Astrosdawg07
12-20-2004, 01:13 PM
Heres a good article on the Cowboys by Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star Telegram
Posted on Mon, Dec. 20, 2004
Tough loss brings good news: Playoff delusions surely gone
By Randy Galloway
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
PHILADELPHIA - In honor of the festive holiday season, there were at least some bright decorations wrapped around yet another Cowboys loss here Sunday.
Instead of reindeer in the headlights, the defensive performance was highly competitive, the score always close, and, if nothing else, Terrell Owens was reduced to a worthless, limping elf.
After the Cowboys' offense blew a couple of second-half chances to add to a surprising lead, the Eagles had to score in the final two minutes to rescue a 12-7 victory, securing NFC home-field advantage for the playoffs.
Five weeks ago, Philly had blown out the Cowboys by 28 points.
Put a bow on a favorable mathematical upgrade this time.
But as would be expected, Bill Parcells considered the few positives, and then immediately Grinched them.
"It's extra disappointing when you give quite a bit and you don't have anything to show for it," Big Bill said.
Then again, come April, the bluebonnets will be in bloom on the Texas hillside, and a cold, drizzling December day in Philly will have become a flower factor in a higher draft pick.
Parcells has spent the past six weeks fruitlessly attempting to avoid any concession to the 2005 season, but with the record now 5-9, he's flat run out of wiggle room.
At the opposite end, the Eagles think only of January, and the postseason, and avoiding another NFC Championship Game collapse.
But that was an edgy local fandom that departed The Linc after an unexpected sweat job against the Cows. Injuries are mounting, including both a knee and now an ankle for T.O., who missed most of the second half. For the second consecutive week, the offense provided few moments of joy.
Only a couple of late scrambles from the gifted Donovan McNabb eventually saved the Eagles against a Dallas defense that has been consistently whiplashed all season.
It's certainly another Philly playoff fret when your offense is basically one-dimensional. Big-play excitement has fueled Philly all season, with Owens providing most of that. But with an ailing knee, he was nothing more than a bystander in the first half Sunday, and then he wrecked an ankle after making a 20-yard catch to start the third quarter.
Owens watched the rest of the game from the locker room, wearing only a towel. ABC cameras were reportedly standing by.
But at 13-1, the Eagles only have their past playoff woes to haunt them.
Meanwhile, back at Valley Ranch ...
Christmas does bring this present: Only two games to go in the long, lost season of 2004.
And with no excuse, absolutely none, for not playing out this short string with any young player who might possibly figure into 2005 plans.
Oh, say, maybe Drew Henson, to mention a name. Or Tony Romo. But since October, Big Bill has dismissed the idea of test-driving a young quarterback.
Due to the closeness of Sunday's game, Vinny T went the route. Not enough happened under his guidance, unless you count those two second-half interceptions he threw.
But Vinny doesn't make out the lineup card, and Jerry Jones refused again in this postgame to issue an executive order on the subject.
Jerry was playing it smart in not getting ahead of his head coach. Big Bill, however, played it coy after the game.
"We'll see," said Parcells, when asked about possible lineup changes for Sunday against Washington.
"We'll talk about our options," said Jones.
"I don't have any complaints about Vinny," added Jerry, who then added, "today."
"I thought the threat of Vinny passing kept a very tough defense honest," continued Jones.
Asked if he was disappointed in the Cowboys, at 5-9, still having no read on either Henson or Romo for the future, Jerry answered this way:
"Have we found out enough? No, I don't think so. I really don't. With Henson, we have seen a lot of snaps in practice, more than I thought we would, and certainly more than we would have had with both Vinny and [Quincy] Carter on the team. But have we seen enough? No, no way."
Again, however, Jerry refused to address if he and Parcells would be knocking heads this week over what quarterback should start against the Redskins.
"That's a real tough defense Washington has," Jerry said. "But our defense today, now that performance was indicative of what we expected on a regular basis this season."
Even so, there is no consolation in losing. And despite disagreement from Parcells, Jerry Jones and a locker room full of players, even pulling off the upset here Sunday wouldn't have been much of a consolation.
It's Christmas, and the Cowboys decorated a loss. By April, this one could be the gift that keeps on giving. So it goes, in a bad season of could-bes and hoped-for brighter tomorrows.
Posted on Mon, Dec. 20, 2004
Tough loss brings good news: Playoff delusions surely gone
By Randy Galloway
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
PHILADELPHIA - In honor of the festive holiday season, there were at least some bright decorations wrapped around yet another Cowboys loss here Sunday.
Instead of reindeer in the headlights, the defensive performance was highly competitive, the score always close, and, if nothing else, Terrell Owens was reduced to a worthless, limping elf.
After the Cowboys' offense blew a couple of second-half chances to add to a surprising lead, the Eagles had to score in the final two minutes to rescue a 12-7 victory, securing NFC home-field advantage for the playoffs.
Five weeks ago, Philly had blown out the Cowboys by 28 points.
Put a bow on a favorable mathematical upgrade this time.
But as would be expected, Bill Parcells considered the few positives, and then immediately Grinched them.
"It's extra disappointing when you give quite a bit and you don't have anything to show for it," Big Bill said.
Then again, come April, the bluebonnets will be in bloom on the Texas hillside, and a cold, drizzling December day in Philly will have become a flower factor in a higher draft pick.
Parcells has spent the past six weeks fruitlessly attempting to avoid any concession to the 2005 season, but with the record now 5-9, he's flat run out of wiggle room.
At the opposite end, the Eagles think only of January, and the postseason, and avoiding another NFC Championship Game collapse.
But that was an edgy local fandom that departed The Linc after an unexpected sweat job against the Cows. Injuries are mounting, including both a knee and now an ankle for T.O., who missed most of the second half. For the second consecutive week, the offense provided few moments of joy.
Only a couple of late scrambles from the gifted Donovan McNabb eventually saved the Eagles against a Dallas defense that has been consistently whiplashed all season.
It's certainly another Philly playoff fret when your offense is basically one-dimensional. Big-play excitement has fueled Philly all season, with Owens providing most of that. But with an ailing knee, he was nothing more than a bystander in the first half Sunday, and then he wrecked an ankle after making a 20-yard catch to start the third quarter.
Owens watched the rest of the game from the locker room, wearing only a towel. ABC cameras were reportedly standing by.
But at 13-1, the Eagles only have their past playoff woes to haunt them.
Meanwhile, back at Valley Ranch ...
Christmas does bring this present: Only two games to go in the long, lost season of 2004.
And with no excuse, absolutely none, for not playing out this short string with any young player who might possibly figure into 2005 plans.
Oh, say, maybe Drew Henson, to mention a name. Or Tony Romo. But since October, Big Bill has dismissed the idea of test-driving a young quarterback.
Due to the closeness of Sunday's game, Vinny T went the route. Not enough happened under his guidance, unless you count those two second-half interceptions he threw.
But Vinny doesn't make out the lineup card, and Jerry Jones refused again in this postgame to issue an executive order on the subject.
Jerry was playing it smart in not getting ahead of his head coach. Big Bill, however, played it coy after the game.
"We'll see," said Parcells, when asked about possible lineup changes for Sunday against Washington.
"We'll talk about our options," said Jones.
"I don't have any complaints about Vinny," added Jerry, who then added, "today."
"I thought the threat of Vinny passing kept a very tough defense honest," continued Jones.
Asked if he was disappointed in the Cowboys, at 5-9, still having no read on either Henson or Romo for the future, Jerry answered this way:
"Have we found out enough? No, I don't think so. I really don't. With Henson, we have seen a lot of snaps in practice, more than I thought we would, and certainly more than we would have had with both Vinny and [Quincy] Carter on the team. But have we seen enough? No, no way."
Again, however, Jerry refused to address if he and Parcells would be knocking heads this week over what quarterback should start against the Redskins.
"That's a real tough defense Washington has," Jerry said. "But our defense today, now that performance was indicative of what we expected on a regular basis this season."
Even so, there is no consolation in losing. And despite disagreement from Parcells, Jerry Jones and a locker room full of players, even pulling off the upset here Sunday wouldn't have been much of a consolation.
It's Christmas, and the Cowboys decorated a loss. By April, this one could be the gift that keeps on giving. So it goes, in a bad season of could-bes and hoped-for brighter tomorrows.