Here's my game plan for winning with Orton. Admittedly, I'm not an expert, but this is what makes sense to me:
1. Run the ball. We've got a good O-line this year and a very good running back. Learned your lesson from the Packer game? Good. Then RUN it! We need to now more than ever since Orton lacks Romo's ability to escape and extend the play. The Eagles will likely game plan to stop the run and make us win via the air. Run anyway. We have a good enough line and RB that we could get running yards anyway. Plus, that sets up ...
2. Play action. Use it and use it wisely. The Eagles are a team that over-pursues. They'll key in on Murray and we hit an open Witten, Dez, Beasley, whoever.
3. Control the clock. Our D sucks. It might be passable if it's kept rested. Long, sustained drives let'em rest and keep the ball out of the hands of the opposing offense.
4. Protect Orton. The first 3 above will do much to do that. If we get into the disastrous pass, pass, pass mode, we invite Orton to get clobbered.
5. Take our shots down the field. If we do the first 4, the field will open up and we CAN pass some.
6. Use plays that Orton has proven in practice to excel at. If there's some great play that Romo has pulled off great, but Orton sucks at it, throw it in the trash. Use what Orton does well, not what Tony does well.
7. We need some help from special teams. It looks like we signed the right guy in return man, Micheal Spurlock. Give him some lanes. Maybe he can break another one.
8. Create takeaways. The one thing this D excelled at, at least earlier in the season, was takeaways. We need them to find a way to do that again. If we succeed in the plan to keep the D off the field too much, they'll be more rested and have a better chance at those takeaways.
9. Give Murray some breaks by letting Tanner, Randle, and maybe even Cluuts do a little of the running.
