Dallas Cowboys Week 1 Game Analysis

The game started off good. A short kick-off wasTerrell Owens throughout the game. A push off
corralled by Kylecalled on Jason
Brady who was only able to make it to the 18Witten kept a would be TD away from Dallas.
where Al SingletonThis call was
wrapped him up.Our defense have them troublecorrect, but it definitely wasn't any worse than
the first couple of drives. Cantythe non-call on
was eating Khalif Barnes up. He was gettingReggie Williams touchdown catch where he
penetration on everybasically threw
run play.Pat Watkins made some really niceAnthony Henry to the ground.The lone sack of
tackles in the open field. Hethe day for the Cowboys' was credited to Jay
also appeared solid in coverage; he didn't blowRatliff, but Jason Hatcher was the guy that got
any assignmentsto Leftwich first.
any way. He didn't make any big plays, but all weThe pass rush wasn't horrible, but it was too
need back thereinconsistent during
is a steady Eddy who makes a play here andcertain stretches to consider satisfactory.Matt
there, but above allMcBriar had a great day. He had two punts of
avoids mistakes.Kevin Burnett made a great playsixty or more
covering RB Maurice Drew. Heyards. One of them was a line drive, which really
was all over him, and reached around to knocktested our
the ball awaycoverage team which passed with flying
without interfering. This ended the firstcolors.Jason Ferguson had a good game. He
Jacksonville drive.First play for Dallas on offenseclogged the middle quite
was a 12 yard slant to Owens. Hewell. He was the only guy to play the nose in the
abused Rashean Mathis in the 1st quarter. He had3-4. We need a
a magnificantcapable backup, but it isn't too big of a deal
game and I have no doubt that he is the samebecause I'm guessing
player he was twohe still only played about 65% of the snaps on
years ago. The whole first drive was picturedefense which isn't
perfect. It ended in aideal, but not that bad.DeMarcus Ware is
23-yard TD run by Julius which was opened updefinitely progressing as a run stopper. He
by Anthonydidn't get much pressure, but he did an excellent
Fasano's great block on Mike Peterson.Drewjob stopping the
Bledsoe's accuracy was great on the first drive.run. His play gives offenses a big problem. Our
He hit everyfront seven is too
open receiver. I think he got hurt at some point,big to run right at which is the area that can be a
because youweakness in a
don't just start missing guys for no good reason3-5. However, in a 3-4 your OLBs are wider than
half way through4-3 DEs which
the game. Him warming up on the sidelines wasmean it is tough to get the corner if these guys
also a telling sign.to a solid job in run
The three interception he threw were simply toosupport.Marion Barber didn't play much in this
much togame. He only had three
overcome. He was lucky he didn't throw morecarries for 13 yards. He did convert a critical 4th
though as aboutdown play with
three or four more were dropped by Jags'the help of Terrell Owens on an outside
players or overturnedrun.Marco Rivera struggled a bit. He got bull rushed
on an overturned INT that I thought really wason a sack by Rob
one.Julius Jones and the run blocking were decentMeier. He also struggled to make key blocks on
considering who thelinebackers on
competition. They did do a good job of breakingrun plays.Roy Williams had a nice interception
two big runs thatright after an apparent catch
are necessary for a good running game. Runningwas overturned. Greg Ellis got great pressure on
against a seventhis play and
man front is crucial. The Jaguars had bothhurried Leftwich into the mistake. This pressure
safeties 14 yards offwas no where to
the line, and we have to make teams pay forbe found down the stretch however. Only a few
that with our runplays later
game. We actually averaged four yards a carryBledsoe gave the ball back with his first INT of
on the game, butthe game. This was
this was only on 22 carries so the two runsmore of a savy play by the corner than anything
combining for 40 yards.I can say I'm quiteelse.Matt Jones was the undoing for the Cowboys.
disappointed in the playcalling. We prettyThey had no
much abandoned the running game in the 2ndanswer for his size. He was never wide open,
half. I know it wasbut Leftwich was on
tough sledding, but I've seen us stick with thefire and they always seemed to find a way to
run with a lot fewerconnect.The defense disappointed me in the 2nd
gains than we were getting yesterday. Runninghalf. They pretty much
the ball wouldcrumbled. The offense didn't help them out, but
have been a good idea since Bledsoe startedthey never forced
struggling as did thea turnover or did anything that could have turned
pass protection.Dallas had an interesting way ofthe game in our
dealing with the Jaguars threefavor.Shaun Suisham left plenty to be desired
wide receiver sets. Instead of stubbornly stayingafter he missed a 36 yard
in their basefield goal. I don't expect him to make a 55
defense or grudgingly going into the nickel, theyarder, but you have to
Cowboys' played amake the short ones. His kick-offs were great,
3-4 with three corners and only one deep safety.but you simply can't
This defensemiss a 36 yard field goal in a tight game. This
seemed fairly effective when used.Themiss confirms my
secondary was aggressive early in the game.belief that Suisham isn't a good kicker. Every field
Henry,goal he made
Newman, and Williams were all actively trying toin pre-season was just barely good. We are
jump routes. Theyscrewed if Vanderjagt
seemed to get a little shell shocked in the 2ndcan't find his strokeKyle Kosier had a great block
half because theyon Jones' 17 yard run in the 3rd
couldn't catch a break. Byron Leftwich wasquarter. He pulled wide left and sealed off the
making perfectcorner for Jones.
passes that the corners could do littleTerry Glenn also had a big block on this play.Even
about.Jamaica Rector looked okay as a puntafter the defense wilted in route to a 24-10
returner. He didn't break adeficit, the
good one, but he didn't muff any and appearedoffense wouldn't die. Terrry Glenn somehow got
to be fairly quick.left open deep
He will be a decent returner, but this guy is noand caught a 51 yard pass to Bledsoe. Owens
Dante Hall.Julius Jones caught a 39 yard bombfollowed this with
from Bledsoe when CB Brianan amazing over the wrong shoulder catch for a
Williams got caught looking inside at Terrytouchdown.This TD was followed by an onside
Glenn.Flozell Adams's conditioning doesn't appear tokick attempt. This was a bad
be very good. Hedecision. There were almost two minutes left in
played all right in the 1st half, but by the 4ththe game. We
quarter he washad two timeouts. Suisham's attempt was
frequently getting beat by Paul Spicer. Thishorrible. He didn't even
seemed to be theget it 10 yards and it went right into the hand of
theme of the entire offensive line. They helda Jags' player.
their own for awhile,The defense didn't allow a 1st down, but the field
but struggled some in the end.Marc Colombo didposition after a
an excellent job on Reggie Hayward. He prettypunt was too much to overcome.With no
much contained him up until Reggie tore histimeouts and less than a minute, Bledsoe was
Achilles' tendon.Penalties killed Dallas on Sunday.forced to
Several personal fouls keptmake ill advised throws which eventually led to
Jacksonville drives alive while three penaltiesthe game ending
nullified big gains byinterception.