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I went in expecting it'd be a tough game, but we ended up making it close not because Tampa played great but because we killed ourselves too much. Too many penalties and several really stupid playcalls at the worst times took what should have been a comfortable 14-20 point win and made it a nail-biter.
That said, it isn't fair to completely disregard Tampa as a team either (as many slobs in this forum did). They had won 5 in a row and for the season owned victories at Atlanta, at Kansas City, at San Diego, and had manhandled both Seattle and New Orleans the past couple weeks. The Saints totaled 48 pts, nearly 500 yards and 33 first downs against a really good Arizona defense on the road yesterday. Against this Tampa D last week New Orleans couldn't score a single TD, had less than 300 yds and 3 turnovers. Tampa dominated Seattle's offense even more.
1) Great game by Dak Prescott, who said all the right things all week and after the game. You know that he just had to be thinking "take that doubters" though after going 32/36 with no turnovers against the team that had been the #1 pass defense in football the past 5 weeks and was at the top of the league in turnovers. Threw the ball great and after not running hardly any (if any) last week at NYG, had a couple of very timely scrambles last night.
2) Elliott re-entered the chase for Dickerson's record by going off for 159 yds (and added another 29 yds on 3 catches). He needs 258 yards I believe to break the record, so its a longshot. But he is back in contention for it. That said, he now has a tremendous season in the bag even if he didn't play the next two weeks. 1551 yards, 13 rushing TD's. 31 receptions for 351 yards and another TD. And absolutely text book pass protection for a RB.
3) How good was the OL? Tampa's most explosive DL players are Gerald McCoy (perennial probowler) and rookie pass rusher Noah Spence. Go look at the boxscore- NEITHER player is in it. No tackles. No sacks. No QB hits. Obviously no sacks. GOOSE EGG. McCoy is a franchise DT and Spence had been having a really good rookie year. Smith erased Spence (save the 1 holding penalty that negated a TD) and Fred/Martin/Leary manhandled McCoy inside.
4) The Lucky Whitehead stuff has just gotta go. The first jetsweep "worked" for just a 3 yard gain or so. The next two plays they called for him absolutely killed drives. The pitch back reverse was possibly the worst single offensive playcall of the year IMO and happened on a 3rd and short (instead of simply giving it to Zeke or just having Prescott continue to pick apart their back 7) And his return struggles continued too. Taking one KO out from deep in endzone (again) and basically running backwards on his one punt return. This is one guy who should have no role at all the remainder of the year. And insult to injury type stuff here- Zeke got "credit" for the fumble on the fuckup reverse pitch call.
5) Major kudos for David Irving, who showed he should be having a greatly expanded role the rest of the season. He absolutely dominated the 4th quarter and put on a show we haven't see from a DL in quite sometime. Got two sacks and came close on a couple others. Batted a ball or two. Maliek Collins and Terrell McClain had sacks and Collins in particular seemed to have consistent inside pressure. The run defense was outstanding again (less than 3 yds per carry, longest run allowed only 8 yards). Mayowa got hurt late and his situation needs to be watched, but he had his 3rd straight really good game. Didn't get a sack last night but had 2 1/2 TFL's and also really turned the corner a few times as a pass rusher. Finally getting a return from him.
6) Brandon Carr and Orlando Scandrick have to be the two worst CB's in football when it comes to actually playing the ball in the air. Both guys get into position a ton, but neither guy knows how to attack the ball. In fact they both fight it. Carr at the LEAST should have had a routine deflection of that long TD, but its the kind of play a good CB makes a pick on time and time again. he played it perfectly right up to where he contacted the ball. And Scandrick. Someone in here said it seemed to take him forever to catch that gimmee pick at the end of the game. Needs to be a priority in the offseason to upgrade the talent at CB with Carr a FA, Scandrick another yr older and Claiborne also a FA.
7) Dan Bailey missed two FG's, in the same game. He had the long 56 yarder right on target (just like the 55 yarder last week) but left it a tad short. Just missed left from 52. Oh well, he isn't a machine after all. even with the thee 50+ misses the last two weeks, he's still 25/30 with a long of 56 yards for the season. He's 24/35 in his career from 50+, with two 56 yarders. People need to quit crying about this guy
8) Didn't totally understand not going for it on 4th and 1 late. Not sure if it was a "yard" or over a yard, but with the way the OL was dominating and how well Prescott was playing, the chance to ice the game with a TD was there. I get wanting to make Tampa get a TD instead of potentially just a FG to tie, but it seemed like a little conservative to me. If Tampa had been stoning us defensively maybe I would understand more. It was a great drive though at a clutch time.
9) Lost in the win, Dallas now has a record 6 wins in a row at the new home. In most years since Jones opened that place we've rarely had a homefield advantage or even played better at home vs the road, but this year seems a little different.
10) Been saying it for weeks, but the only two NFC matchups that really worry me are potential games vs Washington and Atlanta. Atlanta's win and Detroits loss moved the Falcons into the 3rd spot now, and there's a good chance they can stay there (meaning we wouldnt face them in divisional round regardless of what happens if we clinch HFA) Maybe Green Bay worries me a little, though I think they are more of a fraud than the other two. The rest of the NFC teams (including the Giants) don't scare me much at all.
Just get the win vs Detroit to get to 13, win the division and clinch HFA. We've got a lot of beat up guys who need some extra rest before the playoffs. Would love to see us take care of business and run the Lions off the field next Monday night.
That said, it isn't fair to completely disregard Tampa as a team either (as many slobs in this forum did). They had won 5 in a row and for the season owned victories at Atlanta, at Kansas City, at San Diego, and had manhandled both Seattle and New Orleans the past couple weeks. The Saints totaled 48 pts, nearly 500 yards and 33 first downs against a really good Arizona defense on the road yesterday. Against this Tampa D last week New Orleans couldn't score a single TD, had less than 300 yds and 3 turnovers. Tampa dominated Seattle's offense even more.
1) Great game by Dak Prescott, who said all the right things all week and after the game. You know that he just had to be thinking "take that doubters" though after going 32/36 with no turnovers against the team that had been the #1 pass defense in football the past 5 weeks and was at the top of the league in turnovers. Threw the ball great and after not running hardly any (if any) last week at NYG, had a couple of very timely scrambles last night.
2) Elliott re-entered the chase for Dickerson's record by going off for 159 yds (and added another 29 yds on 3 catches). He needs 258 yards I believe to break the record, so its a longshot. But he is back in contention for it. That said, he now has a tremendous season in the bag even if he didn't play the next two weeks. 1551 yards, 13 rushing TD's. 31 receptions for 351 yards and another TD. And absolutely text book pass protection for a RB.
3) How good was the OL? Tampa's most explosive DL players are Gerald McCoy (perennial probowler) and rookie pass rusher Noah Spence. Go look at the boxscore- NEITHER player is in it. No tackles. No sacks. No QB hits. Obviously no sacks. GOOSE EGG. McCoy is a franchise DT and Spence had been having a really good rookie year. Smith erased Spence (save the 1 holding penalty that negated a TD) and Fred/Martin/Leary manhandled McCoy inside.
4) The Lucky Whitehead stuff has just gotta go. The first jetsweep "worked" for just a 3 yard gain or so. The next two plays they called for him absolutely killed drives. The pitch back reverse was possibly the worst single offensive playcall of the year IMO and happened on a 3rd and short (instead of simply giving it to Zeke or just having Prescott continue to pick apart their back 7) And his return struggles continued too. Taking one KO out from deep in endzone (again) and basically running backwards on his one punt return. This is one guy who should have no role at all the remainder of the year. And insult to injury type stuff here- Zeke got "credit" for the fumble on the fuckup reverse pitch call.
5) Major kudos for David Irving, who showed he should be having a greatly expanded role the rest of the season. He absolutely dominated the 4th quarter and put on a show we haven't see from a DL in quite sometime. Got two sacks and came close on a couple others. Batted a ball or two. Maliek Collins and Terrell McClain had sacks and Collins in particular seemed to have consistent inside pressure. The run defense was outstanding again (less than 3 yds per carry, longest run allowed only 8 yards). Mayowa got hurt late and his situation needs to be watched, but he had his 3rd straight really good game. Didn't get a sack last night but had 2 1/2 TFL's and also really turned the corner a few times as a pass rusher. Finally getting a return from him.
6) Brandon Carr and Orlando Scandrick have to be the two worst CB's in football when it comes to actually playing the ball in the air. Both guys get into position a ton, but neither guy knows how to attack the ball. In fact they both fight it. Carr at the LEAST should have had a routine deflection of that long TD, but its the kind of play a good CB makes a pick on time and time again. he played it perfectly right up to where he contacted the ball. And Scandrick. Someone in here said it seemed to take him forever to catch that gimmee pick at the end of the game. Needs to be a priority in the offseason to upgrade the talent at CB with Carr a FA, Scandrick another yr older and Claiborne also a FA.
7) Dan Bailey missed two FG's, in the same game. He had the long 56 yarder right on target (just like the 55 yarder last week) but left it a tad short. Just missed left from 52. Oh well, he isn't a machine after all. even with the thee 50+ misses the last two weeks, he's still 25/30 with a long of 56 yards for the season. He's 24/35 in his career from 50+, with two 56 yarders. People need to quit crying about this guy
8) Didn't totally understand not going for it on 4th and 1 late. Not sure if it was a "yard" or over a yard, but with the way the OL was dominating and how well Prescott was playing, the chance to ice the game with a TD was there. I get wanting to make Tampa get a TD instead of potentially just a FG to tie, but it seemed like a little conservative to me. If Tampa had been stoning us defensively maybe I would understand more. It was a great drive though at a clutch time.
9) Lost in the win, Dallas now has a record 6 wins in a row at the new home. In most years since Jones opened that place we've rarely had a homefield advantage or even played better at home vs the road, but this year seems a little different.
10) Been saying it for weeks, but the only two NFC matchups that really worry me are potential games vs Washington and Atlanta. Atlanta's win and Detroits loss moved the Falcons into the 3rd spot now, and there's a good chance they can stay there (meaning we wouldnt face them in divisional round regardless of what happens if we clinch HFA) Maybe Green Bay worries me a little, though I think they are more of a fraud than the other two. The rest of the NFC teams (including the Giants) don't scare me much at all.
Just get the win vs Detroit to get to 13, win the division and clinch HFA. We've got a lot of beat up guys who need some extra rest before the playoffs. Would love to see us take care of business and run the Lions off the field next Monday night.
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