INSIDE SLANT
Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan took full blame for the Cowboys’ loss to the Eagles on Sunday.
He said he was outcoached and outschemed. He said put it all on him.
“I was outcoached, out-everythinged,” Ryan said. “So it was all on me. It’s a terrible game plan. I never gave our guys a chance. We got killed by the flash play over and over and over, did a lousy job adjusting to it. It’s all my fault. I never gave our guys a chance.”
On Monday, other Cowboys shared in the blame for the 34-7 blowout loss, including coach Jason Garrett who said Ryan’s accountability is one of the things that attracted him to the Cowboys.
“I think one of the things we talk about as an organization is having the right kind of people in your organization as coaches and players and everybody involved in our football operation,” Garrett said. “When you lose a game there are two ways to go. You could say it’s somebody else’s fault or you take responsibility, accountability for what your job is within that ball game and I think we had a lot of guys who want to take responsibility and be accountable for what they did or didn’t do in the game and Rob is certainly one of them. I think we have a number of players who have the same approach, a number of really good players who have the same approach said the same kind of thing to me today.”
NOTES, QUOTES
• The Cowboys were beaten in every phase of the game against the Eagles right from the outset.
They seemingly lacked motivation and intensity. But coach Jason Garrett said execution was the biggest problem not a lack of effort. The Cowboys trailed 34-0 at halftime and 34-0 in the fourth quarter before they scored their only touchdown.
The Eagles had 495 yards to 267 for the Cowboys, 21 first downs to 12 and held the ball for 42 minutes, nine seconds while the Cowboys had it for 17:51.
“I don’t think there was any question about our effort tonight about our intensity, I think our guys played hard,” Garrett said. “We just didn’t play well. They executed better than we did in all three phases. That’s a good football team. When you don’t play well against a good football team, things like this happen.”
• The Cowboys came into the Eagles game with the league’s top-ranked run defense. They had not allowed a runner to gain more than 70 yards or a team to gain more than 101 in any of their first six games.
But that was before the Eagles’ LeSean McCoy rushed for a career-high 185 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries. The Eagles finished with 239 rushing yards on 38 carries.
“Obviously, with a back like McCoy, he can expose you really quick,” Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking said. “That was probably some of it. It’s hard to tell right now. He’s a great player. A lot of times he was pinned up, and he made yardage on his own. He got the edge of our defense. He ran inside. He did it all. We are all responsible for that.”
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Player Notes
• LB Bruce Carter played against Eagles for the first time after missing the first six games on the non-football injury list. He played only on special teams, but is looking forward to contributing in the regular defense and showing the Cowboys what he can do.
• LB Sean Lee has a dislocated wrist. He is hopeful of playing with the injury while wearing a cast, but the Cowboys are still evaluating the injury which could eventually require season-ending surgery. The Cowboys are going to see how the wrist heals before making a final prognosis.
• CB Mike Jenkins will be out three games with a hamstring injury. He will be replaced in the starting lineup by Orlando Scandrick.
• P Mat McBriar left the Eagles game because of ongoing problems with his left non-kicking foot. He has nerve damage in the foot that prevents him from planting. He is still getting it re-evaluated and plans to see a specialist.
• K Dan Bailey handled punting duties in the second half against the Eagles. The Cowboys signed Chris Jones to the practices squad as insurance.
Report Card Vs . EAGLES
Passing Offense: D—Tony Romo passed for only 56 yards through the first three quarters. Clearly the Eagles’ domination of the ball and the clock kept the Cowboys’ offense off the field. But they didn’t do much when they had the ball. Romo threw a first-half interception that killed a drive. The pick was the fault of tight end Martellus Bennett who let the ball bounce out of his hands. Romo was also sacked four times. Receivers Miles Austin and Dez Bryant were limited to three catches each in the game.
Rushing Offense: C—The Cowboys had just 10 carries in the game. DeMarco Murray had 74 yards on eight attempts. But the Cowboys were so far behind that they had to abandon the run early.
Pass Defense: F—DeMarcus Ware notched four sacks but that was an aberration considering the Eagles burned the Cowboys repeatedly via the pass. Michael Vick completed 21 of 28 for 279 yards and two touchdowns. He had five pass plays of 20 yards or more.
Rush Defense: F—The Cowboys were gashed by LeSean McCoy and the running game. The Cowboys had the league’s best run defense and hadn’t allowed a team more than 101 yards on the ground. That was before McCoy rushed for 180 and the Eagles amassed 239 on the ground.
Special Teams: C—The Cowboys were hamstrung in the punting game when Mat McBriar left with a left foot injury forcing kicker Dan Bailey to handle punts in the second half. The return game remains average.
Coaching: F—The Cowboys were outcoached and outclassed in the game. They didn’t seem ready to play. The coaches blamed it on poor execution. Rob Ryan admitted it was a bad game plan on defense.
