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Top 10 Whitty observations from Saints 12, Cowboys 10

6 years ago

by Richie Whitt

Written by Richie Whitt

Cowboys and Saints have played twice in the last 10 months. Aggregate score: Cowboys 23, Saints 22.

Out of nowhere, Cowboys became predictable, vanilla and conservative. They almost exclusively ran on first down. Before the final drive, Dak Prescott only threw one pass of 10-plus yards. Somewhere, Scott Linehan rubbed his hands together while maniacally laughing.

As usual, the referees were too influential and too inconsistent. Of the combined 15 accepted penalties, both offensive pass interference calls on Amari Cooper were hogwash. Not shoving. Not gaining an advantage. Not anything other than garden variety hand-fighting. If those were called in the 1990s, Michael Irvin would not be in the Hall of Fame.

Cowboys won’t win many games when Cooper and Ezekiel Elliott combine for 113 yards. For one night, the Saints’ Alvin Kamara ran harder and better and was a more productive player than Zeke.

Saints just beat the Seahawks and Cowboys without their starting quarterback. Think Dallas could go 2-0 with Cooper Rush? Me neither. Props to Sean Payton.

Didn’t seem like that big of a deal at the time, but in hindsight it changed the game. Late in the first quarter Prescott rolled left out of the pocket, attempting to turn a broken play into a third-and-nine conversion from the Saints’ 10. He spotted a wide-open Randall Cobb, but led him just a smidge too much for a diving incompletion in the end zone. The bad pass cost the Cowboys four points. They lost by two.

Robert Quinn’s dominating performance – two sacks, one deflected pass, general havoc – not only confirmed the Cowboys’ decision to cut Taco Charlton, it made their sixth-round price for him look like the steal of the year. Plus, that sack dance. Looked like something funky straight outta Footloose’s climactic scene.

Best decision of the week was by Cowboys iconic radio voice Brad Sham, who missed only his second broadcast in 41 years in order to observe Rosh Hashanah. This one wasn’t nearly worth bending religious beliefs for.

Jason Witten fumbled. Elliott fumbled. Prescott was harassed, and off-target. The defense didn’t allow a touchdown. Before Sunday night, Cowboys were 69-3 when not allowing a touchdown. This one’s on the offense. The hapless, punchless reminder of the early-2018 offense.

Who Dat?! > Who Dak?!

About the author

Richie Whitt

Richie has been a multi-media fixture in Dallas-Fort Worth since his graduation from UT-Arlington in 1986. His career has been highlighted by successful stints in print, radio and TV and during his 30+ years he's blabbed and blogged on events ranging from Super Bowls to NBA Finals to World Series to Stanley Cups to Olympics to Wimbledons and World Cups.

As a reporter/columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram 1986-2004, Whitt won numerous local, state and national awards and in 1993 co-authored a book on the Dallas Cowboys – The ‘Boys Are Back. As a sports columnist for the Dallas Observer 2005-2012 he continued to garner recognition and hardware for his cover stories and in 2008 debuted his Sportatorium blog. While at 105.3 The Fan 2009-2013, he hosted an afternoon drive-time talk show while also expanding into the role of emcee for public and private events, hosting a nightly segment on TXA 21 and co-hosting Cowboys’ pre-game shows on the team’s flagship station. In 2012 Whitt was named one of America’s “Hot 100” talk-show hosts by Talkers magazine.

A true Texan born and raised in Duncanville, Whitt has remained active in the Metroplex via everything from serving on the North Texas Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Communications Board to serving as Grand Marshal of Dallas’ annual Greenville Avenue St. Patrick’s Day Parade.