Eagles - Cowboys Notes: Second Half

> I missed the first three minutes of this from putting my kids to bed, which from the play by play tracking, means that I missed a big completion to Celek, a drive stall, a big Rocca touchback punt, and a three and out from Dallas. So, um, whatever.

> LT Jason Peters with the false start, which leads me to wonder, as I always do with Peters, if this is all there is. McNabb tries Jackson for a deep ball into double coverage, no chance. Jackson gets a few on a crossing route, whoopie. On third and long, McNabb has time, finds Maclin, and that's a first down; easy play as the CB falls down. Another Peters false start, and that brings the flags to 111 yards in penalties tonight. Wow. A tipped ball on a screen, then McCoy shows quicks from the gun, and it's third and short, which is always a fun down. McNabb pulls it back and throws to reserve TE Alex Smith; reserve RB Eldra Buckley with the big pain block, which was nice. Weaver for a few inside as NBC gives the Westbrook eulogy; McNabb just gets rid of a second down incomplete as DE DeMarcus Ware is getting closer. On third and seven, it's a coverage sack, and the drive looks like a lot of the ones that have happened against Dallas this year; some movement, but not when it matters.

> Dallas goes quick run, bubble screen, then timeout on third and four. We're 21 minutes away from this being over, and judging from the crowd noise, it already is. Well, on the plus side, no excess energy will be wasted, and Brown limps off again after a conversion. The run blitz misses, and Felix Jones goes 73 yards, and it's Confetti Bucket Time in Dallas. 34-7 Dallas, and honestly, you might not get much more in the way of the blog here. After all, why should I work any harder than the team?

> Oh, Lord, I so don't need to hear any more NFL players, like Keith Brookings right now, psyching up their team. We're talking a scrub on his second team, near the end of his career, making money with his mouth.

> Reggie Brown with the non-catch, and McNabb throws a pick that winds up getting recovered by Brown on some bizarre lateral idea. Jackson catches his second ball for six yards, and a false start leads to an extra hit on McNabb with no flag. Dallas with the Rub In Moment here, really; it'll be curious to see if there is any pride at all, really. McNabb has Celek deep, but DB Gerald Sensabaugh knocks it down. On third and nine with 19 minutes left, it's Weaver for seven yards, and they go for it on fourth from the Dallas 41. McNabb avoids a jailbreak rush, and Maclin can't collect the hot ball on his hand.

> A six yard loss as Juqua Parker makes a play on Choice. Romo scrambles for no good reason -- honestly, a 27 point lead, Dallas should be Just Handing Off now. On third and 11 from the gun, Romo hits Samuel on the face for the non-pick. Perfect. Well, what the hell, it's a three and out, so just like last week, the defense gets to think that they showed up in the second half.

> McNabb scrambles on first, and there is something to be said about a man who doesn't even run hard out of bounds. Five yard gain. An out to Maclin for a first gives the rookie over 100 yards for the game, but the man decides to stiff arm DB Ken Hamlin out of bounds for a mutual unsportsmanlike experience. Yeesh. Perhaps the last great screen of Westbrook's career in Philadelphia brings a rueful smile and 27 yards. You were loved, Dub. End of the third quarter, Cowboys 34, Eagles 7.

> Maclin collects a sideline ball and a flag on Hamlin, who seems to be having a personal war with the rookie. Vick comes in for the same play he's run all year, and it's incomplete to Weaver under pressure. McNabb returns from the gun for a Ware sack. On third and goal from the 16, McNabb scrambles to the 8 with flags all over the field, and it's against the defense for a first down, and we're coming up on 200 yards in flags from the two teams. McNabb finds Jackson on a bubble screen, and wow, a touchdown. Nice work from DJ to make a man miss, and not to celebrate things much. Cowboys 34, Eagles 14.

> Onside kick? Nope. Ogletree is snowed under at his own 11 with 13:25 left. Surprisingly, Dallas is throwing on first, with Austin getting nine on Samuel. Choice is stopped in the wildcat to set up third and one as Collingsworth tries to drum up interst. A toss to Jones gets the first and eat clock, and yeah, not much drama going on; such is the way of a finesse defense that is playing third stringers due to injuries. Dallas burns clock and plays starters, because why not? This defense doesn't hurt anyone. The drive finally stalls after 8 minutes and 45 yards, because that's what happens when you can't stop the run.

> With 5:18 left, it's more Confetti Bucket Sack Time as the Cowboys dance on the sidelines; either McCoy whiffed on the LB or McNabb didn't get it out fast enough. A screen to McCoy from the end zone gets back some of the yards. On third and seven, McNabb is stripped from behind by Ware for the fumble as the QB never sees it coming, and doesn't have both hands on the ball. The defense recovers at the Eagles 25. The Eagles start using timeouts, and for the life of me, I don't know why... or for that matter, why I'm still watching. More flags happen, and Choice staggers off with what looks like a concussion. Hey, something to remember us by, Cowboy Fan.

> For some reason, McNabb goes out with 1:54 left and the ball on the 20; maybe he hasn't taken enough sacks yet, or needs to pass some yardage mark. Throws to Celek, Maclin, then Celek again makes his day look a little better -- hey, the Eagles now have more yards passing than the Cowboys! -- but this is why football statistics mean nothing out of context. The season ends for McNabb on what looks like a fourth down pick, but the defender is out of bounds, and that is that.

> Next week, Dallas goes to Minnesota for a game where they will probably be favored, and the trick will be whether Dallas is really this good, or Philly is really this bad.

For now, it's enough to say this: the Eagles season is over.

And not a moment too soon.