SPORTSDAY

Posted by James @ 3:46 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

You forgot one:

Seattle 38 points, 404 yards, I'm a psychic

Posted by James @ 3:50 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Is Sean Payton getting residuals on his blueprint to hammer the hapless Dallas defense?

Posted by Chuck in Richardson @ 3:50 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

But Pete, those are the 4 best offenses in the league, right?

Posted by James @ 3:54 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Hey Bill,

Is it still a "fluke" that your defense has been lit up like a Christmas tree for the past month?

Posted by P @ 3:54 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

I think it's time to flush Mike Zimmer and his scout team level defensive players down the toilet.

Posted by Keith @ 3:56 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

The majority of the last 3 drafts for this? This is Parcells' defense. Maybe Newman was trying to call out himself and his fellow defenders. Try and blame THIS loss on T.O.

Posted by Cliff @ 3:58 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

This team is an embarrassment. What a choke job. I have not been this disgusted by a Cowboys team in many years. Just horrible.

Posted by DougO @ 3:58 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

The Big Flounder's grade for the regular season:

F- (is there anything lower?)

Posted by James @ 3:59 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Brain Teasers for Dallas Coaching Staff:

How can you rush 8 men and get blocked by 5?

And

How can we get sacked when only blocking 4 men with 6 guys?

Posted by Keith @ 3:59 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Parcells is a joke and so is his "defense". Boy, Kitna looked like an all-pro out there, didnt he?

Posted by Scott @ 4:03 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Parcells and Zimmer must go. There is no excuse for this.

Posted by carlos rojas @ 4:05 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

ive never been so unenthused for a Cowboy playoff game in my life...who cares about next week?

Posted by James @ 4:06 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Bree's and the Saints, OK
Vick and the Falcons in a must win at home, OK

Garcia and the Eagles at home, NO EXCUSE
Kitna and the Lions at home, DEATH NAIL to many coaches.

Posted by Jim In Dallas @ 4:07 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

It is really sad...... You spend how may #1 draft choices on Defense? You go into Free agency to shore up your OL WR's and Corners and this what you get? Who is buying the Groceries? I'm sure Parcell and Zimmer will find someone to blame ie... DL Coach DB Coach

Posted by DougO @ 4:08 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Ugliest numbers of all:

Dallas 2-4 in the division, 4-4 at home, 1-3 the last four weeks of the season.

Can the Tuna.

Posted by Ricky D @ 4:09 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Is there any way we can forfeit next weeks 'playoff' appearance? PLEASE, PLEASE spare us the embarrassment. What a hard pill to swallow watching Philly fans chearing the Cowboy score at their stadium. Playoffs? We deserve being the butt of all choke jokes.

Posted by Cliff @ 4:10 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Still fuming. What a bunch of quitters. I feel sorry for the fans at Texas Stadium who paid to see this. And I actually feel sorry for Jerry Jones, who dished out all that money for Parcells and these players just to watch them fold down the stretch.

Posted by Aaron Layman @ 4:11 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Here is what is most disappointing: This team was built to win on defense. They have spent the majority of their draft picks and money on that side of the ball, yet the defense has turned into a sieve. I think Zimmer is taking too much blame. He had a defense he wasn't familiar with forced on him, then is told by Parcells to play conservative. Zimmer will take the fall, but this one is on Parcells.

Posted by 8Ball @ 4:12 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

When is Saban's contract up in Miami? The crime rate in Texas is much lower and the quality of life much higher.

Posted by matt in sd @ 4:15 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

What's the going rate for Billicheck? 4 1st Rounders? I would go for it.

Posted by gene @ 4:16 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

big linebackers mean slow linebackers.small linebackers mean fast lb's.

Posted by Margie @ 4:17 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Ho, ho, HORRIBLE. Another December flop, but unfortunately THIS year we actually have to play on another week. A national embarrassment is headed our way in Seattle, but then again, this team seems to specialize in being embarrassed in high-profile games (other than Thanksgiving, of course). Ugh. Bye Bill. Your time is over, apparently.

Posted by gene @ 4:20 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

is it me or does henry look like he's running on sand with his shoes full of cement.

Posted by Phill @ 4:21 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

The record of a team with talent that doesn't want to play for the coaching staff - much as I like Parcells he has to go and a new younger, tougher coaching team needs to be brought in and given the same control.

Posted by Ray in Boston @ 4:24 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

This loss was good for the Cowboys. All things considered, Romo and the offense played pretty well despite the fumbles, etc... 31 points should be enough to win again. The defense was bad, but the Cowboys have done pretty well this year after stinking it up. If that trend follows, then we should pay a brilliant game next week on the road.

Posted by Gary M @ 4:25 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

get them out of texas stadium anyway for the 1st round....i'd rather be on the road the way this team is playing at home...in addition, with martz's offense and the way bill was talking about disrupting the qb, why aren't the corners jamming these guys!?

Posted by gene @ 4:27 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Manning,Brees,Vick,Garcia and now Kitna.Brees deserves everything he gets the other guys BUMS just like the cowboys defense BUMS.

Posted by Brian M., Atlanta @ 4:27 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

I'll say it again, as I said yesterday, this is NOT Zimmer's defense! Yes he has the title but he is NOT controlling the defense, Parcells is the defensive "mastermind" behind this collapse. This loss is pinned totally on the defense. Again when your offense feels as though you MUST score a TD on EVERY possession it gets (which are few and FAR between) your QB will push and mistakes will occur. And, when you constantly are dominated in the time of possession battle you have little to no chance of winning a playoff game. Jerry had better do the right thing in this offseason, Parcells MUST go.

Posted by Kevin @ 4:32 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

If I'm Jerry Jones, I'm asking all my defensive players to give me a refund on all those overpaid, underachieving performances. Honestly, can anyone make plays to stop any offense?

Posted by Glenn @ 4:34 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

If the Offensive line can't run block and can't pass block, just what good are they? If the defense can't stop anybody on third down, it's going to be a very short post season run. And the play calling is still atrocious! Running up the middle on virtually every 1st down is not going to get it done against ANYBODY. The lack of imagination means we need an Offensive Coordinator. Why does the Tuna put up with this. If it's good enough for him, then we need a new tuna.

Posted by Jeff L. @ 4:35 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Fire Zimmer? Sure, why not!? Fire the whole lot for all I care. But, let's at least wait to hear his explaination. Oh wait...that's right, he's not allowed to talk. So, you're telling me that he's not allowed to talk, but he's somehow given authority over the defensive approach?? Laughable.

Posted by Tom @ 4:38 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

There's been a lot of talk about whether Bill P will retire or not. Barring a win or two in the playoffs, I'm not sure Jerry should want him back. Yeah, Ellis went down. Big deal. Teams lose players on defense all the time. The good teams have backups who can perform at a high-level, or at least can put them in position to succeed. Besides, it's not like Ellis was Charles Haley. Yes he's a good pash rusher and seems like a good guy, but I'm not aware of him making any Pro Bowls. I say clean slate in the coaching staff, get someone younger with more energy who the players actually respect but just as importantly enjoy playing for. And on the player side, I'd rather lose without TO than win with him. He makes being a Cowboy fan difficult.

Posted by Collin Mc. @ 4:44 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

I can tell you I will have zero expectations on Saturday. Even then, I feel I will be somehow getting my hopes up too much.

Posted by Chris @ 4:49 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

How much longer can they blame this bad defense on the loss of Greg Ellis? They need to adjust the play calling and can not. Zimmer needs to go.

Posted by DougO @ 4:55 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

How can anyone blame Zimmer for being forced to run somebody else's defense? That was Bill's decision. Zim deserves a chance to rebound with his OWN defensive scheme. His past with the defense pre-Tuna has earned him that much.

Can the Tuna.

Posted by Robert @ 5:28 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

So a do nothing like Zimmer deserves a second shot but a HOF coach does not?

You guys are plain stupid. How about getting parcells a coach he actually wants?

Last I checked Jerry Jones made Parcells keep some of his dead wood and Zim zeems to be the last of the bunch.

Posted by David K @ 5:55 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Don't forget time of possession. In those games, our opponents averaged over 33 minutes TOP including the Falcons game where they only had it for 26.

Throw the Giants game while you're at it, even though it was a win.(On a last second field goal) 396 yards, 33+ TOP.

Teams playing keep away, beating Bill at his own game.

Giants: 33:21
New Orleans: 37:11
Atlanta: 26:39
Philly: 37:06
Detroit: 32:07

Posted by Jeff L. @ 6:44 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Parcells could have gotten rid of any 'dead wood' he didn't want to keep around.
I might be just plain stupid, but the bottome line is that this is Parcells' fourth season with Dallas, and the best finishing record during that span came in year 1...with Quincy Carter and all the other Campo leftovers.
Go figure.

Posted by mark @ 7:22 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

If I remember right, this is the last year for Zims contract and JJ did not elect to extend it past this season. So you don't have to demand to fire him.

Posted by kameleon_o @ 7:50 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Robert, what you just said proves who is really stupid here. Jerry let Parcells fire anyone he didn't want to keep. How much money did Jerry lose on contracts of coaches that Parcells let go?? Parcells has complete control over his staff and decides who is on it and has for four years. Zimmer is now HIS D-coordinator.

Posted by Bill L @ 8:05 PM Sun, Dec 31, 2006

Romo being stopped at the 2 yd. line did not lose the game. Tom Landry once said that if his defense could hold the opposition to 21 points his offense would win the game. The defense has lost these games.

Posted by Bluestar @ 11:05 AM Mon, Jan 01, 2007

Zimmer is the only good coach on the team. Blaming his defense for 4 turnovers and 5 Lion starts inside the Cowboys 40 and no ball control by the offense is crazy. The defense had 5 sacks and was robbed of a TD by a bonehead ref call. I always thought Peyton was a idiot until I realized Parcells was the one pulling the strings.

Posted by Keith @ 11:10 AM Mon, Jan 01, 2007

I think the other posts are right. It's not Zimmer's fault. If you have talent and coahcin, then it has to be the scheme. I'd rather have Zimmer's 4-3 than Parcells 3-4 any day. Take out the Giants and Steelers and how many 3-4 defenses have won a SuperBowl in the last 25 years??

Posted by jim @ 11:23 AM Mon, Jan 01, 2007

it's not as bad as it seems! it's the snowball affect....two oppenent first downs is one offensive possession,a third down drop is another, a first year quarterback fumble is another,ect with a few small pieces in the off season , this team will be a force, two stud offensive lineman,one stud pass rusher and a shut down corner and watch out,

Posted by Keith @ 11:26 AM Mon, Jan 01, 2007

Robert, check your stats. Zimm had a top 5 defense the year before Parcells floated to the suface - with NO talent. This is ALL Parcells. It's HIS defense. He drafted the guys. He sets the scheme. He calls ALL the shots.

Posted by David K @ 10:39 PM Mon, Jan 01, 2007

Keith, the year before Parcells arrived was 2002. That year his defense ranked 16th in yards allowed and 13th in points.

2000- 17th Yards allowed, 22nd points
2001- 2nd Yards allowed, 20th points
2002- 16th Yards allowed, 13th points
Average ranking, ~12th Yards allowed, ~18th points

2003- 1st Yards allowed, 2nd points
2004- 16th Yards allowed, 27th points
2005- 10th Yards allowed, 12th points
2006- 13th Yards allowed, 20th points
Average ranking, 10th Yards allowed, ~15th points

Talent or no talent, since he's been here, his defenses are generally decent stopping the run after the debacle in 2000, but also noted for a lack of pressure on the QB, relatively few turnovers, and susceptibility to the big play. That has happened with his defensive playcalling regardless of talent or scheme. His defenses lack creativity, and he does not make adjustments well. During this pathetic defensive run, it took a scrub Lions receiver to point out the flaw that's been exploited all month and was never amended.

Posted by Chris @ 12:40 AM Tue, Jan 02, 2007

Michael Vick is NOT an NFL QB, and HE IS A COACH-KILLER! Only in Atlanta!!!