theogt
Surrealist
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Movers and Shakers
10:59 PM Sun, Dec 09, 2007 | Permalink
Albert Breer http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg E-mail http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg News tips
MOVING UP
RB Marion Barber: Maybe Barber wasn't Marshall Faulk today. But he seemed to be the Cowboys version of that. He looked excellent in space, and came up big with three touchdowns and one very big fourth down conversion, on the play after the Tony Romo fumble/Kyle Kosier recovery. In all, Barber had 17 touches for 104 yards, which is a pretty good day. Plus, he was lauded for his coverage recognition today for the way he was sitting in zones and finding holes in coverage.
QB Tony Romo: In Buffalo a couple months back, Romo pulled his team out of a hole he dug for it. This felt similar to the Bills game. But this time, it really wasn't Romo that was the problem. This time, Romo spent most of the afternoon bailing his defense out and, then, atoned for his own fumble late in the game. So methodical was Romo's effort that he had just one completion of more than 16 yards, yet he wound up with 302 on 35-of-44 passing, with two touchdown passes and no picks. Maybe most important was the steady hand he brought the offense in bringing that group back time after time, especially after Jason Witten's fumble.
TE Jason Witten: Waste your time killing him for the fumble if you want. What I saw was that most of his 15 catches really meant something, and that he made the Lions pay for putting what seemed to be, in essence, a bracket on Terrell Owens. All things considered, the 15 grabs didn't bring the yardage totals you'd expect (138 yards). But if you look at the spots they cropped up in -- not the least of which was the game-winner -- you'll see why he's here.
SHAKING DOWN
LB Akin Ayodele: A tough day in general for Irving's own. He got caught in the backfield on T.J. Duckett's touchdown run, and had problems dealing with lead and pull blockers all day. He finished up with seven tackles, but that stat isn't reflective of a game where No. 51 certainly had room to improve.
LB Bradie James: Without question, he could've been better too. Both James and Ayodele were part of the problem for a run defense that yielded 4.8 yards a carry against the worst run offense in the NFL. He struggled both at the point of attack, and played a bit undisciplined in the running game. James is better than he played today, and it's too bad for him that this was the game where attention was coming his way.
P Mat McBriar: As a Pro Bowler, he's had better days. He did have a 44.0-yard average, which is fine. But that's deceiving. He boomed a 55-yarder through the end zone and had a 32-yard boot a little later on. Like James, he's better than he played today.
10:59 PM Sun, Dec 09, 2007 | Permalink
Albert Breer http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg E-mail http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg News tips
MOVING UP
RB Marion Barber: Maybe Barber wasn't Marshall Faulk today. But he seemed to be the Cowboys version of that. He looked excellent in space, and came up big with three touchdowns and one very big fourth down conversion, on the play after the Tony Romo fumble/Kyle Kosier recovery. In all, Barber had 17 touches for 104 yards, which is a pretty good day. Plus, he was lauded for his coverage recognition today for the way he was sitting in zones and finding holes in coverage.
QB Tony Romo: In Buffalo a couple months back, Romo pulled his team out of a hole he dug for it. This felt similar to the Bills game. But this time, it really wasn't Romo that was the problem. This time, Romo spent most of the afternoon bailing his defense out and, then, atoned for his own fumble late in the game. So methodical was Romo's effort that he had just one completion of more than 16 yards, yet he wound up with 302 on 35-of-44 passing, with two touchdown passes and no picks. Maybe most important was the steady hand he brought the offense in bringing that group back time after time, especially after Jason Witten's fumble.
TE Jason Witten: Waste your time killing him for the fumble if you want. What I saw was that most of his 15 catches really meant something, and that he made the Lions pay for putting what seemed to be, in essence, a bracket on Terrell Owens. All things considered, the 15 grabs didn't bring the yardage totals you'd expect (138 yards). But if you look at the spots they cropped up in -- not the least of which was the game-winner -- you'll see why he's here.
SHAKING DOWN
LB Akin Ayodele: A tough day in general for Irving's own. He got caught in the backfield on T.J. Duckett's touchdown run, and had problems dealing with lead and pull blockers all day. He finished up with seven tackles, but that stat isn't reflective of a game where No. 51 certainly had room to improve.
LB Bradie James: Without question, he could've been better too. Both James and Ayodele were part of the problem for a run defense that yielded 4.8 yards a carry against the worst run offense in the NFL. He struggled both at the point of attack, and played a bit undisciplined in the running game. James is better than he played today, and it's too bad for him that this was the game where attention was coming his way.
P Mat McBriar: As a Pro Bowler, he's had better days. He did have a 44.0-yard average, which is fine. But that's deceiving. He boomed a 55-yarder through the end zone and had a 32-yard boot a little later on. Like James, he's better than he played today.