Cowboys Mailbag: Eagles had their way with Cowboys up front on both sides of the ball
Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer
Nose tackle Jason Ferguson described the defensive line's performance Monday as "lackadaisical." Right guard Marco Rivera said the offensive line was "helpless."
Both words are perfects fits for units that were overwhelmed by their Philadelphia counterparts.
The Eagles dominated the line of scrimmage in their 23-7 victory, which is the No. 1 reason why the Cowboys were overwhelmed in the season's biggest game and will likely open the playoffs in soggy Seattle instead of the comfort of Texas Stadium.
Philadelphia gained 204 yards on the ground behind an offensive line headed by Pro Bowl right guard Shawn Andrews. The Eagles finished with 426 yards and converted 56 percent of their third-down attempts (9 of 16), numbers Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said left him "stunned."
"I didn't think under these circumstances with the players I believe we have on defense, there was any way in the world we would not be able to slow them down better than we did tonight," Jones said.
The ineptitude wasn't limited to the defensive line. Dallas had season lows in yards (201) and points because the offensive line wilted against a ferocious Philadelphia front seven that attacked the gaps with an array of stunts and blitzes.
Nearly two months after they sacked Drew Bledsoe seven times in a 38-24 victory, the Eagles dropped his more-mobile successor three times. The steady pressure forced Tony Romo into a shaky performance that included season lows in passing yards (142) and quarterback rating (45.5).
"They didn't do anything different," Rivera said of Philadelphia's front seven. "We didn't see anything new. It was the same defense. They did everything that we knew they were going to do. That's what's frustrating."
If that's true, offensive-line coach Tony Sparano deserves much of the blame.
The offensive line was at its worst during the Cowboys' second possession of the third quarter, with right tackle Marc Colombo and left tackle Flozell Adams committing back-to-back false-start penalties. After a 4-yard run by Marion Barber, the Cowboys were in a third-and-long situation that allowed defensive lineman Darren Howard to get a jump on Rivera and drop Romo for a 6-yard loss.
"I had to move around a lot more than you'd like," said Romo, who completed 14 of 29 and had two fourth-quarter interceptions that thwarted any chance of a comeback. "The Eagles were getting in the gaps and stuff."
No wonder Cowboys coach Bill Parcells chewed out Sparano on the sidelines. Defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers probably heard an earful as well at some point.
Express-News Staff Writer
Nose tackle Jason Ferguson described the defensive line's performance Monday as "lackadaisical." Right guard Marco Rivera said the offensive line was "helpless."
Both words are perfects fits for units that were overwhelmed by their Philadelphia counterparts.
The Eagles dominated the line of scrimmage in their 23-7 victory, which is the No. 1 reason why the Cowboys were overwhelmed in the season's biggest game and will likely open the playoffs in soggy Seattle instead of the comfort of Texas Stadium.
Philadelphia gained 204 yards on the ground behind an offensive line headed by Pro Bowl right guard Shawn Andrews. The Eagles finished with 426 yards and converted 56 percent of their third-down attempts (9 of 16), numbers Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said left him "stunned."
"I didn't think under these circumstances with the players I believe we have on defense, there was any way in the world we would not be able to slow them down better than we did tonight," Jones said.
The ineptitude wasn't limited to the defensive line. Dallas had season lows in yards (201) and points because the offensive line wilted against a ferocious Philadelphia front seven that attacked the gaps with an array of stunts and blitzes.
Nearly two months after they sacked Drew Bledsoe seven times in a 38-24 victory, the Eagles dropped his more-mobile successor three times. The steady pressure forced Tony Romo into a shaky performance that included season lows in passing yards (142) and quarterback rating (45.5).
"They didn't do anything different," Rivera said of Philadelphia's front seven. "We didn't see anything new. It was the same defense. They did everything that we knew they were going to do. That's what's frustrating."
If that's true, offensive-line coach Tony Sparano deserves much of the blame.
The offensive line was at its worst during the Cowboys' second possession of the third quarter, with right tackle Marc Colombo and left tackle Flozell Adams committing back-to-back false-start penalties. After a 4-yard run by Marion Barber, the Cowboys were in a third-and-long situation that allowed defensive lineman Darren Howard to get a jump on Rivera and drop Romo for a 6-yard loss.
"I had to move around a lot more than you'd like," said Romo, who completed 14 of 29 and had two fourth-quarter interceptions that thwarted any chance of a comeback. "The Eagles were getting in the gaps and stuff."
No wonder Cowboys coach Bill Parcells chewed out Sparano on the sidelines. Defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers probably heard an earful as well at some point.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:13 PM
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