Dallas Cowboys sit atop NFC, beat Green Bay Packers 37-27

by Dave Halprin on Nov 29, 2007 11:03 PM CST in News Comment 45 comments

First things first. We won. We are 11-1 and now have the inside track on home-field advantage. Oh yeah, we made the playoffs, too. This is definitely far beyond what I imagined before the season and I’m loving it. Get happy Cowboys fans; we rule the roost in the NFC.

Now, to the game, and what an odd game it was. I felt like I went to a concert by a famous classic rock band. To start the concert, they were playing all their hits and everyone is going wild, lighters are being held aloft, people are screaming "Freebird" and everyone is rocking and rolling. I'm thinking this is the best concert ever. Then the lead singer steps to the microphone and utters those words you never want to hear: "Now we’re going to play some stuff from our new album." Crickets are heard and you spend the next 30 or 40 minutes listening to songs you never heard and aren’t that good anyway. Then at the end, they bust out a few more golden oldies and the crowds gets into it, they do another hit for the encore, and the crowd goes home happy. That’s how I felt watching this game.

Oh, you want stuff about the actual game? OK, the Cowboys offense is still running on all cylinders, even though they sure went through a dry spell in the middle of the game. Tony Romo threw for four TD’s and continues to lead this team to wins. Marion Barber closed out the end of the game with hard running. Our receivers were very good, except for a couple of noticeable drops by Terrell Owens. But real credit goes again to the offensive line which gave Romo protection all night long and had zero sacks. The offense didn’t follow up on their sizzling start, but they scored enough points to win again.

The defense? I think we still have some questions. They were getting good pressure on Brett Favre early and eventually knocked him out of the game. But that seemed like the moment the lead singer decides to break out the new album material. Suddenly, the Cowboys weren’t playing well on defense and the offense was stalling. Aaron Rodgers came on in relief and proceeded to bring Green Bay back into the game. He did a great job of completing passes and his receivers did some work after the catch. Another thing Rodgers did was pick up yards with his feet, something Dallas was not expecting because the gameplan was built for Favre. The defense did enough to win the game but I would have liked to see a little better effort out of them against a backup QB.

So the offense continues to roll, the defense needs a little work, but the Cowboys keep on winning and we're the class of the NFC. Enjoy it, we got 10 days off to revel in our victory.

Recap here. Boxscore here.

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Great win

Don't care that Favre got knocked out, he really wasn't doing anything special. The Cowboys offense imposed their will on the GB defense. Sorry ol Woodson couldn't make a go of it, but I didn;'t think he would anyway. His backup was way over his head. When you let Austin beat you for big gains down field, and resort to PI to stop it, you are OUTCLASSED.

Boys win, in a little closer game than I thought. I didn't like the long Grant TD run, and the TO bobble that lead to an INT in the endzone. We should have buried these guys. Farve or not.

Demarcus Ware is a f'n beast!!!!!!

by APerfectStar on Nov 29, 2007 11:13 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Great first blush, Grizz

I think the Cowboys' defense started playing more conservatively. I noticed that they began going almost exclusively to a four-man rush. It'll be interesting to read what you see on your review OVER THE NEXT TEN DAYS. Ten days. 11-1. Heh heh. Nice. Great win.

Oh, and can you see if we can have that "INT" expunged from Romo's record? That was clearly Owens'.

by dunkman on Nov 29, 2007 11:21 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

kudos to the Packers for giving us a good game

I know some may have felt we had it in the bag when Rodgers came out, I didn't. Ted Thompson and McCarthy are doing a great job with that team. They're an awesome team now, and will continue to be even when Favre retires. We'll be battling them for years to come.

If we win the Super Bowl, then we owe Parcells a Gatorade shower.

by Nelson on Nov 29, 2007 11:24 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Dallas is the best team in the NFL...

...I don't want to jinx it, but it has to be said.

If the Patriot team that should have been beaten by the Eagles meets the Cowboys in the Super Bowl, Dallas will easily handle them. And the Pats have lost Coleman, Troy Brown and are also nursing other players' injuries.

The only thing I'm really concerned about right now is injuries. I just hope we stay healthy. If we are able to keep our health, I think the defense will continue to improve. If we are able to make it to the Super Bowl, and we face New England, that Eagles film will help quite a bit.

Right now, things are looking good. But the team has to stay focused, continue to improve and keep grinding.

by paulfv on Nov 29, 2007 11:27 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Tap

the breaks. Think of NE's Sunday night game as the Cowboys Monday night game against the Bills. Every team lets up some...

PS-I know they didn't get a chance to game plan for him, but Rogers made the Cowboys secondary look bad. That or the GB WR's penchant for YAC. Whichever the case is, it needs to get fixed before you can talk about beating the Pats.

Let's just enjoy this win, eh?

"It was a 4-yard run taking the scenic route." -Joe Buck on Romo's Run

by GhettoBear04 on Nov 29, 2007 11:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Still not sure..

NE is scary good - we still make games WAY too interesting to be considered a 'dominant team'.

I'd still consider us a strong #2, with the gap between 1 & 2 a little closer than 2 & 3.

by Pete on Nov 29, 2007 11:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Weird game...

I would have rather beaten the pack at full strength, but I will take the win. Good thing now is we get 10 days to get healthy and ankles to heal.

by bluewolf021 on Nov 29, 2007 11:31 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Awesome

Great recap. Props to rogers for coming in and making a game of it. I'll give them this, Green Bay is (mostly) a class act. (Atari needs to learn to play nicer.) It's been a long time. I love it.

Now someone please put Greg Gumby out of his misery. Between him mixing up team/player names and Chris Collingwhatever sniveling, I almost watched the game on mute.

"Is it wrong that I don't care that my wife wants Romo?"

by california fan on Nov 29, 2007 11:32 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Actually, that was Bryant Gumby, who sux btw...

His brother Greg is so much more professional. Bryant is horrible, and Collinsworth's seemingly endless rant on the clear-cut 2nd pass interference on Austin was rather moronic -- IMHO...

"It's either hit, or be hit... It's just that physical aspect of my game that has always been with me." -- Marion Barber III

by kcbrett5 on Nov 30, 2007 12:32 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

ya know i thought that was Bryant at first...

...but was argued down after the game by the bitter Packer fan in my house...who apparently just needed to be right about something last night. Next time I'll tell my mother to keep her mouth shut.

Either way Collinsworth just seems to get more annoying to me every year. That being said I'm ecstatic right now and won't spend any more time on the negative stuff!

"Is it wrong that I don't care that my wife wants Romo?"

by california fan on Nov 30, 2007 8:26 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

We got a couple of breaks tonight

usually there are some complaints about the refs being against the cowboys, but you cant say that at all tonight. Early in the game, the pass on the sidelines to T.O was clearly striped away before the nonsense of the forward progress or he was out of bounds was called and that pass interferrence call on Austin in the fourth quarter where the refs got together, talked about where they were going to get a bite to eat after the game for ten minutes and then decided to throw a flag for what was nothing more that incidental contact where the feet got tangled together was two of the worst calls I've seen this year.

Dallas did have ten penalties tonight, cant seem to shake that problem, but I agree with what Grizz said about this game, started like they were on fire, then seemed to relax after favre went out and didn't have that killer instinct that I thought this team would show tonight by making a clear signal to the NFC and the rest of the league that we've arrived and were not going to let up attacking, but after the first twenty minutes, they really seemed less focused, took the boot of the packers throat and let them up, not until the fourth quarter when a sense of this game was getting away from them, that the Offense started focusing on the guy I thought they should of used early and often, and thats Witten. After the T.O handoff in the fourth quarter in the endzone, the Offense became very focused and put an end to the nonsense they got themselves into.

Got a nice break to relax and get healed, and get ready to finish off this season te way it should be, three of the next four games are on the road, time to focus on sealing the deal ths time, The O-line certainly knows how to seal the deal, they were absolutely outstanding tonight, never heard Kampmans name all night, Columbo played really well tonight against him, just have to correct the penalties on the line.

by Deke on Nov 29, 2007 11:36 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Colombo did seem to win battle, but...

... once we were staked to that 17-point lead, Kampman finally got going and did apply a few "hurries" -- but like you correctly said, Kampman's name wasn't mentioned much, so obviously Colombo had a lot to do with that.

I thought our Offensive Line gave Romo an eternity to throw the ball -- especially in the first half. I told my Dad, who was watching the game with me, that it was almost like none of their front seven even touched Romo on each and every pass play of the first and second quarter... amazing!!!

I'd just like us to learn to consistently go for the jugular when we have a multiple possession lead and put teams out of their misery without letup.

Baked Potato Soup had some dead-on comments about how it seems like we frequently let teams hang around when we have early leads. That has to stop.

But right now, I will enjoy the win and stay ecstatic about our 11-1 record!!!

"How 'bout them Cowboys!!!"

"It's either hit, or be hit... It's just that physical aspect of my game that has always been with me." -- Marion Barber III

by kcbrett5 on Nov 30, 2007 12:38 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd have to go back and look...

But I think Kampman only started getting pressure once they moved him inside for a few plays.

I called Colombo for my game ball before the game, and he came through in a big way. Really gutty performance, and now he has 10 days to rest his ankle.

I'd hire Jason Garrett. He is the only guy I have ever met who, no matter what business I was involved in, I'd hire. -Troy Aikman

by Big D Bam Bam on Nov 30, 2007 6:39 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Prevent Offense and Defense again

When is Wade going to learn that you can't go into ball control offense and prevent defense in today's NFL? We went up 3 scores and stopped pressuring the QB and going deep, and of course, the other team stormed back. We've done it all year, and that's why the Giants, Redskins, Patriots, Packers, etc. have been able to get back into games that we are dominating. Until we are up 4 touchdowns, we should be going full throttle. We could have been up by 30 at halftime, but we got conservative as soon as we got the lead. Come on Wade, learn from your past mistakes and realize that we have to keep charging until the other team is out, not go into the prevent offense and defense as soon as we have a lead.

by Baked Potato Soup on Nov 29, 2007 11:37 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I dunno...

I don't think it's all Wade's fault. It's natural for everyone to let down when you're up big going into half and you've knocked out the other team's starting QB.

But I do agree that they seem to simplify their defense when they get a big lead. It's like they're saying, we don't mind if we give up points, we just don't want you to do it too quickly. I'd prefer if they played it a little less close to the vest.

Mind you, sometimes they did corner blitz Rogers, and that quickly turned into a disaster. He is not a true rookie (just like Romo wasn't) and knew exactly how to take advantage of that. But they learned pretty quickly.

Again, let's enjoy the win and being 11-1. Oh, and see if we can't get Terry Glenn healthy! =)

"It was a 4-yard run taking the scenic route." -Joe Buck on Romo's Run

by GhettoBear04 on Nov 29, 2007 11:43 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

i don't think thats what happened

I think they just werent' sure what to do against rodgers and played a wait and see game with him. they did blitz a few times (worked some, ineffective other times) but then they probably got scared of Rodgers' legs. Anyways, Rodgers actually picked up a blitz well on his TD throw.

but, its always tough to gameplan for a QB who 1)you've never seen and 2)is actually pretty good.

Now, the tackling, you should always be ready to tackle. The receivers didn't change.

by ab03 on Nov 29, 2007 11:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

They blitzed in the red zone

That's the bend but don't break, which usually gets broken. That's effective when you are up by 28 in the second half, not 17 in the second quarter. Yes, it has worked so far against the Giants, Redskins, Jets, Packers, etc., but it won't work in the playoffs, as has been demonstrated year after year. You can hate on the Patriots, but they know how to hold a lead - by continuing to attack. If you disrupt a couple of drives before they get into your red zone or bust a couple of big plays, you put the game away instead of sweating it until the end.

by Baked Potato Soup on Nov 30, 2007 12:00 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I think the opposite

I thought the Cowboys were trying to throw it deep too much after it was working so well early, and not taking what the Packers were giving him. They didn't get Witten in the game until the second half, mostly in the fourth quarter, Witten had 6 catches for the game.

Some of it has to do with our defense that wasn't tackling well after the first twenty minutes of the game, playing too soft in coverage.

by Deke on Nov 29, 2007 11:46 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Keep ignoring it

But when we get knocked out of the playoffs because of this, don't be surprised. It has happened to Wade a few times in the past.

by Baked Potato Soup on Nov 29, 2007 11:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

because of what

garrett calls the offense, not Phillips, so you were wrong there, it has nothing to do with wade, if anything, those few drives, Romo was over throwing down the outside and he overthrew Witten on a crossing route that ended the rive, so really, tell me how does wade Phillip, who doesn't call the plays on offense and doesn't quarterback the team on offense, is responsible for a couple of penalties and throws that were off the mark that stopped drives and forced us to punt or take a fieldgoal.

by Deke on Nov 30, 2007 12:01 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You're saying that Wade doesn't form the gameplan?

Do you really think that the head coach has no say in the game plan and deciding how we should play? I love Jason Garrett, but he is just a coordinator. He's not in charge of the team, and if Wade tells him to take his foot off of the gas pedal, he will. Why do you think guys like Wade and Marty Schottenheimer don't win playoff games? It's because they have no killer instinct.

by Baked Potato Soup on Nov 30, 2007 12:04 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

gameplans are put together before the game

its a process by all the coordinators and coaches, including the head coach. They look at the film and formulate a gameplan of what might or will work thats hwere it ends, before the game. Against this type of defense, where are they when the defense is running this or that scheme, what are the teams tendencies when teams are in this formation, but when the game starts, the gameplan changes, it just doesn't stay the same from the start to the end. Garrett runs the offense, he's the offensive coordinator, not just a coordinator. Phillips helps with the defense in the game more than anything else, but Garrett runs and calls the plays, period. Greenbay has a gameplan too, they make in gameplan, changes are mande and adjustments are made within a game to what we're doing on offense. Its not wades fault if a play doesn't work on a certain play call, its not a computer game and you dont and cant throw the ball thirty and fifty yards down the field every drive, it doesn't work that way. Sometimes you have to take what the defense gives you, and at time, Romo was trying to force that ball too far down the field instead of taking what the other team gives you.

by Deke on Nov 30, 2007 12:19 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The Head Coach runs the team.

Game plans change as the game goes on, and the head coach is responsible. I guarantee that Jimmy Johnson is the reason the Cowboys were great in the 90s, not Norv Turner and Dave Wannstedt.

Even the NFL network and ESPN are saying that the Cowboys can't close a game and did nothing but give the Packers and Patriots confidence that they can be beaten if played again.

We quit going up top and using play action on offense and quit going after the QB on defense until they were within 1 score again. It's the same thing we have done all year. 3 + 1 is not a blitz, that's just the 3-4. Owens had 6 for 147 in the first half, and 1 for 9 in the second. We get penalties and drops because the team loses interest while playing vanilla.

by Baked Potato Soup on Nov 30, 2007 12:52 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

If Favre had played the whole game...

We would have won by a lot more. I was telling people at the bar in the first quarter that he was just throwing wild like the old Favre, and was going to throw us a few. As soon as he went out, Rodgers was composed and we stopped blitzing for whatever reason, and they picked us apart as usual.

by Baked Potato Soup on Nov 29, 2007 11:43 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah...

He was just heaving the ball down the field hoping to make the 'big play' that would kill us. Never happened.

Gotta give it to our secondary on that, anyway. Not since the first few weeks are we giving up the bomb play anymore...

by Pete on Nov 29, 2007 11:48 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

thats not true at all

We blitzed when Rogers was in there, he read it and threw it to the right player. Green bay came out and weren't playing the way they have been for whatever reason, and Favre was trying to throw home runs, something he wasn't doing recently in the games I watched. I have no idea why Green Bay seemed to get away from the gameplan of the last few weeks, when they were successfull, but after Favre went down, and Rogers came in, they went back to the gameplan they've been using all year.

by Deke on Nov 29, 2007 11:51 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

MY man Austin our new Speed WR

is playing instead of Hurd did not even see line up at WR

About time someone noticed him

by Arkcowboys on Nov 29, 2007 11:47 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

some solid returns too

by ab03 on Nov 29, 2007 11:51 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He lost that job

because he was putting the ball too many times on the carpet, but he's going to get some attention during the film breakdown this week, he let a kicker bring him down to start the second half.

by Deke on Nov 29, 2007 11:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, that pissed me off because...

...if he merely stiff-arms Crosby and stays in stride, he could have taken that return all the way to da house!

"It's either hit, or be hit... It's just that physical aspect of my game that has always been with me." -- Marion Barber III

by kcbrett5 on Nov 30, 2007 12:20 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

um

did it happen twice then? because i thought that is what happened to start the game as well

by ab03 on Nov 30, 2007 11:41 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The kicker got him a couple of times.

Dante Hall used to say that they would have to give everyone else money or something if the kicker tackled them.

by Baked Potato Soup on Nov 30, 2007 12:01 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

My 10 "off the top of my head" Points

Why did Phillips/Stewart take their collective feet off the gas when Rodgers came onto the field to replace Favre?

a. On Grant's long TD run, why did the safeties react late and give a half-assed effort once the GB tailback ran past the line of scrimmage?

b. Why did it seem like our two safeties were playing for a pass when it was 3rd and 1?

We're usually a great tackling team. Was it just me or did we go through a spell of poor tackling once Rodgers entered the game? Side note: it's almost like our "D" got lax when Favre left with his injury. Bonus Side Note: I hope they see that on film and shore that up for Wk 14.

I need Grizz to answer this one: I think our O-line is one of the best in pass protection. However, why are they so freakin' inconsistent when it comes to creating holes for our tailbacks?

I love the tear that TO's been the last several games. However, his idiotic "gift" to Harris in our end zone unfairly took away a 5th Romo TD and gave him an INT on one stinkin' play! Yes, I started Romo in my fantasy league... and yes, I'm greedy!!!

I disagreed with that play call to go for it on 4th and 2 at the Pack's 31 in the 2nd half. That would've been about a 48 yd FG -- well within Folk's range. Eschewing that field goal attempt combined with Owens' gimme INT to Harris potentially equaled 10 points that were lost.

That 30+ pass play on a 3rd and 19 from our own 15 yd line was clutch. Think about Patrick Crayton making the most of his catches. He had only 3 receptions -- 2 were TDs, and the one was that clutch catch on the just-mentioned 3rd and 19 conversion.

I loved the early pass pressure our defense put on Brett Favre. And why did he look like the pre-07-08 version of Favre before he got injured tonight. This year's version of Favre seemed to disappear once he set foot on the Texas Stadium turf... it's like he reverted back to his 'ol "trying to force things" mentality. But hey, as a Cowboys' fan, I'm glad he did :)

I'm coming out of the closet... I gotta admit it - yes, I am indeed a Romosexual! If you're a diehard Cowboys' fan, how can you not have a serious man-crush on #9, for without him... we're not nearly close to where we are at the moment.

After almost three invisible quarters, Witten not only showed up... but he sustained drives when we were losing momentum and made crucial catch after catch to chew up clock and move us closer and closer to scoring in the second half.

FINAL NOTE: I've never been so glad that my prediction was so very wrong...

"It's either hit, or be hit... It's just that physical aspect of my game that has always been with me." -- Marion Barber III

by kcbrett5 on Nov 30, 2007 12:19 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

And what kind of D

lets a nobody RB go 60 yards on them - I mean where the tackling

by Arkcowboys on Nov 30, 2007 12:24 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

It was bad D

But Grant isn't going to be a nobody for long. That guy can play.

I'm not sure what Roy and Hamlin were doing on that play. Looked like they were playing deep in case our run stuff didn't work, but they totally botched the play (moreso on Hamlin's part). Both made other good plays in the game, at least.

by grapejoos on Nov 30, 2007 11:28 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Hamlin

Hamlin whiffed on the tackle and seemed to knock Roy out of the play as well

by Scoobay on Nov 30, 2007 12:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

at least Hamlin got

a hand on his foot or lower leg

by Arkcowboys on Dec 1, 2007 12:33 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The 11th Point...

I normally love Cris Collinsworth's insightful analyses and overall comments, but his continued rant against the RIGHT CALL the refs made on the 2nd Pass Interference against Austin was flat out idiotic. Bottom line: the DB FIRST GRABBED Austin's shoulder BEFORE the legs got tangled, which impeded our WR's progress. But the point is this: the D cannot touch the receiver after 5 yds unless it's either tipped at the line of scrimmage or until after the wideout touches the ball. And that's what that Packer cornerback did, which makes Collinsworth's extensive rant a moot point.

"It's either hit, or be hit... It's just that physical aspect of my game that has always been with me." -- Marion Barber III

by kcbrett5 on Nov 30, 2007 12:29 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

PI Call

I was watching Total Access and they had Mike Pereira, the VP of officiating on to explain the call. He said that getting legs tangled up is not PI, but the fact that Austin was trying to make a play on the ball and the defender wasn't, was why it was called PI. Makes sense to me.

by DC_fan on Nov 30, 2007 6:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Hey Grizz, Any Word on T-New's Injury?

"It's either hit, or be hit... It's just that physical aspect of my game that has always been with me." -- Marion Barber III

by kcbrett5 on Nov 30, 2007 12:21 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

more negativity...

you would think we almost lost to the dolpins...i mean the packers are 10-2 its not like we were playing a collage team.. they do have a good team they have great stats there #2 in nfc and they played hard... we beat them by 10 points, i think our team deserves a little credit...sometimes you guys bum me out after a good win....GO COWBOYS 11-1.

"I guess I'm gonna fade into Bolivian." Mike tyson.

by hashishkabob on Nov 30, 2007 2:07 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Agreed...

I admit, I'm a little stunned at all the negativity here after a game like this. We just beat the 10-1 Green Bay Packers, clinched a playoff berth, and set ourselves up to have home field advantage all the way through the Super Bowl, which is being played deep in Cowboys country.

Okay, so Dallas didn't win 56-7. Did you really expect them too? If so, then you're deluding yourself.

I'd hire Jason Garrett. He is the only guy I have ever met who, no matter what business I was involved in, I'd hire. -Troy Aikman

by Big D Bam Bam on Nov 30, 2007 7:29 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

don't worry about the defense

when Favre was playing we were killing him, the only reason that Rodgers looked good is because he's a mobile qb.

In case you haven't realized, neither Brady or Manning are mobile qbs. The defense will be fine.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Nov 30, 2007 7:58 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

good reasoning

maybe Brady or Manning have a lights out night an make the passes Farve missed - then we are down 21 to 6 - ok then we don't need to draft any CB's then let go after DMAc

is that what your saying Terrie

by Arkcowboys on Nov 30, 2007 2:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

no, try reading

I'm saying we defend immobile QBs much better than mobile qbs and the only QBs we'll possibly see in the SB are either Brady or Manning, who are immobile.

We're never drafting DMac so let that unrealistic fanasty go already for crying out loud.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Nov 30, 2007 2:50 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs