Redskins Beat the Cowboys: The Day After
I don’t know about the rest of Redskins nation, but I slept like a baby!! There is nothing better to start of the work week than a good, resounding victory. Even more so, a victory over the hated Dallas Cowboys.
Any style of victory would have suit me just fine. But, the manner in which the Redskins beat the Cowboys has me floating on a cloud. Consider for a moment the key indicators.
The High Powered Offense of the Cowboys -
I’m not going to make any disparaging remarks about their offense. I respect them. They have some talented players. But, most importantly, I believe their offensive line is top notch. That said however, our defense stepped up huge yesterday. First, and foremost, we shut down their run game. They knew it. And, in short order, they abandoned that aspect of their game. In the end, Marion Barber ran for only 26 yards on eight carries. It was noted here earlier in my PreGame Thoughts that when Barber gets more than eleven carries, the Cowboys are an incredible 22-1.
So, the question is already being asked amongst the pundits. Why did Dallas abandon the running game? Well, let me offer my two cents. Marion Barber is a beast. He is a big, strong back with a very high sense of balance. But, he’s slow. Our defense ran him down. More specifically, except on one or two occassions, he couldn’t generate enough momentum to break through the line and gobble up the yards, like he is capable of doing. If the Cowboys start to play Felix Jones more as the season progresses, they will add a dynamic to their offense at the running back position that all teams need: SPEED!
Terrell Owens, naturally, has a different perspective. During his interviews after the game, he seems to be in late season form suggesting that the Dallas offense is all about him.
“It’s no secret, when I get involved, we move the chains. When I don’t, we’re more stagnant in our offense,” Owens said.
Well, what T.O. is not acknowledging is that Shawn Springs played his ‘boohooty’ off yesterday. When he left the game with leg cramps, I admit that I cringed. On television, they had a close up of T.O. speaking to Tony Romo. It was possible to read his lips when he said, “I got him,” speaking of Carlos Rogers. He was licking his chops to go against Rogers.
Well, that didn’t work out for T.O. either. On one drive, late in the game, they attempted three consecutive throws to T.O.; all fell incomplete. T.O. is great receiver. But sometimes, his emotion, or more accurately, the lack of attention his emotion perceives, takes him out of the game. In the end, he only had 71 yards on seven catches.
Matt Mosley reports today that T.O. may have created a new drama in Dallas.
After the game, a Cowboys starter on offense said he thought the team tried too hard to involve T.O. in the second half. It’s not good when a player senses that coaches are calling plays in order to keep a teammate happy. It’s not time to panic if you’re a Cowboys fan, but I’d certainly keep your eye on that situation. It’s a slap in the face to Jason Witten, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin — and especially rookie Felix Jones to freeze them out in order to please T.O.
Tick tock, tick tock…I’m waiting for the explosion to come to big ‘D’.
The Quality of Play of Jason Campbell -
WOW! I also admit that I was a bit nervous for Jason Campbell going into this game. I remember reading how Jim Zorn told Campbell that he had to trust him. Campbell shot back that Zorn needed to trust him, too. Well, it’s time for all of us fans to trust Campbell, even those that were advocating putting a rookie, Colt Brennan, in as the starting QB.
It’s easy to point to Campbell’s yardage and his touchdown throws yesterday. But, by doing so, we would miss something else: his growing ability to move in the pocket, keep the play alive, and make a play to move the chains or, specifically to yesterdays game, exploit Terence Newman downfield.
Campbell played like a QB that was fully focused on the task at hand. He was the field general that the Redskins needed.
Other Things That Made Me Smile -
Watching Terence Newman try to keep up with James Thrash in motion only to slip and the third change of direction. Campbell saw it and hit Thrash in stride for the Redskins first touchdown.
Watching Terence Newman get beat down field by Santana Moss, time after time. He had to consoled on the sidelines by his teammates.
Watching Clinton Portis find some running room (121 yards on 21 carries) and ripping off a nice 31 yard scamper.
Chris Cooley; that man can catch a football! He’s awesome.
Shawn Springs and the difference he makes in the secondary.
Chris “The Predator” Horton, along with Greg Blache that designed the play, running underneath the pass pattern for the only interception of the game. What a great story he is.
The offensive line met a formidable foe in the front four of the Cowboys defense. They gave up two sacks, but it could have been a much longer day. Well done.
Seeing Jon Jansen play again. He’s the best back up tackle in the league.
Jim Zorn. His arrival as a head coach may not have come as early as he would have liked, but from a Redskins perspective, it was right on time.
Things That Made Me Cringe -
Casey Rabach. Seriously?!?! Two nullifed touchdowns in a row on the same drive. What’s up with that?
Hail to the Redskins!
