NFC East: Johnny Knox
When I encountered new Chicago Bears receiver Roy Williams after practice Sunday night, he was calm. His voice projected at normal volumes. He wasn't trying to make anyone laugh or find his way into the headlines or otherwise be the life of the party.
It's too easy and would be cliché to suggest Williams was humbled by three unproductive seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. But I do think he fully understands how fortunate he is to have landed with the Bears, a team that doesn't need him to be the star of its offense but which offers a scheme that coaxed his best two seasons in the NFL.
"This is the best scheme in the country for me," Williams said. "It's the best scheme, hands down."
In two seasons under offensive coordinator Mike Martz, when both were with the Detroit Lions, Williams caught 146 passes for 2,148 yards and 12 touchdowns. In the other six seasons of his career, Williams has totaled 210 receptions for 3,060 yards and 30 scores.
For that reason, the Bears wasted no time inserting Williams into their first-team offense during training camp drills this week. The move displaced their top-yardage man from last season, Johnny Knox, and in the end it demonstrated how much the Bears valued a different-sized body among their receivers.
"I know Jay [Cutler] was begging for a big guy," Williams said. "I know I fit the mold of a big guy. I'm not a Brandon Marshall, who is nine-feet tall. But I'm a big guy who can go across the middle, make the catch and try to keep the chains moving."
Williams' classic 6-foot-3 frame suggests his performance should transcend scheme, but it obviously hasn't during his eight-year career. Why did Williams perform so well for Martz in Detroit? Part of it, to be sure, was Martz's pass-happy play-calling at the time. Someone had to get the yards. But I also think that despite his frame, Williams' athleticism and footwork get him to the precise point Martz demands of his receivers in a way normally reserved for much smaller men.
Williams referred to the Bears' receiving group as "The Smurfs" because Knox, Earl Bennett and Devin Hester are all under six-feet tall. But normally, receivers built closer to the ground are quicker in and out of their cuts than longer, loping wideouts.
For whatever reason, Williams had no problem executing in Martz's scheme with the Lions. During the Bears practices I watched this week, his long arms and reach were an important contrast to those of his teammates. Cutler now has his go-up-and-get-it receiver.
Knox, on the other hand, was particularly upset about the quick demotion. But with all due respect, it wouldn't make sense to have three receivers of the same size on the field when there is a viable alternative, and it was unlikely that Cutler favorite Earl Bennett was going to get pushed down the depth chart.
"[Knox] is upset," Williams said. "Everybody is a competitor in this league. You have to be a competitor, but at the same time you have to know what's going on. I would be upset if a guy just came in and got in front of me. That's the nature of this business. There is nothing wrong with what he did. Nothing wrong with what he did. He had an exceptional season last year. If anything is to happen to me, or I go down, he's a great guy to come back in."
In truth, I would consider 2011 an enormous success for Williams if he finishes with the same kind of production -- 51 receptions for 960 yards and five touchdowns -- that Knox did last season. Williams boasts two years of experience in this system, and his arrival will give Knox an opportunity to be a package-focused playmaker as opposed to one expected to make tough catches on third-and-6.
Which brings us to the larger question: Can Williams be trusted with a starting role? I can tell you this much: He couldn't have landed in a better spot to answer that question.
"I know how this thing works," he said. "I know how it works."
It's too easy and would be cliché to suggest Williams was humbled by three unproductive seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. But I do think he fully understands how fortunate he is to have landed with the Bears, a team that doesn't need him to be the star of its offense but which offers a scheme that coaxed his best two seasons in the NFL.
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Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesNew Bears receiver Roy Williams had his two most productive NFL seasons under Mike Martz while they were in Detroit.
Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesNew Bears receiver Roy Williams had his two most productive NFL seasons under Mike Martz while they were in Detroit.In two seasons under offensive coordinator Mike Martz, when both were with the Detroit Lions, Williams caught 146 passes for 2,148 yards and 12 touchdowns. In the other six seasons of his career, Williams has totaled 210 receptions for 3,060 yards and 30 scores.
For that reason, the Bears wasted no time inserting Williams into their first-team offense during training camp drills this week. The move displaced their top-yardage man from last season, Johnny Knox, and in the end it demonstrated how much the Bears valued a different-sized body among their receivers.
"I know Jay [Cutler] was begging for a big guy," Williams said. "I know I fit the mold of a big guy. I'm not a Brandon Marshall, who is nine-feet tall. But I'm a big guy who can go across the middle, make the catch and try to keep the chains moving."
Williams' classic 6-foot-3 frame suggests his performance should transcend scheme, but it obviously hasn't during his eight-year career. Why did Williams perform so well for Martz in Detroit? Part of it, to be sure, was Martz's pass-happy play-calling at the time. Someone had to get the yards. But I also think that despite his frame, Williams' athleticism and footwork get him to the precise point Martz demands of his receivers in a way normally reserved for much smaller men.
Williams referred to the Bears' receiving group as "The Smurfs" because Knox, Earl Bennett and Devin Hester are all under six-feet tall. But normally, receivers built closer to the ground are quicker in and out of their cuts than longer, loping wideouts.
For whatever reason, Williams had no problem executing in Martz's scheme with the Lions. During the Bears practices I watched this week, his long arms and reach were an important contrast to those of his teammates. Cutler now has his go-up-and-get-it receiver.
Knox, on the other hand, was particularly upset about the quick demotion. But with all due respect, it wouldn't make sense to have three receivers of the same size on the field when there is a viable alternative, and it was unlikely that Cutler favorite Earl Bennett was going to get pushed down the depth chart.
"[Knox] is upset," Williams said. "Everybody is a competitor in this league. You have to be a competitor, but at the same time you have to know what's going on. I would be upset if a guy just came in and got in front of me. That's the nature of this business. There is nothing wrong with what he did. Nothing wrong with what he did. He had an exceptional season last year. If anything is to happen to me, or I go down, he's a great guy to come back in."
In truth, I would consider 2011 an enormous success for Williams if he finishes with the same kind of production -- 51 receptions for 960 yards and five touchdowns -- that Knox did last season. Williams boasts two years of experience in this system, and his arrival will give Knox an opportunity to be a package-focused playmaker as opposed to one expected to make tough catches on third-and-6.
Which brings us to the larger question: Can Williams be trusted with a starting role? I can tell you this much: He couldn't have landed in a better spot to answer that question.
"I know how this thing works," he said. "I know how it works."
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Five nuggets of knowledge about the Week 7 games.
Can Kevin Kolb stay on a roll against an opportunistic defense? You can throw for a lot of yards against the Titans, as the Giants and Cowboys showed. But the Titans' secondary is good at keeping teams out of the end zone. They've only given up six passing touchdowns this season and they have a knack for making plays in the red zone, as Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw knows all too well. Cortland Finnegan is one of the more underrated cornerbacks in the league, but I think Jeremy Maclin can get open against him. If the Titans sell out to stop Maclin, Kolb will look for Jason Avant and Brent Celek. Against a quick defensive line -- Dave Ball and Jason Babin have been outstanding -- Kolb will have to unload the ball quickly. LeSean McCoy has emerged as a big-time threat in the passing game, so look for him to try to get in matchups with former teammate Will Witherspoon in space. In a hostile environment, it's imperative that the Eagles have their quick game working early. I think Avant will be open on some drag routes because the Titans' safeties will let him cross their faces. If the Eagles have one turnover or less, I think they’ll win. The Titans feed off defensive takeaways. When they don't happen, this can look like a pretty ordinary team.
The Cowboys must be aware of Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora at all times. Umenyiora has turned into the same beast we remember from '07. The Cowboys are going to have to help Marc Colombo against Umenyiora because of his speed and ability to get low around the edge. The former Pro Bowler has eight sacks and a staggering seven forced fumbles on the season. When Mathias Kiwanuka went down with a neck injury following the Titans game, Umenyiora raised his level of play significantly. And as Justin Tuck likes to point out, defensive tackle Barry Cofield is having a remarkable season. It's a good thing the Giants weren't able to complete that draft-day trade with him. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has great respect for the Giants' defensive line, and that's why you'll likely see a steady dose of screens again this week. I do think Romo will try to see if he can get Witten matched up against Giants middle linebacker Jonathan Goff early in this game. By the way, Hakeem Nicks (hamstring) and Tuck (ankle) missed Friday's practice, but they're both expected to play.
The Redskins can't fall asleep in the secondary. You would hope the Skins have watched film of what the Giants did to the Bears three weeks ago. Jay Cutler was under siege from the opening snap of that game. He's really bad about holding the ball too long. If outside linebackers Brian Orakpo and Lorenzo Alexander can make Cutler uncomfortable, he's a mistake waiting to happen. This is a game where you always must be looking for the strip. The Bears killed the Cowboys by dumping the ball to Matt Forte and Devin Hester in the quick passing game. That set up a deep ball to Johnny Knox. The Bears don't have possession receivers, but they do have wideouts who can fly. Kareem Moore and LaRon Landry must make sure they're getting proper depth. And DeAngelo Hall must stop questioning his coaches long enough to have his head in the game Sunday and not give up any deep balls.
Can the Cowboys cut down on their penalties against the Giants? Coach Wade Phillips hired officials for practice this week in an effort to identify some of the problems. The Cowboys lead the league by averaging 80.8 yards per game from penalties. They're called for nearly 10 penalties per game. The Giants were on a similar pace earlier in the season, but they've eliminated some of those mistakes. All this talk about how well the Cowboys have played from Phillips and Jerry Jones is falling on deaf ears. If they have 10 penalties against the Giants on Monday, I think they'll lose.
Eagles linebackers must be on their game against Titans RB Chris Johnson. The Eagles were solid against Frank Gore and Michael Turner, but they realize that Johnson has a different gear. He's having a down year by his ridiculous standards, but he's still capable of going off for 170 yards and three touchdowns against pretty much any defense in the league. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott has preached the importance of "gap-sound" football this week in practice.
"As soon as you think you have him stopped, he cuts it back and he hits a seam and he's off to the races,” McDermott told reporters Thursday.
The Titans are the rare team that will stay with the running game if they fall behind by 10 points or so. Honestly, it's probably worse for the Eagles if Kerry Collins starts for Vince Young. With Young, you know he's only going to throw the ball about 20 times. Collins is still capable of having a big day in the passing game, though. But the Titans are smart enough never to abandon the running game.
Five nuggets of knowledge about the Week 7 games.
Can Kevin Kolb stay on a roll against an opportunistic defense? You can throw for a lot of yards against the Titans, as the Giants and Cowboys showed. But the Titans' secondary is good at keeping teams out of the end zone. They've only given up six passing touchdowns this season and they have a knack for making plays in the red zone, as Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw knows all too well. Cortland Finnegan is one of the more underrated cornerbacks in the league, but I think Jeremy Maclin can get open against him. If the Titans sell out to stop Maclin, Kolb will look for Jason Avant and Brent Celek. Against a quick defensive line -- Dave Ball and Jason Babin have been outstanding -- Kolb will have to unload the ball quickly. LeSean McCoy has emerged as a big-time threat in the passing game, so look for him to try to get in matchups with former teammate Will Witherspoon in space. In a hostile environment, it's imperative that the Eagles have their quick game working early. I think Avant will be open on some drag routes because the Titans' safeties will let him cross their faces. If the Eagles have one turnover or less, I think they’ll win. The Titans feed off defensive takeaways. When they don't happen, this can look like a pretty ordinary team.
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Aaron M. Sprecher/Icon SMITony Romo may lean heavily on the short-passign game to keep the Giants' defensive line at bay.
Aaron M. Sprecher/Icon SMITony Romo may lean heavily on the short-passign game to keep the Giants' defensive line at bay.The Redskins can't fall asleep in the secondary. You would hope the Skins have watched film of what the Giants did to the Bears three weeks ago. Jay Cutler was under siege from the opening snap of that game. He's really bad about holding the ball too long. If outside linebackers Brian Orakpo and Lorenzo Alexander can make Cutler uncomfortable, he's a mistake waiting to happen. This is a game where you always must be looking for the strip. The Bears killed the Cowboys by dumping the ball to Matt Forte and Devin Hester in the quick passing game. That set up a deep ball to Johnny Knox. The Bears don't have possession receivers, but they do have wideouts who can fly. Kareem Moore and LaRon Landry must make sure they're getting proper depth. And DeAngelo Hall must stop questioning his coaches long enough to have his head in the game Sunday and not give up any deep balls.
Can the Cowboys cut down on their penalties against the Giants? Coach Wade Phillips hired officials for practice this week in an effort to identify some of the problems. The Cowboys lead the league by averaging 80.8 yards per game from penalties. They're called for nearly 10 penalties per game. The Giants were on a similar pace earlier in the season, but they've eliminated some of those mistakes. All this talk about how well the Cowboys have played from Phillips and Jerry Jones is falling on deaf ears. If they have 10 penalties against the Giants on Monday, I think they'll lose.
Eagles linebackers must be on their game against Titans RB Chris Johnson. The Eagles were solid against Frank Gore and Michael Turner, but they realize that Johnson has a different gear. He's having a down year by his ridiculous standards, but he's still capable of going off for 170 yards and three touchdowns against pretty much any defense in the league. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott has preached the importance of "gap-sound" football this week in practice.
"As soon as you think you have him stopped, he cuts it back and he hits a seam and he's off to the races,” McDermott told reporters Thursday.
The Titans are the rare team that will stay with the running game if they fall behind by 10 points or so. Honestly, it's probably worse for the Eagles if Kerry Collins starts for Vince Young. With Young, you know he's only going to throw the ball about 20 times. Collins is still capable of having a big day in the passing game, though. But the Titans are smart enough never to abandon the running game.
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman made good on his promise to lead a players-only meeting Monday at Valley Ranch. Now we'll see if anything changes following a 0-2 start that has players and coaches grasping for answers. Newman noticed a lack of intensity in practice last week and coach Wade Phillips admitted the team had a poor session at Cowboys Stadium on Friday.
I've always thought players-only meetings were a bit overrated. These guys are around each other every day for months at a time, so they're basically having meetings all the time. But if the Cowboys roll into Houston and pull off the upset, we'll all be pointing to Monday's session. Apparently safety Gerald Sensabaugh isn't a big fan of players-only meetings.
"A meeting is not going to do nothing," said Sensabaugh. "You just have to make plays. That's how I feel about it. Talking is nothing. You have to show what you can do out there on the field. We are grown men. Why do you have to give grown men a speech? We're grown."
Speaking of Sensabaugh, I've now had a chance to review that play from Sunday's game when Jay Cutler hit Johnny Knox for a 59-yard completion. At the time, it looked like Knox simply beat cornerback Mike Jenkins. But when you watch the play again, it's easy to see that Sensabaugh was supposed to be offering help on the play. He followed a tight end across the middle who was covered by Alan Ball for no apparent reason.
I've always thought players-only meetings were a bit overrated. These guys are around each other every day for months at a time, so they're basically having meetings all the time. But if the Cowboys roll into Houston and pull off the upset, we'll all be pointing to Monday's session. Apparently safety Gerald Sensabaugh isn't a big fan of players-only meetings.
"A meeting is not going to do nothing," said Sensabaugh. "You just have to make plays. That's how I feel about it. Talking is nothing. You have to show what you can do out there on the field. We are grown men. Why do you have to give grown men a speech? We're grown."
Speaking of Sensabaugh, I've now had a chance to review that play from Sunday's game when Jay Cutler hit Johnny Knox for a 59-yard completion. At the time, it looked like Knox simply beat cornerback Mike Jenkins. But when you watch the play again, it's easy to see that Sensabaugh was supposed to be offering help on the play. He followed a tight end across the middle who was covered by Alan Ball for no apparent reason.
Cowboys' defense had no answers for Martz
September, 19, 2010
9/19/10
9:09
PM ET
By Matt Mosley | ESPN.com
AP Photo/Tim SharpWade Phillips and the Cowboys are 0-2 with unexpected issues on defense.This defense hadn't allowed a touchdown in three consecutive regular-season games, but Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz seems to have the Cowboys' number. He was the architect of a game plan that baffled the Cowboys late in the 2006 season and nudged Bill Parcells toward another retirement. Lions quarterback Jon Kitna, now the Cowboys' backup, would famously say that linebacker Bradie James appeared completely lost in that game.
Early in Sunday's game, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was running for his life as outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer raced past offensive tackles. To make matters worse, the Bears lost starting left tackle Chris Williams in the first quarter. After the third consecutive three-and-out series, Cutler shouted, "Can't we block anybody?" as he arrived on the sideline.
Cowboys first-round pick Dez Bryant returned the ensuing punt 62 yards for a touchdown and there were no signs of what was about to happen. Martz changed the game plan on the fly and told Cutler to stop worrying about seven-step drops and just get the ball out immediately. When Phillips sent inside linebackers James and Keith Brooking on a blitz up the middle, Cutler hit tight end Greg Olsen in stride for a 39-yard touchdown. Everyone with the Cowboys agreed it was a blown coverage, although Phillips did offer safety Alan Ball an alibi.
When a reporter timidly suggested the Cowboys might have shown blitz too early on the play, Phillips deadpanned, "Really?"
The Bears don't make their assistant coaches available after games, but Cutler (and several Cowboys defenders) gave Martz his props. The Bears don't have a true No. 1 receiver, but Cutler thinks that can be a positive.
"I think it's almost even a bigger advantage to have what we have and have a lot of weapons," the Bears' quarterback said. "It keeps teams off balance. They don't know where we are going or what we are doing in some of these formations or where we are headed, so it is working out to our advantage, and we have a guy like Mike Martz who knows how to take advantage of all that."
Phillips couldn't get over the fact the Bears were 1-of-11 on third downs but still managed to make some huge plays against his defense. The one conversion came on third-and-15 with the Bears trailing 14-10. Bears wide receiver Johnny Knox raced past Pro Bowl cornerback Mike Jenkins and Cutler delivered a gorgeous ball for a 59-yard completion. Jenkins jumped up looking for a teammate to blame, but Phillips indicated to me after the game that the Cowboys were in man-to-man coverage.
Cowboys history buffs/apologists will point to the 1993 team beginning the season with two losses before winning the Super Bowl. But a young player named Emmitt Smith ended his holdout in Week 3 of that season, and he's not walking through that door.
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AP Photo/Sharon EllmanAnthony Spencer (left), DeMarcus Ware and the Dallas defense couldn't solve Mike Martz's schemes.
AP Photo/Sharon EllmanAnthony Spencer (left), DeMarcus Ware and the Dallas defense couldn't solve Mike Martz's schemes."I think that things kind of got let go in practice. It’s things that … it’s not our coaches. They don’t really know some of the things that were going on," said Newman. "But as players, we have to crack down and make sure that some of the stuff that has been going on, doesn’t go on. We have to make it a game situation in practice. That’s just what it is. We go hard in practice, but maybe our intensity needs to go up a little bit. We got to do that as players and not worry about the coaches."
It was Newman's missed tackle in the fourth quarter that allowed Devin Hester to race down the sideline for 38 yards and set up the Bears' game-sealing touchdown. Newman said the defensive backs talked on Saturday night about establishing an identity, but the search will continue as the Cowboys prepare for a trip to Houston to play an explosive Texans team.
With two strong AFC South opponents looming, the Cowboys are staring at an 0-4 start. It's too early to declare the season over, but get back to me next Sunday afternoon.
Rapid Reaction: Bears 27, Cowboys 20
September, 19, 2010
9/19/10
4:08
PM ET
By Matt Mosley | ESPN.com
ARLINGTON, Texas -- If Dallas Cowboys fans haven't panicked yet about the 2010 season, now's as good a time as any. You expected them to be a desperate team after a season-opening loss to the Redskins, but it was the Chicago Bears who played with the greater sense of urgency Sunday in a 27-20 road victory. And it's hard to choose between Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett in this one, so we might as well pile on both of them.
What it means: The Cowboys' 2010 season is firmly on the brink. Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz made key adjustments after the Cowboys' pass-rush was destroying his offensive line and Dallas never recovered. Quarterback Jay Cutler used swing passes and quick slants to soften up the Cowboys before hitting Johnny Knox on a deep ball. Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins, who was injured in the fourth quarter, was beaten a 59-yard pass by Knox in the first half. Jenkins jumped up and pointed toward safety Gerald Sensabaugh, indicating that he was supposed to help out. It's just the start of a full week of finger-pointing.
Tomorrow's talker: The fact that the Cowboys' vaunted defense was shredded by Cutler and a nondescript group of wide receivers. Safety Alan Ball was exposed in coverage, allowing Greg Olsen to break free for a touchdown in the first half. And that was just the start of things. Phillips and Garrett were both outclassed in this game. It's looking like everyone overrated the Cowboys and they could be staring at an 0-4 start. It's not like the schedule gets any easier.
Goat: Too many to really single anyone out. It didn't help that kicker David Buehler missed a 44-yard field goal, but I still think the Bears would've responded with a touchdown drive if he'd nailed it. Let's single out Jenkins for letting Knox get behind him in the first half and Terence Newman for missing a tackle that allowed the Bears to set up the game-sealing touchdown pass.
What I didn't like: Pretty much everything. Why was Garrett running the ball on second-and-10 all the time? Is he not allowed to run on first down? In the first half, Marion Barber had some momentum in the running game, so he was removed from that series in favor of Felix Jones. I'm not sure what's wrong with Jones. Is the weight catching up to him? Didn't look fast at all and he looked tentative at the line of scrimmage. This is not a good football team.
What's next: The Cowboys will be a team under siege this week. All the Super Bowl talk looks ridiculous now that we've seen them for two weeks. They'll go into Houston next week as a big-time underdog.
What it means: The Cowboys' 2010 season is firmly on the brink. Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz made key adjustments after the Cowboys' pass-rush was destroying his offensive line and Dallas never recovered. Quarterback Jay Cutler used swing passes and quick slants to soften up the Cowboys before hitting Johnny Knox on a deep ball. Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins, who was injured in the fourth quarter, was beaten a 59-yard pass by Knox in the first half. Jenkins jumped up and pointed toward safety Gerald Sensabaugh, indicating that he was supposed to help out. It's just the start of a full week of finger-pointing.
Tomorrow's talker: The fact that the Cowboys' vaunted defense was shredded by Cutler and a nondescript group of wide receivers. Safety Alan Ball was exposed in coverage, allowing Greg Olsen to break free for a touchdown in the first half. And that was just the start of things. Phillips and Garrett were both outclassed in this game. It's looking like everyone overrated the Cowboys and they could be staring at an 0-4 start. It's not like the schedule gets any easier.
Goat: Too many to really single anyone out. It didn't help that kicker David Buehler missed a 44-yard field goal, but I still think the Bears would've responded with a touchdown drive if he'd nailed it. Let's single out Jenkins for letting Knox get behind him in the first half and Terence Newman for missing a tackle that allowed the Bears to set up the game-sealing touchdown pass.
What I didn't like: Pretty much everything. Why was Garrett running the ball on second-and-10 all the time? Is he not allowed to run on first down? In the first half, Marion Barber had some momentum in the running game, so he was removed from that series in favor of Felix Jones. I'm not sure what's wrong with Jones. Is the weight catching up to him? Didn't look fast at all and he looked tentative at the line of scrimmage. This is not a good football team.
What's next: The Cowboys will be a team under siege this week. All the Super Bowl talk looks ridiculous now that we've seen them for two weeks. They'll go into Houston next week as a big-time underdog.
Cowboys-Bears: Knee-jerk halftime analysis
September, 19, 2010
9/19/10
2:45
PM ET
By Matt Mosley | ESPN.com
Here are some quick-hitting observations from the first half in case you haven't been following our live chat. And really, why haven't you been following our live chat?
- Mike Martz is winning the battle of the offensive coordinators in the first half. The Cowboys were destroying the Bears' offensive line on the first two series, so Martz started calling quick slants and swing passes to folks such as Devin Hester and Greg Olsen. The results were devastating. And Jay Cutler showed off his cannon when he found Johnny Knox on a deep ball.
- Early in the game, the Cowboys have Marion Barber busting loose in the running game. Then for no apparent reason they interrupt his rhythm on what appeared to be a promising drive. Felix Jones tried to bounce a couple runs outside and the Bears were simply too fast. Jason Garrett's approach can be baffling at times.
- Martz is using DeMarcus Ware's speed against the Cowboys. He's letting him come free and then dropping the ball off to his side of the field on little swing passes to Matt Forte or Hester.
- Cowboys safety Alan Ball has not been impressive. On the long touchdown to Olsen, Ball was out of position. He's not reacting quickly enough in the middle of the field. The Cowboys had Cutler on his heels early in the game but they allowed him to get some confidence. With left tackle Chris Williams out of the game, the Cowboys should be having a field day in the pass rush. Kudos once again to Martz for neutralizing the Bears' speed.
- I'll see you after the game for a Rapid Reaction. Halftime score: Bears 20, Cowboys 14.
Eagles running back LeSean McCoy fumbled early in the fourth quarter, but he got a chance to atone for it by running for the game-winning touchdown. McCoy fell victim to one of Charles Tillman's three forced fumbles on the evening after a 17-yard run. But the Eagles blocked Robbie Gould's 48-yard field goal attempt and immediately drove for the winning score.
The game ended with Sean Jones intercepting a Jay Cutler pass. Tracy White caused the interception by reading Cutler's eyes and tipping a ball intended for Bears tight end Greg Olsen. It was a huge win for the Eagles (6-4) because it keeps them tied for second place in the NFC East with the Giants, one game behind the Cowboys.
Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was 23-of-32 for 244 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. DeSean Jackson had eight catches for 107 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown in the second half. Jackson ran a simple post pattern and used his speed to race past a Bears safety.
With Asante Samuel having to leave the game with a stinger, the Eagles were seriously compromised at cornerback. But the Bears couldn't capitalize. In the fourth quarter, Bears receiver Johnny Knox got behind Sheldon Brown on a fly pattern but Cutler overthrew him.
The Eagles featured a balanced attack on offense with 30 running plays and 32 passes. Given a full week of first-string reps, McCoy had 20 carries for 99 yards and a touchdown. He ran through tackles and he also showed good vision. Jackson and rookie Jeremy Maclin both got it rolling in the second half. Last week, the Eagles' offense waited too late to get going. On Sunday night, the offense showed up just in time. There aren't many players who can stay with Jackson and Maclin, so the Eagles need to find ways to get them involved earlier.
The Eagles need to learn from this game. Jackson and McCoy need to secure the ball -- especially against defensive backs such as Tillman, who's known for stripping the ball. I thought the defense did a good job of staying in Cutler's face. Trent Cole had a sack and he also did a nice job of pursuing plays from behind.
I had sort of forgotten about Jeremiah Trotter, but he did a really nice job against the run, ending up with four tackles. He looked a lot more comfortable in this game. Now the Eagles will host the Redskins before playing the Falcons and Giants.
There's a chance the Eagles and Giants could be 8-4 when they see each other in three weeks. The NFC East lead could be on the line. But first, the Eagles have to take care of business against the Redskins. The Cowboys were outplayed by Washington on Sunday but escaped with a 7-6 win.
I thought safety Quintin Mikell and Brown both had courageous performances. Mikell was in one-on-one coverage more than usual because of all the injuries in the secondary and it was obvious that Brown wasn't himself because of a hamstring injury. Fortunately for the Eagles, Cutler missed wide-open receivers on at least three occasions.
The game ended with Sean Jones intercepting a Jay Cutler pass. Tracy White caused the interception by reading Cutler's eyes and tipping a ball intended for Bears tight end Greg Olsen. It was a huge win for the Eagles (6-4) because it keeps them tied for second place in the NFC East with the Giants, one game behind the Cowboys.
Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was 23-of-32 for 244 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. DeSean Jackson had eight catches for 107 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown in the second half. Jackson ran a simple post pattern and used his speed to race past a Bears safety.
With Asante Samuel having to leave the game with a stinger, the Eagles were seriously compromised at cornerback. But the Bears couldn't capitalize. In the fourth quarter, Bears receiver Johnny Knox got behind Sheldon Brown on a fly pattern but Cutler overthrew him.
The Eagles featured a balanced attack on offense with 30 running plays and 32 passes. Given a full week of first-string reps, McCoy had 20 carries for 99 yards and a touchdown. He ran through tackles and he also showed good vision. Jackson and rookie Jeremy Maclin both got it rolling in the second half. Last week, the Eagles' offense waited too late to get going. On Sunday night, the offense showed up just in time. There aren't many players who can stay with Jackson and Maclin, so the Eagles need to find ways to get them involved earlier.
The Eagles need to learn from this game. Jackson and McCoy need to secure the ball -- especially against defensive backs such as Tillman, who's known for stripping the ball. I thought the defense did a good job of staying in Cutler's face. Trent Cole had a sack and he also did a nice job of pursuing plays from behind.
I had sort of forgotten about Jeremiah Trotter, but he did a really nice job against the run, ending up with four tackles. He looked a lot more comfortable in this game. Now the Eagles will host the Redskins before playing the Falcons and Giants.
There's a chance the Eagles and Giants could be 8-4 when they see each other in three weeks. The NFC East lead could be on the line. But first, the Eagles have to take care of business against the Redskins. The Cowboys were outplayed by Washington on Sunday but escaped with a 7-6 win.
I thought safety Quintin Mikell and Brown both had courageous performances. Mikell was in one-on-one coverage more than usual because of all the injuries in the secondary and it was obvious that Brown wasn't himself because of a hamstring injury. Fortunately for the Eagles, Cutler missed wide-open receivers on at least three occasions.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Dan Graziano
Graziano joined ESPN.com in 2011 after two years as a Senior NFL Writer for AOL FanHouse. He covered Major League Baseball, the Olympics and various other sports during his time at the Star-Ledger and the Palm Beach Post. A New Jersey native and author of two published novels, he now lives in Ridgewood, N.J., with his wife and two sons.
