Dallas Cowboys News & Notes: Early Reactions To Win Over Eagles

Locker Room Buzz: Owning The Division - Todd Archer, ESPN Dallas
Archer writes that the Cowboys are 3-0 in the division for the first time since 2007. Jerry Jones likes the separation this gives his team over the division rivals.

"It’s meaningful because by the nature of the way the game is today you’re going to have these teams knock each other off and you’re really getting some legs up on everybody when you can win all your division games," owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. "To get this win on the road, we’ve got two more that we’ve got to play on the road, this is the way to start it."

Stand-In D-Line Does Stand-Up Job For Cowboys, Marinelli - David Helman, DallasCowboys.com
The rag-tag defensive line deserves much of the credit for yesterday's performance. But how do you get a bunch of no-names to perform at such a level? Brandon Carr, Jason Hatcher and Rod Marinelli weigh in and say it's about identity, chemistry and coaching:

"Those are our rushmen – I don’t know," Brandon Carr said. "The thing on the door, the title, says rushmen. So whoever they throw into that room, that’s going to be our rushmen. Once they step foot into Valley Ranch, they’re a part of us. We’re going to ride for each other."

"I took them out on Thursday, a lot of guys have just got here, and I just talked to them – getting to know each other as men, off the field," Jason Hatcher said. "It carried on to this game, man. We just played our hearts out for each other, and I’m proud of each and every one of them tonight."

"This game is still built on fundamentals – being sound and solid," Rod Marinelli said. "They reflect us as coaches, so you keep on each other. They reflect our teaching."

Sean Lee leads dominant defensive outing - Tim MacMahon, ESPN Dallas
LeSean McCoy, the NFL's leading rusher heading into Sunday's game, was held to just 55 yards on 18 carries, a stark contrast to the last time the teams met.

"I remember the last time I came up here and played two years ago, he ran for 180," Lee said, acknowledging that he took the challenge of containing McCoy personally. "He ran all over us, so I knew coming in, this guy’s an unbelievable player and an extreme challenge. All week we were working on finding a way to stop him, finding a way to stop him. I think we did a pretty good job today doing it."

Monte Kiffin gets better of Chip Kelly - Todd Archer, ESPN Dallas
Kiffin remains philosophical about beating the Chip Kelly and the Eagles.

"Sometimes you get them," Kiffin said. "[Sometimes] they get you. He got us pretty good at Southern Cal. We did get him one year when we were up at Oregon, but even that was a 38-35 game so it still was a shootout. But, no, but he’s a great coach. It’s one of those days. You’re going to have days like that."

Shockers: Monte Kiffin outcoaches Chip Kelly; Joseph Randle runs better than LeSean McCoy - David Moore, DMN
Even the most wildly optimistic Cowboys fans would not have predicted the headline above. Jason Garrett explains how the Cowboys made it happen.

"Obviously, the defense was outstanding," coach Jason Garrett said. "I thought we were really, really strong up front. We did a good job of setting the edges and then really running to the football. I felt we were physical. The pursuit was outstanding, and I thought our tackling was outstanding."

"When you watch tape of No. 25 [McCoy] play, he makes a lot of people miss. I think setting the edges, everyone getting to the football and when we got there, making him go down. Tackling him, tackling him hard. I thought that was the difference in the ballgame."

Monte Kiffin gets the last laugh; Eagles coach: What we did vs. Cowboys was unacceptable - Rainer Sabin, DMN
"What we did is unacceptable," Eagles coach Chip Kelly said, though it wasn't immediately clear whether he meant the coaches or the players, or both. The Cowboys in turn were prepared very well, played man rather than zone and easily kept pace with the Eagles' offense, and the players were quick to credit Monte Kiffin:

"It’s awesome to go out there and get a reward and play hard for a guy like that and hold a team to three, just knowing how much work they put into this," defensive tackle Jason Hatcher said. "He had us prepared tonight. We executed well."

Sean Lee says Cowboys defense is digging out of hole caused by San Diego, Denver - Carlos Mendez, Star-Telegram
Lee said the Cowboys defense played a complete game yesterday.

"We had taken a step back against the Chargers in the second half and against the Broncos, and we really had been trying to dig ourselves out of that hole and become a better defense," he said. "Think we took a step forward today. But we got to bring it next week."

"Each week, we’ve got to do what’s right to win football games," he said. "If we’ve got to play some two-deep, some different defenses, we will. I think we have enough variations to be successful, but enough to where we can master what we do and get better and better with the details."

Dallas Cowboys rookie RB Joseph Randle says Philadelphia Eagles fans – even ‘old ladies’ – ‘flipped off’ Cowboys players - Brandon George, DMN
The Philadelphia fans mustered all their class for the Cowboys:

"We got a full taste," Randle said. "They flipped us off on the bus a few times. It was funny. It was old ladies flipping us off, young people, everybody was flipping off the bus."

Being an Eagles fan explains a lot but excuses nothing.

Williams, Beasley Continue Torrid Pace In Place Of Austin - David Helman, DallasCowboys.com
Jerry Jones and Tony Romo had good things to say about Cole Beasley and Terrance Williams:

"I think Beasley today showed everyone that he’s got great hands, great vision, and he’s just got instinct about getting open," Jones said. "That’s a major plus for a wide receiver. It can make a big impact."

"Terrance Williams has improved as much as maybe anyone I’ve seen in the six months that he’s been here," Romo said. "It usually takes wide receivers a while to get to that point, but he continually takes coaching and does the things you need to do to improve and it’s just a testament to his work ethic and his commitment to the football team. You love having guys like that."

Dallas Cowboys WR Dez Bryant thanks official for calling pass interference penalty: ‘I don’t want to be a pain for the refs, but damn, some things are just obvious’ - Brandon George, DMN
Dez Bryant would have liked to see more laundry than the officials were willing to throw.

"I don’t want to get in their ear, but if it’s obvious, it’s obvious," Bryant said. "The [official] was just looking at me like I wasn’t even there. I was like, ‘I know you see me talking to you, man. He’s holding me.’ I got kind of frustrated on some of the calls [Sunday], but I let it go and stayed focused."

Tanner says he took his man into throwing lane, causing interception by Romo - Carlos Mendez, Star-Telegram
Phillip Tanner says it was his mistake that led to the second-half interception by Tony Romo.

"I brought my man inside," Tanner said. "I should have broke outside. But that’s something I should have known. As the leader that Romo is, he did what he was supposed to do. He came over and got me right."

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