The Cowboys made a big statement with their first drive for a score against the Birds, but the Eagles made some mistakes which contributed greatly.
On the second play from scrimmage, middle linebacker Akeem Jordan misread his keys and opened the door for a long run by Marion Barber, which went for 32 yards.
It was a simple fullback lead with Barber following him off right tackle. Jeremiah Trotter would have wrecked Barber’s world on the play, but he was watching from the sideline because of his problems defending the pass.
What was Jordan looking at which make him come straight ahead although Barber was getting the ball and heading toward the Eagles leftside?
If he had followed his keys he would have been unblocked in the hole and made the play.
Instead he took himself out of the play by attacking the guard to the Eagles right side.
They can’t play him at middle linebacker if he’s going to read his keys like that.
Another killer play happened on third down and five on the Eagles 40 yard line.
Romo misfired on a slant route to Miles Austin and the defense was off the field, but Sheldon Brown seemed to slip on a Miles Austin slant route and grabbed him.
It resulted in a pass interference penalty. This is not the kind of move you expect out of a veteran cornerback.
Joselio Hanson had read the route and was standing in position to pick the pass off if it were on line which made it impossible for Romo to get the ball in there. He threw it high and incomplete.
The Brown penalty really hurt.
A couple of plays later on second and ten from the Eagles 35 yard line, Barber followed big Leonard Davis around the right side for 18 yards as Davis swallowed up rookie Moise Fokou.
All of the linebackers were moving the wrong way on the play. Fokou seemed to be focused in on the tight end which took him out of position.
The touchdown was scored on 3rd and 4, when Romo hit tight end Jason Witten on the four-yard line. Asante Samuel went for the pick and missed, instead of making the tackle along with linebacker Will Witherspoon.
Samuel makes every play a an adventure because he’s going to either pick it off and let it be completed and not make the tackle.
Witten leaned into the end zone for the score.
