Day after thoughts

dbair1967

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It's the day after, normally after having time to cool off I feel better about games, especially games where we won and maybe didnt play well. That isnt the case today.

That was a royal clunker yesterday against a very bad football team. A bad football team missing a number of its key players. A bad football team that only once this yr had allowed as few as 7pts in a game, and that was vs a pathetic Rams team at home back in week 2. Some people are taking pride in the fact that we held them to two fg's, yet this is a team that ranks at the bottom of the league in scoring offense and near the bottom in virtually every offensive category. They were missing oodles of OL, down to their 3rd and 4th string RB's, missing their best receiving option in Cooley. Missing their best defensive player.

The only real positive from the game is we won. Beyond that, it was pathetic.

1) The box score will show we ran for 153 on 33 rushes, almost all of it by the RB's. That looks great until you also note that the Commanders rank at the bottom of the league in rush defense even with the 100 million dollar DT. He didnt play yesterday.

2) Our passing game was absolutely atrocious yesterday, and most of it was because of how poorly Romo played. I give him credit for shaking off the back injury and playing through it. It might have even been the reason he was so inaccurate. On the last drive of the game he played very well and he has to be given credit for that too. But he has had problems virtually all year with accuracy, and especially throwing passes that sail high. Romo was outplayed badly by Jason Campbell.

3) For those cheerleading the defense, anytime you dont give up a TD you have to be pleased. But the Commanders are an absolutely horrid offensive team. They rank at the bottom of the league in almost every offensive category.When you have to rely on a kicker who had been prefect missing a gimmee to win the game, you shouldnt be that happy. Only twice in 9 games has Campbell thrown for more yards than he did yesterday. He came into the game being sacked 28 times, and we got him only once. He completed something like 13/13 passes on 3rd down.

4) Doug Free played pretty well in hid first start. His worst play was probably the run play where Barber got caught from behind on 3rd down, had he got the guy blocked even a little, Barber easily gets the first down. Otherwise, he was pretty good.

5) Alan Ball was ok too, really no different than the bum who makes 40 million dollars and plays ahead of him. Looked like he got a little more comfortable as the game wore on, but totally blew what looked like a gimmee pick.

6) A few guys who stood out as terrible yesterday IMO were Leonard Davis, Roy Williams, Romo, Newman, Sensabaugh and even Jay Ratliff. For the 2nd straight game Ratliff went up against a truly dreadful OL, and other than one or two plays I hardly noticed him. There might have been others, Folk missing a FG was bad. Barber laying the damn ball on the ground in the redzone was lame and that play might have changed the whole way that game played out. The common theme here though is a bunch of guys who get paid a ton of money (save Sensabaugh and Folk) took turns looking awful.

7) On the other hand, I thought Martellus Bennett looked really good and clearly they have to start getting him involved down the field. Patrick Crayton had another very solid game returning punts and kept working to get open on our only TD. As mentioned above, Free didnt seem to hurt us out there. Spencer was all over the place. Bowen's deflection might have been a season saver. Keith Brooking is playing at a very high level.

8) I am still amazed at how incredibly close they call our DB's for everything. If they were calling it that way on both teams every week, that would be one thing. But they are not. And for the 2nd straight game, officials seemed to totally botch instant replay.

9) We should hammer Oakland, but I'm doubting we will. After that we play at NYG, San Diego at home, at New Orleans, at Washington and home vs Philly. I'm gonna go ahead and say this, but if we play the way we have the last two games in December, we'll be 0-for-the-month, and at best 1-4.

10) We limped out of this game with a bunch of injuries, and Mike Jenkins might be out vs Oakland, which would be a huge loss because he is eonsbetter than Scandrick right now. Gurode and Ware also got dinged up again. Bennett appeared to be ok, but he got absolutely blasted on one pass play. Romo has the back thing too.

Something is wrong with this team. It isnt play calling. It isnt injuries. They just dont seem to get "it". After laying an egg last week, you'd think they'd have come out in front of a great home crowd and really stepped it up against a very bad Washington team. Instead they managed to get shut out for 56+ minutes and look hopeless for most of the game in general. Its concerning, and IMO we're teetering close to wasting another season. This team should be better be playing better than it is right now.
 

SDogo

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Everyone is screaming a win is a win but looking at the remaining schedule I find it terribly disturbing. I going to mentally prepare myself for another collapse while holding out hope there is a big plate of crow waiting for me in January.
 

SaltwaterServr

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Yeah, the injury to Romo was very significant to his play.

Ask yourself this, how HARD do you need to get hit in the lower back by another guy's knee to actually injure his knee?


Romo kept Brooking concerned
4:40 PM Sun, Nov 22, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Gerry Fraley/Reporter E-mail | News tips
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking was concerned about the health of quarterback Tony Romo throughout Sunday's win against Washington.

Romo injured his back making a tackle after a first-quarter turnover. He stayed in the game but had difficulty.

``I must have asked him 10 timew `are you okay?' '' Brooking said. ``You could tell he was hurting, but he kept going out there and grinding.''

Romo put together a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter. It ended with Romo improvising on the fly to find Patrick Crayton on a 10-yard touchdown pass.

``That's the Tony Romo I remember seeing before I got here,'' said Brooking, who played the previous 11 seasons with Atlanta. ``He has that uncanny ability to make tha t play when it really matters.''
 

dbair1967

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SaltwaterServr;3095406 said:
Yeah, the injury to Romo was very significant to his play.

Ask yourself this, how HARD do you need to get hit in the lower back by another guy's knee to actually injure his knee?

I dont doubt that it did, but at some point you have to look at it and as a coach question whether he gives you the best chance to win. Had we lost the game (and we easily could have) it would have been almost solely his fault. And in turn, perhaps a ton of blame should go to Phillips and Garrett for not taking him out.

As I noted though, Romo has had accuracy problems all year, especially with high throws.
 

Maikeru-sama

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At some point you have to start giving the other team credit.

Again, Green Bay has a pretty good defense, they were desperate, playing at home and their season was on the line.

The Commanders have a pretty passing defense and started to get their confidence back.

We are 7-3 and most likely headed to the Playoffs.
 

Chuck 54

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I think we're right where I'd hoped to be. This team everyone is so dissatisfied with right now has not lost 2 consequitive games this season, and is 5-1 in the past 6.

Oakland Win
at NYG
San Diego
at New Orleans
Washington Win
Philly

We'll win at least 1 of the other 4, 2 at home and 2 on the road...that would make us 10-6...split those 4 games and we're 11-5.

Could we fall totally apart with Romo playing horrible or due to injuries? of course we could...anyone can...look at the SB champion Steelers...they're struggling right now, but you don't see all the panic and whining surrounding them.

Anything can happen, but right now, I like our record and our remaining schedule to get us into the playoffs. We're a better team and we're playing better this year than last year...that's improvement...that's a good thing.
 

CCBoy

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To have a legitimate shot at a playoff spot...Dallas, starting Thanksgiving with Oakland, has to win 3 of 6 remaining games. They don't get any easier from this point forward. As the Cowboys face the stronger offensive teams, who will be heating up in December, Tony Romo will find it harder...not easier, to get his offense in sync. He had better start focusing and working hard on getting on target. I agree with your assessment of his technique being a problem. The side arm toss doesn't keep the ball from sailing. He never learned an arch on his throws...which help a lot down range.:rolleyes:

If Dallas loses at home against the 'black hole'...then I have to question their maturity as a team. Hence, their coaching at that point.

The coaches better be listening to the disruption going on in front of them on the sidelines as well...and that just DOESN'T get swept under the carpet quickly. That is fabric of the veteran side of the defense. The defense IS what is going on right with the Cowboys consistently. I wouldn't want to lose that side at this point...crisis intervention Wade, or say....good bye.
 

JohnsKey19

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A few things I take away from this game

1.Our pass rush has to be the most overrated component to our team right now. Maybe we need to put more LBs on the field or something on passing downs. Our down lineman provide very little in rushing the passer.

2.Why do we struggle so much in 3rd and long defense? It's like nothing we do works. The zone coverage is either too loose. Or our DBs get beat in man-to-man. Again, a pass rush would really help here...

3.The passing game was horrible. Outside of maybe 2 completions, all of the balls caught by WRs were the result of Romo scrambling around and allowing WRs to break off their routes. Granted Romo was off on a few throws but even on those plays, there was very tight pass coverage. It seems our WRs are having a hard time getting open, which could either be the result of route predictability or simply the WRs not getting the job done.

4.For the most part, I thought the playcalling was OK. Sure it was ugly but you have to be able to win these games 7-6, 10-6, 13-10, 17-10 or whatever against good defenses. Once again missed FGs and the turnover took should-be points off the board in a low scoring game. It's a little disappointing that we couldn't use play-action AT ALL given Barber and Jones were breaking off 4-5+ yards per carry...
 

CCBoy

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Really, play action is like an abstract statistic thrown in for picture pleasure... and an abstract idea of 'balance'. The overloading on the outside on runs, and sending bizare matches into passing routes does NOT get credable use during games now. The toughness and durability of the double tight end, has been replaced by groups of runs or passes.

Balance HAS been lost and in the name of MANAGEMENT?

Think that Bellichick would stump his toe in these areas?

He might blow the call in a gamble, but Romo does that aspect of 'failure' all game long...Prime Time and Red Zone are a foreign language at present.

Hey, a win was nice...that cuts the rolaids down.:rolleyes:
 

802dave

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Maikeru-sama;3095413 said:
We are 7-3 and most likely headed to the Playoffs.

Playoffs?! Don't talk playoffs! :rolleyes:

December is almost here again... The toughest games are coming up. You would think they'd be able to simply stumble into the playoffs at this point and that seems to be what they're going to do. That doesn't bode well for success in the playoffs!
 

802dave

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dbair1967;3095399 said:
Something is wrong with this team. It isnt play calling. It isnt injuries. They just dont seem to get "it". After laying an egg last week, you'd think they'd have come out in front of a great home crowd and really stepped it up against a very bad Washington team. Instead they managed to get shut out for 56+ minutes and look hopeless for most of the game in general. Its concerning, and IMO we're teetering close to wasting another season. This team should be better be playing better than it is right now.

I agree; they don't get "it". The play-calling has been bad, imo, but there seems to big a bigger overall problem and that has to be laid at the feet of the head coach or the lack of a strong head coach. Like others have said, they really have two coordinators and then JJ... Not ideal!
 

802dave

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802dave;3095431 said:
I agree; they don't get "it". The play-calling has been bad, imo, but there seems to big a bigger overall problem and that has to be laid at the feet of the head coach or the lack of a strong head coach. Like others have said, they really have two coordinators and then JJ... Not ideal!

After a little more thought, the defense does get it. The offense clearly needs to find "it". Garrett needs some help, the guys need to execute way better, they need to find something to get them rolling!
 

DallasEast

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Marion Barber fumbled on second down at the Commander 12-yard line in the first quarter. Nick Folk missed a field goal before the half. Shaun Suisham missed one field goal each during the first and second halves. As far as scoring is concerned, the box score may not have looked much different had both teams played better football.
 

THUMPER

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dbair1967;3095399 said:
Something is wrong with this team. It isnt play calling. It isnt injuries. They just dont seem to get "it". After laying an egg last week, you'd think they'd have come out in front of a great home crowd and really stepped it up against a very bad Washington team. Instead they managed to get shut out for 56+ minutes and look hopeless for most of the game in general. Its concerning, and IMO we're teetering close to wasting another season. This team should be better be playing better than it is right now.

I agree with everything you said David but these two points in particular seem to sum up my feelings about the team right now. :bang2: :bang2: :bang2:
 

dbair1967

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802dave;3095437 said:
After a little more thought, the defense does get it. The offense clearly needs to find "it". Garrett needs some help, the guys need to execute way better, they need to find something to get them rolling!

I dont know that anyone can say the defense "gets it" because of what we saw yesterday. Again, it was the Commanders. One of THE worst offensive teams in football, missing several OL, their top two RB's, their top receiving threat and starting a QB who is the model of inconsistency. Said QB completed every 3rd down pass he attempted and there were still too many plays with way too soft of coverage. We did what should have been expected in terms of pts allowed, but it wasnt a dominant performance either. They still outgained us in yards, we had only one sack against a QB who had been sacked 28 times going in, didnt force a turnover until a DL tipped a pass at the end of the game and let a journeyment type RB like Rock Cartwright make several big plays on us. We missed a bunch of tackles (again).
 

dbair1967

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DallasEast;3095438 said:
Marion Barber fumbled on second down at the Commander 12-yard line in the first quarter. Nick Folk missed a field goal before the half. Shaun Suisham missed one field goal each during the first and second halves. As far as scoring is concerned, the box score may not have looked much different had both teams played better football.

I actually thought the Barber fumble was a game changer. Had we punched it in there, maybe the Skins would have folded. Instead it gave them hope.

Suisham missed a 38 yd fg in a dome, when he had been perfect for the yr. It's a gimmee, if he makes that they win. And he just missed the 50 yarder.
 

Oh_Canada

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Maikeru-sama;3095413 said:
At some point you have to start giving the other team credit.

Again, Green Bay has a pretty good defense, they were desperate, playing at home and their season was on the line.

The Commanders have a pretty passing defense and started to get their confidence back.

We are 7-3 and most likely headed to the Playoffs.

Yeah...the Packers defense that gave up twenty three points the Niners....with Alex Smith at QB. The Commanders who were torched by Kyle Orton for almost two hundread yards in the first half a week ago.

This team isn't going anywhere until they get there act together. Squeaking by playing sloppy football against inferior opponents at home maybe a win, but it's not a good sign for what's to come. Cowboys fans go through this every year, and every year we hear people recite the same tired cliche a "win is a win" (remember the Bucs game last year) and every year they are disappointed come January.
 

TVMan

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dbair1967;3095444 said:
Suisham missed a 38 yd fg in a dome, when he had been perfect for the yr. It's a gimmee, if he makes that they win. And he just missed the 50 yarder.

Zorn said there was wind down there. The glass doors were open on both ends.

Obviously it affected Folk as well.
 

cowboyjoe

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SDogo;3095405 said:
Everyone is screaming a win is a win but looking at the remaining schedule I find it terribly disturbing. I going to mentally prepare myself for another collapse while holding out hope there is a big plate of crow waiting for me in January.

yep doesnt look good and the big penalities again;
 

Maikeru-sama

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I just never understand why Cowboys fans cannot give the opposition any credit.

I haven't seen Green Bay and Washington play that much this year but:

Green Bay is 3rd in Overall Defense
Green Bay is 4th in Run Defense

Washington is 1st in Passing Defense
Washington is 4th in Overall Defense

If you want to buy into the Cowboys being 5th Overall in Offense, then you have to give our last 2 opponents credit as well.

Those were 2 fairly good defenses and people are out of their mind if they thought the Cowboys were capable of scoring at will on those defenses.
 
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