Three big plays in the 1st half that helped turn the 2nd half

[DBOY3141]

I agree with all three plays.

Mo has to make that play but you just knew he wouldn't.
Weeded can't throw that ball but you just knew he would.
And Garrett knows full well he shouldn't have called the time out but for some reason he did.

So - On to New Orleans where we can right the ship and extend our lead in the NFC East because I think the Bills are gonna smoke the Giants.

But the Eagles are going to smoke the 'Skins to move to 2-2. I still think Eagles are our biggest challenge.

 

[NextGenBoys]

But the Eagles are going to smoke the 'Skins to move to 2-2. I still think Eagles are our biggest challenge.

They sure are. And we better hope they don't find their stride. We play them again in 5 or 6 weeks. If we can sweep the Eagles, we should by all intensive purposes be able to win the division at 9-7. That would put Philly at an automatic 3 losses, and they will probably lose 4 of their other 12 games.

 

[cowboyblue22]

if we lose to saints its over plain and simple

 

[aikemirv]

I didn't see the second half due to having to work. So I left with the Cowboys up 28-17, but still was far from confident that they would be able to get the win.

To me, three plays played a huge role in Atlanta going into the locker room feeling good and being able to dominate the 2nd half and get the win.

1. The dropped interception by Mo. If he catches this ball that hits him right in the hands, we are directly taking 7 points off the board for Atlanta and potentially are able to stretch the lead to an even greater 21-0. Instead it's 14-7 two plays later.

2. The interception by Brandon Weeden. Atlanta wasn't even coming close to slowing down our offense sans Romo and Dez. Again, yet another opportunity to stretch the lead, and we throw a pick and give up 7 more points.

3. And finally, Garrett's insane decision to call a timeout with 40 seconds left and the ball on the ONE YARD LINE. Time isn't an issue, why would you call a timeout there? This allows Atlanta time to march down the field for a field goal and more than anything, get the offense flowing and go into the locker room with momentum.

These three plays and/or decisions cost this team 17 points. As always with this team, it was a complete team loss, with each and every facet of this team making mistakes to cost us the game.

I don't know why we can't ever play a full game, and when we are up early, bury the team. It never happens. And until we can start to capitalize and take advantage of situations where we put our opponents behind the 8 ball, we're going to continue to give teams opportunities like this to come back and win.

I agree completely. With those three plays we could have had the game out of reach by halftime.... and why I was not confident at all going into the second half.

 

[Trendnet]

Wow. You've obviously never played sports.

Or; more than likely, you like to spout nonsensical cliches. They sound good, but have no backing in reality.

http://www.wired.com/2012/09/nfl-momentum/

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/12/11/nfl-postseason-momentum-myth

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a...s-myth-second-half-momentum-postseason-091014

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/t...streak-why-momentum-is-meaningless-in-sports/

 

[erod]

Or; more than likely, you like to spout nonsensical cliches. They sound good, but have no backing in reality.

http://www.wired.com/2012/09/nfl-momentum/

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/12/11/nfl-postseason-momentum-myth

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a...s-myth-second-half-momentum-postseason-091014

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/t...streak-why-momentum-is-meaningless-in-sports/

Oh, great, more blather by fat guys that ate paste through school and never played.

Momentum is incredibly real, especially in games like football.

 

[NextGenBoys]

if we lose to saints its over plain and simple

It's early, but I might agree with that.

 

[NextGenBoys]

Or; more than likely, you like to spout nonsensical cliches. They sound good, but have no backing in reality.

http://www.wired.com/2012/09/nfl-momentum/

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/12/11/nfl-postseason-momentum-myth

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a...s-myth-second-half-momentum-postseason-091014

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/t...streak-why-momentum-is-meaningless-in-sports/

Those are about the momentum of winning streaks, or multiple games. We're talking about plays in a game, and getting into a rhythm and confidence. THAT is very real.

 

[Joe_Fan]

how about dumb coaching and game plan?

That's part of what I'm getting at. Much of the same happened during the playoff game at GB. It was all around a horrid game from the end of the 1st half (costly turnover, poor coaching and adjustments, and an ill advised time out) through the end of the game.

 

[NextGenBoys]

That's part of what I'm getting at. Much of the same happened during the playoff game at GB. It was all around a horrid game from the end of the 1st half (costly turnover, poor coaching and adjustments, and an ill advised time out) through the end of the game.

It was an entire team collapse, as always.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I didn't see the second half due to having to work. So I left with the Cowboys up 28-17, but still was far from confident that they would be able to get the win.

To me, three plays played a huge role in Atlanta going into the locker room feeling good and being able to dominate the 2nd half and get the win.

1. The dropped interception by Mo. If he catches this ball that hits him right in the hands, we are directly taking 7 points off the board for Atlanta and potentially are able to stretch the lead to an even greater 21-0. Instead it's 14-7 two plays later.

2. The interception by Brandon Weeden. Atlanta wasn't even coming close to slowing down our offense sans Romo and Dez. Again, yet another opportunity to stretch the lead, and we throw a pick and give up 7 more points.

3. And finally, Garrett's insane decision to call a timeout with 40 seconds left and the ball on the ONE YARD LINE. Time isn't an issue, why would you call a timeout there? This allows Atlanta time to march down the field for a field goal and more than anything, get the offense flowing and go into the locker room with momentum.

These three plays and/or decisions cost this team 17 points. As always with this team, it was a complete team loss, with each and every facet of this team making mistakes to cost us the game.

I don't know why we can't ever play a full game, and when we are up early, bury the team. It never happens. And until we can start to capitalize and take advantage of situations where we put our opponents behind the 8 ball, we're going to continue to give teams opportunities like this to come back and win.

1. Agreed. Two chances at ints. Mo and Wilbur.
2. Yeah, but it was gonna happen. It's weeden. Should have just run out of first half.
3. It was weeden... Garret just wanted to secure the score.

We have to shorten the game.

 

[Doomsay]

Oh, great, more blather by fat guys that ate paste through school and never played.

Momentum is incredibly real, especially in games like football.

Right, ask Stenson how it felt that same day.

 

[DallasEast]

Good thread. It's always appreciated when games can be analyzed beyond what a quarterback does (or doesn't do) in a game.

Speaking on the topic of dumb penalties... Jason Witten is an all-time Hall of Famer in my opinion. One of the best Cowboys to ever play for the franchise. It boggles my mind just how often Witten helps delay or short-circuit drives with false starts. Over the years it has gotten to the point that when I miss spotting someone moving at the line of scrimmage, I "know" the ref will automatically say, "False start. Number 82 offense..."

He has talked about the problem several times during his career and I know he works at lessening how often he jumps before the snap but it seems to me that it's one thing he has never been able to minimize in his game. I dislike his tendency to tip balls back to himself because he is a solid pass catcher. Every blue moon the tips become interceptions. Those annoy me but the false starts irritate the fool out of me.

/rant

 

[nalam]

I would throw in the play before half where Lee blitzed and jack Crawford was covering freeman who went for about 40 yards.

This.

Atl was using their timeout too quick they were only near midfield and had only one time out, they were looking at almost impossible FG , when the run happened , they didn't have time for 2-3 plays before FG. Funny , prevent defense would have worked at least made difficult for ATL to get points, blitz screwed up

 

[TheDude]

I didn't see the second half due to having to work. So I left with the Cowboys up 28-17, but still was far from confident that they would be able to get the win.

To me, three plays played a huge role in Atlanta going into the locker room feeling good and being able to dominate the 2nd half and get the win.

1. The dropped interception by Mo. If he catches this ball that hits him right in the hands, we are directly taking 7 points off the board for Atlanta and potentially are able to stretch the lead to an even greater 21-0. Instead it's 14-7 two plays later.

2. The interception by Brandon Weeden. Atlanta wasn't even coming close to slowing down our offense sans Romo and Dez. Again, yet another opportunity to stretch the lead, and we throw a pick and give up 7 more points.

3. And finally, Garrett's insane decision to call a timeout with 40 seconds left and the ball on the ONE YARD LINE. Time isn't an issue, why would you call a timeout there? This allows Atlanta time to march down the field for a field goal and more than anything, get the offense flowing and go into the locker room with momentum.

These three plays and/or decisions cost this team 17 points. As always with this team, it was a complete team loss, with each and every facet of this team making mistakes to cost us the game.

I don't know why we can't ever play a full game, and when we are up early, bury the team. It never happens. And until we can start to capitalize and take advantage of situations where we put our opponents behind the 8 ball, we're going to continue to give teams opportunities like this to come back and win.

if you are rank ordering:
#2
#3


#1

The Weeden INT was so bad it should be up their with buttfumble. The TO may have actually been orse because its not like we havent been down that road 800 times. Just a complete failure of situational football. 46 seconds seconds and 2 TO 1st and goal at the 1. just mind boggling

 

[TheDude]

Agreed but it was still a bad move even if in hindsight.

no hindsight, most knew it was stupid at the time

 

[BaybeeJay]

I didn't see the second half due to having to work. So I left with the Cowboys up 28-17, but still was far from confident that they would be able to get the win.

To me, three plays played a huge role in Atlanta going into the locker room feeling good and being able to dominate the 2nd half and get the win.

1. The dropped interception by Mo. If he catches this ball that hits him right in the hands, we are directly taking 7 points off the board for Atlanta and potentially are able to stretch the lead to an even greater 21-0. Instead it's 14-7 two plays later.

2. The interception by Brandon Weeden. Atlanta wasn't even coming close to slowing down our offense sans Romo and Dez. Again, yet another opportunity to stretch the lead, and we throw a pick and give up 7 more points.

3. And finally, Garrett's insane decision to call a timeout with 40 seconds left and the ball on the ONE YARD LINE. Time isn't an issue, why would you call a timeout there? This allows Atlanta time to march down the field for a field goal and more than anything, get the offense flowing and go into the locker room with momentum.

These three plays and/or decisions cost this team 17 points. As always with this team, it was a complete team loss, with each and every facet of this team making mistakes to cost us the game.

I don't know why we can't ever play a full game, and when we are up early, bury the team. It never happens. And until we can start to capitalize and take advantage of situations where we put our opponents behind the 8 ball, we're going to continue to give teams opportunities like this to come back and win.

Atlanta had 3 TO's. How many did they use for their FG? From my memory, I was slightly perturbed by Garrett's TO at the time, but realized it did not have a tremendous impact since Atlanta had no problem getting down the field easily.

 

[TheDude]

Atlanta had 3 TO's. How many did they use for their FG? From my memory, I was slightly perturbed by Garrett's TO at the time, but realized it did not have a tremendous impact since Atlanta had no problem getting down the field easily.

you lt the clock run to 20-25 seconds and snap - 2 TO for 2nd and 3rd down. Atl isnt even likely thinking to score with 20 seconds startng at the 20

28-14 at the half, 35-28 final score, but makes the last drive meaningful. you cant give away an opportunity for free points

 

[DogFace]

There's really no debating the timeout. It cost us 3 points and some momentum. Very bad decision.

 

[jobberone]

....snip.....

We have to shorten the game.

This