Post by prossman on Dec 21, 2008 11:48:01 GMT -7
DC.COM: Eatman: Not Fair, Not Well; Defense Finally Falters In this Ending
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Not Fair, Not Well
Eatman: Defense Finally Falters In this Ending
Nick Eatman
December 21, 2008 1:43 AM
IRVING, Texas - This was supposed to be the phase the Cowboys would easily win.
We knew the Cowboys might struggle against Baltimore's defense. And for the most part, they did.
Based on how this season has gone, it was safe to assume the Cowboys would have a few special teams problems. And they did.
But the Cowboys were supposed to shut down Baltimore's offense. The Ravens, with a rookie quarterback and no real superstars at the skill positions, weren't expected to come into Texas Stadium for the last time and win the game.
That's exactly what happened here Saturday night as the Texas Stadium curtain came crashing down on the Cowboys in front of a jam-packed, raucous crowd that did everything it could to close out the old home with one more win.
But it wasn't meant to be.
Texas Stadium comes to an end with Ravens 33, Cowboys 24. For the first time in about two months, the defense let them down. The Cowboys couldn't win the phase of the game that appeared to be the biggest lock.
This defense had been the main reason why the Cowboys had gotten themselves firmly back into the playoff picture. They had not only been solid, but were winning games for the Cowboys here of late.
And it was the defense hanging tough for a while Saturday night. It was holding the Ravens to field goals and making the most of a lopsided field-position, thanks to the problems the Cowboys were having on offense.
Still, the Ravens had just nine points at halftime and 16 points going into the fourth.
But when it mattered most - when the Cowboys needed to provide the biggest defensive stop of the season, the defense failed.
And it failed again.
After the offense finally mustered up a touchdown drive, and cut the Ravens' lead to 19-17 with 3:50 to play, it was set up perfectly for the defense. Just one stop, give the ball back to the offense and a field goal wins it.
In fact, it appeared for a moment to be even easier than that when Baltimore fumbled the ensuing kickoff. A scramble for the loose ball that probably took about two minutes to un-pile, but felt like an hour, gave the Ravens the ball back at their own 23.
But that's OK. The crowd was still behind this team. They knew that with guys like Roger Staubach, Bob Lilly, Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Randy White and many, many more Cowboys legends on hand for this final game, the Cowboys were going to find a way, right?
Before anyone could blink, there goes Willis McGahee, straight up the gut for 77 yards and a touchdown that made Texas Stadium about as quiet as it's going to be next month.
I mean, right up the middle, too. McGahee? Really? Is he even healthy? Yes, he is and he just rumbled for a touchdown run that seemed to take the life right out of the game, this stadium, and possibly even the season, too.
Then again, the final game in this unique, one-of-a-kind stadium wasn't supposed to go as planned. It only made sense that the final game went out with an unexpected ending.
So, right on cue, the Cowboys somehow find a way to get off the canvas from that McGahee blow, and drive right down the field again. Jason Witten just might be the toughest football player in the NFL and he proved it yet again Saturday night. You know his ribs are still hurting.
He's got an ankle injury and now a new knee injury setting him back. Still, he finds a way to come up with two big catches on the drive, including a 21-yard touchdown pass from Tony Romo with 1:36 to play.
Witten couldn't even get off the field on his own power. He was even limping down the field on his routes. He's got a quarterback that seemingly was bothered by a bad back, but somehow found a little life there in the fourth quarter.
Even though they had sustained what looked to be a devastating blow, they were right back in the same position again. Now trailing 26-24, it was set up for the onside kick. Yep, the Cowboys were going to try to get this ball back and go get a winning field goal.
I'm standing there on the sidelines and thinking about the Washington game from earlier this season here at Texas Stadium. Their first loss of the season, and it was basically the same type of game.
The Cowboys didn't have control for most of that game. Yet, they found a way to get a late touchdown and pull the same 26-24 score. That day, they just missed getting the onside kick. But here for the final game, the football Gods were going to provide some help, right? You just knew it.
Oh, but they kicked it deep. Yeah, I know they had three timeouts. I understand the logic of booting the ball down the field, holding the Ravens to a stop and getting the ball back near midfield with a chance to win. Yeah, I get the strategy.
But there are exceptions. And that was one of them. The Cowboys had no business kicking that football deep. Not after McGahee just ripped through them for a 77-yard touchdown through the heart and soul of the defense.
Your offense is finally hot. You're making plays. To me, it's an onside kick with the hope of getting this football back and winning the game.
If not, you still have to stop them and use your three timeouts. Even if Baltimore managed to make a field goal, the Cowboys are going to get the ball back, trailing by five points.
Wade Phillips didn't agree, of course.
"We had three timeouts both times," Phillips said. "If we stop them there, we've got field position. We had them way backed up on the last one. If we make them punt, we're pretty close to field-goal range already. I think the strategy was right, but we didn't make a play at all."
Nope. The Cowboys kick it deep the second time. Baltimore takes over at their 18-yard line. All the Ravens are trying to do is hold onto the football with some solid runs. That's why they didn't go back to McGahee, the speed back. No, this was a fullback run to Le'Ron McClain. Or was it Jim Brown? Whoever it was, he stiff-arms Ken Hamlin on his back, runs through the entire defense and even turns Terence Newman around at the end for yet another 82-yard, crowd-silencing touchdown.
What's worse than a kick in the gut that drops you to your knees? How about finally getting your breath back, getting back on your feet and then getting kicked even harder once again.
That one, the Cowboys couldn't overcome.
It's hard to place blame on this defense. The last few weeks the unit has been lights out. But the night the lights literally went out at Texas Stadium, it was the defense that couldn't close the deal.
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Not Fair, Not Well
Eatman: Defense Finally Falters In this Ending
Nick Eatman
December 21, 2008 1:43 AM
IRVING, Texas - This was supposed to be the phase the Cowboys would easily win.
We knew the Cowboys might struggle against Baltimore's defense. And for the most part, they did.
Based on how this season has gone, it was safe to assume the Cowboys would have a few special teams problems. And they did.
But the Cowboys were supposed to shut down Baltimore's offense. The Ravens, with a rookie quarterback and no real superstars at the skill positions, weren't expected to come into Texas Stadium for the last time and win the game.
That's exactly what happened here Saturday night as the Texas Stadium curtain came crashing down on the Cowboys in front of a jam-packed, raucous crowd that did everything it could to close out the old home with one more win.
But it wasn't meant to be.
Texas Stadium comes to an end with Ravens 33, Cowboys 24. For the first time in about two months, the defense let them down. The Cowboys couldn't win the phase of the game that appeared to be the biggest lock.
This defense had been the main reason why the Cowboys had gotten themselves firmly back into the playoff picture. They had not only been solid, but were winning games for the Cowboys here of late.
And it was the defense hanging tough for a while Saturday night. It was holding the Ravens to field goals and making the most of a lopsided field-position, thanks to the problems the Cowboys were having on offense.
Still, the Ravens had just nine points at halftime and 16 points going into the fourth.
But when it mattered most - when the Cowboys needed to provide the biggest defensive stop of the season, the defense failed.
And it failed again.
After the offense finally mustered up a touchdown drive, and cut the Ravens' lead to 19-17 with 3:50 to play, it was set up perfectly for the defense. Just one stop, give the ball back to the offense and a field goal wins it.
In fact, it appeared for a moment to be even easier than that when Baltimore fumbled the ensuing kickoff. A scramble for the loose ball that probably took about two minutes to un-pile, but felt like an hour, gave the Ravens the ball back at their own 23.
But that's OK. The crowd was still behind this team. They knew that with guys like Roger Staubach, Bob Lilly, Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Randy White and many, many more Cowboys legends on hand for this final game, the Cowboys were going to find a way, right?
Before anyone could blink, there goes Willis McGahee, straight up the gut for 77 yards and a touchdown that made Texas Stadium about as quiet as it's going to be next month.
I mean, right up the middle, too. McGahee? Really? Is he even healthy? Yes, he is and he just rumbled for a touchdown run that seemed to take the life right out of the game, this stadium, and possibly even the season, too.
Then again, the final game in this unique, one-of-a-kind stadium wasn't supposed to go as planned. It only made sense that the final game went out with an unexpected ending.
So, right on cue, the Cowboys somehow find a way to get off the canvas from that McGahee blow, and drive right down the field again. Jason Witten just might be the toughest football player in the NFL and he proved it yet again Saturday night. You know his ribs are still hurting.
He's got an ankle injury and now a new knee injury setting him back. Still, he finds a way to come up with two big catches on the drive, including a 21-yard touchdown pass from Tony Romo with 1:36 to play.
Witten couldn't even get off the field on his own power. He was even limping down the field on his routes. He's got a quarterback that seemingly was bothered by a bad back, but somehow found a little life there in the fourth quarter.
Even though they had sustained what looked to be a devastating blow, they were right back in the same position again. Now trailing 26-24, it was set up for the onside kick. Yep, the Cowboys were going to try to get this ball back and go get a winning field goal.
I'm standing there on the sidelines and thinking about the Washington game from earlier this season here at Texas Stadium. Their first loss of the season, and it was basically the same type of game.
The Cowboys didn't have control for most of that game. Yet, they found a way to get a late touchdown and pull the same 26-24 score. That day, they just missed getting the onside kick. But here for the final game, the football Gods were going to provide some help, right? You just knew it.
Oh, but they kicked it deep. Yeah, I know they had three timeouts. I understand the logic of booting the ball down the field, holding the Ravens to a stop and getting the ball back near midfield with a chance to win. Yeah, I get the strategy.
But there are exceptions. And that was one of them. The Cowboys had no business kicking that football deep. Not after McGahee just ripped through them for a 77-yard touchdown through the heart and soul of the defense.
Your offense is finally hot. You're making plays. To me, it's an onside kick with the hope of getting this football back and winning the game.
If not, you still have to stop them and use your three timeouts. Even if Baltimore managed to make a field goal, the Cowboys are going to get the ball back, trailing by five points.
Wade Phillips didn't agree, of course.
"We had three timeouts both times," Phillips said. "If we stop them there, we've got field position. We had them way backed up on the last one. If we make them punt, we're pretty close to field-goal range already. I think the strategy was right, but we didn't make a play at all."
Nope. The Cowboys kick it deep the second time. Baltimore takes over at their 18-yard line. All the Ravens are trying to do is hold onto the football with some solid runs. That's why they didn't go back to McGahee, the speed back. No, this was a fullback run to Le'Ron McClain. Or was it Jim Brown? Whoever it was, he stiff-arms Ken Hamlin on his back, runs through the entire defense and even turns Terence Newman around at the end for yet another 82-yard, crowd-silencing touchdown.
What's worse than a kick in the gut that drops you to your knees? How about finally getting your breath back, getting back on your feet and then getting kicked even harder once again.
That one, the Cowboys couldn't overcome.
It's hard to place blame on this defense. The last few weeks the unit has been lights out. But the night the lights literally went out at Texas Stadium, it was the defense that couldn't close the deal.
__________________