I don't know what was worse, my turtle slow Internet connection for 3 quarters, the Internet crashing with 12 minutes left in the game, the loss, or the weekly fan meltdown. Well, actually I was fortunate to be without Internet for several hours so the last one I didn't have to deal with.
14-2, 2-14, or any record in between those two, I have decided to refuse to get all strung out and upset about this team, because there is nothing I can do about it. I don't believe in the billboard ideas and never will. I also don't believe chirping about it does myself any good or anyone else either. Some will say that means I am just being optimistic. That would entail missing the fact that I wrote 2-14 in the first line of the paragraph. I'm used to that kind of thinking any more.
That said, I'll begin the most painful critique of the season.
Tony, Tony, Tony. You nearly got Roy Williams killed. Man that was a great hit. If it had not been on one of our players I would have really loved it. As it is I only begrudgingly love it. Give credit to Denver, their Defense is better than I expected. After a lousy 1st quarter they turned it on for the next 3 quarters. I tip my hat to them on a great game. I owe someone 5 bucks this morning when I get to the job site. That's gonna suck.
How in the world after Brooking makes a stop like that on 4th down can the Offense be on cruise control and play flat? I know the QB was rushed and throwing high, but how does the O-line forget to block well? I don't understand that. I big play is supposed to fire a team up, not calm them down. There was no fire yesterday. Maybe it was the altitude, maybe it's the fact our 2 losses are to undefeated teams who are simply better. I hate to admit that last line because I think this team has promise.
Unfulfilled promise is almost a proverb. We're still averaging 6.0 yards per carry and still the #3 ranked rushing Offense, but yesterday was a letdown by the O-line and the running attack with one exception. Barber's TD was all heart and effort. Where was that the entire game?
It took too long to get Witten involved and I think this team is better when Defenses have to account for him early. Dawkins had a blanket on him all day. Man oh man, did we ever go after Champ Bailey. The problem is we never got it over on him. He made a great INT on the play where Austin and Tony weren't on the same page. We attacked him. I think I heard them say 16 times. Unreal.
The best play I saw from Dallas other than Barber's TD was Jenkins TD saving bat down of a pass to Marshall. Then Marshall comes back at the end of the game and makes up for it big time. I thought Newman was going to get that pass. Not sure if he time it wrong or lost footing or what, but Marshall made one hell of a play.
I guess what it boils down to is I give more credit to Denver than I felt I would ever have to. I won't lie, I had them as a 4-12 to 6-10 team after their off season meltdown. It's only right and fair that I give them the credit they do deserve. They flat out outplayed us. There is nothing else that can be said about it. It was nothing like the Giants game where they needed 4 turnovers to win by a mere 2 points after a dogfight. Not this time. Denver simply never gave up and we never got going because they didn't give up. No excuses necessary.
Crow doesn't taste like chicken.
