Congratulations and Concerns

[rcaldw]

Congratulations:

Wade Phillips, Jason Garrett, entire coaching staff: You have to give the coaching staff credit when you come out in a must win game on the road and hit the opponent in the mouth the way we did the Saints. I am not a Wade Phillips fan, but only a dishonest hater would refuse to give the man credit when his team performs well. Kudos to Wade and the staff and keep up the good work.

Tony Romo: I didn't feel that his game against the Chargers was his best despite most wanting to completely exonerate him from any blame. I thought he was outstanding in New York, and I thought he was his very best all year against the Saints. The difference in the Saints game, in my opinion, was the drive that was missing in the Giants and Chargers games when you needed that one drive, (the next to last drive) in both ball games and both times we had to punt. In the Saints game we went all the way down. Yea, Folk missed the kick, but Romo did his job. He was just outstanding. Way to go Tony.

DWare: What can you say? The guy was already great in my book, but to come off the injury and play like that puts him in the legends category.

Concerns:

I know, call me a pessimist, but there were some things about the Saints game that I couldn't help but notice.

1. I think we played our very best game and I thought the Saints played one of their worst (Dropped ball in the endzone, Brees not protecting the ball and giving up 3 points at the end of the half, etc.), yet there we are holding on for dear life at the end. That concerns me.

2. I really think for the first time in a LONG LONG time, we got more breaks from the officials in that game. Yet there we are holding on for dear life at the end.

Don't get me wrong. I am very excited about the win. I believe we will take care of business against Washington and make the playoffs.

But given the two opinions I stated above, my concern is that our talent level just isn't enough to get us to the Super Bowl. If I am right in my two concerns, then we should have blown them out, not have been holding on at the end.

I don't think it was coaching that kept it close, (in other words a coaching failure), and I thought the team played outstanding. So how did it stay so close? I just wonder if we aren't a bit less talented?

 

[mmohican29]

I'd just like to note that if Roy Williams holds on to his 4th down slant pass we likely score again. There was no indication from New Orleans that they could stop us if we played well on offense.

If we play them again, I like our chances a second time because I think we might actually have been a hair more conservative in this ballgame then necessary.

 

[rcaldw]

I'd just like to note that if Roy Williams holds on to his 4th down slant pass we likely score again. There was no indication from New Orleans that they could stop us if we played well on offense.

If we play them again, I like our chances a second time because I think we might actually have been a hair more conservative in this ballgame then necessary.

That's true about Roy's drop.

 

[Direwolf63]

Congratulations:

Wade Phillips, Jason Garrett, entire coaching staff: You have to give the coaching staff credit when you come out in a must win game on the road and hit the opponent in the mouth the way we did the Saints. I am not a Wade Phillips fan, but only a dishonest hater would refuse to give the man credit when his team performs well. Kudos to Wade and the staff and keep up the good work.

Tony Romo: I didn't feel that his game against the Chargers was his best despite most wanting to completely exonerate him from any blame. I thought he was outstanding in New York, and I thought he was his very best all year against the Saints. The difference in the Saints game, in my opinion, was the drive that was missing in the Giants and Chargers games when you needed that one drive, (the next to last drive) in both ball games and both times we had to punt. In the Saints game we went all the way down. Yea, Folk missed the kick, but Romo did his job. He was just outstanding. Way to go Tony.

DWare: What can you say? The guy was already great in my book, but to come off the injury and play like that puts him in the legends category.

Concerns:

I know, call me a pessimist, but there were some things about the Saints game that I couldn't help but notice.

1. I think we played our very best game and I thought the Saints played one of their worst (Dropped ball in the endzone, Brees not protecting the ball and giving up 3 points at the end of the half, etc.), yet there we are holding on for dear life at the end. That concerns me.

2. I really think for the first time in a LONG LONG time, we got more breaks from the officials in that game. Yet there we are holding on for dear life at the end.

Don't get me wrong. I am very excited about the win. I believe we will take care of business against Washington and make the playoffs.

But given the two opinions I stated above, my concern is that our talent level just isn't enough to get us to the Super Bowl. If I am right in my two concerns, then we should have blown them out, not have been holding on at the end.

I don't think it was coaching that kept it close, (in other words a coaching failure), and I thought the team played outstanding. So how did it stay so close? I just wonder if we aren't a bit less talented?

We dominated them for 3 quarters. We were ahead 24-3 going into the 4th quarter. You have to expect that a 13-0 team playing at home would make a final push. I expected it. I knew it wasn't over at 24-3. The Saints were behind before and won.

If RW makes his catch, things would have been easier. If Folk makes his FG, things would have been easier. But at the end of the day, the Cowboys made the plays they had to to beat an undefeated team at home. They closed it out. Impressive no matter how you look at it.

So it doesn't really bother me that we were "hanging on" at the end. They took the Saints punch and closed out the game despite it. And the Saints throw as good a punch as anybody in the league. The Saints may have played poorly on offense, but our defense forced them into doings things they don't normally do. Brees was uncomfortable for the first time all season. And I think it was more to do with our excellent pass rush than their poor play.

 

[kmd24]

1. I think we played our very best game and I thought the Saints played one of their worst (Dropped ball in the endzone, Brees not protecting the ball and giving up 3 points at the end of the half, etc.), yet there we are holding on for dear life at the end. That concerns me.

If your idea of a perfect game includes missed chip shot FG's, dropped 3rd down conversions, a RB that isn't paying attention when he's supposed to be running a draw, dropped interceptions, hands to the face that negates a sack, and several busted coverages underneath, then, yeah, that was our very best game. Heck, I think we played better against Carolina than the Saints.

And they didn't play poorly at all. Brees fumbled twice, but those were just two plays among the many others that saw Brees dodging rushers and getting the ball to his receivers. In fact, two of the "mistakes" they made were improvisations by Brees and the receiver. They were risky underthrows, the kind that Brees has been making all season. He just got unlucky that our guy, the one left in single coverage on Henderson, had great coverage both times.

But given the two opinions I stated above, my concern is that our talent level just isn't enough to get us to the Super Bowl. If I am right in my two concerns, then we should have blown them out, not have been holding on at the end.

Blowouts happen when the other team gives up. The Saints aren't ever going to give up because they've overcome some big deficits. We let up on the pressure in the fourth quarter, probably because we figured that we could drive the ball even if they scored. Unfortunately, that was one of our only 3-and-outs due to a drop. If RW catches that pass, Dallas would have won by double digits, which is about as close as anyone is going to get to blowing out the Saints.

 

[rcaldw]

If your idea of a perfect game includes missed chip shot FG's, dropped 3rd down conversions, a RB that isn't paying attention when he's supposed to be running a draw, dropped interceptions, hands to the face that negates a sack, and several busted coverages underneath, then, yeah, that was our very best game. Heck, I think we played better against Carolina than the Saints.

And they didn't play poorly at all. Brees fumbled twice, but those were just two plays among the many others that saw Brees dodging rushers and getting the ball to his receivers. In fact, two of the "mistakes" they made were improvisations by Brees and the receiver. They were risky underthrows, the kind that Brees has been making all season. He just got unlucky that our guy, the one left in single coverage on Henderson, had great coverage both times.



Blowouts happen when the other team gives up. The Saints aren't ever going to give up because they've overcome some big deficits. We let up on the pressure in the fourth quarter, probably because we figured that we could drive the ball even if they scored. Unfortunately, that was one of our only 3-and-outs due to a drop. If RW catches that pass, Dallas would have won by double digits, which is about as close as anyone is going to get to blowing out the Saints.

Good points, all of them. I don't expect "perfect" football from any team. Just looking at the game as a whole I really don't think we have played better all year. I also don't see many Jackie Smith style drops like what we saw from the Saints in that game. To lose a fumble on their own end with less than 2:00 minutes was also inexcusable.

But I agree completely with the idea that we CAUSED a lot of that with our defense.

I hope you are right in your view, and maybe you are. I am very, very ready to see us get a playoff win and make a push for the big game.

 

[JBond]

We dominated them for 3 quarters. We were ahead 24-3 going into the 4th quarter. You have to expect that a 13-0 team playing at home would make a final push. I expected it. I knew it wasn't over at 24-3. The Saints were behind before and won.

If RW makes his catch, things would have been easier. If Folk makes his FG, things would have been easier. But at the end of the day, the Cowboys made the plays they had to to beat an undefeated team at home. They closed it out. Impressive no matter how you look at it.

So it doesn't really bother me that we were "hanging on" at the end. They took the Saints punch and closed out the game despite it. And the Saints throw as good a punch as anybody in the league. The Saints may have played poorly on offense, but our defense forced them into doings things they don't normally do. Brees was uncomfortable for the first time all season. And I think it was more to do with our excellent pass rush than their poor play.

Excellent post. Could not have said it better myself.

 

[DFWJC]

I know, call me a pessimist

Ok...I will

 

[rcaldw]

Excellent post. Could not have said it better myself.

I agree JBond, I thought it was an excellent post as well.

 

[rcaldw]

Ok...I will

, hey, we Cowboys fans have earned it

 

[Direwolf63]

I agree JBond, I thought it was an excellent post as well.

I'm blushing.

Thanks

 

[kmd24]

I also don't see many Jackie Smith style drops like what we saw from the Saints in that game.

If you mean Henderson's drop in the end zone, I thought it was a bad drop too, but when I reviewed the play, I saw what a difficult catch it would have been.

 

[Direwolf63]

If you mean Henderson's drop in the end zone, I thought it was a bad drop too, but when I reviewed the play, I saw what a difficult catch it would have been.

I was a tough catch. The ball was at his feet and his momentum was going away from the ball.

Roy Williams would have made it though.

 

[robb01]

, hey, we Cowboys fans have earned it

We certainly have

 

[JBond]

I was a tough catch. The ball was at his feet and his momentum was going away from the ball.

Roy Williams would have made it though.

then it would get called back for holding on Flo.

 

[rcaldw]

then it would get called back for holding on Flo.

lol, too much truth in that statement.

 

[RCowboyFan]

No, offense, this is the prime example of what I have been saying for a while about some COwoys fans and local Media here in general. Most are still living in mid 90s and have this memory of those cowboys being just so perfect and flawless.

This is the NFL now, every team has warts. A team can be beat at anytime, thats why it was amazing to see 2007 NE Patriots, at least till their late December swoon. On how dominating they were till then, week in and week out. But in the end, they benifited on several good bounces and ran out of them at the end.

Saints benifited from lot of good bounces this year. In fact, I think Colts are more impressive than Saints this year, but at home, Saints Homefield advantage is just amazing and incredible.

I Think in today's NFL, teams that win against good teams are, the ones that make Key plays at right time consistently. See San Diego Chargers/Colts/Saints. Cowboys so far has fallen short quite a number of times, especially against Giants and San Diego. They did against Saints.

I think, confidence is completely different with this team now. We will know for certain next two weeks. I for sure expected Cowboys to get beat by Saints and pretty much at best limp into playoffs. Now my mindset is different. A lot can change with one game and one series or one play, like Aikman likes to say.

 

[wileedog]

No, offense, this is the prime example of what I have been saying for a while about some COwoys fans and local Media here in general. Most are still living in mid 90s and have this memory of those cowboys being just so perfect and flawless.

This is the NFL now, every team has warts.

Yes every team has warts.

No, there's nothing wrong with pointing them out and saying "Here are areas we need to improve on" even after a great game. Maybe even more so now that there simply aren't near perfect teams or games anymore.

If there were message boards in the early 90's nothing would have been different. In fact I bet there would have been a vocal bunch of people pushing Steve Walsh over Aikman.

 

[RCowboyFan]

Yes every team has warts.

No, there's nothing wrong with pointing them out and saying "Here are areas we need to improve on" even after a great game. Maybe even more so now that there simply aren't near perfect teams or games anymore.

If there were message boards in the early 90's nothing would have been different. In fact I bet there would have been a vocal bunch of people pushing Steve Walsh over Aikman.

And thats the point. We all want perfection. But having concern or noticing warts is one thing, but questioning the win because of those is another. I.e. Cowboys just got lucky type of concern.

Thats what James (Bradie James that is) is pointing out to, when he says, he doesn't care about Style points, but just a W, however they get it. I think too many fans/media and even players were concerned about Style Points in past two years. Seems like this team of players don't care about that, even if Fans/Media care, which is good.

 

[jobberone]

We dominated them for 3 quarters. We were ahead 24-3 going into the 4th quarter. You have to expect that a 13-0 team playing at home would make a final push. I expected it. I knew it wasn't over at 24-3. The Saints were behind before and won.

If RW makes his catch, things would have been easier. If Folk makes his FG, things would have been easier. But at the end of the day, the Cowboys made the plays they had to to beat an undefeated team at home. They closed it out. Impressive no matter how you look at it.

So it doesn't really bother me that we were "hanging on" at the end. They took the Saints punch and closed out the game despite it. And the Saints throw as good a punch as anybody in the league. The Saints may have played poorly on offense, but our defense forced them into doings things they don't normally do. Brees was uncomfortable for the first time all season. And I think it was more to do with our excellent pass rush than their poor play.

I said before the game our DBs would be important in that game but the pass rush would decide who won assuming we didn't turn the ball over too much. And that's what won that game although I'd give a big A to the DBs and to the offense including the play calling.

We played a complete game with limited mistakes.