Since then, everyone has been saying how outrageous this is, and how Bryant is going to be a problem for the Dallas Cowboys. 

Again, Bryant was kicked out of a mall for having his jeans too low, no charges were filed and, although he argued with the cops, he eventually left in a peaceful manner. This begs me to ask, what exactly is the story here?

Bryant didn't get a DUI, and isn't on tape fighting in a strip club. He's never been the subject of a domestic dispute, and has never assaulted anyone. These are all things NFL players are notorious for doing. As a matter of fact, since coming to Dallas, Bryant has done nothing but catch passes, run back punts and break an ankle. 

So again, WHAT'S THE STORY?

Personally, when with friends in a non-professional setting, I can honestly say I've worn my pants lower than they're supposed to be. It's not a big deal when it's on my free time and with my friends. Many people in their 20s and younger do it.

That's my personal time; I can dress how I want. I don't show my boxers to the world, but I wear my jeans loose. If I'm in a meeting at work or in an interview, I'll be dressed professionally in a suit, tie and shoes.

The last time I checked, Bryant didn't violate Garrett's dress code last season. 

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith said in an article that this incident "will be the kind of permanent fixture on his profile destined to cost him big-time dollars, and possibly his burgeoning career with the Cowboys." 

Big-time dollars?

I'm pretty sure that Jerry Jones could care less about what Bryant wears when he goes to the mall, as long as he's on the field catching passes and helping the Cowboys win. Also, wasn't it Bryant who passed up bigger money when he was drafted to sign with Dallas and get ready for the season?

But no one talks about that. 

Smith obviously doesn't know how many young players there are in the NFL. I'm pretty sure that Bryant isn't the only player in the league who wears his jeans low on his own time. He's just the first one to get thrown out of a mall for it. And if that's the case, when it comes to a mall, I wouldn't want to go there anyway.

Ever former Cowboys receiver Drew Pearson, who said that Bryant should've handled the situation better, said, “Wow, that’s pretty trivial, pretty petty.”

When I first heard the story, I thought, with lockout still in effect and neither side talking, is this really the only NFL news? This isn't even the usual Cowboys news being blown out of proportion. This is just ridiculous.  

Seriously people, until Bryant gets caught with cocaine, or assaulting a stripper or with more alcohol in him than Miguel Cabrera, let's calm down and cut Bryant some slack...literally.   

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Here's a list of the offenders how they got on this list. 

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Cardinals

1. Get Skelton in rhythm early: John Skelton isn't going to make many 40-yard throws, so he has to get in rhythm with his receivers for his short passes. The Cowboys run a lot more zone than they used to, so there will be more holes than usual. He just better be careful; if he's not accurate, this could turn into a three interception game. 

2. Let the defense provide a spark: In the last two games, the Cards have scored less than 15 points, so it's fair to say that even with Dallas' poor defense, they won't score much. Therefore, the defense will have to provide a spark for the offense with sacks, big plays and turnovers. 

3. Maintain drives: The Cards are 31st in passing yards and 30th in rushing yards, so they don't have a lot of 80-yard drives. If the Cards can get into third and short situations, they can mix up their play calling and not be one-dimensional. The Cards should have a shot on third down, if they can avoid mistakes and busted plays on first and second down. 

4. Throw the Cowboys some twists: An onside kick, a fake punt, going for it on fourth down in the first quarter. The Cardinals need to throw a surprise at the Cowboys in order to have a chance to win this game.  

5. Keep the game close: The Cards defense is among the worst in the league and although the Cowboys are 5-9, they have a potent offense. That means the Cardinals will have to try to stay with the Cowboys, but if they can keep the game close it may give them an opportunity to win.

Cowboys

1. Do the small things: The Cowboys don't have to get exotic in order to beat the Cardinals. If they run the ball well, catch passes, convert third downs and generate turnovers, the Cards will fall simply because these are all things they can't do. 

2. Stop Cardinals receivers: The Cowboys give up a lot of yards through the air and the Cardinals receivers are good at sitting in zones, so this could be a bad matchup. If the Cowboys can play a "bend but don't break" defense, they should be fine; the Cards don't go too long without making a mistake or two. 

3. Take advantage of Skelton's mistakes: Skelton is more of a game manager than a game changer, so you won't see him throwing 40-yard bombs to Larry Fitzgerald. He's more likely to throw a 10-yard comeback; with the Cowboys playing more zone than ever, there'll be chances to make plays on short passes. 

4. Take the lead early: The faster the Cowboys can get a big lead, the faster the Cardinals will mope, get down and think "here we go again". When that happens, the game will be over faster than you can say University of Arizona.

5. Avoid a letdown: This is the first game in a long time that the Cowboys know they should win, so they can't have another fourth quarter letdown like last week (or like in 2008 against the Cards). If they take care of business early, it'll give them some room to ease up late, but they'll still need to play hard or they'll make Skelton look like Rex Grossman last week.

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Saints

1) Come out fast

In last year's game against the Cowboys, the Saints had an awful first half and couldn't overcome it in the second half. They can't let that happen again. The Saints need a big play early in the game on offense or defense.

2) Speed up the offense

The Saints have found their passing game, and the Cowboys have looked downright terrible in the secondary at times this season. The Saints should try to move the ball through the pass early and even try a few no-huddle plays to confuse and tire out the defense. 

3) Force turnovers

The reason the Saints defense was so good last season was they forced 40 turnovers. This season they have just 15. They did a good job last week against the Seahawks, forcing two turnovers. This week they have to force Jon Kitna to make some bad throws and gang-tackle to try to create fumbles.

4) Win the special teams battle

Reggie Bush is expected to play this week, which means the Saints are getting their punt returner back. The Cowboys have had some big plays in the special teams game the last couple of weeks. The Saints have to get a big play in the return game and make sure Dez Bryant or Bryan McCann doesn't burn them for a big gain.

5) Stop the Cowboys' passing attack

The Cowboys have a solid passing game of their own. Bryant is having a great rookie season, Miles Austin had two TDs last week and Roy Williams has been dependable all season. The Saints have to make sure that Kitna doesn't get into a rhythm like he did two weeks ago against the Giants. The more confidence Kitna has, the better he plays.

Cowboys

1) Establish the run

Yes it's cliché, but with the Saints' quick and deadly passing attack, running the ball, sustaining long drives and running the clock is the best way to keep the score close and keep Drew Brees off the field.

2) Get Dez Bryant the ball

He had a TD last week but wasn't thrown at much. This week he has to be a big part of the passing game for the Cowboys to be successful. The Saints will blitz, and when they do, if Bryant has a one-on-one matchup, all Kitna has to do is throw the ball up and give Bryant a chance.

3) Tackle

The Saints love to spread the field and get one-on-one matchups, so the Cowboys must tackle after the catch or there will be some long gains by the Saints. The Cowboys have been much better at the little things since Garrett took over, and they have to keep it up.

4) Use the home field advantage

The Cowboys got their first win at home last week, and with two wins in a row there's excitement again in Dallas, although it may be too late to make the playoffs. The Cowboys have to keep the crowd in the game against the Saints, who won't be comfortable away from Louisiana.

5) Pressure Brees

Last season the Cowboys were able to put pressure on Brees and force him to throw early and move around. They have to do this again; if Brees gets too much time in the pocket, he'll pick them apart. DeMarcus Ware will be a huge part of this, as he overcame a neck injury last season to make the game-winning play. 

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The Cowboys were an entirely different team on Sunday, one that we haven't seen all season. They had an attitude, swagger, and mostly, they believed they could win.

"When you're 1-7, you're practicing in pads two days this week and you've been blown out on national TV, it can't get any worse," DeMarcus Ware said. "Our backs were pushed against the wall, and we decided to push back.

Garrett got the Cowboys to play with effort and conviction, something that Wade Phillips was practically begging for when still in Dallas. The Cowboys ran the ball, they created turnovers, they had big pass plays and they kept their penalties down, and even when it seemed like the Giants were making a push to comeback, the Cowboys put their heads down and kept fighting instead of saying, "Here we go again."

Now, Garrett has to keep this team focused. In Week 3, Dallas beat the Houston Texans, and Cowboy fans everywhere thought things were returning to normal, but the Cowboys bought into themselves too much and started their free-fall two weeks later with a loss to the Titans.

Garrett has already shown that he's different by making the Cowboys wear pads in practice, give more effort in practice and has even installed a dress code for road games (which reportedly Marion Barber broke, which resulted in him getting just eight carries on Sunday).

Now, Garrett has to show he can get this team to stay focused and playing hard. He can't celebrate and let up on them like Phillips would. If he wants Jerry Jones to seriously consider him for the coaching job, he'll need to get his players to keep this momentum up. 

The Cowboys are still a long way from being a good team. They may have won this game, but as much as they won it, the Giants lost it with their horrible play on both sides of the ball. This wasn't the same Giants team that lit up the Dallas defense three weeks ago, and Tom Coughlin told his team coming into this game not to underestimate them, but the Giants didn't listen.

"We didn't play well enough to win," Coughlin said. "We didn't execute the way we've been executing. We gave up big plays and didn't make as many big plays. We hung in there. We gave a good effort at the end, but it was too little too late."

The Cowboys have no margin for error and are pretty much out of playoff contention, but they have a great opportunity to make sure some other teams don't get in, as well. However, their schedule doesn't get any easier after this week, with games coming up against the Saints, Colts and Eagles in the next month. 

This was a great start, but it's just a start. There has to be more to it.

If the Cowboys have a letdown next week, everything they did right in this game means nothing. Instead of Garrett picking the Cowboys up and making them a better team, it'll be just one Sunday where everything went right for the Cowboys and everything went wrong for the Giants. 

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Cowboys

1) Run the ball: The Cowboys haven't ran the ball well all season, and it has as much to do with the offensive line as the running backs. This week they'll have to come together as a unit or Jon Kitna may be killed if he has to throw the ball 30 times. 

2) Get Dez Bryant involved: Bryant had three TDs in the first matchup this season and became one of Kitna's favorite targets. The Giants are sure to punt away from Bryant this week, so he'll have to be active in the passing game. If the Giants sell out on a blitz throwing a jump ball or two to Bryant won't be a bad idea. 

3) Stop the Run: The Cowboys can't do much about the Giants passing game, but if they stop the run they'll at least make Eli Manning earn his stats. The Cowboys must stop Ahmad Bradshaw on first down and put the Giants in third and long situations. 

4) Get Ahead Early: In the first match-up the Cowboys were up 20-7 at one point in the first half, and they'll need to get the lead early again this week. If they can do that the offense doesn't have to be one dimensional and the defense will have time to sit on the bench to rest. 

5) Show up: The Cowboys may have a new coach, but they can't just give up or they'll get destroyed in this game. The Giants want nothing more than to gain another game in the division and at the same time make the Cowboys look worse, the Cowboys can't let that happen.

Giants

1) Hit the Cowboys hard and fast: The Cowboys have flat out given up in their last three games, and if the Giants come out and score quickly, it could make the Cowboys quit entirely.

2) Get Jet Blue off the ground: The Giants receivers lit up the Cowboys secondary last time, and they're probably excited about facing them again so soon. The Cowboys secondary will most likely use more zone coverage this time around. That means Steve Smith will have to sit down in zones while Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham are patient that Manning will hit them on a deep route eventually.

3) Don't underestimate the Cowboys: Dallas may be out of the playoff race, but if they get any indication that they can start beating teams, they'll start playing hard. The Giants have to look at the Cowboys as any other team they face. If not, you could see the Cowboys get confident as the game goes on and that could be trouble for the Giants.

4) Pressure Jon Kitna: In the last game, once Kitna entered, the Giants went after him hard. They have to do that again this week. Kitna tends to try to get rid of the ball as fast as possible when pressured instead of taking a sack. If the Giants come after him it could lead to turnovers.

5) Be patient with the run: The Giants may want to air it out from start to finish, but they're better off running throughout the game. The Cowboys have one of the worst run defenses in the league and although they've changed coaches, the change hasn't been that dramatic. 

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"There are a lot of people here who are certainly going to suffer and suffer consequences," Jones said. "I'm talking about within the team—players, coaches who have got careers. This is certainly a setback. I know firsthand what it is to have high expectations. I think unquestionably that our expectations were thinking we're something we were not, possibly looking at what might be relative to a Super Bowl. All of those things have certainly contributed early."

It's obvious that Jones (as well as many Cowboys fans) were embarrassed by the product that was on the field last night, but everything that Jones has said means nothing if changes are made immediately.

Wade Phillips is a nice guy, but nice guys finish last (ask Jim Fassel), and at this point keeping Phillips around is just wrong. 

The Cowboys have given up on Phillips, and while he won't admit it Phillips has given up on the Cowboys. After last night's game he admitted that the Cowboys played like a poorly coached team, and that's exactly what they are. 

Basically this is the equivalent of a bad marriage that neither side wants to end in divorce because of their kid (the fans), but they don't know the kid is also suffering.  

Jones said he would talk to the team today, but at this point will anyone listen?  Jones can be polite or can scream until he loses his voice, but it's not going to change anything until he changes things, starting with the firing of Phillips. 

Firing Phillips won't solve all the Cowboys' problems. That will take an entire offseason and maybe longer, but it would at least give them the chance to win a game or at least wake the players up. 

How much worse can this team get? Phillips calls the defense, which gave up 415 yards last night and 121 points in the last 12 quarters, but has the same 11 guys that started the season opener. 

Offensively the Cowboys never had a chance and the line, along with Felix Jones, almost got Jon Kitna killed. 

The Buffalo Bills and Carolina Panthers have an excuse to be as bad as they are. They have injuries, no talent and pretty much no coaching. 

The Cowboys have hit rock bottom and this is without a doubt the most underachieving team in team history. They are worse than the 1-15 team in 1989 and the three consecutive 5-11 teams of the Dave Campo era. The only question left is can it get any worse?

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Quarterback Tony Romo suffered a broken collarbone during Monday night's game when he was sacked by Michael Boley. He won't need surgery but is expected to miss six to eight weeks. 

Cornerback Terence Newman suffered a rib injury in the first quarter when he was tackled by Ahmad Bradshaw after catching an interception. Newman was taken out for x-rays and eventually returned to the game, but said eventually the pain returned. Newman finished the game despite the pain and according to to coach Wade Phillips Newman should be able to play this week. 

Defensive end Jason Hatcher suffered a groin injury while chasing Eli Manning in the second quarter. A CT scan was taken and Phillips said the injury was significant enough that Hatcher will be out "for a while." The Dallas Cowboys website is reporting that Hatcher could miss a month and maybe more. 

Offensive lineman Montrae Holland also injured his groin, but it's a lot less significant than Hatcher's injury, although it was serious enough that Holland couldn't finish the game. Phillips isn't optimistic that Holland can play this week, which means if Kyle Kosier can't go, rookie Phil Costa will get his first career start. 

Speaking of Kosier he's still suffering from the achilles injury he suffered during the game against the Vikings. Kosier missed Monday's game and Phillips said he does not know if Kosier will be able to play against the jaguars on Sunday.  

Linebacker Bradie James suffered a knee injury during week five against the Titans has has been limited in practice since. He'll most likely play this week against the Jaguars but will be limited in practice. 

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