Seubert actually had a better season than O'Hara, but more players and coaches have followed O'Hara's work over the years. The fact that Cowboys center Andre Gurode drew a starting nod shows how much of a farce the Pro Bowl can be. Gurode's deserved to go in the past, but not this season. And as talented as he is, you have to say that Jay Ratliff's going on reputation this season. Surely a 5-10 team doesn't deserve five starters. Sometimes it helps to have that star on your helmet at voting time. I'm not sure where to put Eagles left tackle Jason Peters. I will admit that he played much better this season, so this is not as big of a sham as it was last season with him starting. But to me, Todd Herremans is the Eagles' best offensive lineman.

Got robbed: I know Hakeem Nicks missed a couple of games with a leg injury, but I thought he was deserving of Pro Bowl consideration. He has emerged as one of the best wide receivers in a division that is filled with talent at that position. I'm not sure Cowboys left tackle Doug Free was "robbed," but he was best offensive lineman the Cowboys had this season and is far more deserving than Gurode. Cole should have been in the mix, and I also think Eagles defensive tackle Antonio Dixon had one of those under-the-radar nice seasons. Redskins safety LaRon Landry was on pace to make the Pro Bowl team, but an injury landed him on injured reserve. Was he robbed? Probably not. But he had a much better season than O'Hara -- and I think O'Hara would be the first to admit that.

One more name from the Redskins: I realize that rookie left tackle Trent Williams sort of limped into the end of the season, but I was very impressed with how he played in the first 11 games or so.

Click here for the complete Pro Bowl list.

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Five nuggets of knowledge about the Week 6 games:

Can the Cowboys' offensive line hold up against the Vikings? We all know what happened the last time the Cowboys were in the Metrodome. Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards abused right tackle Marc Colombo and All-Pro Jared Allen wore out left tackle Doug Free in a divisional round playoff game in January. You'll recall that Free was forced into that game when Flozell Adams went down with an injury. I think Free will bounce back from a poor game against the Titans and play well against Allen. But the problem with Colombo last season was that he wasn't getting off the snap quickly enough because of the crowd noise in the Metrodome. The Cowboys have worked on their silent counts this week and feel like they're better prepared this time around. Starting center Andre Gurode has a degenerative condition in his knee and will likely be a game-time decision. I think he'll be ready to go, but if not, left guard Kyle Kosier would be his replacement. Montrae Holland would take over at left guard.

The Redskins must diversify their passing game against Colts. Washington tight end Chris Cooley and wide receiver Santana Moss are on pace to have career seasons. That's good news for fans, but at some point, there must be more diversity in this offense. Anthony Armstrong made a huge play in the fourth quarter against the Packers, so perhaps he's a candidate to be targeted. But right now, I think the Redskins are too easy to defend. The Colts have unbelievable pass-rushers in Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, but the Skins could counter some of their speed by running right at them. With Trent Williams back at left tackle, I think this is a game where the Skins needed to pound the running game like they did against the Eagles. But when they must pass, someone other than Moss and Cooley must step forward. Does anyone know what's happened to Fred Davis? This was supposed to be one of the best tight end tandems in the league, but Davis' season hasn't gotten off the ground.

Giants need to put the Lions away early. The New York Giants must assert their dominance early in Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions. Tom Coughlin has made the Lions out to be world beaters, but we know the score. Rookie running back Jahvid Best can burn a defense if he's allowed to have any cutback lanes. I think middle linebacker Jonathan Goff, who has been impressive so far this season, will have some one-on-one situations against Best. Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson is one of the toughest covers in the league. I think you'll see Corey Webster on him initially with some help over the top from Kenny Phillips. The Giants will try to make the Lions one dimensional from the start. Same thing they did against the Texans last week.

The Eagles have a huge opportunity against the Atlanta Falcons. It sort of feels like Atlanta's the best team in the NFC almost by default. Quarterback Matt Ryan's playing really well and the Falcons also have an excellent running game. The Eagles were gashed in the running game by the Washington Redskins, and I assure you that Falcons coach Mike Smith will try to do the same thing. With Brodrick Bunkley (elbow) out for this game, the Eagles must do a good job of gang tackling. We saw what happened to Quintin Mikell when he tried to challenge Washington's Ryan Torain in the open field. Atlanta's Michael Turner can't be allowed to get in a lot of those one-on-one situations. On offense, Kevin Kolb must be smart with the football while playing behind a patchwork offensive line. Andy Reid thinks left tackle King Dunlap will play better with a week of practice under his belt, but I have my doubts. Reid better make sure Dunlap has a lot of help.

Can Randy Moss make the Cowboys pay -- again? No one loves lighting up the Cowboys more than Randy Moss, whom Jerry Jones passed on in the 1998 draft (along with several other teams). With a full week of practice under his belt, Moss could be very dangerous against the Cowboys. Look for him to try to beat the Cowboys on a vertical route early in this game. The Cowboys have struggled against the vertical routes, as evidenced by losses to the Bears and Titans. This is not a smart defense right now, and Brett Favre and Moss will look to make them pay. And I don't believe for a second all this nonsense about Favre not playing because of tendinitis. This is panic time for both teams, and Favre's come too far and had too many unretirements to sit this one out.

As part of our ongoing "Great Debate" series, ESPN.com's Matt Mosley and ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon were asked to discuss the Dallas Cowboys' chances of reaching the Super Bowl. You might have heard that it's being played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Will the prospect of becoming the first NFL team to qualify for a hometown Super Bowl give the Cowboys some extra motivation? We're about to find out over the next six months.

Now, let the debate begin:

Mosley: Tim, let's dive right into this thing without exchanging too many pleasantries because the two of us have never exchanged a lot of pleasantries. I wish we'd had this debate before the preseason games, because the Cowboys' first-teamers were embarrassingly non-competitive in matchups with the Chargers and Texans. But since I don't put one ounce of stock into the preseason, I'll argue that the Cowboys will become the first team in NFL history to play host to a Super Bowl in their own stadium. It sort of makes me queasy to espouse that type of optimism for this franchise, but I honestly think they have a lot of the intangibles that are necessary to make this happen.

The most important ingredient is quarterback Tony Romo. I think winning his first playoff game last season against the Eagles was huge for his confidence. I think we both agree that he has the talent to lead a team to the Super Bowl, but he desperately needed to get the Seattle-New York monkey off his back.

In 2009, Romo learned to put his teammates before himself. It was an important lesson for a guy who forged a reputation based on his devil-may-care approach. As backup quarterback Jon Kitna explained it to me last season, Romo realized that decisions he makes on the field affect everyone in the organization. He ended up with 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions and was able to strike a nice balance between his improv work and his willingness to throw the ball away. He remembered Bill Parcells bellowing in practice, "The throwaway's a good play!"

Oh wait, I need to take a break and let MacMahon say something.

MacMahon: Glad to see Parcells’ wisdom is still fresh in your mind, Matt. Perhaps you recall his oft-repeated line about putting away the anointing oil in regard to Romo.

You really think one playoff win is proof that Romo is ready to carry the Cowboys to a Super Bowl? What about the next weekend? He failed to get the Cowboys in the end zone during a lopsided loss to the Vikings.

Of course, it’s not all about the quarterback. The Cowboys’ biggest concern appears to be their aging offensive line, which got whipped by the modern-day version of the Vikings’ Purple People Eaters. The Cowboys have to cross their fingers that right tackle Marc Colombo and left guard Kyle Kosier can come back strong from knee injuries that could sideline them for the season opener and beyond.

It would be wrong to rule out Romo as a potential Super Bowl quarterback, but it’s foolish to consider him the favorite in a conference that features a couple of guys who have done it before and have great supporting casts (New Orleans’ Drew Brees and Minnesota’s Brett Favre). Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers is also arguably more likely to be a featured attraction at JerryWorld in February.

Perhaps I should pacify the New York branch of your Beast readership by mentioning Eli Manning, who has as many playoff wins on Texas soil as Romo.

Mosley: Tim, we both know that Wade Phillips let that Vikings playoff game get away from him when he opted for a long field goal attempt from a shaky kicker instead of doing the logical thing and going for it on fourth-and-1. And when Flozell Adams suffered an injury in the second quarter, the game was effectively over. But you're correct in saying the offensive line is a major concern. We've learned to appreciate the work of Kosier when he has been out of the lineup and his backup, Montrae Holland, hasn't exactly been a road-grader in the preseason. But wait, I'm arguing against myself.

As crazy as it might sound to longtime Adams apologists such as yourself, Doug Free will be an upgrade at left tackle. He's had a good preseason and the Cowboys' great offensive line coach Hudson Houck, who mentored future Hall of Famer Larry Allen, raves about Free's work on the left side. Once the season gets rolling, perennial Pro Bowlers Andre Gurode and Leonard Davis will return to form.

You talk about the Saints like they're invincible, but I seem to recall the Cowboys going into the Superdome last December and pushing them around. The Saints won a Super Bowl with someone named Jermon Bushrod playing left tackle. The Cowboys might be long in the tooth along the offensive line, but they have better units than the Eagles and Redskins for sure. The Giants have been just as banged up as the Cowboys throughout training camp, so those offensive lines are pretty close.

Last time I checked, Rodgers hadn't won a playoff game, so I'm not sure why every national pundit suddenly has him in front of Romo. And surely Favre's ankle can't hold a lot more lubricant. Without Sidney Rice in the lineup the first half of the season, Favre will be missing a major weapon. If the Cowboys can secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs this time around, I think they'll get a bonus game at their home stadium.

Obviously I'm winning the debate at this point, but I want to give you some more reps. Other than being worried about the offensive line and the talented players on other teams, what's your biggest reason for the Cowboys not going to the Super Bowl?

MacMahon: No wonder you dropped out of Baylor Law School all those years ago. You do a fine job of shooting holes in your own case.

You blame Phillips (1-5 postseason record as a head coach) for making a poor decision in a playoff loss. Does his new contract somehow guarantee that won’t happen again? You mention that the Cowboys had a shaky kicker situation last season. Has that changed? They’re crossing their fingers that David Buehler can get the job done. He’s money on kickoffs and sprints against disappointing draft picks, but he’s never attempted a field goal in the NFL and was erratic at USC.

Of course, you could point out that the Cowboys had no reason to be confident in their short-yardage offense instead of just pointing the finger at Phillips for not going for it on fourth-and-1. After all, your perennial Pro Bowlers couldn’t pave the way for Marion Barber to get a yard on four tries against the Chargers in December. I hate to use actual facts in this debate, but Barber’s conversion percentage on third- and fourth-and-1 ranked among the lowest of backs with at least 10 such opportunities last season.

And you totally lost me with the Flozell Adams turn. You begin by saying how much the Cowboys missed him in the Minnesota massacre and follow it up by declaring that Doug Free is a significant upgrade. Sort of a false start, which is fitting.

Free is certainly an upgrade, but Jared Allen was far from the biggest problem for the Cowboys in the playoff loss. That was Ray Edwards, the Vikings’ other end, who wreaked havoc from the first time that annoying horn blew. Which gets us back to whether Colombo can get completely healthy.

But the biggest reason I’m skeptical about the Cowboys’ Super Bowl aspirations? Because I remember what happened when they were supposed to be Super Bowl front-runners a couple of years ago. I can’t just hop back on the bandwagon. I’ve got to see it to believe it.

Mosley: Tim, that's a fascinating conclusion you've reached. You need to see them reach the Super Bowl before you can be convinced they can get to a Super Bowl. And to compare this current group of players to the '08 "front-runners" is completely unfair. That locker room was home to Pacman Jones, Tank Johnson and Terrell Owens.

With those players "safely" in Cincinnati now, the Cowboys have a completely different team. The arrival of Keith Brooking in '09 via free agency was a huge thing for this team. He's an excellent linebacker, but more important, he's a tremendous leader. He and safety Gerald Sensabaugh were big-time additions to this defense.

The Cowboys had one of the top defenses in the league last season, and they have a chance to be better in 2010. The other three NFC East teams have major questions. And I think the Saints are about to go through a Super Bowl hangover season. Which NFC East team has a better defense than the Cowboys?

Which NFC team has a better quarterback than the Cowboys -- outside of the Saints? You could make an argument for Favre, but all that lubricant in his ankle is going to bring him down at some point. And Rodgers has more pressure on him than Romo, because the Packers have a suspect defense.

You're making a passionate case against the Cowboys going to the Super Bowl, but in your heart of hearts, you know they have an excellent chance. I'm going to give you a shot at a closing argument here. To this point, all of your statements have been summarily defeated by a man with half a law degree. Time to sound the retreat, sir.

MacMahon: The Cowboys’ cheerleading team has clearly lowered their standards to let you join the squad.

I’ll grant you that this is a much more mature team than the band of misfits that melted down in 2008. The Brooking-T.O. swap certainly worked chemistry wonders, and guys such as Romo and Jay Ratliff have grown into good leaders.

The Cowboys should certainly be considered NFC East favorites, having won the division two of the past three seasons and adding Dez Bryant to their talented core. They merit consideration as Super Bowl contenders, but with their difficult schedule, I don’t see the Cowboys claiming home-field advantage. And I wouldn’t bet on them winning a playoff game in Green Bay, Minnesota or New Orleans.

You declare that the Cowboys have an excellent chance to play a home Super Bowl. I’d downgrade that to a decent chance. Go ahead and crack the anointing oil if you wish. I’m keeping the lid on my bottle until February.

If this was truly a dress rehearsal for the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday evening, Redskins fans have to be licking their chops for Sept. 12. The Cowboys' first-team offense was once again whipped by an AFC defense. And the defense wasn't much better. The Colts don't get worried about pitiful preseason performances because of their winning pedigree. I'm afraid Cowboys fans won't take the same laidback approach. Now let's assess the damage:

• About the best thing you can say about the first half is that fourth-round pick Akwasi Owusu-Ansah opened the game with a 41-yard return. He showed a nice burst and Joe DeCamillis's unit did a good job creating a lane along the right side of the field.
• It looked like the Cowboys' offensive line hadn't seen a stunt all preseason. On the first sack of Tony Romo, Texans defensive end Mario Williams came racing up the middle and Andre Gurode appeared to be shocked by his arrival.
• Both Bradie James and Mike Jenkins did a nice job diagnosing plays early in the game, but Jenkins has to do a better job wrapping up. That's what Darren Woodson was really worried about with this group. Would they be able to tackle? Jenkins looked bad early in the game. Then Alan Ball started missing tackles.
• The Cowboys are praying Dez Bryant will someday be like Andre Johnson. Matt Schaub has the luxury of being able to deliver the ball even when Johnson is closely covered. Johnson caught one ball on the first drive with Terence Newman all over him and then dragged him another 5 yards.
• Jason Witten had no chance against defensive end Antonio Smith. Witten was overwhelmed by Smith when the Cowboys tried to run the ball to the left side. The Cowboys' running game has been bad throughout the preseason. I did like the draw play to Felix Jones on the second drive of the game. Right tackle Alex Barron did a really nice job sealing his man on that play. On the next play, Miles Austin had a bad drop in the left flat.
• Gurode may have jump-started Amobi Okoye's dormant career in the first quarter. The Texans' former first-round pick raced around Gurode to sack Tony Romo. It looked like Gurode was in decent position and then he just watched Okoye run past him. Romo doesn't have any time to survey the field.
• Missed the memo on former Tennessee Volunteer Arian Foster being such a wonderful running back. In the first quarter, DeMarcus Ware got pancaked by a tight end when Foster took off on an 18-yard run. Cowboys free safety Alan Ball whiffed on Foster in the open field. On the same drive, the Cowboys were completely fooled in coverage when Matt Schaub rolled right and then threw back across the field to Jacoby Jones. It looked like Ball was the player who was fooled on the touchdown.
• Hey, at least Roy Williams came to play Saturday night. He made a nice catch off his shoetops late in the first quarter and then he overpowered Kareem Jackson on a 29-yard catch. Later in the drive, Williams drew a holding penalty on cornerback Glover Quin. The Cowboys then botched a toss to Felix Jones, who raced back and failed to recover the fumble. CBS' Gus Johnson was in midseason form on that call.
• The Cowboys have to do a better job of knowing down and distance on defense. Cornerback Orlando Scandrick was giving Jacoby Jones way too much cushion on a third-and-6 play. There was no mystery where Jones was going with that route. On the next route, the Cowboys did the same thing on third-and-7. You think it might be a good idea to cover Andre Johnson on a crossing route? Johnson was the best player on the field Saturday.
• Did anyone else see defensive end Igor Olshansky getting blown off the ball in the first half? That's supposed to be the strength of Olshansky's game, but he was on his heels every time I watched.
• Scandrick simply has no chance against Andre Johnson. The Texans receiver is too physical for Scandrick. Former Texans offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has promised Santana Moss that he'll be able to do a lot of the same things as Johnson in the Skins' offense.
• It's impressive to watch Tashard Choice on one of those slip screens. And it's remarkable to see Leonard Davis racing downfield in front of Choice. Doug Free told me recently that Davis might be the fastest player on the offensive line.
• Wade Phillips finally lost his temper after a Foster run early in the second half. Looked like he was especially upset with Jason Williams and safety Michael Hamlin on the play. Both players took poor angles to Foster and ended up chasing him from behind.
• With 11:47 left in the third quarter, Phil Simms says the Cowboys don't appear to be motivated for this game. You think? What a weak little attempt at a tackle by safety Pat Watkins on Jeremiah Johnson's long run.
• On Foster's touchdown run early in the second half, Cowboys linebacker Victor Butler was driven into the end zone and never came close to making a play. Dallas had no interest in playing this game. How much should that concern Cowboys fans?
• The Texans were double-teaming Jay Ratliff and Bradie James was overpursuing against the run. Foster just burned them all night. Simms makes a statement with 5 minutes left in the third quarter that the Cowboys are playing a lot of reserves. I looked up and saw DeMarcus Ware, Ratliff, Anthony Spencer and James all in the game. Second consecutive disgraceful performance for the Cowboys. We'll see if they can flip the switch against the Redskins.

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Is everyone in Dallas on the same page about Doug Free starting at left tackle?

From the moment the Cowboys released perennial Pro Bowl left tackle Flozell Adams, I assumed his replacement would be Doug Free. But for whatever reason, the other NFC East teams aren't convinced. Free exceeded expectations while filling in for an injured Marc Colombo in '09, but he was overmatched when he saw emergency duty against Jared Allen in a playoff game.

The fact that Free has excellent footwork and quickness gives him the proper foundation to protect Tony Romo's blindside. Still, teams such as the Eagles don't seem convinced that Free will be up to the task. I recently took a peek at the Eagles' depth chart for the Cowboys, and they have Alex Barron's name next to Free's. They didn't do that with the other 10 positions on offense. And the Eagles aren't alone. There's a belief from the Giants and Redskins that Barron will eventually win the job because of his experience. That's not to say they're rooting for Barron, because they'd actually like Trent Cole, Justin Tuck and Brian Orakpo to have a go at Free.

So where's all this doubt coming from? I know that Free barely has any experience at left tackle in the league, but he was excellent on the right side in seven games last season. And his skill set is better suited for the left side. Cowboys offensive line coach Hudson Houck, who's tutored some of the best in the game, told me recently that nothing seems to faze Free. He's seen more of a sense of urgency from the player since he was named the starter and he admires Free's work ethic. There's nothing to suggest that Barron's going to light it up in training camp and surpass Free.

But even some of Free's teammates seemed to have their doubts in the days after Adams' release. DeMarcus Ware, a man who knows how to embarrass a left tackle, was completely caught off guard by the move and expressed surprise. He's since rallied behind Free, but it's hard to dismiss his initial reaction. I've also pressed Pro Bowl center Andre Gurode on the topic. He had immense respect for Adams, but he's trying to say all the right things about Free.

From my perspective, I'd have more concern with Colombo right now than Free. That's not to say Free's the better player, but Colombo's leg injury was pretty significant and he probably should not have returned for the Vikings game based on his performance. He's one of the toughest players in the league, but you can only do so much on one leg. I think Barron was brought in with Colombo's durability in mind.

But the rest of the division seems to think Barron was brought in to replace Adams. I guess we'll find out soon enough. By the way, how would you rank the starting left tackles in the division as of today?

I'd go with Jason Peters, David Diehl, Free and the Redskins' rookie, Trent Williams.