DALLAS FALLOUT

by Love Without Nagel, The Meaningful Collateral

"Sometimes When You Suck Someone Off, They End Up Wearing The Load."

Corey Webster, Aaron Ross, Michael Johnson, James Butler, Gibril Wilson, R.W. McQuarters, Geoffrey Pope. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees 1-7 batting order? No, this was the Giants secondary, the entire secondary available against the Cowboys. If another player got dinged, they were going to call Everson Walls and see if he could make it to the stadium in time for the next play. Perhaps Phillippi Sparks could have made it on time? Maybe Will Demps, who the Giants cut after an injury could have been there for the next snap?

The Giants somehow were able to hide their most glaring weakness during a time when the Cowboys were most apt to throw the ball down field. How in the hell is this possible? Over 3/4s of the game was controlled by the Cowboys offense. At what point did their offensive line decide blocking was optional? In fact, it was not only the passing game that flat-lined for the Cowboys, where did Marion Barber go in the second half? Barber ended the first half with over 100 yards. Dallas had a huge advantage in time of possession, they were playing against a tired, decimated defense with a power running game and 2.5 legitimate skill threats at wide receiver. Who can be responsible for this demise? Here are the most likely candidates...

And you thought I was going to say Tony Romo. It started with center Andre Gurode, who apparently can't seem to get the ball to Romo when the dreamy signal caller looks for the snap. Gurode's lack of ability led to false start penalties. Additionally, Dallas had the Giants on the ropes the majority of the game, why did they all of the sudden stop making blocks? Perhaps Tony "Hollywood" Sparano should have worried about making his game plan instead of recording segments for The World Wide Leader and interviewing for jobs.

2. Tony Romo- Old T-Rome caught the load this time. Blame must be put on his shoulders. Romo used to be the "aww shucks" guy. Now equipped with a new contract, endorsements that are nearing Peyton Manning's level, and his second relationship with a recording artist, Romo is getting hacky. This was chronicled by this author and the Hebrew Hammer earlier this year. Take away his 5 Super Bowl rings and he is just another guy....Oh wait, that's right. Romo has two less playoff wins than his counterpart Eli Manning. If you are new to sports that means Z-E-R-O. Perhaps he and Jessica Simpson can do a Doritos commercial about it in the off season. Romo should learn that you ARE allowed to throw the ball away when outside the pocket, just not when you ARE IN the pocket. By the way, Romo's press conference looked less by a starting Quarterback for an NFL team and more like a 13 year old who has just been grounded by his parents. His most asinine comment post game was: "When I made the choice of those things, I thought I was making a good decision and not going to (Las) Vegas and drinking for two or three days. "I was just trying to get away and not be around people." Way to sell out your team, LEADER.

3. Wade Phillips- The guy Jerry Jones hired to keep a seat warm pulled a Norv Turner this year, while Norv Turner pulled a Tom Coughlin. Interesting. Maybe Jones should have hired someone to keep his players out of Mexican resorts and Las Vegas during the bye week? Bill Parcells had a list of rules for Quarterbacks that Tony Romo HAD TAPED in his locker at one point. Where did that go?

4. Patrick "Talky Talky" Crayton- has there ever been a number three Wide Reciver who has talked as much as Crayton? Remember his locker room blow up after the loss to the Patriots? Here's Crayton talking about New England's defense after getting waxed by the Patriots: "Defensively, I can tell you no, they're not [the real deal]. They're not (that good) at all. The only time they stopped us is when we had penalties. If that's stopping us, it is what it is. Defensively, they are not the real deal."

Comments leading up to the Giants game: "It's just funny that those guys talk. "They talk every time we get ready to play them. I've learned that when players have to talk about another team like that, No. 1, either they're scared, or No. 2, they're trying to talk themselves into thinking they can do it. I think they're trying to talk themselves into believing they can do it."

It has always been my belief that "yee should not talk shit about the other team when you are the third WR on a team and plan on dropping passes."

5. Offensive play calling- Immediately after the game, I spoke with another writer from my site. He wondered why in the second half the Cowboys continued to run "60 Stretch Far laaaaaaaaaaaa." I am sure this will be commonly reported on all sports blogs today, but a shout out is due to The Man of Cheese for his insight.

It's pretty obvious that the Cowboys were arrogant. Their overconfidence was at a Napoleonic level. It was their undoing. The Cowboys will go to Irving this week to collect their belongings while the Giants will go to Green Bay undermanned and overmatched yet again. I think Michael Strahan said it best:

"I can't say that we love them and they love us. There was a lot of after-the-whistle stuff that wasn't necessary. There was a lot of stuff said before the game. Especially [Patrick] Crayton, I didn't know his name. If anybody should say anything it isn't him. We just hope T.O. has the popcorn ready. Maybe he and Crayton can sit in his home theater and watch us."

Somewhere Nick Lachey must be having a good, hearty laugh.