Creeper
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I had a chance to rewatch the game today. I have a few more thoughts.
Steele did a much better job this time around. There were a couple of plays where he got help from a receiver or RB but overall I thought he looked much better than the 1st game. He had one bad whiff but overall improved over game 1.. He got called for holding once and technically it was a hold, but I saw much worse from the Eagles that did not get called. Once on Micah that was really flagrant and in the open. Give Steele credit for coming to play this week. There was one play that looked like the old Steele, he bulldozed Cox about 4 yards out of the hole.
Luke Schoonmaker did not have any catches or targets, but he is starting to look like a good run blocker. He's not great, but he shows the willingness to do it and he is fairly effective at it for a rookie. If he continues to develop he will be a big boost for the running game.
There were a number of times where the right side of the Cowboys offensive line collapsed the Eagles DL inside and to the left. Pollard and Dowdle both had excellent cutback opportunities but didn't take them. If he was a quick cutback guy there was some big plays in the running game. I think Dowdle is limited in his running style. I think Pollard is not seeing the holes this year like has in the past. Not saying the problem running the football are all on the RB, but they do share some of the blame.
Dak was not at his best Sunday night. For some reason late in the first quarter he lost it a little. There were some balls to open receivers that were overthrown, but there was some passes that were just ill-advised and he was lucky he didn't throw a couple of INTs. He still played a really good game, but I think he can play better.
The Cowboys got some breaks this time around, unlike when they played in Philly. Obviously, the 3 fumbles even out the 3 fumbles the Eagles recovered in Philly, but also the refs gave the Cowboys some calls they did not get in Philly that made a difference in the game. I thought the Eagles committed more egregious PI in Philly and didn't get called than some of the calls they got in Dallas. At the same time a few calls were mind-boggling. The clipping on Biadasz was a complete mystery. Biadasz did not hit the Eagles player from behind. That 15 yard penalty killed a potential TD drive. The Cowboys were called for 4 holding penalties. one was picked up. I thought 2 of them, including the one picked up, were bogus. All offensive linemen hold But they have to let go if the player they are blocking tries to move laterally. The Steele call was a penalty I thought. The others I thought the Cowboys players let go as soon as the defenders tried to move laterally. Chippy calls in my opinion. I thought the deep ball to Cooks should have been DPI. Cooks was hit and knocked out of bounds before the ball arrived. The OPI they picked up was also a bad call, if it stood. CeeDee never made contact with the Eagles defenders, and it was within 1 yard of the LOS, but the important thing is there was no contact.
The Eagles are in a real funk. It would not shock me if they lose in Seattle. Here is an interesting thought. What if the Eagles and Cowboys both lose next week. Then they both win out after that. They have identical records head to head, division, conference and common opponents. It would come down to strength of victory I think. I haven't calculated it yet, but I think this might be a close call too. Although losing to Buffalo might hurt them in that case because the Eagles already beat Buffalo.
Steele did a much better job this time around. There were a couple of plays where he got help from a receiver or RB but overall I thought he looked much better than the 1st game. He had one bad whiff but overall improved over game 1.. He got called for holding once and technically it was a hold, but I saw much worse from the Eagles that did not get called. Once on Micah that was really flagrant and in the open. Give Steele credit for coming to play this week. There was one play that looked like the old Steele, he bulldozed Cox about 4 yards out of the hole.
Luke Schoonmaker did not have any catches or targets, but he is starting to look like a good run blocker. He's not great, but he shows the willingness to do it and he is fairly effective at it for a rookie. If he continues to develop he will be a big boost for the running game.
There were a number of times where the right side of the Cowboys offensive line collapsed the Eagles DL inside and to the left. Pollard and Dowdle both had excellent cutback opportunities but didn't take them. If he was a quick cutback guy there was some big plays in the running game. I think Dowdle is limited in his running style. I think Pollard is not seeing the holes this year like has in the past. Not saying the problem running the football are all on the RB, but they do share some of the blame.
Dak was not at his best Sunday night. For some reason late in the first quarter he lost it a little. There were some balls to open receivers that were overthrown, but there was some passes that were just ill-advised and he was lucky he didn't throw a couple of INTs. He still played a really good game, but I think he can play better.
The Cowboys got some breaks this time around, unlike when they played in Philly. Obviously, the 3 fumbles even out the 3 fumbles the Eagles recovered in Philly, but also the refs gave the Cowboys some calls they did not get in Philly that made a difference in the game. I thought the Eagles committed more egregious PI in Philly and didn't get called than some of the calls they got in Dallas. At the same time a few calls were mind-boggling. The clipping on Biadasz was a complete mystery. Biadasz did not hit the Eagles player from behind. That 15 yard penalty killed a potential TD drive. The Cowboys were called for 4 holding penalties. one was picked up. I thought 2 of them, including the one picked up, were bogus. All offensive linemen hold But they have to let go if the player they are blocking tries to move laterally. The Steele call was a penalty I thought. The others I thought the Cowboys players let go as soon as the defenders tried to move laterally. Chippy calls in my opinion. I thought the deep ball to Cooks should have been DPI. Cooks was hit and knocked out of bounds before the ball arrived. The OPI they picked up was also a bad call, if it stood. CeeDee never made contact with the Eagles defenders, and it was within 1 yard of the LOS, but the important thing is there was no contact.
The Eagles are in a real funk. It would not shock me if they lose in Seattle. Here is an interesting thought. What if the Eagles and Cowboys both lose next week. Then they both win out after that. They have identical records head to head, division, conference and common opponents. It would come down to strength of victory I think. I haven't calculated it yet, but I think this might be a close call too. Although losing to Buffalo might hurt them in that case because the Eagles already beat Buffalo.
