My Quick Thoughts on Cowboys at Eagles 2013

(Elsa Garrison/Getty Images)

• What a rough and tumble defensive slugfest that was, just like everyone expected.  Two of the league’s highest-ranked offenses against two of the league’s lowest-ranked defenses resulted in a combined THREE POINTS in the first half?!?  I doubt you could find anyone who guessed the final score would be 17-3.  That being said, just before kickoff I went on Twitter and predicted the Cowboys would blowout the Eagles.  Does 17-3 qualify as a blowout?  I can’t really give myself too much credit, though, since my tweet included a final score prediction of 38-17.  At least I got the 17 part right (yeah, wrong team, but whatever).
• The Cowboys continue to receive excellent defensive play from Jason Hatcher, George Selvie, Sean Lee, Brandon Carr, and even the oft-maligned Orlando Scandrick, as all were solid contributors to yesterday’s stalwart effort against Chip Kelly’s unstoppable juggernaut of an offense.  But truth be told, the Cowboys’ MVP yesterday was clearly Eagle QB Nick Foles.  Foles played about as poorly as any QB has against the Cowboys in recent memory (excluding anyone who may have received noogies as a kid from a certain unnamed Bronco).
• But as badly as Foles played, his injury replacement wasn’t much better.  Former USC great Matt Barkley saw his first-ever NFL action, and to use the favorite term of his surnamesake, he was TURRBLE.  Barkley threw three fourth quarter interceptions, and had a fourth erased by a Dallas penalty.  If Michael Vick doesn’t heal up soon, the Eagles could be in pretty dire straits.
• Neither team was very good offensively, as they combined for a stultifying 18 punts (nine per team).  Obviously, the Cowboys were significantly more effective on offense than Philly, but they were primarily hurt by penalties.  Half of the whopping 12 penalties Dallas had on the day were committed by the offense, including four false starts – three of which were by lunkheaded offensive lineman Doug Free.  He’s played much better this season overall, but it is ridiculous and unacceptable to get flagged for three false starts in one game.  The Cowboys are fortunate the penalties didn’t end up being more costly than they were.
• Tony Romo had two interceptions, but one was on a Hail Mary to end the first half.  His second INT initially looked to be entirely his fault, until it was revealed that Phillip Tanner had erroneously cut in front of Romo’s intended receiver (Cole Beasley) and brought an extra defender into the passing lane.  It wasn’t Romo’s best game of the year, but he played well, for the most part.
• The Cowboy receiving corps is really becoming a force to be reckoned with.  We already knew Dez Bryant was a beast (though that aforementioned Hail Mary INT went right. through. his. hands.), and rookie Terrance Williams has played so well he’s relegated Miles Austin to an inconsequential afterthought (as if his glass hamstrings didn’t already do so).  Williams has now caught a TD pass in three straight games, and is a legitimate threat opposite Dez.  Cole Beasley has really emerged as a go-to guy on third down, as well.  Add the explosive Dwayne Harris to the mix, and now Austin is basically your fifth-best wideout, for all intents and purposes.
• Next up for the Cowboys is a trip to the Motor City for a showdown with the Detroit Lions, who are also 4-3.  While it’s not a divisional game, the Cowboys want to try and stockpile as many conference wins as possible, in the event of an eventual playoff tiebreaker.  Right now, Dallas is 3-0 within their division and 4-0 in the conference, so a win over the Lions would further improve their position.  Given the offensive weapons at Detroit’s disposal (Matthew Stafford, Reggie Bush, and Calvin “Megatron” Johnson, among others), it seems unlikely we’ll see another low-scoring game next week.  Dallas had better be firing on all cylinders as they drive into Ford Field, in order to keep from slamming the brakes on their modest two-game winning streak and crashing into a pileup of 4-4 teams.