Home > 2005 Schedule and Tickets > Game 2 stats and recap

The Tables have been turned, at least for now.
Tough loss, really tough. I can't remember a tougher one from recent memory. Yea, the Cowboys lost some games in the past few years during the final minutes but not recently have they lost a 2 touchdown lead in the final few minutes.... the Cowboys are the team that is suppose to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and not the other way around! Crap, Crap, mega Crap!

For 56 minutes the Cowboys defense looked every bit of a Super Bowl bound defense. They shutdown everything the Redskins threw at them. For 56 minutes they had the Redskins offense scratching their heads and wondering if they would even get close enough to the end zone to see it. For 56 minutes the Cowboys defense was the best I have seen in many many years.. when was their last shutout? For 56 minutes, for 56 fleeting minutes.. the Problem of course is the game last 60 minutes, not 56 minutes. Sometimes you can take a break in the final few minutes of a game, relax a little, rest on your laurels. But with only a 13 point lead you can't! Late Monday night was NOT the time to relax, not the time to take a breather and say, 'hey, we got this one in the bag'! I don't think the Cowboys defense did that, sure they got tired but I don't think they ever let up! The Redskins didn't march down the field on a tired lazy defense and score 2 late touchdowns, they exploded down the field in 2 plays, 2 plays that cost the Cowboys defense a shutout, 2 plays that cost the Cowboys the game and 2 plays that turned the tables on the Cowboys mystique, at least for now.

For most of the game it was a defensive slugfest. Neither the Redskins nor the Cowboys offense looked very comfortable. The Cowboys did take the opening kickoff into scoring territory before finally attempting a short field goal that was missed by new kicker Jose Cortez. It didn't take long before the Cowboys started missing Billy Cundiff. The Redskins offense was equally inept, unable to move the ball close enough even for a field goal attempt.

Before the 1st half ended, the Cowboys Terrance Newman picked off a pass from Mark Brunnel, returned to Cowboys territory where the Cowboys eventually ended up kicking the go ahead field Goal. The Score at the half was 3-0 Cowboys.

The fans at the game were treated to a half time presentation of the Cowboys Triplets "Michael Irvin, Troy Aikman, and Emmitt Smith" induction into the Cowboys Ring of Honor!

The Cowboys defense remained stingy through the second half, not allowing the Redskins many yards. The Cowboys offense opened the 2nd half with a little trickery, On the Cowboys first possession of the 2nd half Bledsoe handed the ball off to Julius Jones who quickly tossed it back to Bledsoe who then hit a streaking Terry Glenn for a 70 touchdown pass and a Cowboys 10-0 lead. The score remained 10-0 until mid way through the 4th quarter when the Cowboys were able to move the ball just enough to get into field goal range, Jose Cortez made his 2nd field goal of the night and the Cowboys had a seemingly insurmountable 13-0 lead. Seemingly because the Cowboys defense had not allowed the Redskins anything remotely close to a scoring drive.

Just when you thought it was safe to switch into celebration mode, the Redskins had 4th and 13 with less than 4 minutes to play.. ball game overrrrrrrrrrr.. NOT SO FAST, Brunell hits a streaking Santana Moss on a 40 yard touchdown play, Cowboys lead now very meager at 13-7. Surely the Redskins didn't have 2 rabbits in their hats? All the Cowboys had to do was pick up a few 1st downs and the game would be over.. They were able to pick up 1 first down thanks to a Redskins penalty but just when you think they have the 2nd first down and the game in the bag, the refs call holding on Flozell Adams wiping out a 1st down catch by Keyshawn Johnson and forcing the Cowboys into a 3rd and long... The Cowboys get most of the yards on a pass from Bledsoe to Witten but not enough and they are forced to punt!

Redskins have the ball with just over 2 minutes to play, no Problem. The Cowboys defense surely were not going to allow another long pass..... wait.. crap! QUickly, almost too quickly the Redskins struck on almost the exact same post route From Brunnel to Santana Moss, 70 yards this time and just like that, the Redskins have to come to life and now lead 14-13!

Even though the Cowboys still had over 2 minutes to play and even though Tyson Thompson returned the Kickoff to midfield, the Cowboys were done. Shell shocked, the Redskins defense which had played well all night, had the momentum and shut the Cowboys down at mid field. No late field goal or touchdown to win this Game, no late game heroics by Patrick Crayton, or Troy Aikman, or Roger Staubach, or Clint Longley.. nothing.. the tables have turned.

Injuries; none but where was Terence Newman on those 2 long Touchdown passes?

Player of the Game; When the defense plays that well and the offense kinda teeters you would normally select a defensive player, but in light of how the game ended and it was more of a defensive team effort vs a great individual effort I select WR Terry Glenn along with his 157 yards receiving as the player of the game.

Other players who deserve props; Several players on the defense played very well. Anthony Henry with another great performance, Dat Nguyen was making a lot of plays, Scott Shanle had his best game as a pro and Rookie DeMarcus Ware continues to shine!

Grades:
Offense - C; They will need to score more than 13 points to win most games. They struggled to move the ball on the ground and did little more in the air. The penalties probably cost us the game.
Defense - B+; For 56 minutes this defense was grading in at A+, then the collapse. 60 minutes guys, 60 minutes!
Special teams - C; The missed field goal hurt, coverage was good and Tyson Thompson gave the Cowboys hope with a late kickoff return to mid field.

Scoring Summary 1st Quarter   None 2nd Quarter FG Jose Cortez 33 Yd, 11:20. Drive: 7 plays, 16 yards in 3:40. 3rd Quarter TD Terry Glenn, 70 Yd pass from Drew Bledsoe (Jose Cortez kick is good), 12:51. Drive: 1 play, 60 yards in 0:35. 4th Quarter FG Jose Cortez 41 Yd, 5:58. Drive: 9 plays, 53 yards in 6:27. TD Santana Moss, 39 Yd pass from Mark Brunell (Nick Novak kick is good), 3:46. Drive: 10 plays, 76 yards in 2:12. TD Santana Moss, 70 Yd pass from Mark Brunell (Nick Novak kick is good), 2:35. Drive: 2 plays, 80 yards in 0:17.

Did you notice? Lavar Arrington? where was he? The stat line says 1 tackle, nothing else.. I didn't see it.

For all the hype Patrick Crayton got last week, zippo this week. You have to show up every game Patrick!

Peerless Price caught his 1st pass as a Cowboy, albeit for -1 yard!

The Cowboys are not getting the ball to Jason Witten down the middle of the field this year.. yet..

The stats ABC put up showing the Redskins were on an NFL record streak of 0-25 when trailing going into the 4th quarter was the start of a jinx. The stat line that said Bill Parcells was 77-0 as a head coach when leading by 13 or more points any time during the 4th quarter cemented the jinx!

Next game; Sunday September 25th in San Francisco against the 49er's. Not as big a rivalry as it was just a few years ago since both teams faltered the last few years but stil it would be nice to stick it to the niners....

2005 Season stats