1. There were plenty of costly mistakes made last night, and I know DeAngelo Hall is hearing about his share today, but the botched hold by Sav Rocca was the one that hurt the most when I woke up this morning. I am in Phoenix, Arizona this week so I am being spared the awful sports radio that most D.C. sports fans are being subjected to today. I can only imagine the negativity surrounding D. Hall's 3rd and 21 play. But that blocked field goal was not the result of a bad snap. Sav simply has to make that play. If we make that very reasonable kick, the decision-making for the rest of the game changes in a meaningful way on both sides of the ball. Our defense would have found themselves in game-winning situations against a Cowgirl offense that was reduced to screaming at each other in the red zone there at the end. I try not to ever argue that one play cost us the game, and in this situation I see no reason to hang the outcome on Rocca, but...it was huge.
2. I loved Rex Grossman last night. I understand he made some errors that were tough to swallow, but I really thought he played a game that gave us a very good opportunity to win. I don't believe in the "Good Rex, Bad Rex" nonsense. I do believe we have a quarterback that will finish the season in the top half of the league by the time 2011 comes to a finish. It comes down to wins, and I think that if he keeps up this level of play, we will find ourselves sitting on a respectable amount of wins.
3. What are fans saying back home about the blitzing by Haslett? For my part, I loved it. If you are going to live and die by something in this league, it should be pressure on the quarterback. We died a little by it at the end there didn't we? There is no great shame in going down swinging...perhaps no greater than the shame of looking at strike three.The scramble and subsequent pass to Dez Bryant on that unforgettable game-saving play made by Romo...what can I say? That was a great play made by a banged up quarterback running for his life. Only a handful of guys can make that play. I hope we ride our blitzing strategy all season long.
4. Josh Wilson is money well spent. Our secondary might not rank among the elite units in the league, but this group of guys can play and they can keep us in games. On the flip side, if I was an offensive coordinator and I had a monster receiver like Dez Bryant, I would throw quick-hitters to him on just about every play. It seems like it is good for about four or five yards per attempt.
5. To those of us who have been begging to see Chris Cooley and Fred Davis on the field together for a whole game, last night was a real treat. Starting Cooley at fullback was fun to see and when he got those carries on short yardage situations, I was ecstatic. Depending on how this evolves, I would like to see us show that formation and then roll Davis outside and roll Cooley to the tight end spot. One of those times Fred Davis will end up covered by a real chump.
6. It sucks losing and it sucks HARD losing to Dallas. But I have discovered the silver lining today: I care right now more than I have in years. I had become so desensitized to these losses over the last decade. Sure, they hurt a little, but I woke up feeling like a bag of dog poop today. It is the sense that this team can, should and will win these kinds of games that has really opened us all up to the inevitable pain that will come our way in defeat. No, it doesn't hurt so good...but it does feel good to care this much.