Down, Down Go the Cowboys

After last year's game against Tampa Bay, Ronde Barber let slip a little tidbit about Donovan McNabb.  It seems at some point during the offseason, McNabb had told a few of his friends on the Bucs' team that he thought their defense was kind of, well, predictable. 

McNabb won't ever say that again.

During today's broadcast, Buck and Aikman told us that Romo had said much the same during the run-up to this week's game.  Seems Jessica Simpson's new beau thought the Eagles were a bit predictable in their blitzes.  Maybe even easy to read. 

How you like that Eagles defense now, mister 13-of-36 with three INTs and two fumbles?

This is such a weird team.  Almost without fail, these guys play up or down to the level of their opponents.  I don't think there's a team in the league that they're not capable of beating on or losing to.  (Maybe the Steelers, since that's not a good match-up for us.)

But enough about that stuff.  None of it changes the fact that this was an under-achieving season and we're all really just waiting for 2008 to begin.  Let's wallow in some schadenfreude for awhile instead...

• The Cowboys are now only a (virtual) half game ahead of the Packers for home field advantage and so have to play out their starters for as long as Green Bay keeps winning.  No early rest for your boys, Phillips.
• At one point, Terrell Owens had been thrown to nine times with one catch to show for it.  His final numbers were two catches for 37 yards.  He slipped on the ball Dawk intercepted to set up the final non-scoring drive. And we can only hope his little first-half freakout was a sign of things to come.
• Owens is and always will be a front-runner, Dallas fans.  Never forget that.
• Tony Romo had had one game all season where his passer rating was below 91.0.  Today he tossed up a 22.2.  Bet you didn't predict that, dude.
• Dallas was 1-for-13 on third down.

I'm just rambling now, but I would also like to mention that the official gamebook has at least one error, when it lists Tony Hunt as a "did not appear" in the game.  Unfortunately, approximately 10 million people saw him run such an effective play action fake at one point that he forgot to block the blitzing linebacker coming right up the middle to nail McNabb. 

Man, that game felt good. 

Comments

[Evan H]

funny, the knock on Hunt and the reason for the few touches was his lack of experience in blocking and picking up the blitz. His only play yesterday he misses the blitzer, big time, and mcNabb is sacked.

[Tom G, ballssticksstuff.com]

In Hunt's defense, didn't Thomas Tapeh also miss that blitzer?