Tony Romo was running for his life nearly every play as the Cowboys offensive line had no answer for the Vikings' front four. Ray Edwards (seen sacking Romo above) had three sacks, four tackles for loss and two forced fumbles for the game. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)It started so promisingly for the Cowboys.
After receiving the opening kickoff, it took only six plays for the Cowboys to get to the Vikings 34 yard-line. A 4-yard loss by Felix Jones and then a sack and subsequent fumble ended that drive.
But then the Dallas defense holds strong, forcing Minnesota into a three-and-out - punctuated by a sack by Demarcus Ware on 3rd down and a 9-yard loss on the play.
Six plays later, the Cowboys are back in Vikings territory. This time they drive to the Minnesota 30, setting up Shaun Suisham for a 48-yard field goal. Suisham misses wide-left and then the Vikings score on their next possession.
This was the game (when it was still a game) in a nutshell. Dallas would drive down the field, racking up all kinds of yardage, and then screw it up near the red-zone. Missed field goals, sacks (and tackles for loss) that took the Cowboys out of field goal range and turnovers killed many Cowboys' drives.
The Dallas offensive line (especially after Flozell Adams went out with a calf injury late in the second quarter) was pathetic. They had no push on running plays and couldn't give Romo any time to find a receiver open down field. Romo was sacked six times and was hit at least 10 times that I saw, not to mention sometimes well after the play which, if he was Tom Brady, would have been penalties and set Dallas up for easy scores. The Cowboys had 17 plays in which they gained negative yardage - a sure sign your O-line isn't getting the job done.
The Cowboys got into the red-zone only one time all game - converting a 33-yard field goal from the Vikings 13 yard-line. Give the Vikings defense credit, they harassed Romo all game long and weren't fooled at all by the delayed hand-off that the Cowboys had perfected all-season long. Dallas had averaged 25 points a game over the last four games, but the Vikings held the Cowboys without a touchdown for the first time since the last game of last season - the 44-6 drubbing courtesy of the Eagles.
This was only the second time in Cowboys playoff history that they were beat by more than 30 points. The last was Jan. 2, 1992, in the divisional round, against the Detroit Lions (38-6).
"Any time you come in with the expectations and goals we set and don't accomplish them, No. 1, it's frustrating," said Romo, who finished the game 22-35 for 198 yards with an interception and three fumbles (two lost). "Right now, it's just hard to think the season is over."
Dallas Defense Put In Tough Spot
The Cowboys' offense certainly didn't do the defense any favors in this one. Minnesota had drives that started at the Cowboys' 20, 15, 33, and 37 yard line converting points (two field goal and a touchdown) on three of the four drives.
The Dallas defense did allow some big plays in the secondary that were inexcusable. Sidney Rice's first touchdown of the game - a 47-yard bomb - was simply a case of Gerald Sensabough not knowing where the ball was. He didn't see the football until after Rice handed it to the ref.
The Cowboys' defense did keep it a 17-3 game until early in the fourth quarter, but you can only bend but not break for so long before a good offense beats a tired defense. Dallas allowed more points against the Vikings (34) than they had allowed in their previous four games combined (31).
That's Not The "Same Ol' Brett"
"Same Ol' Brett," said Sidney Rice who tied an NFL record with three touchdown catches. "He's doing things he's done since he first came into the league..."
NO. That's not the same old Brett. The old Brett Favre would have thrown the football to the Cowboys at least a couple of times in this game.
I don't know who this new guy is, or what he did with the mistake prone Favre, but he certainly isn't the same quarterback.
Favre completed 15-24 passes for 234 yards and a career playoff-best four touchdowns with no interceptions! He also beat Dallas in the playoffs for the first time in his career (1-3).
"Perhaps the most fatigued I got today was celebrating," said Favre.
Brooking Pissy Over Late Touchdown
I'm going to make this short and sweet:
Yes, the Vikings are dicks for running up the score, but isn't it the defense's job to keep the other team out of the end-zone - regardless of time remaining or score? If the Cowboy didn't want to get 'disrespected' by the final touchdown then they should have played better defense.
What's Next
Well, for the Cowboys, it's time to start thinking NFL draft.
The Vikings will travel to New Orleans next Sunday (5:00 p.m.) for the NFC Championship game.
News and Notes:
- Three points is the second-lowest total for a Cowboys team in the playoffs. Dallas was shutout 24-0 by the Los Angeles Rams on Jan. 4, 1986.
- Minnesota is now 8-1 this season when Adrian Peterson gets 20 or more carries. Peterson was shut down by the Dallas D, with only 63 yards on 26 carries.
- The Cowboys defense registered three sacks on Favre, the highest total against the Vikings at home this season.
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