I have been reviewing the game tape from Redskins/Cowboys I, and while I'm eager to see Tony Romo and Felix Jones return, those guys played that day.
The two guys who didn't and who could make a big difference Sunday night, are Kyle Kosier and Deon Anderson. Kosier was back on the shelf after re-injuring his foot against Green Bay the week before and Anderson sat out with a knee injury.
Cory Proctor and Tony Curtis spelled them and both had awful games. Early in the game Jason Garrett called draws, hoping Marion Barber could punch past a Redskins line that had all three linebackers up on the line of scrimmage with the front four.
In each case, Flozell Adams pushed his man wide of the play and Andre Gurode sealed his man inside. The plays failed because Washington's backup DT Anthony Montgomery backed Proctor into the backfield and because Curtis lost his matchups with LB Rocky McIntosh. One extra block could have set Barber free. Instead, he was dropped for short losses.
One guy's flail can undo the good work of six teammates. Dallas' failure to knock Washington out of their seven and eight man presses let the Redskins stay in this set and gain confidence as the game progressed. Conversely, it sapped Dallas' confidence in their running game and one week after gashing the Packers for 217 yards rushing the Cowboys mustered only 44.
It's right to be excited about Romo's return and to anticipate his first game with Roy Williams as a weapon. Don't over look the unsung guys. Their absence helped Washington put the T.O.s and Barbers in chains before and their presence could unleash the scoring power we saw in September.