Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Eagles 23, Dallas 7 (9-6)

How is that even possible from this team after all it has been through?

How could it again fall on its face in its own building?

We must protect this house? Please.

After the Giants and Saints did it, the Eagles ransacked the house of the Dallas Cowboys with absolute ease. It was really disheartening to anyone who has asked the question about the Cowboys in the NFC, “why not us?” Now we know.

Here are my notes from Eagles 23, Cowboys 7.

• This defense has all sorts of issues and problems. We saw them earlier in the year, but I guess were not convinced they would be the death of the Cowboys. Well, guess what? This team’s utter lack of a pass rush and inability to play a decent deep defense against the pass is killing them. The only thing worse than watching the Cowboys attempt to put pressure on the QB through normal means is watching them try to blitz. There cannot be a worse blitzing squad in football. That LJ Smith catch and run is a perfect example of the complete lack of timing and scheme of the Cowboys safeties. They blitz and get swallowed up by the linemen. Somehow, other teams blitz and get a free run on the QB, but not the Dallas Cowboys.

• Terrell Owens is not worth the trouble. His drops are now an epidemic he cannot shake. His drop in the 3rd Quarter was nearly the Cowboys last prayer, and the second his play has eroded below “top 5” WR in the league was the second that his behavior became enough to send him away in the off-season. I supported his signing, but that was before the Sunday tradition of drive-ending drops that he has introduced this season.

• The Eagles have fabulous character. I can’t stand their city. I can’t stand their fans. But, if you want to find a veteran group of players who show enormous pride and professionalism that won’t let them quit, look no further than Philadelphia. Dawkins, Trotter, Westbrook, and others demonstrate what we all desire in our teams – guts.

• In December, Tony Romo has thrown 7 interceptions in 4 games. In the 4 games played during November, he threw 1 pick. These are the ups and downs of a young QB. I don’t question his talent, but I do question if he was as good as we saw right out of the gate. Is this what we should expect?

• 3 downs from the 1 yard line and you cannot move the pile. This is a small example of how the Cowboys got whipped at the line of scrimmage all day long.

• I don’t care what Owens has to say about play calling. We all know that he isn’t happy that 100% of the passes aren’t going his way. But, when Terry Glenn says anything, I listen. Why aren’t the Cowboys finding their weapons? Good question. I want Glenn to have more than 1 catch for 17 yards in any big game. He doesn’t drop many passes, and he also doesn’t speak up often. Evidently, the unity and happiness that the Cowboys had when Bledsoe went out and Romo went in has come to a close.

• How would the game have been different if Anthony Henry could have scored on that interception? If it was Newman, nobody is catching him from behind. But Henry was caught, and the ensuing drive ended with no points. I can’t say the outcome would have been different, but in theory, the Cowboys would have had a 14-13 halftime lead as opposed to being down, 13-7.

• Brian Westbrook is wonderful. And before we blame the Cowboys defense for not stopping the pass, let’s not forget that they haven’t been gangbusters against the run recently, either.

• The Division was on the line. The Rivals were in the building. And the Cowboys had very little ability to even compete in the game. They never put pressure on the Eagles lead. It was just disappointing all the way around. At what point do we complain about coaching? I think it has never been more appropriate.

• Yesterday, someone emailed me that Mike Zimmer is the same as Rudy Jaramillo. A guy who everyone says we are lucky to have here, but also a guy who is not allowed to be criticized. I am surely not suggesting it is all his fault, but how many huge money players are on this defense? Ferguson, Henry, Ayodele, James, Williams, Newman. How may other top picks are on this defense? Ware, Spears, Carpenter, Burnett. Basically, everyone but Canty and Watkins are highly paid or highly picked. That only leaves scheme and strategy as possible blames. What can’t be argued is that this team isn’t playing to its paper.

• 4 epic matchups at Texas Stadium this year: The Giants humiliated them, The Saints dominated them, and the Eagles did both. Only that Colts win is on the positive side of the ledger. 1-3 will not get it done at home for an “elite” team.

• Don’t worry about the TE, Roy. No worries.

• Now, after wetting the bed for the NFC East title, the Cowboys appear destined to play in Seattle during wildcard weekend. If any team has as many offensive weapons as the Saints, it would be the underachieving Seahawks. I really don’t like the chances of the Cowboys in that one.

13 comments:

Jake said...

Hate sounding like a broken record but the loss of Ellis is killing us. One thing I didn't notice before yesterday's game was that Romo hardly followed through with any of his passes. You can only have success with broken plays for so long. Sure, the Eagles should beat the Falcons in Philly next weekend but don't count your chickens yet...

Unknown said...

i agree with most of what bob said, except that seattle is very dangerous. if the other option is to play the giants or eagles, i'll take seattle any day. the giants could go nuts on any given day, and the eagles...well...you know.

i'm not sure if romo's issues are a product of lack of talent, or other problems with the offense.

i don't think bob brought this up...the play calling was awful. i never imagined they would call sweeps when they did. and at the end of the first half, there was no reason at all to have T.O. back in the endzone. it was obvious that all the eagles were doing was getting into field goal position, and they wasted a defender by putting him back there. a linebacker in the middle obviously could have stopped that 16 yard pickup.

Bitterwhiteguy said...

As a Longhorn fan, I was having flashbacks to Arkansas '03 when Shawn Andrews was bulldozing anyone in his path for the Razorbacks. If the Eagles needed a couple yards on a run, they simply ran behind Andrews or through a hole he created. That guy is a beast, and is better than any OL the Cowboys have drafted in the past 6 years. Somebody show Parcells game tape of Andrews next April before he drafts another fat, useless sack of crap.

Flaco said...

I love you Bob, I really do. I love your show, and that you talk about Hockey. You guys are funny, and your HSOs are great.

But if I'm not mistaken, the word "Garcia" is not in your blog at all. I don't know how that can possibly be. Garcia was putting on a clinic yesterday. He was gutty, he was running head first at those first down lines. To not give him his due credit is an error, in my opinion.

no?

nice to have some proper blogging back

HSO said...

Romo's play yesterday was a moot point.

We lost yesterday because we lost the battle in the trenches.

Its tough to play QB when you have no running game, a poor offensive line performance, and a defense that cant get off the field.

The Defense is the problem fellas, no playing calling.

Jay Beerley said...

Zimmer is looking like a guy who basically only learned that the 3-4 means you have 3 lineman and 4 linebackers but picked up no scheme whatsoever. Roy is a pain, but I was thinking to myself in the second quarter of the game what would happen if we took our exact roster and supplanted our coaching staff with, say, New England's. Any thoughts? My guess is we wouldn't have a bunch of guys who are constantly looking around like they were totally unaware of what their job or assignment was. And, if I see a sweep again this season I might throw something at my TV...

Jay Beerley said...

And any Blazing Saddles reference deserves comment of the day, if they offer such a prize...

Thank you artfromtex

Cap It said...

First off, hats off to Philly.

I really hope this is TO's last year in Dallas. For him to whine about the ball not coming his way until it was too late?? WTF? Why don't you try to catch the effin thing you FREAKING MORON!

I hate him and I want him gone.

Romo made mistakes, bad one's. Stupid one's. I'm thinking Parcells has probably already had a conversation with him that went something like "as long as we're playing football games, you focus on nothing but football. You don't get filmed hugging some skeletal American Idol bimbo."

I had hope that this team would do something special this year. But now that everyone knows how to dismantle us on both sides of the ball, it's one and done in this playoff run.

Jerry's pissed. Are heads going to roll?

Dave_in_Tulsa said...

Not much to add to Bob's assessment. Just a few, probably heretical, comments:

(1) Romo made a lot of Quincy Carter-like plays yesterday. I counted about five passes he threw off his back foot, falling away, without a clear idea of where the ball what going. That Dawkins interception was one of them. Maybe that's just what you get with a young gun-slinger QB, but after seeing the clips of him goofing around with that spare country singer before the game, I think it's possible that the hype has gone to his head and he's gotten reckless and foolish with the ball, perhaps really believing he in fact has Jedi powers and can throw it whereever and good things will happen.

(2) There no outstanding players on this offense, and no more than two on defense. Owens used to be outstanding, but he's lost it, and Glenn just hasn't shown much most of this season. The backs are ok, but there are probably seven or eight better ones just in the NFC. Witten is a nice player, but is not in the same league as Gates, Gonzalez, etc. The line? Whatever. On defense, Ware and Newman are often outstanding, but nobody else is anything more than a worker bee. Given that, how can we be surprised that this team is hovering around the middle of the pack? That's what you get with middle of the pack talent and no game breakers.

(3) We've had almost two full seasons to evaluate the 3-4. It has been a failure here, for whatever reason (my money would be on the lack of a 330 lb. noseguard to clog up the line coupled with terrible safety play opening the middle of the field). How much longer will Tuna stick with something that is not working?

Anyway, since the Cowboys have already put playoff tickets on sale, it's not too early to predict how Dallas will come out. I predict one-and-done.

Spider said...

Whats up with Romo, I think he's a little occupied with trying to romance that American Idol chick. If I hear another comment about who he's dating during the game i'm going to scream. Who gives an "F"? And I wish he'd wipe that smile off his face when he over throws the receivers.

CFB123 said...

Whomever the Cowboys head coach is next season, their first job priority should be to move Roy Williams to linebacker where he belongs. Pro Bowl voting be damned, he is NOT an NFL caliber safety and he never will be.

Spider said...

Definitely, give me someone who can tackle over someone who can only hit hard. Roy is a bust, I like him but he needs to be moved. And move that idiot T.O. to the position of Rowdy the mascot. What good is a receiver if he can't use his fingers, I don't care what his numbers are. Damn! that Eagles game pissed me off. We don't have anything going for us besides Ware and I guess McBriar.

PHE said...

All I know is I'm staying away from the High Five for the next couple of days. It sounds like it's going to be raining Cowboy fans.

Raise your hand if you really believed any of the following:

1. This defense was going to be "Doomsday III".

2. The undrafted guy out of D-1AA was going to transmogrify into Tom Brady.

3. This offensive line was going to be the second coming of Stepnoski, Newton, Gesek, Gogan, Tuinei, and Williams.

If your hand is up, call me about some swell real estate I've got in Florida.