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2009-2010 Regular Season: Postgame -
Who's Afraid Of The Big
Bad Beaks?
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- November
10, 2009
At 1:21 AM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
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- The Cowboys’ game this past Sunday night against their hated division rival, the
Philadelphia Eagles, was simply amazing . . . without looking
amazing.
Low Expectations
The Cowboys started the season with a choke-prone, weak-minded 2-2
record,
and almost everyone in and around the league were already burying
them with three quarters of the season still left to be played.
I consider myself in the minority – insisting that reasonable
adherence to and execution of the play being called, combined with
natural talent and timely adlibbing, will always win out. This
theory assumes, of course, good coaching, above-average players, and
the opportunity for those players to grow and enhance some mental
toughness over time.
My little concept breaks down in the face of something I have said
time and time again: it takes two to tango. Coaches and players fail
to succeed if they are talking past each other during game
preparations and game day.
Coaches must hand down a first round of instructions to test the
waters – even if they have a team of veterans. The players must let
the coaches know if they comprehend what has been asked of them and
if not, the coaches must refine their instructions and delivery
methodologies until the players do get it. The salary cap, after
all, dictates that a coach cannot simply replace his roster if it is
chock full of players who are “dumber than a box of rocks.”
Nonetheless, something amazing began to develop for the 2009 Dallas
Cowboys – during the fifth game of the season – against the Kentucky
Fried “Chefs.” The Cowboys – faced with their own mortality and on
the verge of losing to the winless Chefs – pulled themselves up by
their boot straps and beat the Chefs in overtime, showing a thick
skin, a mental toughness not seen in America’s Team . . . since the
final two years of Jimmy Johnson’s tour of duty and the back-to-back
Super Bowl victories of the early ‘90s.
This year’s Cowboys team has similar talent but – until last night’s
victory – was labeled as not having the same intestinal fortitude and even less leadership. The Cowboys, after all, entered this
game having won 3 straight games against the undercooked Chefs, the
multiple personality Falcons, and the physically-disabled Seahawks.
What had the Cowboys really accomplished? Who was this “Kid
Kilometer” suddenly jumping off the bench with all sorts of mileage
– ready to run razzle dazzle routes for Romo? What was with all of
the touchdowns and none of the interceptions from Romo? How was the
Dallas defense playing such hard nose, physical football?
The Cowboys’ opponents were not talented enough.
The Cowboys’ opponents were not healthy enough.
The Cowboys’ opponents were not “anything” enough.
There were plenty of questions about the Cowboys but not enough
answers – through the quality of their play – to satiate the curious
or the naysayers.
Nothing validates your quality of play or mental and physical
toughness – in front of a national television audience – quite like
a win against a hated division rival.
The Eagles obliterated a clinically depressed and mentally spastic
Cowboys team 44-6 to end a forgettable 2008 season.
The Eagles – and their fans – are obsessed with (beating, hurting,
maiming) the Cowboys.
The Eagles – and their fans – dream about (killing) the Cowboys (and
getting away with it in a court of law).
If Eagles fans could do it, they would jump out of the stands and
try to play the Cowboys straight up. Do not think for a moment that
the security detail at The Linc has not contemplated such a thing
several times.
It was only natural for both fans and haters of the Cowboys to
expect the other shoe to drop during last night’s game against the
Eagles. Everyone had been waiting for these imposter Cowboys to
finally show their true colors, caving in once more to the pressure
of sustaining anything good over a long period of time. The Cowboys
were expected to be a bunch of shrinking violet individuals rather
than a united team, hungry for the outright division lead in the NFC
East.
Efficient Rather Than Erratic
A funny thing happened on the way to the start of the game:
absolutely nothing.
The same Cowboys team that had begun to display consistency,
continuity, and creativity in conquering its past three opponents –
in all three phases of the game – managed to show up to play the
Eagles . . . and beat them 20-16 on the road in a hostile
environment.
The Cowboys did not wilt on the scene of their last great defeat.
Fans – if they did not know better – would have believed the Cowboys
were normally this good.
The Cowboys began the game as aggressively - in all phases of the
game - as they knew they would
need against the high-flying Eagles.
The Cowboys defense was aggressive but not over-pursuing.
The Cowboys defense put constant pressure on Eagles’ quarterback
Donovan McNabb, forcing him to throw early or throw on the run –
resulting in two interceptions (one by Gerald Sensabaugh on a tip and
one by Mike Jenkins).
The Cowboys defense did a consistent job of filling the running
lanes and McNabb’s escape routes. While DeMarcus Ware was held
without a sack, he did help apply more and more of that constant pressure, resulting in McNabb
getting sacked four times (two by Jay “Hulk Smash” Ratliff, one by
Keith Brooking, and one by rookie linebacker Victor “The” Butler
(did it).
While Eagles’ rookie running back LeShon McCoy did manage to convert
a few pressure-neutralizing swing passes into some impressive gains
(one for 45 yards) – the Cowboys linebackers and safeties were able
to keep such gains to a minimum.
The Cowboys defense did a near-excellent job of dealing with both of
the Eagles’ young, fast, and potent wideouts, DeSean Jackson and
Jeremy Maclin – jamming them at the line and playing off when
protecting against a perceived big pass play.
The Cowboys defense did a decent job of keeping the dangerous
Eagles’ tight end Brent Celek under wraps. He was, however, able to
weasel away from his star-studded pursuers for a few good catches,
including a touchdown in “the corner pocket” of the Cowboys’ end
zone.
Outside of that one touchdown allowing gaffe, the Cowboys defenders
held the Eagles to a handful of field goals.
Taking What Is Given
Tony Romo and the Cowboys’ offense made a concerted effort to get
off to a fast start, showing dedication to the running game, mixing
in timely passes, and a little Dolphin flavor, as well.
Romo utilized the shotgun to help neutralize the Eagles’ blitz
packages, even though he was sacked four times. Those sacks were
more a result of holding onto the ball too long – and not rolling out –
rather than anything specific by the Eagles defensive line.
Romo also made an effort to involve nearly every offensive weapon on the
team, including rookie wide receiver Kevin Ogletree on a
rare-for-the-Cowboys “flanker screen.”
Roy “The Number One Receiver” Williams also got into the act with
five timely catches for 75 yards. Williams had two good
opportunities to make a touchdown catch in the back of the Eagles’
end zone – with one Romo pass being thrown behind him and the other
being prevented by an uncalled hold by Asante Samuel (who would
later get his bell seriously rung when being greeted by Felix Jones’
knee).
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- Felix may have been quiet in the
passing game, but he was efficient on his kick returns. Little used
Deon Anderson and Martellus Bennett both would have gotten involved
in the passing party as well if not for a lack of timing . . . but
not for a lack of trying (to shake the rust off).
The Eagles did an admirable job of keeping Miles “Kilometer Kid”
Austin from turning them into his latest speed victim, but they
eventually caved in for a nifty 49-yard touchdown pass – where Romo
stared down and pump-faked the defender, waited for Austin to make a
double-move, and hit Austin in stride (for his only catch of the
night) as he crossed up two of his
Eagle shadows on the way to the end zone.
While the Eagles guarded well against the Cowboys now-vaunted
special teams, they did allow Patrick “Buttery Soft Hands” Crayton
to make a nice 64-yard catch from Romo. Crayton continues to just
move the chains with almost all of his latest catches.
The Cowboys even utilized their own version of the Wildcat offense –
the Razorback – for a two-yard direct snap touchdown run by Tashard
Choice. The format was used a few different times in the game.
Whether or not the Cowboys intend to use such a format again in the
future is less important than planting that seed of potential in the
minds of their remaining 2009 opponents.
The Cowboys offense finished off their evening of determination and
execution with a couple solid running plays from Marion “4th Quarter
Finisher” Barber, followed by an Eagle-killing 1st down-making catch
by Jason Witten right at the two minute warning. Witten had a
quietly successful night building up to that moment – delivering a
few safety valve catches.
The Cowboys went on to milk the rest of the clock down and win the
game . . . leaving the Linc with a greater sense of can-do
confidence, respect for themselves, and – no doubt – respect from
NFL teams and fans alike.
A Marathon Season
The Cowboys are now in sole possession of first place in the NFC
East, but this will only last as long as they wish to remain in that
position.
All of professional sports are based – in part – on the theory of
“what have you done for me lately.”
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- The Cowboys have now delivered consistent, quality play
and execution
for the 3rd game in a row – with the addition of a little over a
quarter of good play from the KC game.
The Eagles whiffed on the first of two opportunities they will have
this season to knock the Cowboys’ blocks off. The Eagles should also
have the extremely dangerous and productive Brian Westbrook back in
their starting line-up when next these two teams meet.
The Eagles treat any game against the Cowboys as if it is the Super
Bowl, and they are going to expect the Cowboys to be overconfident
and ripe for another season-ending 44-6 beating. The Giants and
Redskins take the very same approach to America’s Team.
The key for the Cowboys is that they must remember their own Super
Bowl aspirations go much farther than regular season chances to
punish their NFC East foes. The Cowboys need to maintain and even
improve their level of play – building from one game to the next for
the rest of the season.
The remaining teams on their schedule all study game tape. They will
review what the Cowboys have been doing well and not so well – paying particular
attention to at least 10 more silly penalties (including another
unnecessary Romo interception that could have simply been thrown
away) in their game against
the Eagles.
The season is a marathon with plenty of potholes along the way. The
Cowboys still have plenty of work to do. There is no time or place
for them to revert back to their “we have arrived” modus operandi –
associated with the Cowboys for so many years.
The Cowboys need to maintain a healthy fear of failure in the future
– far less paranoia and far more respect for and research on their
remaining opponents (any one of whom could rise up and very easily
beat the Cowboys if they let down their guard).
The Cowboys have eight regular season games to prove and re-prove
their legitimacy as a playoff and Super Bowl contender. The season
is a marathon.
A Hint Of Cheese
An angry and embarrassed Green Bay Packers team awaits the Cowboys
in Green Bay for their game this Sunday afternoon. The Packers were
put to bed pretty convincingly by Brett Favre and the Minnesota
Vikings. They want to get back into the win column as badly as the
Cowboys want to continue their winning and improvement streak.
The Cowboys defensive line should be smelling blood with the way
Green Bay’s offensive line has been allowing sacks of Aaron Rodgers.
This is not an excuse, however, for Ware and Co. to over pursue
and get sucker punched with swing passes and delayed hand-offs.
If the Packers’ offensive line gives Rodgers any daylight, the
Cowboys secondary will have to be ready and waiting for Donald Driver
and a talented Green Bay receiving corps.
Romo should not underestimate the Packers secondary, either.
Will the beer and cheese flow freely at Lambeau Field? Will the
Cowboys put a cork in the Pack getting back on track? Will the
Cowboys continue their recent show of physical toughness or will
they melt down into so much Wisconsin cheese whiz in the face of renewed
expectations from the fans?
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- We shall see. We always do.
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