Todd Archer's Cowboys report card
12:55 AM CST on Sunday, January 7, 2007
| RUN OFFENSE |
| B | It wasn't always pretty, but it got a lot better in the second half. Julius Jones went for more than 100 yards for the second time in the last 12 games. The middle of the line, led by center Andre Gurode, did a nice job of opening things up against the Seahawks' undersized linebackers. |
| PASS OFFENSE |
| C | Tony Romo rarely seemed comfortable, but he came up with a clutch play on a third-down pass to Jason Witten at the goal line that led to a first down with 1:19 to go. He held the ball too long on both of the Seahawks' sacks and fumbled once in the passing game. Terrell Owens had his 18th drop of the season. |
| RUN DEFENSE |
| B | Shaun Alexander averaged more than 100 yards in his final six games, but he has not had much success against the Cowboys. But he ripped off a 20-yard run to seal the game after not having a carry of more than 12 yards. LB Bradie James had his best game in weeks against the run and NT Jason Ferguson stuffed the middle. |
| PASS DEFENSE |
| C- | Matt Hasselbeck was able to make plays down field, and the Cowboys were unable to put consistent pressure on him. Bradie James and Roy Williams were beaten by TE Jerramy Stevens for TDs of 15 and 37 yards. Bobby Carpenter and Terence Newman dropped interceptions, and Newman was called for pass interference. |
| SPECIAL TEAMS |
| C | Miles Austin's 93-yard kickoff return for a TD was the first for the Cowboys in their postseason history. Tony Romo's inability to hold a clean snap from L.P. Ladouceur on a potential winning field goal cost the Cowboys a chance to win. Martin Gramatica made a 50-yard FG, tied for the second longest in team postseason history. |
| COACHING |
| C- | The Cowboys were prepared and were in position to win their first playoff game since 1996. The offensive game plan found holes against the Seattle run defense, and it made a gutty third-down pass call that nearly won the Cowboys the game. The passing game could not get much done against a makeshift secondary. |
| OVERALL |
| C | Playing a playoff game on the road is difficult at best, and the Cowboys came within a yard of scoring a go-ahead touchdown, inches away from a clock-killing first down and a dropped snap away from possibly winning the game. If this is the end of the Bill Parcells era, it does not get much more difficult than what happened Saturday. For the game to end on such a play will make this a longer off-season than normal, beginning with Parcells' future. |
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