Hostile
The Duke
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Before I talk about the game though, the touching moment of the day for me was the video footage of the Bengals giving the game ball to a very emotional Mike Zimmer. Zimmer was hated while he was here, but I still consider him a very good football coach and always have. My heart goes out to him. In the long run this is just a game. What he is going through is so much more.
By now you know me, the win is more important than how we got it. Always. No ifs, and or buts about it. I will take the ugly wins and smile. That said, there will be gripes and I have some too.
On to the game.
13 penalties. Double digit penalties return. We started the season with back to back 4 penalty games. Since then 9, 7, and now 13. I will not be surprised when Flozell Adams is a cap casualty this off season. Yes, he is good when he is on, but he gets ridiculous penalties in crucial situations. How do you have 4 straight of the same penalty. I think the one on Ball was ridiculous, but 12 is still ridiculous too. You can't dance if you shoot yourself in the foot. Penalties are a shot right in the wheels. Gotta get back to how we started the season with the yellow laundry. The fewer the better.
One stat really confuses me and that is time of possession. According to the box score we played 5 quarters. Adding both teams TOP you come up with 75 minutes played. Which would be correct if the overtime was entirely expired. But Austin scored with 8:33 left on the clock in OT. Was Dallas awarded the final 8:33 time of possession due to the win? I honestly have never noticed this before and do not know if this is normal.
If so then we lost the time of possession game rather than won it by nearly 6 minutes. When you combine that with giving them 2 fumbles and the penalties one thing becomes obvious, we pulled a rabbit out of the hat.
Once again I don't mind that. The only stat that matters is the win column adding another win. Yet again we rush for over 150 yards. I can't help but wonder how much better it could be with healthy RBs. Kudos to Barber for gutting it out, but I do hope the bye week gets him the much needed rest he should have had the last 2 weeks. Choice can handle the load. He proved it last year. Barber is too valuable to risk. I can't wait to get Felix back. It is obvious to this football junkie that he is a difference maker for this Offense.
Hello Miles Austin, welcome to the spotlight. I hope you can stand the glare. The next subpar game you have people will wonder what happened to you and think you have no talent or that the QB/OC/HC don't know how to do their jobs. For now though I simply tip my hat to you. What a game. You eclipsed a Cowboys team record held by Hall of Famer Bob Hayes. 250 yards receiving and a game winning score in OT. It's the football equivalent of a walkoff home run. Enjoy the accolades this week.
Lost in all the hoopla that continues to surround this team is the fact that the Special Teams units do a very good job of keeping the game managed. Jay Ratliff, that was gut check from you as you always seem to give. I can't even remember the last time we had 2 blocked FGs in one season. Gives me hope for more big plays from the STs.
Tony Romo, I got your back man. I thought you played one heck of a game when it was demanded of you. You did it without some of your tools and with a guy who the media spent the week trying to divide you away from. There is a reason this team isn't bailing on you. I long for the day the fans join the team in seeing what you do bring to this team's chances. Keep managing the games and the game will come to you.
Do we have a more crucial player so far this season than Keith Brooking? I wasn't too jazzed about his signing. I am happy to shout "I was wrong!" Oh brother was I ever wrong. Every game he is making big plays at crucial moments. Nice to also see Igor Olshansky get a sack. I predicted he'd have 4 this year. I really like the way he plays.
Speaking of sacks, the master gets 2 today. DeMarcus Ware has not played badly by any wild stretch of the imagination, but the lack of sacks was glaring. Last year they came in bunches. Here's hoping a bunch are in the chamber.
I am probably happiest for Mike Jenkins. A few short weeks ago he could not play in the NFL. No it's true, I read it right here on this forum. He's getting better and his natural instincts could yield dividends for this team soon. I would like that. Still lagging behind in takeaways and that isn't acceptable.
Oh how I would like to see a game where the Offense and the Defense both show up to play. One or the other has been flat all five games so far. It doesn't have to be that way. I swear.
Final comment, I'd like to see one more thing from this team in the game against Atlanta and beyond. No more Prevent Defense. We suck at it. Hoover wants to use our Prevent Defense as a mascot. Stick it on the shelf next to Rowdy. Mothball it. Flush it. Blow it up. It hasn't prevented anything except a lot of good fans from enjoying this season more than they have. Both losses came on drives where we played Prevent. It sucks.
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By now you know me, the win is more important than how we got it. Always. No ifs, and or buts about it. I will take the ugly wins and smile. That said, there will be gripes and I have some too.
On to the game.
13 penalties. Double digit penalties return. We started the season with back to back 4 penalty games. Since then 9, 7, and now 13. I will not be surprised when Flozell Adams is a cap casualty this off season. Yes, he is good when he is on, but he gets ridiculous penalties in crucial situations. How do you have 4 straight of the same penalty. I think the one on Ball was ridiculous, but 12 is still ridiculous too. You can't dance if you shoot yourself in the foot. Penalties are a shot right in the wheels. Gotta get back to how we started the season with the yellow laundry. The fewer the better.
One stat really confuses me and that is time of possession. According to the box score we played 5 quarters. Adding both teams TOP you come up with 75 minutes played. Which would be correct if the overtime was entirely expired. But Austin scored with 8:33 left on the clock in OT. Was Dallas awarded the final 8:33 time of possession due to the win? I honestly have never noticed this before and do not know if this is normal.
If so then we lost the time of possession game rather than won it by nearly 6 minutes. When you combine that with giving them 2 fumbles and the penalties one thing becomes obvious, we pulled a rabbit out of the hat.
Once again I don't mind that. The only stat that matters is the win column adding another win. Yet again we rush for over 150 yards. I can't help but wonder how much better it could be with healthy RBs. Kudos to Barber for gutting it out, but I do hope the bye week gets him the much needed rest he should have had the last 2 weeks. Choice can handle the load. He proved it last year. Barber is too valuable to risk. I can't wait to get Felix back. It is obvious to this football junkie that he is a difference maker for this Offense.
Hello Miles Austin, welcome to the spotlight. I hope you can stand the glare. The next subpar game you have people will wonder what happened to you and think you have no talent or that the QB/OC/HC don't know how to do their jobs. For now though I simply tip my hat to you. What a game. You eclipsed a Cowboys team record held by Hall of Famer Bob Hayes. 250 yards receiving and a game winning score in OT. It's the football equivalent of a walkoff home run. Enjoy the accolades this week.
Lost in all the hoopla that continues to surround this team is the fact that the Special Teams units do a very good job of keeping the game managed. Jay Ratliff, that was gut check from you as you always seem to give. I can't even remember the last time we had 2 blocked FGs in one season. Gives me hope for more big plays from the STs.
Tony Romo, I got your back man. I thought you played one heck of a game when it was demanded of you. You did it without some of your tools and with a guy who the media spent the week trying to divide you away from. There is a reason this team isn't bailing on you. I long for the day the fans join the team in seeing what you do bring to this team's chances. Keep managing the games and the game will come to you.
Do we have a more crucial player so far this season than Keith Brooking? I wasn't too jazzed about his signing. I am happy to shout "I was wrong!" Oh brother was I ever wrong. Every game he is making big plays at crucial moments. Nice to also see Igor Olshansky get a sack. I predicted he'd have 4 this year. I really like the way he plays.
Speaking of sacks, the master gets 2 today. DeMarcus Ware has not played badly by any wild stretch of the imagination, but the lack of sacks was glaring. Last year they came in bunches. Here's hoping a bunch are in the chamber.
I am probably happiest for Mike Jenkins. A few short weeks ago he could not play in the NFL. No it's true, I read it right here on this forum. He's getting better and his natural instincts could yield dividends for this team soon. I would like that. Still lagging behind in takeaways and that isn't acceptable.
Oh how I would like to see a game where the Offense and the Defense both show up to play. One or the other has been flat all five games so far. It doesn't have to be that way. I swear.
Final comment, I'd like to see one more thing from this team in the game against Atlanta and beyond. No more Prevent Defense. We suck at it. Hoover wants to use our Prevent Defense as a mascot. Stick it on the shelf next to Rowdy. Mothball it. Flush it. Blow it up. It hasn't prevented anything except a lot of good fans from enjoying this season more than they have. Both losses came on drives where we played Prevent. It sucks.
