Former Broncos G.M. Ted Sundquist comments on Cowboys vs. Eagles

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http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/09/17/ted-sundquists-week-two-game-reviews-eagles-at-cowboys/

TED SUNDQUIST’S WEEK TWO GAME REVIEWS: EAGLES AT COWBOYS

Posted by Mike Florio on September 17, 2008, 10:40 a.m. EDT

[Editor’s note: Former Broncos G.M. Ted Sundquist takes a close look at three games each week. We figured the Eagles-Cowboys game would be worth keeping an eye on. We never dreamed how good of a game it would be.]

I thought it might be tough to top Sunday’s game between the Broncos and Chargers, but Monday night’s shootout just might have done it. The two highest-rated QB’s in the NFC weren’t about to be upstaged by the two highest in the AFC, and the result was an extravaganza of 78 points and 8 lead changes. When the dust settled, the Cowboys came away with a critical win in the NFC East that appears to be ultra-competitive after only 2 weeks of the regular season.

There were some major points of emphasis that jumped out at me as I studied this matchup. McNabb appears to be back on form. His Week 1 performance was followed up by a 25 of 37, 281 yard and 1 TD night against a stout Cowboys defense. The Philly QB has a two-week rating of 114.1 and is only 8 yards behind Denver’s Jay Cutler in total passing. As McNabb goes, so goes the Eagles.

It didn’t surprise me that Philly went into Dallas and gave them all they had. These two play each other tough all the time, and it was evident that the team that could get to the opponent’s QB and win the “sack game” usually came out on top. I thought it would be vital for the Eagles to slow down the Dallas 3-4 pressure (KEY #1), starting with OLB’s DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis. Dallas did a good job of getting upfield and putting some perimeter squeeze on the pocket. Ware and Ellis generated push on the edge, combining for 3 sacks, 3 hurries. With Philly near mid-field late in the fourth quarter, both stepped up for key stops that put the Eagles in a fourth and 17 situation. As a team, the Cowboys got to McNabb 4 times and hurried him another 4. Philly did try to attack Dallas on first down with the pass, then turned to Brian Westbrook on second down. However, I would say their 5 of 12 conversion rate didn’t keep pace, and the Eagles had two three and outs, one of which led to a Cowboys TD on the ensuing drive. Finally, it was McNabb who coughed up the ball on a muffed handoff that gave Dallas the ball and eventually the lead.

We all knew the Philadelphia defense was going to have to step it up at Texas Stadium, much like they did on the road all of ’07. Dallas is loaded with offensive weapons, having the ability to hit the big play from anywhere on the field. The Eagles were suspect to surrendering chunks of yardage last season. They had to find a way to slow down the Cowboy scoring machine and force them to go at it the hard way. They didn’t do it. Dallas hit early and often, and it was clear that T.O. would play a big role from the get go. Owens split a deep seam for 72 yards and a score on the Cowboy’s first drive. He later had a 55-yard catch nullified by a holding call, having beaten coverage on a “go” route in the second quarter. When Philly finally decided to put the clamps on the talented wideout, Romo sits to pee started to find TE Jason Witten. Witten set up two Dallas scores with receptions of 42 and 32 yards. Combine these big plays with the 98-yard kickoff return for a TD by Felix Jones and a 25-yard screen pass to Marion Barber that set up a FG, and I’d say the Eagles did little to help themselves in the big-play standings. Couple that with the following: Dallas was 6 of 10 on 3rd down, 3 of 3 in the red zone, had only two 3 and outs, and produced scoring drives of 6, 8, 9, 8 and 7 plays. The Eagles officially recorded no sacks or pressures on Romo sits to pee (KEY #2), that’s zero help for a vulnerable secondary, and the scoring fest they ‘d hoped to avoid was on!

My “Ed Hochuli” moment for the game was a predicted big week for Dallas WR Patrick Crayton. [Editor’s note: Thanks, Ted; I started Crayton instead of DeSean Jackson based on your scouting report.] Philly had been one of the better teams in matching up against an opponent’s primary receiver in ’07. I felt the combination of Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown (with help over top) would lock down on T.O. and open up some opportunity for Crayton on the backside (KEY #3). But T.O.’s physical ability was just too much to single up early on, and when the Philly defense finally responded Romo sits to pee went to Witten. He had been the focal point of the Cowboy’s offense in Week 1 and quickly used his size and route skills to his advantage over the Philly safeties. His two big plays led directly to Dallas scores and Witten finished with 7 receptions for 110 yards. The Eagles had been more than efficient matching up with TE’s in the past, but they had no answer for Witten. Though forced to the locker room with a shoulder injury in the 2nd quarter, he displayed the competitive toughness that has quickly made him one of Romo sits to pee’s favorite “go to” guys in the clutch. Crayton finished with 2 receptions for 23 yards, adding a 16 yarder that pulled the Cowboys to mid-field on their final scoring drive.

KEY #4 was how well Dallas ILB’s Zach Thomas and Bradie James could contain Brian Westbrook. Philly’s offense has thrived off big-play runs, ranking third in the League last season. I thought Dallas would have to force some early three-and-outs of their own. The Eagles are adept at creating long drives with the versatility of Westbrook as both a runner and receiver. The Eagles did chew up some clock with drives of 9, 10, 11 and 11 plays. They held the ball 18:30 in the first half. But they came up short in red zone, going 3 of 5, and settled for FG’s on 3 of those 4 drives. Thomas led the Dallas defense with 7 tackles, James adding 3. The duo was quick to fill the inside, limiting Westbrook to only one big run of 14 yards when he popped up the middle on the second play from scrimmage. Most of the damage came by air as Westbrook slipped outside and up the field for gains of 10 & 18 yards. For the night, Dallas held Philly’s talented back to 103 total yards, but his utilization inside the 10 also netted 3 scores for the Eagles (2 running, 1 receiving).

My last key (#5) was the play of both punters. Matt McBriar and Sav Rocca are two of the best at their craft in the NFL. Both are “Aussie” additions to the game, and both have really taken advantage of their leg strength and ability to place the ball inside the 20. I felt in a close game that field position would be a determining factor of who might get the last shot. The two were limited to 3 punts apiece, McBriar averaging 46.7 (net 42.7), Rocca averaging 51.7 (net 48.). Outstanding numbers to say the least. A quick example – in the third quarter McBriar pins Philly at the 16 with a 44 yard punt, the Eagles go three and out, but follow with a 61 yarder by Rocca to the Dallas 15 (Adam Jones returns 5 yards). It was a flip of the field.

Ultimately, it was the monster return of Felix Jones that played the biggest factor on special teams.