Live Blog: Eagles-Cowboys

2:07 PM:  For Eagles fans, regular season games do not get any better than this.  Last game of the season.  The division title and a first-round bye on the line.  And the Eagles will make their first trip into the new and much (over) hyped Cowboys Stadium to take on their arch-rivals.  For those of us who came of age in the 90’s (way back two decades ago), there is still no team, in any sport, as hated as the Cowgirls.  Trouncing them 44-6 in the final game last season, ending their season in the process, was a great feeling, and we could have it again tonight.  A tip of the cap goes to the NFL schedule makers for getting this one right again.

3:17 PM:  Quick playoff-scenario update: With the Vikings routing the Giants (awesome), the Cowboys cannot get the 2-seed with a win over the Eagles.  This also means that, if the Eagles lose today, they will be traveling next week either to Arizona or back to Dallas for a rematch, depending on what happens in the Cards-Packers game.

3:30 PM:  This is a cliche that can be said about every football game ever played but, probably more than most, this game will be decided at the line of scrimmage.  When the Eagles are on offense, everyone will be watching to see how Nick Cole adjusts to his first career start at center, and how Max Jean-Gilles handles the right guard position.  Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg called Dallas’ defensive front “the best in all of football,” so the O-line will need to be very good, not merely serviceable.  Also, let’s keep our fingers crossed for no botched snaps on the exchange from Cole to McNabb, considering they don’t have a ton of experience together.

When the Birds are on defense, the name of the game will be getting in Tony Romo’s face and putting some shots on him.  This is still a quarterback that has never  won a big game in his career, and I think if the Eagle blitz can rattle him early, either by forcing a turnover or just a couple of errant throws, then they can put the pressure on him and maybe knock him off his game for the rest of the day.  Again, the key name could “Cole”, this time Pro Bowl-bound Trent, who could be the difference-maker defensively.

4:16 PM:  No surprise, it’s Buck and Aikman on the call.  Great.  Dallas gets the first crack at it offensively, as Akers gives a strong kick for the touchback.  Let’s go get ’em, boys!

4:28 PM:  Well, I said the line of scrimmage would decide the game, but I honestly didn’t think the Dallas running game would be a huge problem for us.  I was wrong.  Marion Barber shredded the defense on that opening drive, with the Dallas O-line opening a couple big holes on the right side.  Dallas draws first blood with the TD to Witten.

There was a lot of talk during the week about who would return kicks for the Eagles after the debacle by Macho Harris last week.  Jeremy Maclin was back there to take it, but it went for a touchback.  He returned kicks earlier in the year, and I like seeing him back there again.

4:33 PM:  McNabb is sacked on third down.  Hard to blame anyone for that, it just looked like a well-designed and well-executed blitz.  Dallas has some talented linebackers in their 3-4 scheme, and Bradie James showed it there.  HUGE possesion coming up.  The Eagle defense needs to rebound and keep Dallas from getting anymore points.

4:44 PM:  YES!! A huge play on 3rd and goal, as the Eagles (I think it was Asante Samuel, no surprise) jump in front of a Romo pass and knock it up in the air, and Joselio Hanson comes down with it.  A Cowboy touchdown there would have been real tough.  Now they come up empty, and the Eagles have a chance to turn the momentum.

4:48 PM:  First quarter over, 7-0 Dallas.  A lot of people knock Asante Samuel and say he’s overrated because he gets beat sometimes and can’t really tackle, but it’s not like he gets beat that often, and he makes as many big plays as any defensive back in the league.  He’s not the best corner in the league, but he’s up there.

4:58 PM:  A lot going on in the first extended Eagles possession, but it ends in another punt.  They took a shot downfield at Desean Jackson, but McNabb overthrew him.  I wonder if it’s hard to throw to Jackson just because he’s so fast it might be hard to gauge the distance.  Brent Celek had a couple big catches.  He’s basically become a Jason Witten clone, which is awesome.  Cole and Jean-Gilles look decent so far.  And on the last play of the drive, McNabb threw behind a wide open Maclin, though Maclin should have made the catch.  Poor job by both guys on that one.

5:13 PM:  Well, the defense pretty much looks like crap, as Dallas goes up 14-0 on a wide-open pass to Patrick Crayton.  Speaking of Samuel, he got beat on a play in that drive, but I really don’t think it was that bad of a play, because Miles Austin had to make a really tough catch to come down with it.  Certainly not a great play, though.  Aikman keeps saying the Eagles need to bring the blitz, and I don’t disagree, but they’re leaving guys wide-open even without blitzing, which is hard to explain. 

5:20 PM:  Maybe I jinxed us there, but Cole fires a low snap out of the shotgun and McNabb fumbles it, one play after a big pass to Jackson put them at the Dallas 14-yard line.  Another big possession here.  Would love to see the Eagles at least get on the board before the end of the half.

5:34 PM:  As if the 17-0 score isn’t bad enough, we’re now getting treated to a classic Eagle 2-minute drill.  You have to love watching a team let 13 seconds tick off as they all stand around the line of scrimmage, and then calling a time out.  They’ve also mixed in two dropped passes and a personal foul for good measure.

5:57 PM:  Don’t understand a field goal attempt there.  You’re down 17-0 in the second-half, and you only need two yards for the first down, why attempt a 53-yard field goal?  You need touchdowns, Andy.  You can’t be thinking, based on the first-half, that the Cowboys are done scoring.  The Eagle offense has been able to move the ball, they’ve just shot themselves in the foot too often.  That’s more reason to have confidence in that 4th and 2 spot.

6:05 PM:  Interesting that Westbrook has been on the field the vast majority of the game for the Eagles, rather than McCoy.  Actually, McCoy doesn’t have a carry yet in the game, while Westbrook has five.

6:23 PM:  Felix Jones takes one 49 yards to make it 24-0.  It’s been a miserable performance by this Eagle defense.  The offense has been shut out but has still clearly outplayed the defense.  So, uh, not good.  This one’s looking over.  The Eagles need to try to make a statement and get some confidence going into the rematch next week.  Although, I guess at some point they’ll be better off pulling people to keep them from getting hurt.  It’s not at that point yet, though.

7:07 PM:  Obviously a disappointing performance here today.  Desite a late-season six game winning streak, and arguably the best offense in Eagle history (although that’s a more difficult argument to make after today), the Eagles end up in the exact same spot in the playoffs as they did last year, when they won just 9 games and needed a minor miracle to make the playoffs.  It’s tough to win 11 games and only get the 6-seed, but just last year the Patriots won 11 and didn’t even make the playoffs, so it happens.  Next week’s game will be an interesting chess match between the coaching staffs of these two teams.  They’re in for a lot of film watching of this game over the next couple of days, and I do think we have the better coaching, so maybe the Birds can do a 180 from this horrible game and actually go back and win in this stadium next week.  Here’s hoping.

On a final note, why the heck are the Eagle starters still in the game???