SCORES TWICE AFTER A PUCK TO THE FACE
Update: There was a firestorm in Dallas earlier in the week, when ESPNDallas.com made a big deal out of comments from Roy Williams about how he and Tony Romo aren't on the same page. Williams said that he was the Cowboys No. 1 receiver, but his production didn't match that.
Interestingly, on the Cowboys last drive of the first half, Williams wasn't even on the field on a crucial third down when Dallas had at least three receivers split wide. Romo completed a 17-yard pass to rookie Kevin Ogletree, who came into the game with one catch this season. Then Romo went to Williams on consecutive plays from the Eagles' 4-yard line. The first time, Romo's throw was well behind Williams. The second, Asante Samuel got away with a hold of Williams.
Dallas settled for a field goal and lead at halftime 10-6.
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Update: Peters is back. He was on the field for the Eagles last 12-play drive that ended with a 48-yard David Akers field goal. That's good news for the Eagles, who had shifted Todd Herremans over to tackle and put Nick Cole in at guard during Peters' absense.
It's 7-6 Cowboys with 1:38 to play in the first half. Never would've imagined that the teams would combine for just 13 points at halftime. The Eagles put together a long drive, with eight running plays, but didn't get any big plays. Shockingly, after calling for passing plays on their two earlier third downs on the drive, Reid/Mornhinweg called for a LeSean McCoy run on third-and-four. He didn't convert.
So far this game, DeSean Jackson has been a non-factor. McNabb has gone to him just once. For Dallas, Miles Austin hasn't been a factor, either. He doesn't have a catch.
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Update: Jason Peters has made his way to the Eagles locker room. Trainer Rick Burkholder re-taped Jason Peters' left ankle/foot on the sideline, and as the first quarter ended, Peters was standing on the Eagles sideline. He didn't stand there long.
Peters suffered an injury when he got awkwardly caught underneath Cowboys nose tackle Jay Ratliff as Ratliff sacked McNabb late in the first quarter.
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Update: Wait long enough, and you'll get to see the Wildcat actually work. Except, it worked for the other team. Easily. On first and goal from the 2-yard line, the Cowboys called for a direct snap to running back Tashard Choice, who pretty much walked into the end zone. Dallas takes an early 7-0 lead.
See. It does work. Just like Andy Reid's been saying.
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The Eagles have announced their inactives, and Brian Westbrook is on the list. The team consequently released a statement, saying Westbrook started having symptoms of "a mild headache" on Friday, and that although he passed all of the subsequent tests and could play tonight, the Eagles think it's in his, and the team's, best interest to hold him out.
This was probably their feeling all along. Westbrook was knocked out cold by London Fletcher two weeks ago. He suffered a serious concussion. Sure, he practiced two days last week, but it was probably a smokescreen put up to give the Cowboys something else to think about as they prepared for tonight's game.
The Eagles made the right call. Westbrook shouldn't play until he's totally ready. Maybe five years ago he and the team would've happily rushed him back to play last week against the Giants. Not now.
