SEATTLE – Dallas defensive players have turned into an ornery bunch the last month.
Terence Newman called for his teammates to stop running their mouths and play football. Roy Williams hasn't spoken to reporters in almost three weeks.
Aaron Glenn, the veteran of the group, told everyone who would listen before the game that the season wasn't over and the defense would respond.
But Saturday night, the Cowboys defense didn't make enough plays in the NFC wild-card loss to Seattle at Qwest Field.
"The defense stepped up, and we played a lot better than we did the last five or six weeks," Newman said. "Everybody was calling each other out, and it seemed like we couldn't get any worse. We just had to put it on the line because there was so much on the line."
Dallas defended 10 passes and was credited with three quarterback hurries. But there were no sacks.
There were also two interceptions, one on a smart play by Newman, who tipped a deep Matt Hasselbeck pass down the right side to Williams.
Williams caught the ball and got both feet inbounds with 14:41 left in the fourth quarter.
The play was challenged but upheld.
The turnover allowed Martin Garmatica to kick a 29-yard field goal with 10:19 left to give Dallas a 20-13 lead.
But after Seattle produced a safety to cut its deficit to 20-15, the Cowboys couldn't come up with a game-saving play.
On a Seattle third-and-1 from the Dallas 41, Williams missed a tackle on Shaun Alexander, who converted with a 4-yard gain.
On the next play, Bradie James was beaten down the middle of the field for a 37-yard Hasselbeck-to-Jerramy Stevens touchdown pass.
It gave Seattle a 21-20 lead with 4:24 remaining.
Even after Dallas botched a potential game-winning field goal with just over a minute remaining, the defense allowed Seattle to eat up critical seconds.
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TOM FOX / DMN Anthony Henry (42) hauls in an interception in front of Seattle's Deion Branch. |
On first-and-10 from the Seattle 2, Alexander rushed for 20 yards. That left the Cowboys only two seconds and one desperation play from midfield after Seattle eventually had to punt.
After the game, many of the defensive players dressed with their heads down and talked in hushed tones.
Jason Ferguson, the veteran nose tackle, didn't want to talk.
Marcus Spears, the second-year defensive end, did speak – albeit quietly.
"It's hard," Spears said. "It's a blur. No stones were left unturned. I don't know the answer for this."
E-mail cwatkins@dallasnews.com
