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The Cowboys score 21 unanswered points in the 2nd half en route to their first win in Jerry Jones' new stadium. Dallas improves to 2-1 while the Panthers fall to 0-3.
Just when it looked like they were starting to get something going in the nick of time, the Panthers let this one slip through their fingers. Victor Butler got his 2nd sack of the series and forced Jake Delhomme’s fumble. Jason Hatcher recovers. And with a minute to play, Dallas will run out the clock.
The Panthers, who went 12-4 last season, are now about to be 0-3.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Jake Delhomme kills a Carolina Panthers’ drive by throwing a back-breaking interception.
Yep, just happened again. Though to be fair, this one isn't totally on him. Looking for Steve Smith on a slant, Delhomme delivered a ball that Smith should have caught...had he not broken off the route completely. Instead, the ball found the waiting hands of Cowboy DB Terrence Newman, who returned the ball 27 yards for the Dallas TD.
The Cowboys went for two to even things out and, who else, Tashard Choice ran the ball in for the conversion. Cowboys 21, Panthers 7.
Felix Jones has been watching most of the second half thanks to a strained knee. He’s been fitted with a small brace but Tashard Choice is playing so well, it’s probably not worth it at the moment.
The perfect way to follow-up a scoring drive? How bout another one?
This time the Cowboys take their time. Starting at their own 26, Dallas drives down the field thanks in large part to Tashard Choice’s work out of the backfield running and catching the ball. The Cowboys work it all the way down to the 1-yard-line and…not so much. Two incomplete passes later, Nick Folk hits his 2nd field goal of the evening. 13-7 Cowboys with 12:02 to play.
Choice is seeing the bulk of word due to a 3rd quarter injury to Felix Jones, who has not returned.
So this is what offense looks like…
Taking over at their own 42, Dallas marched down the field on a 5-play, 58-yard drive that culminated in a five-yard touchdown run by Tashard Choice to make it a 10-7 game.
The drive started with a 23-yard pass from Tony Romo to Roy Williams that created this thing…what do they call it…ah, yes…momentum.
Let’s hope it keeps up.
Nick Folk knocked a 24-yard field goal through the uprights and the Panthers’ lead is down to 7-3. 9:53 left in the 3rd.
There’s always a difference between bad college football and bad NFL football. And obviously NFL football is better as a rule. But when college football is bad, at least to me, it’s because there’s a slight, noticeable lack of athleticism that just gives the whole game a lack of pop. When NFL football is bad, well, it looks like this.
7-0 Panthers at the half, and it hasn’t been much of a defensive battle. Both teams can move the ball, sort of, but when they move the ball they usually do something counterproductive immediately afterward. Tony Romo will complete a pass and then suffer a sack. The Panthers will convert on a third and long and then throw a pick on the next play.
And so on. It’s not good football, even when it’s entertaining, but that happens sometimes. The nice thing about the NFL is that it’s like pizza (and one other item I’ll not mention on this, a family site): Even when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good.
There’s the Jake Delhomme we know and barely remember: 6-of-7 on a drive for 67 yards, including two big throws down the seam to receiving tight end Dante Rosario, whose name always reminds me of Rosario Dawson. The Panthers are looking suddenly alive and sharp, while the Cowboys defense just gave up two big gains on what was basically the same play. Wade Phillips, meet adjustment. Adjustment, Wade Phillips. Why don’t you two get acquainted?
After coverting a third and 16 on a nice run by DeAngelo Williams, Jake Delhomme stepped back in the pocket, reared, fired, and threw a high, arcing lob to Muhsin Muhammad down the left side of the field. It was promptly intercepted. Fortunately for Delhomme, the pick was less his fault than Muhammad’s. The play was predicated on Muhsin making a leaping effort, and Muhammad appeared to sort of give up on the ball mid-catch. In other words, the pick looks bad on paper, but Delhomme’s job probably remains safe. For now.
Both offenses are moving the ball; neither of them are moving it particularly deep into opposing territory. The Cowboys have had the best scoring chance of the two thus far on a nice, Felix Jones-heavy opening drive, but kicker Nick Folk’s missed 46-yard field goal left Tony Romo and company scoreless. Meanwhile, the Cowboys offensive line is having a tough time with the Panthers’ pass rush.
On the other side of the ball, the Panthers are finding little success moving the ball. Steve Smith has been active, but not much else is clicking for John Fox’s team. Jake Delhomme has managed to not get himself benched yet, though, so we suppose that’s something.
There are a few important Panthers set to miss tonight’s game. Charles Chandler has the info:
Almost to the fullest extent possible, based on last week’s injury report, injuries have taken a huge toll on the Panthers’ list of inactives for tonight’s game at Dallas.
Fullback Brad Hoover is out with a back injury, and so are safety Chris Harris (knee), rookie defensive end Everette Brown (ankle), and linebacker Na’il Diggs (ribs).
Of those four, only Diggs was listed as out on the injury report released Saturday.
The Charlotte Observer’s Charles Chandler has the official news on Marion Barber: He’ll miss tonight’s game against the Panthers. Felix Jones will be the lead back, as expected, while Tashard Choice will serve as the backup. (Felix Jones fantasy owners may now jump for joy.)
Once again from the Morning News Cowboys Blog, word is that the roof will be closed on the new stadium tonight.
It’s supposed to be a perfect evening weather-wise in Dallas (clear, in the 70’s), so the assumption would be that Jerry Jones wants the extra noise that will be generated with the building sealed shut. Makes sense considering they sold about 30,000 less party passes for tonight’s game.
We eagerly await ESPN’s expose into why this roof is the roof to end all roofs during tonight’s telecast.
From the Dallas Morning News Cowboys Blog:
Just caught up to Jerry Jones at Gilley’s in Dallas and he said it is doubtful Marion Barber will play tonight against Carolina.
Jones said the Cowboys would be “conservative” with Barber with a long season still to come and the health of Felix Jones and Tashard Choice.
Barber is suffering from a left thigh injury that occurred during last Monday’s game against the Giants.
Panthers @ Cowboys
8:30 PM ET, ESPN
Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, TX
Can you smell it? That's the sickly stench of desperation from two teams that know they can't afford to lose on Monday Night Football. The Carolina Panthers and the Dallas Cowboys both know what this game means and have been surprisingly honest about it with the media.
Check out this note from Panthers LB Jon Beason:
"It's desperation time." That's what Panthers linebacker Jon Beason told me this week when we were talking about Carolina's road game tonight against Dallas on "Monday Night Football."
On the other side, Dave Campo, the Cowboys secondary coach says:
"I hear everybody talking about how Carolina is a ‘desperate team' and all this, because they are 0-2. But we're desperate. We're desperate to not be 1-2. We're desperate to be the good team we think we are. We're desperate to not start 1-2. We're desperate to get that first win at the new place.''
Okay, sounds like we've got two teams who feel like they're fighting for survival early in the season.
Panthers (0-2)
After a horrendous opening game, Jake Delhomme settled down last week but the Panthers still couldn't pull out a win on the road in Atlanta. But they were not the same team that was stinking up the field in week one, or more precisely Delhomme wasn't the same QB. The Panthers don't want to rely on Delhomme for their offense, they want the combo of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart to dominate a game on the ground. Both are very capable backs and the Cowboys have struggled at times to contain the run this season. Carolina wants to run the ball and run it some more, but Steve Smith is the guy they want for the quick strike. The Dallas secondary had problems tackling last week, and Smith is as good a "yards after catch guy" as there is in the league. If he gets loose in the Cowboys secondary and they don't tackle, you're looking at a shoot-out on Monday night.
The Panthers defense has quality in the secondary but is very thin up front. They've lost two defensive tackles for the season due to injury. Teams have had success running at that weakened unit and they can expect the Cowboys to try it again. Julius Peppers is having a down year through two weeks with only one sack and a virtual disappearing act against the Falcons last week. The Dallas offense is potent, the Panthers need a super-human effort from their front four to keep it in check.
Cowboys (1-1)
The storyline seems to start and stop with Tony Romo in Dallas. Romo threw for his most yards ever in a game against Tampa in week one, along with 3 TDs. But that was the Bucs. Against the Giants he tossed up three picks that were the difference between winning and losing. The Jekyl and Hyde performance of Romo so far has the Cowboys faithful on edge. The Cowboys offense is a potent force, putting up over 30 points in each game, even with four turnovers from their offense last week. Romo has plenty of targets in the passing game and the Cowboys running game is staitstically one of the best in the NFL. Even if they have to go without Martion Barber this week, Tashard Choice is a quality replacement and Felix Jones provides the quick-strike capabilities. As long as Romo keeps control of the football, Dallas should have no problem scoring.
The Cowboys defense is having issues, some in familiar spots and others that have just cropped up this year. For the familiar, the Cowboys secondary is vulnerable and that hasn't changed from the last few years. Even after a overhaul in the offseason, the Giants receivers torched the unit last week. One of their major failings was the inability to wrap-up after the catch leading to big yards. Normally, Terence Newman is the guy to cover Steve Smith, but after last week, Newman's ability has come under fire, too. The Cowboys defense also has failed to get a turnover so far this year, meaning the offense is having to work for every point the Cowboys get. For a new problem? The Cowboys led the league in sacks last year, this year they have zero sacks. DeMarcus Ware led the league last year with 20. He needs to lead a re-charged Cowboys pass rush for this defense to improve.
For a look at what this game means to Panthers fans, visit Cat Scratch Reader. Over at Blogging The Boys, they note the similarities of the two teams heading into tonight.
Bloggers React To 'Boys-Panthers
Cowboys blog Blogging The Boys says it doesn’t really matter how, the fact that the Cowboys finally got a “W” is what’s important for right now:
Meanwhile Panthers’ blog Cat Scratch Reader has just about had it with Jake Delhomme, regardless of whose fault those interceptions where:
Expect to hear more about Delhomme’s continued statistical nightmares tomorrow.
Sep 29 12:14a by Sean Keeley - 0 comments