Archer: Brandon Weeden responds late but can't stop his losing streak

Cotton

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Brandon Weeden responds late but can't stop his losing streak

Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer

NEW ORLEANS – Brandon Weeden nearly had his moment. He did what few thought possible with the Dallas Cowboys 91 yards away from a game-tying touchdown and 4:05 to play.

With 1:51 to play, Weeden hit Terrance Williams in the back corner of the end zone on fourth down for a 17-yard touchdown. It was a gutsy throw on a drive filled with gutsy throws.

His first pass was knocked down at the line of scrimmage, but then he hit Williams for 24 yards. He followed that with a seam route to Jason Witten for 28 yards and a 19-yard completion to Cole Beasley in the slot. The Cowboys were 17 yards away from the Saints’ end zone before the two-minute warning after another short completion to Beasley.

On third down, he missed Williams in the left corner of the end zone. On fourth down, he floated a pass perfectly to the pylon and Williams made the diving grab.

“We practice that play all the time,” Williams said. “Brandon threw it up there perfectly.”

In the third quarter Weeden missed Williams on similar throws to the end zone after a 67-yard catch by Brice Butler to the New Orleans 9. He and Williams got together and said if they faced that situation again, he would throw it deeper to allow Williams to run under it.

“We knew coming in they’re a physical group,” Weeden said. “They’re going to hold you, grab, pull, tug. That’s the way they play. I just put a little more air on that one down there. I was trying to throw a perfect ball on those other ones. I should've just thrown it to the back pylon and let the guys run through it. I told them my plan and finally hit one.”

It was the last pass Weeden would throw. The Cowboys lost the coin toss to start overtime, and Drew Brees won it on the second play of the extra session with an 80-yard touchdown to C.J. Spiller.

For Weeden there would be no more heroics and no chance to stop his personal losing streak, now at 10 games.

He completed 16 of 26 passes for 246 yards and the touchdown. He was not intercepted and he was sacked three times.

“I thought he did really good and he did good all night,” owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. “When he took his initial look he threw it, and he did all night. He does some real good things, though it’s not quite apples to oranges when the other guy on the other side is Brees and you’re dealing with a guy that is as limited as Weeden.”

Weeden was further limited when the Cowboys lost running back Lance Dunbar to a knee injury. They lost Butler to a hamstring strain after his 67-yard catch. The Cowboys could only use so many personnel groupings because of injuries.

But when it mattered most, Weeden responded.

“We work that two-minute drill more than anybody in the league,” Weeden said. “We rep it and rep it offensively and defensively and it paid off for us there. That was obviously the bright spot. We can take a lot from it. We got a lot of guys to make plays. I think Terrance had a couple catches. Witt had a big one. Bease had one. A bunch of guys made plays there. Definitely a bright spot.

“In the end it’s kind of bittersweet because we have that kick-in-the-gut feeling.”
 

Genghis Khan

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There's a reason why he keeps losing, beyond just him sucking.
 

L.T. Fan

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There's a reason why he keeps losing, beyond just him sucking.
Weedin didn't lose that game. In fact he was responsible for Dallas having an opportunity to stay in the game. There is a clear answer to the Dallas losses for this past week and the week before and it points to the defense having a meltdown. I am not a Weddin fan but he kept Dallas in both games until the defence cratered.
 

ravidubey

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I'm to the point where I can hardly blame Weeden for being a backup-level talent. He is what he is.

I blame the front office for not getting him a better running game. It's the lynchpin piece this whole team, especially the defense, revolves around.

I don't blame Joseph Randle, either.

I blame the retards who made Joseph Randle the starting RB.
 

Genghis Khan

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Weedin didn't lose that game. In fact he was responsible for Dallas having an opportunity to stay in the game. There is a clear answer to the Dallas losses for this past week and the week before and it points to the defense having a meltdown. I am not a Weddin fan but he kept Dallas in both games until the defence cratered.

Weeden has lost about 10 straight games, including back in Cleveland. After a few it's not a coincidence anymore.
 

Genghis Khan

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Past games have nothing to do with last night's game.
These games don't happen in a vacuum. If a player has certain abilities and also certain tendencies they will show up game to game.
 

fortsbest

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While the defense had their lapses, I partly blame play calling again for this loss. The defense shouldn't have been on the field as long as it was. I hoped after last week's second quarter that Red and his OC would let Weeden have an opportunity to cut it loose a little bit but I'll be damned if for the most part they played it just like last week. Even I knew they were running on almost every first down play and there were several drives where it was 3 and out and all running plays. THe linebackers for NO were crowding the line and didn't even worry about the pass. It was simply ridiculous. If they are gonna keep calling the offense as they did we have no chance of going 4-4 until Romo gets back and they have already sunk the season. Idiots.
 

Rev

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Fire Garrett
 

L.T. Fan

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These games don't happen in a vacuum. If a player has certain abilities and also certain tendencies they will show up game to game.
A win or loss isn't solely on the quarterback. It's a team win or loss with individual player performances involved. If a QB delivers and the game is lost its not on the QB. Weedin's performances with Dallas haven't been super productive but they haven't been mistake ridden either. Neither of the past 2 losses can be attributed solely to his performances. He has been the consummate bu$ driver.
 

fortsbest

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I didn't say fire Garrett, but someone needs to quit being so conservative with Weeden back there. Either he is a capable backup or he isn't. And he seemed to do fine on the few longer routes they did call. Either trust him or get someone you can, but hamstringing the rest of the team because yo don't have faith in the guy you've had for 2 years there is damned silly.
 

Rev

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I didn't say fire Garrett, but someone needs to quit being so conservative with Weeden back there. Either he is a capable backup or he isn't. And he seemed to do fine on the few longer routes they did call. Either trust him or get someone you can, but hamstringing the rest of the team because yo don't have faith in the guy you've had for 2 years there is damned silly.
I said Fire Garrett. Not as a jab at you but as a general choice. Not sure if you took it that way but just wanted to make it clear.
 

Cowboysrock55

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I didn't say fire Garrett, but someone needs to quit being so conservative with Weeden back there. Either he is a capable backup or he isn't. And he seemed to do fine on the few longer routes they did call. Either trust him or get someone you can, but hamstringing the rest of the team because yo don't have faith in the guy you've had for 2 years there is damned silly.
Someone needs to tell Weeden to go out there and sling it. I think we need to start passing to set up the run because teams really aren't respecting our passing game and the deep balls are there.
 

fortsbest

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Someone needs to tell Weeden to go out there and sling it. I think we need to start passing to set up the run because teams really aren't respecting our passing game and the deep balls are there.
That's what I'm talking about! Go big or go home or you're gonna lose anyway.
 

UncleMilti

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The ultimate blames rests with Jones and company. No starting caliber RB, no proven vet WR to help hold the fort till Dez returns, no speed in the return game, foolishly sticking with 2 Safeties with horrendous tackling skills.

Lots of blame to go around.
 

dallen

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Weedin didn't lose that game. In fact he was responsible for Dallas having an opportunity to stay in the game. There is a clear answer to the Dallas losses for this past week and the week before and it points to the defense having a meltdown. I am not a Weddin fan but he kept Dallas in both games until the defence cratered.
Whedon played well enough I thought. People can't expect Whartblah to be Romo
 
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