Eagles - Cowboys Takeaways
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| Do Not Be Murray |
> QB Kyle Orton with radar lock on Bryant with quick release so far
> On the first third down of the game, it's encroachment for ease, as several guys blow it
> LB DeMecco Ryans with an ankle tackle on Murray; if he missed, there was 20 more coming
> Murray in the flat and finishes on CB Cary Williams, and the defense is putting no stress on the offense so far
> Murray with the gift fumble mistake, and the room service hop to CB Bradley Fletcher is the game's first mistake
> From the 23, QB Nick Foles fakes the backward screen, than smartly eats it when nothing else is open
> RB LeSean McCoy for 7 gutty yards up the middle, then it's RB Chris Polk on a gorgeously open flat screen / winning pick for 34
> WR DeSean Jackson taking all kinds of weird vectors in the backfield as Foles eats it again
> McCoy dances for the first, but it comes back on a hold on T Lane Johnson
> 2nd and 20 is short to McCoy, and third and long gets 17 to WR Riley Cooper, which at least gets them in figgie range
> Tight window for Foles, but he hit it
> K Alex Henery from 47 is good, and it's Eagles 3, Cowboys 0 after 8 minutes
> Henery puts the kickoff deep in the end zone for a touchback, and it's good to see him striking it well
> Orton to Murray for 19, and he's been more active in the passing game the last month
> Murray blows blitz coverage, then gets a dump off and nails LB Damian Square for a woo moment, leading with his helmet, that would have been 15 if he played defense
> Fletcher stops Bryant short, setting up a third and 2 opportunity
> Orton misses Bryant, and that's Orton's first miss and a punt
> DJ back for the punt, and fair catches it at the 12
> Foles to TE Zach Ertz for a sweet 17 yard out, and we're moving
> McCoy crushed on a counter, as RT Jason Peters doesn't earn the Pro Bowl note
> Cooper for a short one as NBC bribes Kelly to slow down enough to get the intros in
> Third and seven is Foles standing in the fire and finding Ertz for the first
> McCoy nearly goes the distance, but has to settle for 20; massive work by C Jason Kelce there
> Foles with an ugly grounding call as Dallas has the screen game scouted
> Tempo offense is a little slow tonight
> Foles improvises a bit and gets DJ for 20 of prettiness
> WR Brad Smith's role is so predictable, Al Michaels had him taking a shotgun Wildcat snap when he was lined up outside
> End of the first quarter, and it's 3-0 Green
> Foles to WR Jason Avant, who makes an absurd catch on a jump ball at the 4; CB Jed Heath has no clue
> Foles to McCoy is as easy as football gets, and it's 10-0 Green after 16 minutes of game time
> Henery and the coverage teams are worrisome, and give Dallas the ball at the 36 to start the next drive
> Near pick on a blown drop down pass to Murray
> Orton draws another offsides, this one on rookie DT Bennie Logan
> Fourth flag on Green, none on White
> TE Jason Witten with the drop of the odd ball, and that's three drives and no points
> McCoy for 6, then minus one, as DE DeMarcus Ware eats that play
> Third and 5 is a big damned deal, and it's Foles doing an ungainly hokey pokey for the sack
> P Donnie Jones with a 45-yarder that's fair caught, and you can hear NBC's sighs of relief from here
> Witten drops, and then is dropped, by S Patrick Chung, with a rare good moment for the Duck
> Murray gets snowed under by Ryans on second for a 2-yard loss
> 3rd and 12 is a game-changing make to WR Terence Williams, who gets past Cary Williams for 39 -- gahhh
> Murray for 3 as LB Trent Cole did a good thing, then another 9 as he's finishing with a lot of power
> Orton to TE Gavin Escobar, who launches himself in from the four, and that's a highlight reel play over S Nate Allen
> Green 10, White 7, and no, nothing is ever easy
> K Dan Bailey aims for the uprights and almost hits it, which has to be some small kind of thrill for a kicker
> Even yardage as Jerry Jones claps, and we will, of course, see that, since it's important
> Foles under center, McCoy slipping, and that's no way to change momentum
> Foles to DJ, who makes two guys miss but only gets 3 yards
> Third and long is a big damned deal, and it's Foles to Avant for the middle conversion
> Dallas really gambling for picks, which is telling
> Foles barely escapes a second grounding call, as the bubble screens are not happening tonight
> McCoy beats Wilbert Montgomery on a Woo! run for 16 -- wow
> Foles sacked by DE Darius Wynn, as TE Brent Celek gets worked
> McCoy for 3 sets up 3rd and 14, which is a miss to Avant, who gets a penalty-ish crunch as the ball goes out of bounds
> Not Foles' best work tonight; Dallas may be his Kryptonite
> Jones gets a fair catch at the 10, but gunner Brandon Boykin gets nicked for 15 for fair catch interference, and that's a mistake and a terrible waste of 15 yards
> Orton to Witten for 3 limping yards, then Murray for 7, and he's just beasting tonight -- Fletcher victimized on that one
> Murray for a yard as LB Connor Barwin is irate at the refs
> Orton with an experienced throwaway, and it's 3rd and 9 and a big damned deal
> Witten converts while not open at all, and that's the 2-minute warning
> Witten deflects a ball, and LB Mychal Kendricks geta a huge pick; second unforced error by White tonight
> Foles to Celek for 35, as the pass is just perfect... then right back to the TE for a cotton-soft score
> The only trouble with that is that it left time on the clock, but Chip Kelly does not give a fig for your clock
> Green 17, White 7, as NBC is required to televise the pre-game screaming moments
> Orton to Witten for 8 as Kendricks is a little off afterwards, then lumbers for 8 and a timeout
> Witten for 28 yards on Chung, way too easy
> Orton to Witten again for a lunging first down, then incomplete to WR Cole Beasley, the designated Welker of this offense
> Orton overthrows Bryant, and the field of play
> 3rd and 10 is Allen riding Witten out of bounds for a loss of one, and White calls time before figgie
> Bailey from 44 is good, and it's Green 17, White 10 with 18 seconds left
> Bailey's out of the end zone kick takes no time off the clock, which is kind of helpful... but not enough time, even with 3 timeouts in his pocket, for Kelly to avoid the kneel down
> Foles takes a terrible sack to start the half, just as NBC's sideline reporter says that Kelly will get pass coverage cleared up
> McCoy gets 16 on 2nd and 19, and yes, the Cowboy defense is bad
> Foles can't find a man on third and three, and that's an awful way to start the half
> Really not getting why you don't run it again on there, as you'd have to like the RB's chances in a spread formation
> Jones gets it deep, but PR Dwayne Harris wiggles for 11, and White has hope
> Murray for 3, then nothing as Kendricks covers him beautifully in the flat
> Third and 7 is a big damned deal, and yet another encroachment call, this one on DT Fletcher Cox
> Six flags to none, not that I'm counting
> Murray for 6 on an easy toss, and that's the play call I wish Kelly had made
> WR Miles Austin is still alive, and getting six on a bubble screen
> Orton to Witten is just crazy open for 19, with Kendricks getting owned
> Bryant for 6 yards of diagnosable wiggle on no pass rush
> Murray loses 2 as DT Cedric Thornton flashes again
> Third and 8 from figgie range is a big damned deal, and it's Boykin knocking it away from Bryant in the end zone as Cole pressures the QB
> Great play by the Eagles' best CB, who oddly does not start
> Bailey connects from 43, and it's Green 17, White 13
> Dallas with more yards and more first downs, which is my way of telling you that I'm not real thrilled right now
> Bailey out of the end zone, and emasculated kickoffs remain fun, especially if you like seeing the same car ads every other minute
> Foles to Ertz for 14 worrisome yards on the run, across his body, and I want more running plays, please
> McCoy loses a yard as I get what I want and am not happy
> Foles to Celek, who does not get the obvious DPI call; Dallas still has not committed a penalty tonight
> 3rd and 11 is huge, and it's a sack, strip, and disaster
> DE Jason Hatcher with the strip, Ware with the recovery, Johnson and Foles with the failures
> From the Eagle 20, it's Witten for a yard where Kendricks eats him, then Murray for no gain while avoiding a huge loss
> Money down is Murray for nothing, and that's the best series of the game for the defense
> Bailey connects from 36, and it's Green 17, White 16 with 20:38 left
> The relief from NBC personnel that the game is close is palpable, though Collingsworth's coaching the Cowboys does get to be a wee bit hard to take
> De rigour touchback, McCoy for nothing, Foles overthrows DJ for no flag, and third down is yet another throwaway
> When this offense looks bad, it looks terrible
> Jones punts it to the 32, Harris drops and covers for 2 more yards
> Kendricks trucks Murray for a yard, Orton misses both Williams by a lot on a deep ball, and third and nine is Witten, who gets stopped in space by LB Brandon Graham for an incredibly helpful three and out
> DJ flashes for 23 yards on the punt run back, and that's nice
> Toss to McCoy for a measly yard, then gets space and 13 as the line gets to the second level
> McCoy for 10 as the offense looks good again
> Foles with time hits Celek, who lumbers for 22
> Smith on the end-around tries Ertz in the end zone, but doesn't connect
> Kelly is prone to tricksy down low, and I really wish he wasn't
> Foles has DJ in the flat, but throws it away on second -- gahhh
> Third and goal is DJ at the half yard line, and Kelly goes to the gas from an odd formation; Dallas wisely calls time, though short yardage without McCoy on the field worries me
> After the stoppage, Green still going for it, and it's Foles stopped at the goal line
> Hate that call; McCoy is your best player, dammit, and for a coach that believes in spreading the field, he gave Dallas very little space to defend
> Orton to Bryant for 18 easy yards out of the end zone, and this game just changed a lot
> At the end of three, it's Eagles 17, Cowboys 16
> Orton to Witten for 16, and the middle slant has been there all night
> Witten limps off, which could be useful
> Orton gets away with grounding, because Dallas has still not committed a penalty tonight
> Austin for 16, and so much for field position or coverage
> Orton misses Bryant, who had a step on Williams
> Beasley for 7, setting up third and 3 outside of figgie range, and it's a toss to Murray that only gets 2
> Fourth and 1 from the 40 is a should go moment, and Dallas does, with Barwin knocking down Orton's flare screen to Murray for an immense stop
> Somewhat telling that White didn't trust the running game there
> McCoy for nothing, then Foles to Cooper for 19, which is all kinds of helpful
> McCoy for 8 as the unbalanced line, and Foles running hard to the right, works
> Slower tempo than usual, and McCoy gets a yard
> Third and one is again slow tempo, and McCoy looks a little gassed... but he's got enough to get 2 and a first
> Foles to Avant for 6 is credible, then RB Bryce Brown for 5 and another first down
> McCoy for three that might have been more as Detention Offense creeps in a bit
> McCoy for 6 with a little hiccup run, setting up third and 1
> Quick tempo to McCoy for 4 and it's first and goal
> Brown to the end zone as the Cowboys look gassed, and THAT, GODDAMIT, IS THE OFFENSE I LOVE
> Henery converts the PAT, and it's Green 24, White 16 with 6:09 left
> Touchback de rigour, and then it's Orton to Bryant for 13
> White still huddling, bless their hearts
> Orton to Witten for yet another middle strike, 34 yards on a rail
> Dallas takes its first penalty on a delay flag, and NBC is complaining about it... correctly, as the home team blew it
> Orton misses, and we're well into lots of whining now about five yards
> Bryant for 6 yards and almost sheds two tacklers
> Third and 9 is a heave to Bryant that misses, and NBC will now harp on the clock for ad nauseaum
> Fourth and 9 is a big damned deal, and it's a timeout that also can be brought to blame for the demon delay call
> Not to put too fine a point on it, but why don't the Cowboys notice the clock before the play starts?
> Killshot down is Orton to Bryant for a touchdown, Chung gets de-pantsed, and that's an absurd defensive play call and defender
> You get why Dallas puts up with Bryant in moments like that, but it was more of a defensive fail than an offensive win
> Two point conversion is a big damned deal, and it's missed to Bryant on a play where Dallas left early
> I have no idea if Cary Williams is any good or not, but win or lose, you always notice him
> Green 24, White 22 with 3:50 left
> Dallas with the quasi pooch kick, which gets them Smith running it out to the 15; don't know why teams don't do more of that with the auto-touchback lulling teams to sleep
> McCoy for 2 and actual huddling from the Eagles
> McCoy for 4 and clock still running
> Huddling rarely works for this team
> Third and 4 is for everything, and it's Foles for nothing on some kind of trickery, and it counts as the fifth sack of the night for the Cowboys
> McCoy was tripped by Celek, pushed back by the Dallas defense, which meant that there was nothing for the QB to do there but fall down in bounds
> Jones does everything he can with a 56-yard punt
> Clear air turbulence pick by Orton -- wow
> Boykin with the grab and sit, and that was Romo-esque -- two yards behind the WR, inexcusable, and era-defining
> McCoy for two carries, a first down, and that might be the biggest Escape Win yet
> Green 24, White 22, NBC Pleased
> The Eagles will host New Orleans, Dallas will keep its terrible coach, QBs and owner/GM, and for the first time in three years, my laundry will play a game that they weren't entitled to play at the start of the year
> So while much of this game was like passing gallstones, we've all had much, much worse days
> Since my laundry won, I don't have to remember a choke job to a backup QB on a team with the 32nd ranked defense for the rest of my sad little life
> Um, sorry about that. EAGLES WIN THE NFC EAST! WOO! WOO! WOO!
2 comments:
1. I usually really like Collinsworth, but man was he getting on my nerves today. He harps on the 5 yard penalty like it's the most important thing ever, but quickly sweeps under the rug the refs swallowing their whistles on Cowboy penalties all night. Plus the fawning over Orton for making a bunch of easy short throws while badly missing on every throw of more than 15 yards got old pretty fast.
2. It was nice of Garrett to stop running the ball in the 2nd half, yet again.
3. Foles looked *very* jittery to me for most of this game, better hope that doesn't carry over to the playoffs.
4. I'm still not entirely clear on how this ended up being so close.
5. Yet another season with no Cowboy playoff win warms this Giant fan's heart at the end of a very disappointing year. 7-9, out of the playoffs and without a high pick, yay!
NBC just roots for close games. Very, very hard.
As for the Dallas play-calling, well, it's not as if their RB was physically dominating people or anything.
We're all just hoping that Dallas is Foles' Kryptonite.
My laundry does not know how to handle being a betting favorite.
As for your laundry, you are still just one of two teams in the division with a sane ownership / GM situation, and they'll be better once they are free of No Contract Year Nicks. As bad as 2013 was, there's no reason to think 2014 will be worse.
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