Two things we need to remind ourselves about the Cowboys’ recent end-of-season (or almost end-of-season) NFC East showdowns. One is that they do not always lose. In 2009, they actually shut out the Philadelphia Eagles before beating the Eagles again a week later in a playoff game.
The other is that when they do lose — as was the case in 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013 — it’s not always Tony Romo’s fault.
He threw for 289 yards and completed more than 75 percent of his passes against the New York Giants in 2011. And he didn’t even suit up last year when Kyle Orton took the reins in a 24-22 defeat.
It is primarily the Romo fumbles in Philly in 2008, the three interceptions in Washington in 2012 and — in a slightly different category — his botched field goal hold in a playoff game at Seattle that convince so many that Romo is the source of all the Cowboys’ December woes.
On Sunday night, while the East won’t technically be on the line, the division is pretty much a lost cause for Dallas if the Cowboys don’t win. The Eagles, with a one-game lead, the tiebreaker in hand and remaining games against Washington and the New York Giants, would almost certainly send the Cowboys hunting for a wild card.
And a team with a 9-5 record (for a change) will nearly be out of that chase in the NFC.
But let’s not forget that defensive meltdowns contributed to the infamous 44-6 loss in Philly, or that Eli Manning threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns, or that rookie Alfred Morris ran for 200 yards and three TDs in these recent all-or-nothing games.
Beyond that, the Cowboys’ defense was shredded by Mark Sanchez and the Eagles just 17 days ago. In Philly’s 33-10 victory, the Eagles gained more yards in their first two possessions against Dallas than they did last Sunday against Seattle. That’s the entire game against Seattle.
As much as coordinator Rod Marinelli has been hailed for making lemonade out of the league’s worst defense in 2013, this group has frequently turned sour on him. As a result, early-season promise has faded into very familiar moribundity.
Twenty-second in total defense ... 27th in yards per play ... 28th in sacks ... 28th in third-down percentage ... 21st in rushing yards per carry ... 25th in total passing yards.
Can we ask this group to learn from the Seahawks’ blueprint laid down at Lincoln Financial Field? No more than I could gaze at the blueprints of I.M Pei and say, “I’ve got that.’’
But the defense can be asked to make a few plays here and there, to get off the field on third downs more often than it did at AT&T Stadium (Eagles were 8 for 15), to provide a spark that tells Romo and the Dallas offense that they aren’t in this fight alone.
It had to be difficult to prepare for Chip Kelly’s fast-break offense on a very short week last time around. There are zero excuses of that nature Sunday night.
“Once they start having success, they start running plays quickly, they get you off-balance and they’re very comfortable playing at that pace,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said.
Two weeks ago, the Eagles were up 14-0 before the end of the first quarter. The game was fundamentally over.
“You can’t let a team like that get ahead of you early in the game,” cornerback Brandon Carr said. “It’s kind of hard fighting back.”
So playmakers on both sides of the ball must show themselves early Sunday night. That might mean linebacker Rolando McClain, that might mean defensive end Jeremy Mincey (who complained of a quiet Cowboys crowd after the last meeting) or it could even mean, yes, Carr himself. A cornerback who can’t possibly live up to his contract, he has been good for at least a big game or two in recent years.
In fact, Carr has had three interceptions in each of the last two seasons and is three short of that mark in 2014. Maybe the Cowboys can win this game simply by having DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant at their very best — the Eagles’ defense is challenged in some areas, as well.
But it would certainly change the tone around here if the Cowboys’ defense decided to lend a hand the way it did two months ago in a much bigger upset at Seattle.
The other is that when they do lose — as was the case in 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013 — it’s not always Tony Romo’s fault.
He threw for 289 yards and completed more than 75 percent of his passes against the New York Giants in 2011. And he didn’t even suit up last year when Kyle Orton took the reins in a 24-22 defeat.
It is primarily the Romo fumbles in Philly in 2008, the three interceptions in Washington in 2012 and — in a slightly different category — his botched field goal hold in a playoff game at Seattle that convince so many that Romo is the source of all the Cowboys’ December woes.
On Sunday night, while the East won’t technically be on the line, the division is pretty much a lost cause for Dallas if the Cowboys don’t win. The Eagles, with a one-game lead, the tiebreaker in hand and remaining games against Washington and the New York Giants, would almost certainly send the Cowboys hunting for a wild card.
And a team with a 9-5 record (for a change) will nearly be out of that chase in the NFC.
But let’s not forget that defensive meltdowns contributed to the infamous 44-6 loss in Philly, or that Eli Manning threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns, or that rookie Alfred Morris ran for 200 yards and three TDs in these recent all-or-nothing games.
Beyond that, the Cowboys’ defense was shredded by Mark Sanchez and the Eagles just 17 days ago. In Philly’s 33-10 victory, the Eagles gained more yards in their first two possessions against Dallas than they did last Sunday against Seattle. That’s the entire game against Seattle.
As much as coordinator Rod Marinelli has been hailed for making lemonade out of the league’s worst defense in 2013, this group has frequently turned sour on him. As a result, early-season promise has faded into very familiar moribundity.
Twenty-second in total defense ... 27th in yards per play ... 28th in sacks ... 28th in third-down percentage ... 21st in rushing yards per carry ... 25th in total passing yards.
Can we ask this group to learn from the Seahawks’ blueprint laid down at Lincoln Financial Field? No more than I could gaze at the blueprints of I.M Pei and say, “I’ve got that.’’
But the defense can be asked to make a few plays here and there, to get off the field on third downs more often than it did at AT&T Stadium (Eagles were 8 for 15), to provide a spark that tells Romo and the Dallas offense that they aren’t in this fight alone.
It had to be difficult to prepare for Chip Kelly’s fast-break offense on a very short week last time around. There are zero excuses of that nature Sunday night.
“Once they start having success, they start running plays quickly, they get you off-balance and they’re very comfortable playing at that pace,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said.
Two weeks ago, the Eagles were up 14-0 before the end of the first quarter. The game was fundamentally over.
“You can’t let a team like that get ahead of you early in the game,” cornerback Brandon Carr said. “It’s kind of hard fighting back.”
So playmakers on both sides of the ball must show themselves early Sunday night. That might mean linebacker Rolando McClain, that might mean defensive end Jeremy Mincey (who complained of a quiet Cowboys crowd after the last meeting) or it could even mean, yes, Carr himself. A cornerback who can’t possibly live up to his contract, he has been good for at least a big game or two in recent years.
In fact, Carr has had three interceptions in each of the last two seasons and is three short of that mark in 2014. Maybe the Cowboys can win this game simply by having DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant at their very best — the Eagles’ defense is challenged in some areas, as well.
But it would certainly change the tone around here if the Cowboys’ defense decided to lend a hand the way it did two months ago in a much bigger upset at Seattle.
