Archer: Stephen Jones - 'It's all coming together' for Cowboys

[L.T. Fan]

The weather was freezing, Rodgers was unable to move, Romo had zero turnovers, and the Dallas offense ran the ball well enough to create strong balance. All signs pointed to a very sub-average performance by Green Bay, but by games' end Rodgers was converting first downs at will.

You know the defense was totally outmatched in that game and was fielding a shell of itself.

I feel that if Dallas had gone all out to rattle Rodgers early Green Bay would have changed their tactics and tried to have pulled back to protect him by running the ball more. Dallas refused to go all out to rattle him. He had a all day on one leg in the first half then apparently got injected and more mobile in the second half. Had he been on his back during the first half the second half may have turned out differently but we will never know.

 

[L.T. Fan]

I can promise you, they will practice before the regular season.

I hope it's enough. They were not ready last season for the opener.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

I hope it's enough. They were not ready last season for the opener.

Pretty sure Romo got hurt in that game. But oddly enough we went on to win the next 6 games straight so I'm not sure how "unprepared" the team was to start the season. I'll take a 6-1 start again please.

 

[Jiggyfly]

Pretty sure Romo got hurt in that game. But oddly enough we went on to win the next 6 games straight so I'm not sure how "unprepared" the team was to start the season. I'll take a 6-1 start again please.

I have been waiting for someone to get to this point.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Pretty sure Romo got hurt in that game. But oddly enough we went on to win the next 6 games straight so I'm not sure how "unprepared" the team was to start the season. I'll take a 6-1 start again please.

I wasn't making a point about the remaining games. I am talking about the opener. They were not ready. The team didn't score a touchdown until the second half and by that time the Niners had a huge lead. Whether Romo was hurt is speculation. He was in the game and the truth is the #1 and 2 receivers had 5 passes between them the entire game. They apparently had a come to Jesus meeting after that but the primary offensive starters didn't play like starters in the opener.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

I wasn't making a point about the remaining games. I am talking about the opener. They were not ready. The team didn't score a touchdown until the second half and by that time the Niners had a huge lead. Whether Romo was hurt is speculation. He was in the game and the truth is the #1 and 2 receivers had 5 passes between them the entire game. They apparently had a come to Jesus meeting after that but the primary offensive starters didn't play like starters in the opener.

So our team was able to make up all that lack of work between week 1 and week 2? Don't you think that's a ridiculous proposition? If we weren't prepared because of not practicing hard, you don't make all that up in a few days between games.

 

[dallen]

So our team was able to make up all that lack of work between week 1 and week 2? Don't you think that's a ridiculous proposition? If we weren't prepared because of not practicing hard, you don't make all that up in a few days between games.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Now that's how you get ready.

 

[p1_]

Washington was mentally expended with their "franchise" QB permanently benched. The Colts was a complete fiasco that started wrong and went downhill fast. Neither team had defenses capable of limiting the Cowboys offense.

The playoffs changed all that.

Think of the finish in Green Bay when they allowed 26 points and 416 yards of offense to a gimpy Rodgers despite DeMarco Murray rushing for 123 yards and the offense gaining 21 first downs. In that game they were dealing with issues at every level of the defense (no Melton, no Terrell McClain, Rolando McClain ankle hurt+concussion, Hitchens' ankle hurt, Mincey with a concussion, and of course no Durant, Lee or Claiborne). We're talking an utterly jacked up facsimile of what the front office intended when the offseason started.

And the 20 given to Detroit doesn't account for the 397 yards of offense allowed.

In each playoff game Dallas had just 315 and 318 yards of offense. Clearly the offense was limited in each by the defense allowing long drives.

Basically they were a worn out unit by seasons' end.

That has to change, hopefully the additions and return of Lee will change it.

Im still skeptical that even if we had been awarded the Dez TD that we could have held Rogers at
bay and prevented a last second defeat at his gimpy best. Most folks assume Dez' TD assured
victory.

 

[ravidubey]

Im still skeptical that even if we had been awarded the Dez TD that we could have held Rogers at
bay and prevented a last second defeat at his gimpy best. Most folks assume Dez' TD assured
victory.

No doubt about it. Say Dez is down at the one with 4 minutes left. Anything can happen in that situation. Score, 2-point conversion... then what? Probably well over two minutes left with our defense giving up big chunks of yardage to Davante Adams and Randall Cobb all day. Easy FG and overtime, if not a TD. FG wins the game if Dallas doesn't get two points.

As it was we almost lucked out had Scandrick just been facing the right direction Rodgers let fly a duck of a pass off a deflection that could have easily given Dallas the ball back just after the two-minute warning. Instead GB converted 3rd and 11 and won the game.

 

[Clay_Allison]

Im still skeptical that even if we had been awarded the Dez TD that we could have held Rogers at
bay and prevented a last second defeat at his gimpy best. Most folks assume Dez' TD assured
victory.

The Murray fumble is a worse play to me, it was a huge momentum shift. If we go in for a TD there that puts Green Bay in a much less comfortable position.

 

[ravidubey]

The Murray fumble is a worse play to me, it was a huge momentum shift. If we go in for a TD there that puts Green Bay in a much less comfortable position.

Definitely. It was a great play by Peppers and the worst possible timing for Murray and Dallas.

 

[Clay_Allison]

Definitely. It was a great play by Peppers and the worst possible timing for Murray and Dallas.

And shitty ball security by Murray.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Definitely. It was a great play by Peppers and the worst possible timing for Murray and Dallas.

I don't really get the greatness of the play. The dude stuck his hand out. 99% of the time the RB doesn't fumble that ball.

 

[Genghis Khan]

That fumble was the biggest factor in losing that game.

 

[L.T. Fan]

That fumble was the biggest factor in losing that game.

I would disagree it was the biggest factor. The fumble occurred in the 3rd quarter with nearly 12 minutes to go. The game was barley half over.

 

[townsend]

I would disagree it was the biggest factor. The fumble occurred in the 3rd quarter with nearly 12 minutes to go. The game was barley half over.

It was a huge shift though, lost us a TD that would have put us up 21-10. Who knows if they would have ever gotten back into the game.

 

[L.T. Fan]

It was a huge shift though, lost us a TD that would have put us up 21-10. Who knows if they would have ever gotten back into the game.

True but the what if can also be asked about a myriad of things in that game. My biggest one is what if the defense had played more aggressive at the onset. There are probably several'more to be raised as well not to mention the controversial catch (non cratch) of Bryant.

 

[p1_]

It was a huge shift though, lost us a TD that would have put us up 21-10. Who knows if they would have ever gotten back into the game.

Oh they would have most certainly been in the game. No doubt about it.

 

[Genghis Khan]

It was a huge shift though, lost us a TD that would have put us up 21-10. Who knows if they would have ever gotten back into the game.

Right. That's the thing. There was time left but we had a lot of momentum and were driving to really take control of the game. That play flipped everything.

Murray just can't let that happen in that situation.