The 23 Good Dallas plays that enabled the win

[fanfromvirginia]

Just for the fun of it, I just rewatched the game, focusing on identifying the positive plays by Dallas that helped secure the win. I wasn't looking for every good play but the ones that particularly helped the offense score points or the defense prevent points. I also wasn't interested in key plays caused by Eagle mistakes.

I came up with 23 -- 13 from the first half and 10 from the second. Common themes (besides the obvious big plays): Witten converting 3rd downs; MBIII running for first downs, QB pressure, and Brooking et al making tackles. Here they are in order, with brief descriptions and comments:

First Half

1. Sensabaugh's interception that ended the Eagles' first drive. This one's easy as it ended an Eagle drive and gained the Cowboys field position that led to a Dallas TD.
2. On the ensuing drive, Witten's 3rd down conversion. This was the first of multiple occasions when Witten got just enough for a first down on drives leading to points and the one to end the game.
3. Oglebee's 3rd down conversion on a screen down to the 2. Great YAC.
4. Choice's Wildcat TD run. Granted, it was 1st down at the 2 but still a nice, important play.
5. On the ensuing Eagles' drive, Olshansky and Brooking made a solid, tough stop of Weaver after a nice run, leaving the Eagles in a 3rd and one situation.
6. On the next play, Ware got just enough pressure on McNabb to force him to slightly miss on a pretty easy pass, thereby forcing a punt.
7. On the next Eagle's drive, Ratliff's first sack forced the Eagles into a 3rd and 18.
8. On the next Eagles' drive, Ware pressures McNabb just enough to make him miss an open D. Jackson, which quite likely saved a TD.
9. Ratliff's second sack saves 4 points by forcing the Eagles to kick their first FG.
10. On the Eagle's next FG drive in the series forcing them to kick the FG: on first down, on a pass to McCoy, Brooking tackles him immediately for a two-yard gain.
11. On third and 4, Bowen, Brooking and Spencer team up to hold McCoy to two yards, forcing a FG.
12. On the last drive of the half, Romo's 64 yard strike to Crayton down to the 19 on a 2nd and 10. Great throw, great YAC.
13. Romo escaping the sack on 3rd and goal. Granted we only got 3 but we probably wouldn't have had time to kick the FG had he been sacked.
    
    Second Half
14. With 2:10 left in the 3rd quarter, Jenkins makes a great interception. (With the ensuing personal foul for face masking, Dallas starts at the Philly 42.)
15. RW 22-yard catch on the first play. Nice YAC, leads to FG to tie the game.
16. On the next drive on the series near mid-field leading to Philly turning it over on downs: on 2nd and 1 Spears gets a great push and Spencer and Ware stop McCoy for no gain.
17. On 3rd and 1, McCoy is stopped inches short of the first down by Spencer, Olshansky, Sensabaugh and James.
18. On 4th, McNabb is stopped (eventually, and arguably after replay) on a nice play by Ratliff, Spears, Brooking and Olshansky.
19. On the final TD drive, MBIII runs for 10 yards and a first down on the first play.
20. Austin's TD on 3rd and 14.
21. On Philadelphia's final drive, Butler shoestring tackles McNabb for a loss to "force" a FG.
22. On the first play of the final drive, MBIII takes it 16 yards for a first down, knocking time off the clock and taking the wind out of the D.
23. On 3rd and 3 just before the 2-minute warning, Witten gets 5 on 3rd and 3 allowing the Cowboys to run the rest of the clock out.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

21. On Philadelphia's final drive, Butler shoestring tackles McNabb for a loss to "force" a FG.

THE play of the game IMO.
McNabb was about to pull that "flashes of greatness" act on us.

 

[SibannacRex]

Nice list, but I think you missed the most important three plays of the game. The three kneel downs by Romo.

 

[Asklesko]

THE play of the game IMO.
McNabb was about to pull that "flashes of greatness" act on us.

I tell ya. All of us would have been super pissed if Butler hadn't made that play, because it would be McNabb once again rubbing it in our faces.

 

[mldardy]

With 2:10 left in the 3rd quarter, Jenkins makes a great interception. (With the ensuing personal foul for face masking, Dallas starts at the Philly 42.)

This to me is the key play of the game. We were behind and weren't doing much offensively and if the Eagles score on this play or get deep in our territory we are definitely in trouble.

 

[Wezsh0T]

Brooking is a solid tackler. It doesn't seem like people get passed him once he locks on.

 

[DallasEast]

Just for the fun of it, I just rewatched the game, focusing on identifying the positive plays by Dallas that helped secure the win. I wasn't looking for every good play but the ones that particularly helped the offense score points or the defense prevent points. I also wasn't interested in key plays caused by Eagle mistakes.

I came up with 23 -- 13 from the first half and 10 from the second. Common themes (besides the obvious big plays): Witten converting 3rd downs; MBIII running for first downs, QB pressure, and Brooking et al making tackles. Here they are in order, with brief descriptions and comments:

First Half

1. Sensabaugh's interception that ended the Eagles' first drive. This one's easy as it ended an Eagle drive and gained the Cowboys field position that led to a Dallas TD.
2. On the ensuing drive, Witten's 3rd down conversion. This was the first of multiple occasions when Witten got just enough for a first down on drives leading to points and the one to end the game.
3. Oglebee's 3rd down conversion on a screen down to the 2. Great YAC.
4. Choice's Wildcat TD run. Granted, it was 1st down at the 2 but still a nice, important play.
5. On the ensuing Eagles' drive, Olshansky and Brooking made a solid, tough stop of Weaver after a nice run, leaving the Eagles in a 3rd and one situation.
6. On the next play, Ware got just enough pressure on McNabb to force him to slightly miss on a pretty easy pass, thereby forcing a punt.
7. On the next Eagle's drive, Ratliff's first sack forced the Eagles into a 3rd and 18.
8. On the next Eagles' drive, Ware pressures McNabb just enough to make him miss an open D. Jackson, which quite likely saved a TD.
9. Ratliff's second sack saves 4 points by forcing the Eagles to kick their first FG.
10. On the Eagle's next FG drive in the series forcing them to kick the FG: on first down, on a pass to McCoy, Brooking tackles him immediately for a two-yard gain.
11. On third and 4, Bowen, Brooking and Spencer team up to hold McCoy to two yards, forcing a FG.
12. On the last drive of the half, Romo's 64 yard strike to Crayton down to the 19 on a 2nd and 10. Great throw, great YAC.
13. Romo escaping the sack on 3rd and goal. Granted we only got 3 but we probably wouldn't have had time to kick the FG had he been sacked.
    
    Second Half
14. With 2:10 left in the 3rd quarter, Jenkins makes a great interception. (With the ensuing personal foul for face masking, Dallas starts at the Philly 42.)
15. RW 22-yard catch on the first play. Nice YAC, leads to FG to tie the game.
16. On the next drive on the series near mid-field leading to Philly turning it over on downs: on 2nd and 1 Spears gets a great push and Spencer and Ware stop McCoy for no gain.
17. On 3rd and 1, McCoy is stopped inches short of the first down by Spencer, Olshansky, Sensabaugh and James.
18. On 4th, McNabb is stopped (eventually, and arguably after replay) on a nice play by Ratliff, Spears, Brooking and Olshansky.
19. On the final TD drive, MBIII runs for 10 yards and a first down on the first play.
20. Austin's TD on 3rd and 14.
21. On Philadelphia's final drive, Butler shoestring tackles McNabb for a loss to "force" a FG.
22. On the first play of the final drive, MBIII takes it 16 yards for a first down, knocking time off the clock and taking the wind out of the D.
23. On 3rd and 3 just before the 2-minute warning, Witten gets 5 on 3rd and 3 allowing the Cowboys to run the rest of the clock out.

This is just an outstanding post. Look at all the PLAYERS who made key plays against a very good opponent. That's solid teamwork across the board and signs of good coaching as well.

 

[fanfromvirginia]

This is just an outstanding post. Look at all the PLAYERS who made key plays against a very good opponent. That's solid teamwork across the board and signs of good coaching as well.

It was very interesting looking at it from this narrow perspective--I'm not sure what it means to separate the good plays from the good plays that directly contributed to the win but it does result in an interesting list.

Lots of guys showing up multiple times and, like you said, many different individuals contributed.

 

[fanfromvirginia]

THE play of the game IMO.
McNabb was about to pull that "flashes of greatness" act on us.

Well, it was my favorite play of the game but it's hard to beat what we got out of Austin's 49-yard TD on 3rd and 14.

 

[JohnsKey19]

This to me is the key play of the game. We were behind and weren't doing much offensively and if the Eagles score on this play or get deep in our territory we are definitely in trouble.

I agree. This happened at such a key point in the game. We were down 3, the game was hanging in the balance....if Philly scores even 3 points, the pressure is really on us and Philly's D probably dials up the pressure another notch.


Not taking anything away from Butler. He made a huge play. But am I the only person who saw Sensabaugh maybe 5 yds away closing in ready to tackle McNabb? All i keep hearing about is how McNabb had "nothing but green grass in front of him". That was not the case. Even if Butler doesn't get McNabb to the ground, he would've at least slowed McNabb enough for Sensabaugh to make the play.

 

[fanfromvirginia]

I agree. This happened at such a key point in the game. We were down 3, the game was hanging in the balance....if Philly scores even 3 points, the pressure is really on us and Philly's D probably dials up the pressure another notch.


Not taking anything away from Butler. He made a huge play. But am I the only person who saw Sensabaugh maybe 5 yds away closing in ready to tackle McNabb? All i keep hearing about is how McNabb had "nothing but green grass in front of him". That was not the case. Even if Butler doesn't get McNabb to the ground, he would've at least slowed McNabb enough for Sensabaugh to make the play.

Sensabaugh would have gotten there but I think McNabb would have probably made the first down. You're right, though -- it wasn't 'nothing but green grass'. One of my pet peeves for announcers is the 'green grass exaggeration.'

 

[TNCowboy]

Sensabaugh was right there on McNabb's run, wasn't he?

It didn't look to me like McNabb would've been able to get the first down without breaking a tackle from Sensabaugh.