The numbers aren't bad – 22 carries for 88 yards – but there was no consistency. Julius Jones gained 40 yards on two runs and 32 on his other 15 carries, but it's not like he had a lot of holes as guards Kyle Kosier, Marco Rivera and center Andre Gurode struggled to move the Jaguars' tackles. Dallas is 5-17 under Bill Parcells when it runs the ball fewer than 30 times.
PASS OFFENSE
D
Drew Bledsoe struggled the last three quarters until the final two minutes, when the passing game showed its explosive capabilities. Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens combined for 10 catches and 161 yards, but offensive pass interference penalties wiped out a touchdown by Jason Witten and negated Owens' 25-yard catch-and-run.
RUN DEFENSE
B+
Fred Taylor didn't dominate the game, but the Cowboys never shut him down completely, and he was a factor in the fourth quarter when the Jaguars seized control. Jacksonville averaged 2.4 yards per carry and did not have a run of more than 10 yards. Defensive end Chris Canty and linebackers Greg Ellis and DeMarcus Ware played well at the point of attack.
PASS DEFENSE
D
This is supposed to be one of the Cowboys' strengths, but they couldn't slow down Byron Leftwich once he found a rhythm. He completed 10 consecutive passes during one stretch and finished with 23 completions in 34 attempts for 237 yards. The Jaguars' receivers took advantage of their significant size advantage over the Cowboys' cornerbacks.
SPECIAL TEAMS
C
It's tough when Mike Vanderjagt, the highest-paid kicker in franchise history, is injured and his replacement bangs a 36-yard field goal off the upright that would have given Dallas a second-half lead. Mat McBriar was superb with a 43.2 net punting average. Tyson Thompson (kick returns) and Jamaica Rector (punt returns) were solid.
COACHING
C
Bill Parcells says he doesn't coach penalties, but nine for 93 represents a lack of focus, which falls under his domain. The Cowboys don't want to force the ball to Owens, but he is such a playmaker that Tony Sparano, who's calling the plays, and passing game coordinator Todd Haley have to make sure he's getting looks every quarter. There was a stretch when he was a non-factor.
OVERALL
C-
These kinds of games hurt because Dallas left Jacksonville feeling as if the better team lost. But the NFL is about minimizing mistakes and taking advantage of opportunities. Dallas did neither Sunday. The loss is galling because Dallas had a 10-0 lead with two possessions to extend it and force the Jaguars into a one-dimensional offense that would have given the Cowboys a significant advantage. After the game, the players said the right things, but quarterback Drew Bledsoe is going to be under significant scrutiny, as are kickers Mike Vanderjagt and Shaun Suisham.
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