A Touch of Hostility...Week 15

[batman36]

She isn't a sports fan. We are literally each others yin and yang. Opposites attract. I am loud. She is quiet. Polar opposites who fit perfectly.

I was joking, but I know what you mean about the better half. She balances me very well.

 

[EPL0c0]

It amazes me how fragile kickers are mentally. When they get on a bad roll, it seems hard for them to recover. Probably why their position has such a high turnover rate. I think Folk's fallen off that edge..

I'm w/ you though, right now, I'm so hyper I can't fall asleep. But there's still 2 tough games coming up. I'm not even hoping anybody wins to help Dallas, I'm just hoping this team can keep things together to win on their own terms.

 

[Biggems]

It amazes me how fragile kickers are mentally. When they get on a bad roll, it seems hard for them to recover. Probably why their position has such a high turnover rate. I think Folk's fallen off that edge..

I'm w/ you though, right now, I'm so hyper I can't fall asleep. But there's still 2 tough games coming up. I'm not even hoping anybody wins to help Dallas, I'm just hoping this team can keep things together to win on their own terms.

the same can be said for Closers in MLB...they are so fragile....Mitch Williams, Rob Dibble, Brad Lidge...etc.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Hos, the way Barber ran on his first TD, I knew he wanted to get the Barberian back. He was mad at himself for last week, and he took it to the Saints. I said before the play no way he gets stopped and boom TD.

 

[Zman5]

We held the Saints to only one 3rd down conversion and that came late in the 4th Q. That's just amazing considering how bad our D has been in that department lately. And to do that against Saints offense is even more impressive.

 

[kramskoi]

We held the Saints to only one 3rd down conversion and that came late in the 4th Q. That's just amazing considering how bad our D has been in that department lately. And to do that against Saints offense is even more impressive.

its not so much the defense on third down as it is the offense on third downs...last week Dallas went 1-8 in a loss...this week N.O. went 1-7, also with a loss, although i think they could've overcome it without 2 of 3 turnovers...but defense makes you commit turnovers sometimes...

...right now it's more about the Dallas offense than the defense...i know this goes against popular opinion but the defense, apart from the two games versus NY, is keeping teams in the 17-20 point range on a consistent basis...with the offense they had 2 years ago they would be cleaning up teams with that type of scoring defense...if the offense can convert 45-50% on third down and win the turnover differential then they will be tough to beat...otherwise...

 

[AdamJT13]

apart from the two games versus NY

The Giants' offense scored 24 and 26 points against us, and they got 17 of those when they started inside our 30 yard line.

Really, if we don't give our opponent the ball in great field position, we hold them to 20 points or less. And we hold them to that sometimes even when we do give them the ball there.

 

[Eskimo]

great win....


3 points off turnovers. Now one of them came to seal the game, but still, I would like to see at least 6-10 points off the other two. However, we are finally forcing turnovers, so baby steps. Once we start getting them with consistency, then we can work on converting them into points.

True but consider that:

1. As you mentioned, one ended the game.

2. The one at the half, we only had 45 seconds to go in for the score so that was a major factor there.

3. On the Jenkins INT, we took over at the 4 yard line and you're not going to score many points starting from that deep in your own end. You can think of that play as saving 3-7 points as the Saints were on the move there.

 

[Hostile]

We held the Saints to only one 3rd down conversion and that came late in the 4th Q. That's just amazing considering how bad our D has been in that department lately. And to do that against Saints offense is even more impressive.

That is one of the stats of the night right there. No one else could do that to that Offense.

 

[THUMPER]

I said I wasn't going to get too high after wins. You can't get very high when the 4th quarter makes you clench your butt so tight that chair cushions require the jaws of life to extract them. I was sweating. We all were sweating. No way I wanted overtime.

I couldn't be more thrilled. If we had only taken care of business against the damned Giants I feel like we'd be in prime position to be a serious threat in the post season. To win the NFC East we need to take care of business the last 2 games. Getting too high on this win is fine for the fans, but the goal is not met. There is work to do.

Perhaps the best 1st quarter we have played all year. I think other than the two Saints drives in the 4th quarter it may have been our best Defensive effort all year because folks, that team can flat out score. Prior to tonight, their lowest point scoring game this season was 24 points vs. the Jets.

You know how I like weird stuff to share with you after the games. This is my paragraph for doing that. The Cowboys and Saints have now played 23 times. 3 of those 23 times have been on this calendar date. That's right, this is the 3rd time we have played the Saints on December 19. We are 3-0 against them on that date. Not only that but we have only won on that calendar date 4 times. 3 of the 4 times are against the Saints. Now do you believe?

Our longest active losing streak to any team was the 5 games to the Saints. That is now snapped. The new longest losing streak is to the Broncos at 4 games. We won't face them again until 2013. The game will be in Dallas and it has the possibility of being a Thanksgiving Day game on CBS.

Earlier this year Tony Romo did something he had never done before. He did not throw an interception in 3 straight games. He repeated that accomplishment last week vs. the Chargers. Tonight he made it 4 in a row and even bigger, he has not thrown one this December. The Cowboys are 1-2 in the hated month of December, but you cannot hang that on Tony Romo. Another thread already touted his stats and I won't steal that thunder. He has been awesome. By the way, tonight was his 7th 300+ yard passing game of the season. That matches his 2007 best and he has two games to set a personal best in that stat.

Miles Austin, welcome to the 1000 yard receiving club. He needed one yard to join that fraternity. He got 138 beyond that and a brilliant 49 yard score to get the game rolling for Dallas.

Did anyone besides me wonder if Barber wanted redemption for the last 2 weeks when he punched the 2 TDs in? I feel like his pride had been wounded and he had something to prove.

Time of possession is my favorite stat in the world other than the final score. I like it when we dominate the clock. We held the ball for almost 13 minutes more than the Saints tonight. That is how you beat an Offensive juggernaut. You deny them the ball.

We took the ball away 3 times tonight. I had to look at that 3 times and rub my eyes to make sure I was seeing it right. If we can start creating turnovers we will be so much better off. Jenkins almost had a 2nd one and he had some running room.

DeMarcus Ware, tonight I will hit my knees and I will once again thank the man above for you. If anyone ever questions his leadership again they need to be pointed towards this game. Playing with an injured neck and making the play that seals the game isn't big. It is beyond that. Not only did he get the sack which probably would have iced it anyway, he made it possible for Romo to take a knee. That is leadership, confidence, and aggression meeting in one play. I will be hoarse tomorrow. I may not sleep tonight. He did it twice. Sacks and forced fumbles on both plays. He is the man.

Do you remember when Anthony Spencer could not get to the QB, but the stats said he was getting the most pressure on the QB? He has so stepped up his game and at the greatest time he possibly could. I thought tonight was his best game this year for more than just the 2 sacks. He and Ware had Brees rattled at times. That is not an easy task ever.

I hate Kickers. I really don't want to say much beyond that. One of the things I hate most about Kickers is that guys put their guts on the field to get him into position for a chip shot FG and he doinks it. I hate it when teams kill themselves to get a Kicker down there and then the press talk about them winning it. I just hate Kickers. There is literally nothing about them that I care for. At one time I actually had confidence in him. Now I cringe. I thought when he hit the 1st one that it was over. What the hell was I doing thinking that? I ought to have my head examined. He's a freaking Kicker. They cannot be trusted.

Maybe that's what I can remind myself of so as not to get too high after this win. I believe that one was needed, timely, and faith restoring in a lot of ways. I will watch this game several times in the coming week. Count on it.

Great post Hos!

You & I are alike in a lot of ways but probably none bigger than in our disdain for kickers! I've stated before that I wouldn't even have a kicker on my team. I'd go for 2 after every TD, I'd never punt, and I'd never try for a FG. I would have one of the "real players" kickoff.

Playing for the FG late in the game when we were rolling really killed me and then to see Folk clank it off the upright, I nearly lost it! :bang2:

Otherwise it was a great game and HUGE win for us! :starspin

 

[Gaede]

I didn't get to see the game! The one game where we play with life!!!!

Felt really really really really good to come home and see the score though! Very proud of the team; from the highlights, it looked like they actually had a fire lit under their ***...

 

[THUMPER]

She isn't a sports fan. We are literally each others yin and yang. Opposites attract. I am loud. She is quiet. Polar opposites who fit perfectly.

My wife watched the game with me until the Boys went up 24-3 then she went to bed. I'm glad she did because I was cussing a blue streak for a lot of the second half. She doesn't react to my anger very well.

 

[Dave_in-NC]

Nice post Hos. What a roller coaster of emotions in the fourth. I just knew when Folk missed we were going to over time. I wanted to puke.

Way to many players, playing their hearts out to lose because of a kicker. Thank god that didn't take the wind out of the rest of the team.

JG called a hell of a game. Barber is still the best back on this team and like you I think he was looking for redemption. He got it in my book.

Owens who? Give me Miles any day. Productive and a true team player.

Ware, well what can you say.


This was the best win in many years. A true team effort.
Now there's next week.

 

[The Great Number 8]

Agree with everything you said. Only complaint is the standard the last few weeks - Folk and Williams. The team needs to figure those problems out.

At this point, Folk is obvious. I'd be nervous next week on an extra point.

I'm disappointed in Roy - he talks a lot and they ran a play for him to convert a huge first down which he dropped. I can't imagine they'll run too many more for him this year.

I've had Sunday Ticket for about 8 years. Best game I've seen this team play over that period and for 43 minutes was the best gme I may have ever seen them play.

And a big thank you to Devrey Henderson. You helped us out too last night.

 

[casmith07]

We should sign Chad Ochocinco as our kicker :laugh1:

 

[dallascowboyfanboy]

I am a very sick Cowboys addict who does not want to be cured.

I think some Zoner's feel like a crack addict waiting to read your " Touch of Hostility" post game thoughts. I am one of them. I enjoy reading your post game postings. I was disappointed a little bit last night since I didnt find your post til this morning. Felt like a crack addict who needed a hit and finally got it this morning.:laugh2:

 

[LatinMind]

say what u want but im very exited about this win. dallas dominated this game. there should have never been a doubt NO would make a run. brees is the best qb in the nfl. and fr awhile now the saints have won games in the 2nd half. so to think NO was gonna lay down and die thats crazy. NO didnt lose this game. Dallas won it.

dallas finally showed heart.

 

[YosemiteSam]

all kickers should have red hair

so I know not to trust them

Also so you know to slap them like red-headed step children! :laugh2:

 

[Hostile]

I think some Zoner's feel like a crack addict waiting to read your " Touch of Hostility" post game thoughts. I am one of them. I enjoy reading your post game postings. I was disappointed a little bit last night since I didnt find your post til this morning. Felt like a crack addict who needed a hit and finally got it this morning.:laugh2:

:laugh2:

That made my day.

 

[JustDezIt]

good post. i too had been lookin forward to this.