Monday Morning Meltdown: Cowboys 38, Eagles 27
By Cory Mageors | @inthemageors
DALLAS (105.3 THE FAN) -- Now some people might call me a homer, but how many times are you a homer before you are just right all the time?
Listen, my boss didn't put me on air just because I like the Cowboys. He knows I know my local teams, and I'm proud to say our show knows sports too. Thank you for making us a part of your friendship circle, and getting Masterpieced with us night in and night out.
I predicted 10-6 for the Cowboys, but to be honest, 10 wins is not enough now. So it's perfectly acceptable for fans to start reassessing their standards for this team and commit to winning the division with a 12-4 record. It's almost essential, even though I'll explain below how the Cowboys can lose to the Colts and still get a playoff spot.
I also felt confident in this team all week. The line played better, though I would have liked to see Romo touched a lot less and would have liked them to scale back some of those penalties.
I felt Romo would be a different player and look, there is just a different quality about this team this year that we haven't seen before in the Jason Garrett era -- and I like it.
This question came up from our friend Sir Christopher on Twitter: Does Jason Garrett deserve a nod for coach of the year? And for those who said Garrett is definitely back with the Cowboys in the future, was there ever any doubt? Didn't I say sign him to a 10-year contract?
I like how Jerry Jones wasn't blasting about after the game either, very Cuban like circa 2011 Championship run.
Big win for the Cowboys.
The Rest of the NFL
WSH-NYG -- While I always dislike when opposing NFC East teams face each other because one of the teams has to win, I'll always root against the Redskins. Maybe it's the franchise, maybe it's the deep rooted history and hate, I don't know, I just don't like them and never will.
Colt McCoy got hurt and had to leave the game, and Bob Griffin had to step in: 18-for-26, 236 yards and a TD. I'm all for anything that leaves Jay Gruden and Co. searching for answers every week while Dan Snyder counts the days until he replaces another coach.
Can anybody stop Odell Beckham Jr? 12 catches, 143 yards and 3 TD's. The answer is yes, just nobody in Washington.
GB–BUF – What? Nobody thought that Kyle Orton and the Brawling Bills would take down the high flying antics of Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
Then again, Jim Scwartz did get to focus solely on the defensive side of the ball after having faced Rodgers a number of times as the HC in Detroit, and isn't it Buffalo that always seems to give Tom Brady headaches?
Rodgers has not been held to 0 TD's all season, until Sunday. In fact he's only been held to 1 TD three times this year and only held under 2 TD's 5 times this year! In 14 games!
Until Sunday, Rodgers had only thrown 3 interceptions, spread over 2 games! It's amazing the season he's having, but that was an impressive feat by the Bills.
PLAYOFF ALERT NOTE: With that loss, suddenly the last two games for the Packers are ever more important. If they lose to Detroit to end the season, and Detroit beats Chicago (likely), that makes Detroit the NFC North winner, which could put the Packers in a three way tie for the Wild Card with either Dallas or Philly, and Arizona or Seattle.
For Cowboys fans, now that you've beaten Philly, if you happen to lose to the Colts who are on a four game winning streak and just secured the top spot in the AFC North, and beat Washington, you hold the tie-breaker against the Packers ultimately bumping them out of the playoffs. WOW!
PIT -ATL – Not sure how Ben Rothlisberger throws for 360 yards and no touchdowns and the Steelers score 27 points, but that's the Steelers way, right?
Matt Ryan and the Falcons just don't have that magic anymore. Maybe with a healthy Julio Jones, but that's starting to become a rare commodity. Roddy White becomes the all-time leading TD scorer for the Falcons with his TD in the fourth quarter.
OAK-KC – The Kansas City Chiefs still have not thrown a TD to a WR this season, actually since last year. Yet somehow this team scores points and wins games. I don't know how Alex Smith does it, but I have to credit Andy Reid with the 70-yard bomb to Knile Davis, which is almost proof they are intentionally not trying to throw TD's to receivers.
MIA – NE—Gronk didn't have a catch in the first half, but responded with 3 catches for 96 yards and a TD to end the game. Dude is a beast. Who are you more afraid of: him, or Aaron Hernandez?
CIN-CLE—Well, that was awkward. 80-yards. A very underwhelming debut for Johnny Manziel, but you gotta learn sometime right?
That being said, Andy Dalton understood what was in front of him and took advantage, with his running game. Jeremy Hill had 24 carries for 148 yards and 2 TD's. Even local boy Rex Burkhead got a TD at the end of the game! Burkhead scored more TD's than Johnny Manziel yesterday. Now Burkhead is a character guy.
TB-CAR – How in the heck is Carolina at the top of the NFC South? Oh yeah, that tie. Could change tonight though if the Saints can top the Bears. You can hear that game on 105.3 The Fan!
DEN-SD – The Legend of Peyton Manning continues to grow. Four bags of IV, and a sore thigh. He battles through to win. It's a good thing too, because the height differential between Brock Osweiller and CJ Anderson made it tough for them to stick that QB-RB exchange, and they actually had to throw with the 12-foot tall QB.
SF-SEA – And the Seahawks trounce the 49ers. Now Kevin Hageland wants to host a game, so if Seattle wins out and beats Arizona, Arizona falls to the Wild Card and the Cowboys host a playoff game with a bye. Weird NFL life right?
Cory Mageors co-hosts The K&C Masterpiece weeknights 7-11 on 105.3 The Fan. Follow him at @inthemageors and @kandc1053 and check out the shows Facebook page The K&C Masterpiece!
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