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12:24 PM Tue, Oct 14, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon E-mail News tips
It's easy to point the finger at special teams when a loss begins and ends by giving up a touchdown in the kicking game. But an offensive line that has earned an excellent reputation deserves a lion's share of blame for the loss to the Cardinals, too.
It was even worse than I thought after watching the game again.
This game reminded me of the second half of last season's playoff loss to the Giants. The Cardinals' front four gave the Cowboys big, tough offensive line fits with their quickness. DT Darnell Dockett, like the Giants' Justin Tuck, consistently got pressure on Tony Romo up the middle. Travis LaBoy, Chike Okeafor and Bertrand Berry looked like Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora coming off the edge, especially when working against LT Flozell Adams.
It's not like the Cardinals threw a bunch of exotic blitz packages at the Cowboys, either. They did the bulk of their damage with four-man rushes, although they did bring five on the sack on which Romo broke his finger, getting Okeafor matched up with FB Deon "Cricket" Anderson.
If you're wondering why the Cowboys weren't able to exploit a vulnerable secondary with the vertical passing game, don't just point the finger at the quarterback, receivers and offensive coordinator. Look at the line, too. Two examples: 1) T.O. got matched up with a linebacker on a seam route on the second possession, but Dockett beat Andre Gurode (bothered by his ankle?) for a sack; 2) Romo missed a wide-open Miles Austin on a post route in the end zone on the final possession of the first half because Antonio Smith spun off Cory Procter to hit Romo as he released the ball.
The run blocking was bad, too, which is why Marion Barber averaged 2.6 yards per carry and was stuffed for 2 yards or less on 10 of 17 attempts.
That started on the first play from scrimmage, when Leonard "Bigg" Davis missed his block. The worst example was when Barber got tackled in the backfield on the Cowboys' three-and-out possession early in the fourth quarter, a play that included missed blocks by Colombo, Davis and Gurode.
That play pretty much summed up what was a terrible total group effort by a line that's considered one of the league's best.
Tim MacMahon E-mail News tips
It's easy to point the finger at special teams when a loss begins and ends by giving up a touchdown in the kicking game. But an offensive line that has earned an excellent reputation deserves a lion's share of blame for the loss to the Cardinals, too.
It was even worse than I thought after watching the game again.
This game reminded me of the second half of last season's playoff loss to the Giants. The Cardinals' front four gave the Cowboys big, tough offensive line fits with their quickness. DT Darnell Dockett, like the Giants' Justin Tuck, consistently got pressure on Tony Romo up the middle. Travis LaBoy, Chike Okeafor and Bertrand Berry looked like Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora coming off the edge, especially when working against LT Flozell Adams.
It's not like the Cardinals threw a bunch of exotic blitz packages at the Cowboys, either. They did the bulk of their damage with four-man rushes, although they did bring five on the sack on which Romo broke his finger, getting Okeafor matched up with FB Deon "Cricket" Anderson.
If you're wondering why the Cowboys weren't able to exploit a vulnerable secondary with the vertical passing game, don't just point the finger at the quarterback, receivers and offensive coordinator. Look at the line, too. Two examples: 1) T.O. got matched up with a linebacker on a seam route on the second possession, but Dockett beat Andre Gurode (bothered by his ankle?) for a sack; 2) Romo missed a wide-open Miles Austin on a post route in the end zone on the final possession of the first half because Antonio Smith spun off Cory Procter to hit Romo as he released the ball.
The run blocking was bad, too, which is why Marion Barber averaged 2.6 yards per carry and was stuffed for 2 yards or less on 10 of 17 attempts.
That started on the first play from scrimmage, when Leonard "Bigg" Davis missed his block. The worst example was when Barber got tackled in the backfield on the Cowboys' three-and-out possession early in the fourth quarter, a play that included missed blocks by Colombo, Davis and Gurode.
That play pretty much summed up what was a terrible total group effort by a line that's considered one of the league's best.
