Photo Courtesy: Matt Pearce
All the Cowboys needed to do to keep their playoff hopes alive was to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles and end a five-game losing streak. But for the sixth week in a row, they failed to get the job done. And now it’s over for them. For the first time since 1989, the Cowboys have lost six games in a row. They’re 2-6 and playoff hopes are now pretty much dead in the water. Now it can be truly said that the Cowboys will receive a top-ten draft pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
My Thoughts on the Cowboys Performance
Offense: The offense finally woke up. Matt Cassel threw three touchdowns and one interception, and a total of 299 yards through the air. Darren McFadden rushed for a total of 117 yards, which was the first time this season where a Cowboys RB rushed for more than a hundred yards. It was great to see Dez Bryant finish with five catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. Cole Beasley had an outstanding night, finishing with nine catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns. It was very disappointing to see Matt Cassel throw a pick six, but the offense stayed in it, and even forced a game-tying field goal with less than ten seconds remaining in regulation. But it’s really frustrating that despite having 38 minutes of ball possession, they failed to win. On this performance, I give the Cowboys offense a B-.
Defense: Absolute mess. Losing Sean Lee to another concussion and Anthony Hitchens to an ankle injury cost them. They failed to force a turnover, and again only got ONE sack. They allowed 459 yards of total offense to the Eagles, including a 41-yard touchdown pass in overtime that gave Philadelphia the win. The last two games, it was the defense providing countless opportunities for the offense, but this time, it was the opposite. After the defense gave up a touchdown, it was the offense that drove up the field and scored throughout the game. For this performance, the defense gets an F. For the past two weeks, they’ve been facing terrible offensive lines and they’ve only come away with two sacks, one turnover. Completely unacceptable.
Special Teams: Dan Bailey made two field goals, and he’s still perfect on field goal attempts this season. Chris Jones, as usual, made some good punts. Only one kickoff was returned, and it was by Lucky Whitehead, and it was for 79 yards. Punt returning was terrible as only two were returned for only five yards. Since Bailey kicked a 41-yard field goal to put the game in overtime, and Whitehead gave the offense tremendous field position after a huge kickoff return, the Special Teams get an A-. I say minus because punt returning was awful, but it’s good that they finally allowed Lucky Whitehead to take over. Now that Cowboys season is pretty much over, there’s nothing much to get excited for. Even Tony Romo’s return won’t help. It’s going to a very tough second half for the Dallas Cowboys and its fans.
