Post by prossman on Dec 29, 2008 14:19:17 GMT -7
SAEN: No-shows go home: Cowboys flop
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Web Posted: 12/29/2008 12:00 CST
No-shows go home: Cowboys flop
By Tom Orsborn - Express-News
PHILADELPHIA — Say what you want about the Dallas Cowboys, but they did manage to do the impossible Sunday.
On a day when the Detroit Lions wrapped up the first 0-16 season in NFL history, the error-prone Cowboys pushed them aside to secure the title of the league's biggest laughingstock, losing 44-6 to the Philadelphia Eagles to miss the playoffs.
“It's a shameful way to go out,” Terrell Owens said. “We came in here with our destiny in our hands, and just stunk it up.”
The hapless Lions made history by bowing 31-21 to the Green Bay Packers, but at least they put up a fight. In a game that became a win-or-go-home showdown for both teams shortly before kickoff, the Cowboys got outplayed in all three phases of the game in one of the most humiliating performances in franchise history.
“There's not much I can say about this one,” coach Wade Phillips said of the game which tied for the fifth-worst loss in franchise history and is the worst ever to the Eagles. “It was a disaster from the opening kickoff, which we kicked out of bounds. We had everything riding on this, and we didn't step up to the plate.”
Philadelphia, meanwhile, was flawless and fierce. The Eagles forced five turnovers, including two fumbles prodded loose by safety Brian Dawkins that were returned for touchdowns, and battered Tony Romo so badly he suffered a rib injury and collapsed in the shower after the game.
“They took advantage of the turnovers,” Owens said, “and just basically handed us an old-fashioned butt-whooping.”
Still, owner Jerry Jones vowed to stick with Phillips even though he oversaw the most underachieving and most drama-filled team in club history.
Dallas entered this season as a Super Bowl favorite after Jones spent $135 million on bonuses and guaranteed money to improve a team that finished 13-3 last season with a league-record 13 Pro Bowl players, but lost in the playoffs to the New York Giants.
“This is very disappointing,” Jones said, “but we won't have a head-coaching change.”
Jones reiterated he believes the Cowboys (9-7) have the players and coaching staff to contend for years.
But he said it won't happen without continuity.
“I changed coaches after only two years only one time, and I've regretted it ever since,” said Jones, referring to his firing of Chan Gailey after the 1999 season.
The Eagles, who will play the Minnesota Vikings next weekend, avoided elimination when Oakland upset Tampa Bay and Houston beat Chicago in early games. Philadelphia (9-6-1) had been left for dead after losing 10-3 to the Washington Redskins last week.
“The energy level was high already,” Eagles running back Brian Westbrook said. “But we took it to a whole other level when we knew we had our destiny in our own hands.”
While the Eagles soared, the Cowboys and all of their stars wilted under the pressure. Philadelphia converted Dallas' five turnovers into a whopping 27 points and held their division rivals to a pair of field goals, ensuring the Cowboys' playoff-win drought would rise to 12 seasons.
“This game kind of summed our season up,” Owens said. “It was just terrible. We were up-and-down throughout the season and mistakes and turnovers were our Achilles' heels.”
Romo floundered in another big game, leaving him with a 5-8 record in December. He connected on just 21 of 39 passes for 183 yards with no touchdowns and three turnovers, including two fumbles. Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, meanwhile, passed for two TDs and ran for another.
Romo created a stir when he fell down in the shower. The medical staff brought in a stretcher, but he walked out under his own power. He addressed the media afterward, but two team spokespeople had to help him off the podium.
“I just felt banged up a little bit, I guess,” Romo said when asked about falling down in the shower.
It was uncertain whether his ego hurt as much as his body.
“I wake up tomorrow and keep living,” he said when asked how he deals with his reputation as a quarterback who can't win big games. “You just keep playing the game.”
The Eagles blew the game open by scoring 17 points in the final 2:03 of the first half. During that stretch, they took advantage of an underthrown Romo pass that was intercepted, costly penalties by Adam “Pacman” Jones (late hit) and Terence Newman (pass interference), and a fumbled kickoff by Jones.
It's hard to imagine even the Lions being as inept.
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Web Posted: 12/29/2008 12:00 CST
No-shows go home: Cowboys flop
By Tom Orsborn - Express-News
PHILADELPHIA — Say what you want about the Dallas Cowboys, but they did manage to do the impossible Sunday.
On a day when the Detroit Lions wrapped up the first 0-16 season in NFL history, the error-prone Cowboys pushed them aside to secure the title of the league's biggest laughingstock, losing 44-6 to the Philadelphia Eagles to miss the playoffs.
“It's a shameful way to go out,” Terrell Owens said. “We came in here with our destiny in our hands, and just stunk it up.”
The hapless Lions made history by bowing 31-21 to the Green Bay Packers, but at least they put up a fight. In a game that became a win-or-go-home showdown for both teams shortly before kickoff, the Cowboys got outplayed in all three phases of the game in one of the most humiliating performances in franchise history.
“There's not much I can say about this one,” coach Wade Phillips said of the game which tied for the fifth-worst loss in franchise history and is the worst ever to the Eagles. “It was a disaster from the opening kickoff, which we kicked out of bounds. We had everything riding on this, and we didn't step up to the plate.”
Philadelphia, meanwhile, was flawless and fierce. The Eagles forced five turnovers, including two fumbles prodded loose by safety Brian Dawkins that were returned for touchdowns, and battered Tony Romo so badly he suffered a rib injury and collapsed in the shower after the game.
“They took advantage of the turnovers,” Owens said, “and just basically handed us an old-fashioned butt-whooping.”
Still, owner Jerry Jones vowed to stick with Phillips even though he oversaw the most underachieving and most drama-filled team in club history.
Dallas entered this season as a Super Bowl favorite after Jones spent $135 million on bonuses and guaranteed money to improve a team that finished 13-3 last season with a league-record 13 Pro Bowl players, but lost in the playoffs to the New York Giants.
“This is very disappointing,” Jones said, “but we won't have a head-coaching change.”
Jones reiterated he believes the Cowboys (9-7) have the players and coaching staff to contend for years.
But he said it won't happen without continuity.
“I changed coaches after only two years only one time, and I've regretted it ever since,” said Jones, referring to his firing of Chan Gailey after the 1999 season.
The Eagles, who will play the Minnesota Vikings next weekend, avoided elimination when Oakland upset Tampa Bay and Houston beat Chicago in early games. Philadelphia (9-6-1) had been left for dead after losing 10-3 to the Washington Redskins last week.
“The energy level was high already,” Eagles running back Brian Westbrook said. “But we took it to a whole other level when we knew we had our destiny in our own hands.”
While the Eagles soared, the Cowboys and all of their stars wilted under the pressure. Philadelphia converted Dallas' five turnovers into a whopping 27 points and held their division rivals to a pair of field goals, ensuring the Cowboys' playoff-win drought would rise to 12 seasons.
“This game kind of summed our season up,” Owens said. “It was just terrible. We were up-and-down throughout the season and mistakes and turnovers were our Achilles' heels.”
Romo floundered in another big game, leaving him with a 5-8 record in December. He connected on just 21 of 39 passes for 183 yards with no touchdowns and three turnovers, including two fumbles. Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, meanwhile, passed for two TDs and ran for another.
Romo created a stir when he fell down in the shower. The medical staff brought in a stretcher, but he walked out under his own power. He addressed the media afterward, but two team spokespeople had to help him off the podium.
“I just felt banged up a little bit, I guess,” Romo said when asked about falling down in the shower.
It was uncertain whether his ego hurt as much as his body.
“I wake up tomorrow and keep living,” he said when asked how he deals with his reputation as a quarterback who can't win big games. “You just keep playing the game.”
The Eagles blew the game open by scoring 17 points in the final 2:03 of the first half. During that stretch, they took advantage of an underthrown Romo pass that was intercepted, costly penalties by Adam “Pacman” Jones (late hit) and Terence Newman (pass interference), and a fumbled kickoff by Jones.
It's hard to imagine even the Lions being as inept.