The Cowboys played like they were on a mission...and "dem Saints" played a little like they they had fewer than 11 men on the field at any given moment.
Keys to the game for Dallas were tons of pressure on Brees from his left side (thanks to a quickly-healed Demarcus Ware) and turnover-free football by the Cowboys' offense. The Saints, hampered at key positions, fell to a team well coached to exploit their weaknesses.
With tight-end Jeremy Shockey sidelines with turf toe, the Saints lacked commitment to the run, which they never established, and set up in a number of single tight-end formations that didn't seem to help much with pass protection. Early in the game the Saints fielded fullback Marcus Mailei, who they signed off the Philadelphia Eagle's practice squad on December 9, 2009. He offered little help against Ware and company during the Saints first two series.
When Reggie Bush pulled his hamstring after a 16-yard reception on a crossing pattern (and with some daylight in front of him) in the second quarter, it was quickly clear that the Saints were thinning out a bit on weapons. Unconvincing on play-action, unable to fool the Cowboys with the tight end screen, and without the dynamic Bush in the backfield, the Saints were left with three- and four-receiver sets that didn't start clicking until they went into the no-huddle in the fourth quarter.
After the Saints cut the Cowboys' lead from 24-3 down to 24-17, the Cowboys marched back down the field as the two-minute warning approached; after holding Dallas to a fourth down, the Saints appeared to have their "voodoo moment" when Cowboys' kicker Nick Folk (make that former Cowboys' kicker) saw his 24-yard kick careen off the goal post, thereby failing to make it a two-score game.
In the Superdome, one thing was clear. It was "miracle time" for the New Orleans Saints.
But this time, mighty Casey struck out. With six seconds left to play and only a "hail mary" left as an option, Brees was sacked by Ware, fumbled and the Cowboys recovered the ball.
Aside from the dashed hopes of a perfect season -- which the Indianapolis Colts and QB Peyton Manning are still pursuing at 14-0 in the AFC -- it became clear by the end of the weekend that the game ultimately had no effect on the playoff picture after the Minnesota Vikings lost their Sunday night game to the Carolina Panthers. Sitting atop the NFC at 13-1, the Saints need one more win (or one loss by Minnesota) to secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Meanwhile, it's time to lick some wounds and get people healthy. The Saints are known for their weapons on offense, but they need to get some of them back and at 100%, including Bush (who, after leaving the game in the second quarter was later doing high kicks and wind sprints on the sidelines, suggesting that he might have been staying loose ... and perhaps even trying to convince Saints coach Sean Peyton that he was ready to go back into the game).
More disconcerting is the desperate need for "D" going into the playoffs; it was clear from watching in the Superdome on Saturday that the Saints need solid linebacking to hold the run in check and they need better d-backs in order to free up Darren Sharper to key on the quarterback and jump routes looking for turnovers.
Miles Austin was on fire on Saturday for Dallas, their running game was picking up big yards on first down and Romo was efficient in the pocket. Kudos to the Cowboys, who are definitely playing up as the season wears on this year -- the rest of their season will be very interesting to watch.
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