What I liked. What I didn't like.

[JohnsKey19]

None of the Cowboy's DBs have a nose for the ball.

Claiborne averages 1 INT per year.
Carr 1.75 INTs per year.
Church 0.5 INTs per year.
Wilcox 1.33 INTs per year.

These are the guys the Cowboys decided to go with in the secondary. Typically the secondary is responsible for the most TOs on defense.

DRC made a play on his 2nd INT that none of our CBs are capable of making. The ability to run, cover while also tracking the ball is a skill. I'd say half of the CBs in the league have it. We happen to have none of them.

 

[Alexander]

DRC made a play on his 2nd INT that none of our CBs are capable of making. The ability to run, cover while also tracking the ball is a skill. I'd say half of the CBs in the league have it. We happen to have none of them.

My big question is why the corners on this team are so inept at playing the football or being in the right place to gather picks. I look right at the coaching staff for those answers.

 

[JohnsKey19]

My big question is why the corners on this team are so inept at playing the football or being in the right place to gather picks. I look right at the coaching staff for those answers.

It's baffling. Even the pick Merriweather made. When has a Cowboys Safety read the QB's eyes leading him to an easy INT? Is it scheme? Is it a case of over-coaching players out of their natural instincts? Or are the players simply physically incapable?

 

[Alexander]

It's baffling. Even the pick Merriweather made. When has a Cowboys Safety read the QB's eyes leading him to an easy INT? Is it scheme? Is it a case of over-coaching players out of their natural instincts? Or are the players simply physically incapable?

I do not think it is over-coaching. I just think all of them are limited players who do not have the mental knack for it. I hate to keep drafting defensive backs, but any that are targeted in April, they better be productive in college getting turnovers.

 

[StarBoyz83]

I liked that the OL finally run blocked decently this year.

 

[Bullflop]

After watching Weeden perform for three weeks, my standards have dropped quite dramatically but it seemed a relief simply to watch our offense moving the ball again. Granted, it's not much to hang your hat on but if we're destined to languish with the cellar dwellers for a while, it's a relief to see the offense demonstrate some small measure of hope for the times when Romo and Dez are destined to return. At least, the running game showed signs of waking up fairly dramatically from its anemic ways.

Then again, the turnovers were incredibly painful to digest but that's what follows when your GM somehow sees acceptable talent in QBs that nobody else can. We should most likely improve given time, if only just enough to whet our appetites for the spectre of better days to come. Such are the fortunes of a floundering team, hellbound to evolve into that franchise with spending cap solvency. Better days lie ahead but alas, it's time to pay the Piper.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

1. I liked that offense looked like a functioning offense under Cassel. I didn't like the turnovers.

2. I liked that we discovered the receiving corps. I didn't like the phantom penalty they called on Street to reverse DMC's touchdown.

3. I liked Darren McFadden's production today. Where have you been all of my life? I didn't like that Randle was injured.

4. I liked the general defensive play. I didn't like the run D.

5. I like that Dez is returning soon. I didn't like the media teasers leading up to the game.

I liked the pressure/hustle from most of the d-line; Lawrence was MIA.

I liked Lee's play but McLain did not impress.

STs was awful. Can someone please tell me why Wilbur is still on this roster? He just ran down the field and stopped on the TD return by Harris. Whatever happened to guys that sacrificed their bodies to blow up the blockers? There are too many guys going through the motions; Hardy had reason to be upset.

 

[perrykemp]

Top 5 I liked

1. OL played great. Was good to see them play like they did in 2014
2. DMac. Nice game. DMac needs good blocking and he got it. He produced
3. Hardy's play. He is relentless.
4. Witten. He just gets open despite what is likely at this point 5.0 speed
5. Bailey the FG kicker. Automatic.

Top 5 I disliked

1. Cassell looks like the NFL journeyman QB he is.
2. Sean Lee / Rolando McClain -- in the two games they've been together they've barely been noticeable. Very surprising.
3. Wilcox. 0 solo tackles, 1 assist, 0 passes defensed. How much longer do we need to wait for the lightbulb to come on?
4. Lawrence / Crawford -- There should be more production from these two
5. Just the LB play in general. All the linebackers seem barely noticable out there.

 

[jjktkk]

I don't like how they still didn't bother really using CMike and seeing what he could do. 2-3 carries just isn't going to do it with his running style.

Do you understand the meaning of going with the hot hand? McFadden was beasting out there. Plus I don't know if the coaching staff has complete faith in Michael's ability to pick up the blitz on passing downs. Overall it was hard to take out McFadden because of him playing so well.

 

[tyke1doe]

1. I liked that offense looked like a functioning offense under Cassel. I didn't like the turnovers.

2. I liked that we discovered the receiving corps. I didn't like the phantom penalty they called on Street to reverse DMC's touchdown.

3. I liked Darren McFadden's production today. Where have you been all of my life? I didn't like that Randle was injured.

4. I liked the general defensive play. I didn't like the run D.

5. I like that Dez is returning soon. I didn't like the media teasers leading up to the game.

Good observations.

I'm not as discouraged by Cassel's play as most are. He showed he can move the offense. And I believe the interceptions he threw are correctable. One, he floated to TWilliams in the endzone. He just put too much air under the ball. That's correctable.
The interception on the sidelines was really a great play by Rodgers-Cromartie. Cassel put it where the pass needs to be thrown - to the sidelines. R-C just beat TWilliams to the spot. It happens.

I don't like the fact that we started Cassel after three loses. I think Cassel may be able to get us a win somewhere, but four loses are HUGE. We're in a deep hole with little wiggle room.

I don't like that we AGAIN get too cute for our own good. We use the running game to get in the red zone then we start to pass. I just don't get the Cowboys play-calling. We're pushing the Giants all over the field, demoralizing them, then our coaches say, "Hey, let's get away from what our strength is and pass the ball."

I like my analysis of Joseph Randle - he shouldn't be our starting back. He's a relief back. He's not big or sturdy enough to be the primary back.

 

[Sydla]

I am hoping that these last few games have opened the eyes of the front office about interior DL play. It's time the Jones' tell Marinelli to stuff it when he says he can live with Hayden as his 1 tech. Time to get a talented DT in here next season.

 

[ghosttown cowboy]

I thought when we tied the score at 20 that we were going to win, they couldn't stop our run and our team had hung in there after all the turnovers...Then the return happened...I even thought we may have a chance on the last drive...Then Beasley happened...The Giants shouldn't really be pounding their today, yes they got a win, but with one break our way we win that game with a bunch of backups...

 

[dogunwo]

The rare opinion thread started by @WoodysGirl. What a treat!

 

[tyke1doe]

Wasn't enough they robbed us of a potential NFC Championship appearance.

Gotta screw us this year too.

Really pathetic. Even Parera thought it was a horse**** call. Street essentially did everything your supposed to do on that particular play. Wasn't engaged in the block till well after McFadden was in the clear. Didn't hold. Just absurd.

That's the bad thing about the call - and I've done my share of defending referees. You can see him dancing to stay away from the defender until the last minute and then he engages. How in the world do you call that penalty against Street?

 

[dfense]

20 points and 3 turnovers doesn't look like a functioning offense to me.

Discounting the Phantom call that erased a TD, 455 yards of offense is not the worst I've seen.

 

[31smackdown]

Liked:

McFadden doing what Randle refused to do, take the hard 2 or 3 yards in the scrum rather than go backwards trying to create. Was he perfect? No, but he didn't put the team in bad position with his play.
Cassel looking like he can run the offense, move around and make throws that Weeden would not even attempt.
Defense got a lot of rest, Offense ran a lot of plays

Dislike:
Special Teams - Two huge negative plays that essentially cost them the game.
I still don't know what the deal is with CMike's play time. Seemed odd that he wouldn't have had a few more carries yesterday with Randle hurt and the number of times they ran the ball.
Defense is still a work in progress. Got the 3 and out at the end of the game, but had the Giants pinned on their own goal line and gave up a field goal drive - Granted it took a 1-handed catch for that to happen.

This game was similar to the first Giants game in a lot of ways in that you feel that if you can limit the turnovers and big plays that Eli would not be able to drive the ball consistently enough for the Giants to win. The offense moved the ball well, 40 minutes in TOP, 27 first downs. But three big plays(DRC return, Kick Return, Beasely muff) and an int thrown while in FG position and you don't even give yourself an opportunity to win the game. It's pretty amazing how this team just finds new ways every week to give you hope and then moments later finds another way to lose. This is why no one can tell how good or bad they are. The number of big plays is skewing the perspective a bit, but in reality it just means that they are not that good right now. Romo hides a lot of warts by being able to overcome this craziness, but most QB's can't do that. The team's mantra would not have to be resilience if it stopped putting itself in the same position over and over and over again.