ESPN Clayton: Last Call: Game Observation and Game Balls

[WoodysGirl]

Week 5 observations: Five things I learned

By John Clayton, ESPN.com

2. Division of power? The NFC East is clearly overrated when you discuss the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys struggled to beat the Chiefs in overtime (26-20), and the Commanders lost to the previously winless Panthers 20-17. Although Dallas and Washington still have decent records, neither team looks like a contender.

The Cowboys can take solace in the fact that they won in overtime. Dallas had 13 penalties and four fumbles (losing two). Tony Romo threw for 351 yards, but the Cowboys trailed most of the game.

The Commanders can't take solace in victory. They lost to the Panthers by giving up 11 points in the final quarter. Every time the Commanders take a step forward, they seem to take two steps back. In the second quarter Sunday, safety LaRon Landry stopped Panthers fullback Brad Hoover at the goal line on fourth down to protect a 7-0 lead. Two plays later, running back Clinton Portis got stopped in the end zone for a safety. The Commanders' biggest blunder was a muffed fourth-quarter punt return by Antwaan Randle El at the Commanders' 12. The mistake set up Jonathan Stewart's 8-yard touchdown run, which proved to be the game-winner.

With their schedule, the Commanders should be 4-1. Instead, they are 2-3 and play the Chiefs in Week 6. The Commanders and Jim Zorn are running out of easy games to play -- well, at least they're easy on paper.

John Clayton's game balls

Austin

• Offense: With Terrell Owens gone and Roy Williams out with three injured ribs, Miles Austin had the greatest receiving day in Cowboys history. He caught 10 passes for 250 yards, including a game-winning 60-yard touchdown, in a 26-20 overtime victory over the Chiefs. That topped the 246 yards Hall of Famer Bob Hayes had in 1966. Austin was targeted 15 times and had two touchdowns.

 

[gimmesix]

2. Division of power? The NFC East is clearly overrated when you discuss the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys struggled to beat the Chiefs in overtime (26-20), and the Commanders lost to the previously winless Panthers 20-17. Although Dallas and Washington still have decent records, neither team looks like a contender.

Considering the only teams Dallas has lost to are both 5-0, and both games went down to the wire, it's hard to say right now that the Cowboys are overrated. That might prove to be the case, but you can't look at the OT victory over the Chiefs in a vacuum.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

The NFC East is still the best division in football...

 

[Zman5]

What's ridiculous is that we are a bad team since we 'struggled' to beat these bad teams yet you don't see the same media write that NY 'struggled' to beat a bad team(Dallas) or that Denver barely beat the Bengals and 'struggled' against us.

 

[Billy Bullocks]

I could care less what the media says.

Sure we lost 2 games to 5-0 very closely. But we also barely beat an 0-4 team. I thin it points to parity in the league. But it also points to this team lacking an identity and consistancy. ATL will be a huge test. If we lose to Atlanta, that puts us @ 0-3 against good teams. Not a good sign.

 

[Nexx]

now how come he didnt mention that the giants struggled to beat the cowboys and had to do it in the last two minutes even though the cowboys turned the ball over 3 times? how about the cowboys being one play away from taking the broncos to overtime? both 5-0 teams. the cowboys are playing above .500 ball despite the coaching staff. if and its a big if, the cowboys actually put things together, i fear no one in the nfc.

 

[FLcowboy]

Considering the only teams Dallas has lost to are both 5-0, and both games went down to the wire, it's hard to say right now that the Cowboys are overrated. That might prove to be the case, but you can't look at the OT victory over the Chiefs in a vacuum.

You make a good point. The loss to the Giants was a heartbreaker, even though Romo was credited with four turnovers. I still argue that they weren't all his fault. The defense allowed the final drive for the Giants, not Romo.

The Denver game was a classic; Because Romo had lost the Giants game, and really didn't' do much in the Carolina game, they shut him down, trying to make him into Brady once again. And, the defense was horrible.

I think the Cowboys need to recognize where and what the talent is, and capitalize on it. Shutting down Romo isn't going to win many games.

 

[links18]

Don't expect the media to figure it out. In large part, the teams that are winless or struggling (KC, Bucs, Raiders, Panthers, etc.) are winless because they have all lost to the teams of the NFC East. Strange, strange logic the media employs sometimes. Well, the panthers did beat the Redstinks.....: