Post by ccboy on Dec 21, 2009 12:44:37 GMT -7
With good Saints nicked, Dallas Cowboys draw playoff bead
By JAN HUBBARD
jhubbard@star-telegram.com
For 13 games, the New Orleans Saints gave their fans a divine show, not always playing perfect football, but always providing a perfect ending.
On Saturday night, however, they gave the Dallas Cowboys the gift of strong playoff life.
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to conclude that the Cowboys sparked their own resurrection.
After two December weekends of flawed football, the Cowboys spent the week before the Saints game professing faith in themselves and maintaining that all playoff hope was not lost.
They had gone from 8-3 to 8-5 and it appeared that 8-8 was not out of the question.
They were 0-2 in December and 18-33 in the month since 1996.
Wade Phillips was 3-7 with the Cowboys in December. Tony Romo was 5-10 as a starter in December.
Dubious fans and media eggheads wondered whether the Cowboys could stay within three touchdowns of the undefeated Saints.
So what do the Cowboys do?
They score on their first two drives.
They force the Saints, who had punted once in their previous 15 possessions, to punt on their first three series.
They keep the Saints, who entered the game averaging 35.8 points per game, out of the end zone until the fourth quarter.
They end New Orleans’ bid for a perfect season with a 24-17 victory.
The Saints were missing several key players because of injuries, but they had all their wide receivers and their prolific quarterback, and the Cowboys made them look ordinary.
Most of the Cowboys weren’t in an I-told-you-so mood after the game. With a road game next week in Washington and a final regular-season game at home against Philadelphia in the next two weeks, the Cowboys can’t afford arrogance at this point.
But Phillips couldn’t resist at least a little barb at the doomsday scenarios that preceded the game.
"We’re still in control of our own destiny," the Cowboys coach said. "That’s what we said going into this week. A lot of people said, 'Ha, ha, because you’re playing the Saints.’ "
As he addressed the media, Phillips said, "I’m not pointing fingers," but, of course, he was. Which should not be a problem because the Cowboys certainly earned bragging rights.
"I am so proud of this team," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said after the game. "This was a big victory tonight. We played together as a team on both sides of the ball. And it was great stuff out there on the part of the defense, to hang together and stop the Saints on that last drive."
As well as Romo (22-of-34, 312 yards, one TD) and Miles Austin (seven receptions, 139 yards, one TD) played, the outcome of the game was decided by the defense.
After Nick Folk missed a 24-yard field-goal attempt with 2:16 left in the game, the Saints took over on their own 20. They had scored two touchdowns to get within seven points of Dallas, and with Folk providing them with a dramatic opportunity, the stage seemed set for a long drive, a TD and overtime.
But after they moved 38 yards to the Dallas 42, DeMarcus Ware blasted past Saints tackle Jermon Bushrod, got to quarterback Drew Brees and slapped the ball away. Jay Ratliff recovered with six seconds left in the game, and the Cowboys had their finest victory of the season.
"It says a lot about the guys and their character," defensive end Marcus Spears said. "We were in some tough situations in that game and then you [have] people with the feeling like, 'here we go again.’ But we persevered. That’s what you’ve got to do. You’ve got to keep fighting."
Ware, who had recovered sufficiently from a neck injury that he suffered in the loss to the San Diego Chargers last week, played mostly on third-down passing situations, but he had two sacks and forced two fumbles.
The only negative news for the Cowboys was Folk’s continuing poor kicking. He had made only three of his last nine field-goal attempts before the game, and although he hit a 44-yarder in the first half, his late miss put the Cowboys in danger of losing.
It stands to reason that the Cowboys are vulnerable in the last two weeks of the season with a kicker who seems to have lost his confidence. Maybe for that reason a tryout is set for today for former Redskins kicker Shaun Suisham.
But on Saturday night and Sunday, the Cowboys were more interested in celebrating.
"Things weren’t going well for us with two losses in a row," Phillips said. "I didn’t think this team could get beat three times in a row and they didn’t."
By JAN HUBBARD
jhubbard@star-telegram.com
For 13 games, the New Orleans Saints gave their fans a divine show, not always playing perfect football, but always providing a perfect ending.
On Saturday night, however, they gave the Dallas Cowboys the gift of strong playoff life.
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to conclude that the Cowboys sparked their own resurrection.
After two December weekends of flawed football, the Cowboys spent the week before the Saints game professing faith in themselves and maintaining that all playoff hope was not lost.
They had gone from 8-3 to 8-5 and it appeared that 8-8 was not out of the question.
They were 0-2 in December and 18-33 in the month since 1996.
Wade Phillips was 3-7 with the Cowboys in December. Tony Romo was 5-10 as a starter in December.
Dubious fans and media eggheads wondered whether the Cowboys could stay within three touchdowns of the undefeated Saints.
So what do the Cowboys do?
They score on their first two drives.
They force the Saints, who had punted once in their previous 15 possessions, to punt on their first three series.
They keep the Saints, who entered the game averaging 35.8 points per game, out of the end zone until the fourth quarter.
They end New Orleans’ bid for a perfect season with a 24-17 victory.
The Saints were missing several key players because of injuries, but they had all their wide receivers and their prolific quarterback, and the Cowboys made them look ordinary.
Most of the Cowboys weren’t in an I-told-you-so mood after the game. With a road game next week in Washington and a final regular-season game at home against Philadelphia in the next two weeks, the Cowboys can’t afford arrogance at this point.
But Phillips couldn’t resist at least a little barb at the doomsday scenarios that preceded the game.
"We’re still in control of our own destiny," the Cowboys coach said. "That’s what we said going into this week. A lot of people said, 'Ha, ha, because you’re playing the Saints.’ "
As he addressed the media, Phillips said, "I’m not pointing fingers," but, of course, he was. Which should not be a problem because the Cowboys certainly earned bragging rights.
"I am so proud of this team," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said after the game. "This was a big victory tonight. We played together as a team on both sides of the ball. And it was great stuff out there on the part of the defense, to hang together and stop the Saints on that last drive."
As well as Romo (22-of-34, 312 yards, one TD) and Miles Austin (seven receptions, 139 yards, one TD) played, the outcome of the game was decided by the defense.
After Nick Folk missed a 24-yard field-goal attempt with 2:16 left in the game, the Saints took over on their own 20. They had scored two touchdowns to get within seven points of Dallas, and with Folk providing them with a dramatic opportunity, the stage seemed set for a long drive, a TD and overtime.
But after they moved 38 yards to the Dallas 42, DeMarcus Ware blasted past Saints tackle Jermon Bushrod, got to quarterback Drew Brees and slapped the ball away. Jay Ratliff recovered with six seconds left in the game, and the Cowboys had their finest victory of the season.
"It says a lot about the guys and their character," defensive end Marcus Spears said. "We were in some tough situations in that game and then you [have] people with the feeling like, 'here we go again.’ But we persevered. That’s what you’ve got to do. You’ve got to keep fighting."
Ware, who had recovered sufficiently from a neck injury that he suffered in the loss to the San Diego Chargers last week, played mostly on third-down passing situations, but he had two sacks and forced two fumbles.
The only negative news for the Cowboys was Folk’s continuing poor kicking. He had made only three of his last nine field-goal attempts before the game, and although he hit a 44-yarder in the first half, his late miss put the Cowboys in danger of losing.
It stands to reason that the Cowboys are vulnerable in the last two weeks of the season with a kicker who seems to have lost his confidence. Maybe for that reason a tryout is set for today for former Redskins kicker Shaun Suisham.
But on Saturday night and Sunday, the Cowboys were more interested in celebrating.
"Things weren’t going well for us with two losses in a row," Phillips said. "I didn’t think this team could get beat three times in a row and they didn’t."