It was tough but I watched the game again...

[superpunk]

Anyone want to tell me one more time that we didn't even need to look at Dwight Smith?

I think if I advanced search I could find the threads to find you some reasons - but I'm not one to complain. :

 

[DLCassidy]

I've watched the game twice now. I give a TON of credit to the Philly defense in this game. Don't forget that they sacked the stuffing out of Manning in the game there. The only reason he put up #'s late in that game was when Philly went to a prevent with a 3 TD lead and then the Giants line finally got it together very late. The only thing I've read since the game ended is "Bledsoe this, Bledsoe that...WATCH THE FLIPPIN' GAME. Philly's pass rush was tremendous and we flat out had no answers to their blitz. Why we kept running the empty backfield plays I have no idea- they were all bad.

If you look at it the attempts to get Owens the ball were by far the least successful. They did a great job on him yet we tried 13 times to get it to him. Bledsoe badly underthrew the go route to TO but that played Owens seemed to fool Bledsoe by starting slowly and then running hard later. Bledsoe commented that play went differently than in practice. Don't forget those two have not practiced a bunch together and they're not really in full sync.

It was very surprising we didn't roll Bledsoe out more and use more screens. And Philly never really showed they could stop the run. Although stopping the two runs on 2-1 and 3-1 were big. Other than the next to last sack which clearly DB was looking to go deep and held onto it, none of the other sacks were the result of holding the ball. 3-4 looked like missed assignments on blitzes. I'll tell you we will be ready for that when they come back here and we will do much better against them.

It's unusual to have a close game when you punter gives away a very short field on a muffed snap and you give up two TD's on 40+ yard TD passes. Again props to Philly and welcome to the NFL Pat Watkins who got burned like toast.

 

[Jarv]

The three big plays given up by our safeties, which gave the Eagles 21 points, changed the entire complexion of the game. With that time of possession, that number of first downs and that rushing attack, if we had even marginal safety play, specifically from free safety, we could (should) have been up by 2 TD's in the 4th quarter and shoving it right down their throat to wind down the clock. Instead we were in a track meet, which is exactly what Jim Johnson and Andy Reid wanted. That's their game. Our team is a team designed to win 21-16, not 34-31. Getting into a wild and crazy shoot-out with the NFL's best offense in their backyard, in what is essentially their Superbowl, is a losing proposition {no matter who the QB is). Anyone want to tell me one more time that we didn't even need to look at Dwight Smith?

Not too mention the Matt's fumble on the punt, which was another 7 points...3 more on Bledsoe's fumble.

We gave up 31 points on mistakes !

We should have killed these guys. I just saw the NFL replay...

Flea flicker for TD...Corner blitz and LB miss's the tackle , so does the saftey on the other end (TD)...JD's big gain on Roys blown coverage (1st and goal)...Matt's fumbled snap (12 yard line)...Drew's fumble....

5 blown plays, but on the whole we beat the hell outta these guys.

They don't scare me one bit. We will take these guys at our house on X'mas and it will lead to a very happy new year.

 

[chinch]

He does have a tendency to make much smarter decisions when he's not under heavy duress for much of the game.

2nd and goal... plenty of time for 3 shots at a TD.

what duress?

the dope could have thrown it away and had 2 more shots.

DREW = STUPID

 

[InmanRoshi]

Not too mention the Matt's fumble on the punt, which was another 7 points...3 more on Bledsoe's fumble.

We gave up 31 points on mistakes !

We should have killed these guys. I just saw the NFL replay...

Flea flicker for TD...Corner blitz and LB miss's the tackle , so does the saftey on the other end (TD)...JD's big gain on Roys blown coverage (1st and goal)...Matt's fumbled snap (12 yard line)...Drew's fumble....

5 blown plays, but on the whole we beat the hell outta these guys.

They don't scare me one bit. We will take these guys at our house on X'mas and it will lead to a very happy new year.

Totally, agree. They really only had one good offensive drive the entire game. I look at it as we both got flukey, gift TD's that cancel each other out in the muffed punt and Ware's INT. But the 3 big plays by their offense (mistakes by our safeties) are what beat us.

Yes, our offense and Drew made mistakes. The Eagles entire defense is based around constant pressure and forcing mistakes, which is exactly what happened to Bledsoe. Which is why you don't want to get in a shootout with them, playing from behind and slinging the ball all over the place late in the game. Once Jim Johnson forces you to be one dimensional, he's got you right where he wants you. Now you're playing his game. This is why those 3 big plays by our safeties killed us. It rippled into every other aspect of the game.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Well, the success of the Saints certainly helps ease the sting of our free safety getting burned for 3 TD's in a game, except not really.

but you know why we didn't look at him, *****ing about it is pointless

 

[2much2soon]

I'll tell you we will be ready for that when they come back here and we will do much better against them.

How do you know that?
It disturbs me that the Dallas coaching staff should of been aware of what Philly was going to do before this game. Its not exactly a secret that Philly likes to blitz.
I'd like to be able to watch this game again because it sure seemed to me like it was Bledsoe holding the ball too long, fumbling, and throwing bad interceptions.
Lots of Bledsoe apologists laying the whole debacle on the offensive line blocking, or lack of, but its on Drew when he doesn't throw the ball away and takes terrible sacks.

 

[preacherman]

i think some of you need to chill just a little bit, this cowboys team is a good team and i believe a contender, you all did'nt think we were going to go undefeated did you, the boys will get better as the year goes on we will be in the playoffs and contend. now, do you think were going to go 14-2. and win out????? probly not, but the boys are a playoff team and will contend.

however , i would like to see just how good or bad romo is.

 

[percyhoward]

-JJ might have had the most meaningless 100 yard game in the history of the NFL. I dont understand it, the whole game I was screaming to run the ball more and quit getting so damn cute, then I look at the stats and we ran 38 times.

It still wasn't enough. We had 84 plays from scrimmage, and 50 of those were either passes, sacks, or runs by Bledsoe.

Only 26 of the 84 plays were Julius Jones runs. Jones is the 5th leading rusher in the NFL, and the 4 guys ahead of him have all played 5 games. He should be getting 26 carries in a typical game. In a game like this in which your QB is getting knocked silly, he should have had at least 35 of those 80 plays. Let's say 30 runs and 5 catches. (He's averaging something like 25 yards per catch. Throw it to him once every quarter, instead of once every two games.)

Look at the statistical leaders around the league. You have to conclude that Jones has been our best offensive player.

Look at Jones' biggest games of his career. At Carolina last year, 34 carries. Against Seattle and Chicago in 2004, 30+ carries.

It's time to abandon the running back by committee and go with what works.

 

[DLCassidy]

How do you know that?
It disturbs me that the Dallas coaching staff should of been aware of what Philly was going to do before this game. Its not exactly a secret that Philly likes to blitz.
I'd like to be able to watch this game again because it sure seemed to me like it was Bledsoe holding the ball too long, fumbling, and throwing bad interceptions.
Lots of Bledsoe apologists laying the whole debacle on the offensive line blocking, or lack of, but its on Drew when he doesn't throw the ball away and takes terrible sacks.

You're right you need to watch it again. Philly has the top rushing team in the league. They sacked Eli 8 times. But we can and will do better.