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Cowboys 24, Eagles 0
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Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
The Eagles will stir the ashes of this disaster, this 24-0 debacle, in an attempt to find some hope, seeing as how their playoff chances rest upon finding something in the next few days that will convince them that they can beat the Dallas Cowboys. And, well, good luck with that.
It was every bit as bad as the score indicated. Tempted by a chance at a division championship and a first-round bye in the playoffs, the Eagles got slaughtered instead. They got routed. The Cowboys ran all over them, shredded them through the air, and held their potent offense pointless. It was total domination.
And now the Eagles have to come back to Cowboys Stadium -- population: 100,621 yesterday -- and try to figure out a way to make it all go away.
Nobody covered himself in glory, from the head coach on down. Andy Reid stopped running when the team fell behind. The Eagles called a ridiculous timeout while in punt formation in the first half -- a timeout they really could have used as their drive expired at the end of the half. In the third quarter, down by 17-0, looking at a third-and-2 at the Dallas 35, Reid should have treated it as two downs to get 2 yards. Instead, he called a slant pass over the middle that fell incomplete and then saw David Akers miss a 53-yard field goal.
Even with all of that, though, the problems were much bigger. Defensively, especially, you wonder where the Eagles might find an answer. They have lived on the edge for weeks, and now they have toppled. The defense looked hollow yesterday, empty in the middle. Their post-season hope all along has been for their offense to put up big numbers, and now that imperative seems even greater. But against a very athletic Dallas defense, especially up front, the Eagles couldn’t sustain enough of the underneath stuff and couldn’t hit enough of the long stuff upon which they have lived all season.
If this all sounds grim, that is because it is.
I mean, How bad is Macho Harris?— Birds_eye36- I can't wait to hear WIP all week, with Eskin defending Reid and somehow blaming the loss on a random player he doesn't like for whatever reason. As for the game next week, Stone Cold Mortal Lock... if you're scared get a dog!— LAEagle
Nice to see the usual over reaction to a loss. Relax a bit guys. They won 6 in a row and were due for a letdown. THat game was not a surprise to me. Now it's Dallas's turn for a let down. They played a fine game and all it got them was to have to play the same game all over again. That is disheartening. Also, that was the most vanilla game plan I've seen in a long time. No running, no blitzing, lots of mistakes. Even the Fox crew said that. EVEN Aikmaan said it! You can't let Romo stand there like that and expect anything different to happen. That has to change or the result WILL be the same. AR needs to do better than that. We shall see.— tpizza
Comment removed.- watching Dallas over the past several weeks, and seeing the Eagles squeak out wins over SF, Denver, wasn't really surprised. Reid didn't help his cause to make a game of it with the management at the end of the half and on their first possession of the second half.— retzlaff
- Now who will be able to put players in a better position to make plays? Next week will be McNabb's last game as an Eagle. Enough of the inaccurate passes, the downtrodden look of defeat in the 2nd quarter, the failure, yet again, to rise to the occasion. Enough, enough, enough. These Eagles can't seal the deal, and they haven't been able to since 1999. Hey, Mr. Banner. The best roster in the NFL? They don't even have the best roster in the NFC East. Take a look at the Phillies, Mr. Banner. That's a team with heart, with character and with leadership. Everything the Eagles are not.— farside37
- I am off the Eagles bandwagon, and on Dallas bandwagon. Dallas will go all the way. About time our division has the super bowl champions in our division!— spookyfudge
- It's hard to talk with all this bile in my mouth...pathetic effort with a lot on the line. Sounds familiar, huh?— boof_diggety
- As soon as Dallas scored and moved the ball so well, Andy immediately changed the offensive to passing..... 40-10 what kinda balance is that? And defense.... what defense. Once JJ (god rest his soul) was gone the defense with with him..... and they say you can't take it with you when you die.....— whsbuss
- HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS!!!!!!!— DallasRules
- worst called game by Moronwheg and McDermott....McDermott didn't call any blitzes, just let Romo sit back there and pick them apart....every freaking analyst on the planet said the key was to pressure Romo, and he had his players sitting back doing nothing...if you aren't going to blitz, you should at least be able to cover, and they couldn't do that either....embarrasing performance....— Bleue
- Beating a team 3 times in one year happens alot more often than you think. Too lazy to look it up but I know it is true. That said, I like the Eagles chances next week. Go Birds !— gonegator
- Before people start blaming McNabb for this loss. The entire team, offensively and defensively didn't play well. Too many miscues. The team was not in sync at hall. A HORRIBLE performance!!!! We MUST get it together. Come aggressive next week Andy Reid.— knmcmahon
- Before people start blaming McNabb for this loss. The entire team, offensively and defensively didn't play well. Too many miscues. The team was not in sync at hall. A HORRIBLE performance!!!! We MUST get it together. Come aggressive next week Andy Reid.— knmcmahon
- Cowgirls still suck.Dallas still sucks and RomanceBoy will return to flailing form next week.The last time Dallas won a playoff game,Michael Jackson was still black.The streak continues in 7 days.Cowfrauds suck.— red rock
