Archer: Cowboys guaranteed losing season with blowout loss

boozeman

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Cowboys guaranteed losing season with blowout loss

1h

Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer


GREEN BAY, Wis. -- For the first time since 2010, the Dallas Cowboys will finish a season with a losing record.

With their 28-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, the Cowboys fell to 4-9. While there are mathematical possibilities of a playoff appearance because of the horrible condition of the NFC East, the Cowboys' 2015 season effectively ended where the 2014 season ended.

Except this time they had no controversial ending.

This time they just got whipped.

Blame a defense that could not stop Eddie Lacy and could not take the ball away if you want, but the bulk of the blame has to go to an offense that has scored one or fewer touchdowns in seven of 13 games this season.

The Cowboys’ only touchdown drive Sunday went for 80 yards, but they ran the ball on every play.

After making the score 14-7 on Robert Turbin’s touchdown run in the third quarter, the Cowboys had three drives to tie the score and picked up one first down.


The Cowboys’ passing game is simply woeful. Matt Cassel (13-of-29, 114 yards) was held to fewer than 200 yards passing for the third time in six starts. It’s not as if the Packers’ pass defense is among the NFL’s best. It entered Sunday ranked 20th. His longest completion went for 19 yards and that came on the final futile drive of the game.

The Cowboys have had 68 drives with Cassel at quarterback and have scored eight touchdowns.

Quiet return: Dez Bryant’s return to Lambeau Field was nothing like his appearance here in January when he had a catch overturned on fourth-and-2 late in the fourth quarter. Bryant had a 28-yard catch in the second quarter overturned -- correctly -- and he dropped two passes. He also had a pass in the end zone go off his hands for an interception. Bryant finished with one catch for 9 yards.

What were they thinking? The Cowboys stuck with their big nickel defense (three safeties) for a good portion of the game and they were gashed by Lacy, who finished with 124 yards on 24 carries after he had 5 yards on four carries in his “benching” the previous week against Detroit. The Packers finished the game with 233 rushing yards. It was the most rushing yards allowed by the Cowboys since Philadelphia ran for 256 yards against them on Thanksgiving last season.

One reason to get excited: The Cowboys are three games closer to a top-five pick in next spring’s draft with a 4-9 record. So there’s that.

One reason to panic: How bad can reserve QB Kellen Moore be that he can’t get on the field if the offense is as bad as it is? Coach Jason Garrett said the Cowboys have Moore active for a reason. If he can’t play now, then when will he ever play?

Short-yardage woes: On first-and-goal from the Green Bay 1 on their first series, the Cowboys went with their jumbo package with extra tackle Charles Brown and lost 2 yards. On the first play of the second quarter, the Cowboys faced third-and-1 and Turbin was stopped for no gain. The Cowboys are now 7-of-18 in third-and-1 situations this year.
 

Joe Fan

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Screw it, give Moore a shot. With Garrett's play calling it's not going to matter who we start so might as well see if this kid has something to offer.
 

Genghis Khan

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After making the score 14-7 on Robert Turbin’s touchdown run in the third quarter, the Cowboys had three drives to tie the score and picked up one first down.
Yep. That's all you need to know right there.
 

Plan9Misfit

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It also doesn't help when your offensive play calling on 3rd down opts to have every receiver run routes which are short of the first down marker. Or when Cassel gets a brilliant idea to throw (which ended up being batted down) a 4 yard out pass to Witten on 3rd and 17. Or a 5-wide passing set on 3rd and goal at the
2. This dipshit offensive play calling further cripples an already crippled offense.

And what does Garrett do? Stand there with a blank look on his head, or clap. Fucking retard.
 

dallen

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Screw it, give Moore a shot. With Garrett's play calling it's not going to matter who we start so might as well see if this kid has something to offer.
Give him a shot at backing up Romo next season. It is clear now that Cassel isn't up to it.
 

Joe Fan

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Give him a shot at backing up Romo next season. It is clear now that Cassel isn't up to it.
Exactly. Don't see how he could be any worse that what we've gotten from Weeden and Cassel as backup.
 

Cotton

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It also doesn't help when your offensive play calling on 3rd down opts to have every receiver run routes which are short of the first down marker. Or when Cassel gets a brilliant idea to throw (which ended up being batted down) a 4 yard out pass to Witten on 3rd and 17. Or a 5-wide passing set on 3rd and goal at the
2. This dipshit offensive play calling further cripples an already crippled offense.

And what does Garrett do? Stand there with a blank look on his head, or clap. Fucking retard.
I don't think I have ever seen a QB get the ball batted down as much as Cassel does. It's insane.
 

Cotton

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Exactly. Don't see how he could be any worse that what we've gotten from Weeden and Cassel as backup.
Yeah, you have to see what you have in Moore before going into next year's draft. The team hasn't quite yet, so they will play hard for him. Just get him out there.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Yeah, you have to see what you have in Moore before going into next year's draft. The team hasn't quite yet, so they will play hard for him. Just get him out there.
I'd play Moore even though I know he will suck out loud. We lose games and at least in the offseason I won't have some coach try to bullshit me and tell me he is a capable backup.
 

Cotton

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I'd play Moore even though I know he will suck out loud. We lose games and at least in the offseason I won't have some coach try to bullshit me and tell me he is a capable backup.
Exactly. Get him out there so there are no mysteries. Either he shocks the world, or he looks like shit. Either way you then know what you're dealing with in the offseason.
 

dallen

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Exactly. Get him out there so there are no mysteries. Either he shocks the world, or he looks like shit. Either way you then know what you're dealing with in the offseason.
Best case he is great and we have a decent backup going into next year. Worst case we improve our draft position.
 

Cotton

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Best case he is great and we have a decent backup going into next year. Worst case we improve our draft position.
I like the way you think, son.
 

ravidubey

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One reason to panic: How bad can reserve QB Kellen Moore be that he can’t get on the field if the offense is as bad as it is? Coach Jason Garrett said the Cowboys have Moore active for a reason. If he can’t play now, then when will he ever play?
The situation was different before Sunday when the NFC East opponents won and Dallas lost.

Better chance to see Moore each game we play.
 

fortsbest

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Yeah, you have to see what you have in Moore before going into next year's draft. The team hasn't quite yet, so they will play hard for him. Just get him out there.
No, If you have a chance at Goff or even Lynch you have to draft them regardless of what you have in Moore. The hope is your defense is good enough that if your offense stays healthy next year you won't be drafting this high again so it is your best shot a Romo's replacement. And if he gets hurt again, you can play Moore or start the new kid depending on when it happens.
 

Cotton

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No, If you have a chance at Goff or even Lynch you have to draft them regardless of what you have in Moore. The hope is your defense is good enough that if your offense stays healthy next year you won't be drafting this high again so it is your best shot a Romo's replacement. And if he gets hurt again, you can play Moore or start the new kid depending on when it happens.
I'm not talking about seeing what you have in Moore as a starter. I'm wanting to see what we might have in a backup.
 

L.T. Fan

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I'm not talking about seeing what you have in Moore as a starter. I'm wanting to see what we might have in a backup.
Yep because Cassel has already proven he is not competent for even the practice squad.
 
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