Several of the ugly sides of the Dallas Cowboys showed up on Sunday, while
the strengths that have carried the team through the last four wins were
noticeably absent. The result was a 17-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers that
dropped the Cowboys to 6-3.

Ugliness in bullet-point format—

Ugly: After moving the ball 41 yards on the opening drive of the game, Nick
Folk missed a 38-yard field goal. Holder Mat McBriar later

took blame for the miss.

Ugly: After the first drive, the Cowboys had a terrible time gaining yards.
The team went three-and-out on two consecutive drives in the second quarter.

Ugly: With the score tied at 0-0 in the second quarter, Roy Williams caught a
pass from Tony Romo on deep post pattern. The play would have resulted in at
least a 42-yard gain, but Green Bay defensive back Charles Woodson stripped
Williams, and the Packers recovered at the Green Bay 31.

Ugly: On a second-and-13 play from the Dallas 43 in the third quarter, Romo
found Williams on a pattern down the right sideline. The ball bounced right off
Williams’ hands.

Ugly: On the next play after the Williams’ drop, Romo hit Tashard Choice on
an apparent 22-yard gain to the Green Bay 35. The play was called back due to a
penalty on Jason Witten, though, and the team had to punt.

Ugly: On the Packers’ touchdown drive that gave Green Bay a 10-0 lead, Dallas
allowed the Packers to convert a 3rd-and-11 and and 3rd-and-13. On the same
drive, two penalties by Orlando Scandrick also gave the Packers first downs.

Ugly: After the Green Bay score, Woodson hit Romo from behind and forced Romo
to fumble the ball. Clay Matthews recovered and returned the ball down to the
Dallas 3. The Cowboys were ticked that

Felix Jones apparently recovered the ball, but that was hardly the real problem.

Ugly: After the Cowboys moved the ball to the Green Bay 1 with about six
minutes remaining, Romo tried to hit Jason Witten on a short out pattern.
Woodson jumped the route and picked the ball off.

Ugly: The Cowboys had 14 rushing attempts for 61 yards. Marion Barber had 26
yards on only five carries.

Ugly: Time of possession for Dallas was 24:02.

Ugly: Miles Austin caught his first pass with less than 10 minutes remaining. 
Austin finished with four receptions for 20 yards.

Ugly: Marc Colombo

broke his left fibula and is likely out for at least the rest of the regular
season, if not longer.

* * *

The biggest problem with this game is that the list of ugly moments for the
most part summarizes the entire game. Dallas put pressure on Aaron Rodgers, but
the Cowboys could not force a turnover. The game was scoreless for the entire
first half, with the Packers kicking a field goal as time expired at the end of
the first half. And the game was only 3-0 until the Packers’ drive that ended in
a one-yard score by Rodgers.

To its credit, the defense kept the team in the game, though the Cowboys
could not manage a turnover. Dallas suffered two injuries that really hurt. The
first was an injury to cornerback Mike Jenkins. With him out of the game, the
Packers picked on Scandrick, who showed that he is significant step down from
Jenkins. Ken Hamlin suffered the second key injury. With him out, the Packers
completed a pass over the middle to tight end Donald Lee, who caught the ball
right in front of Hamlin’s replacement, Pat Watkins (though, to be sure, Rodgers
made a great pass on the play).

It would be easy to blame Doug Free for the problems the Cowboys had along
the offensive line, but much of the pressure on Romo came up the middle and from
Romo’s left. Dallas did not pick up the blitz well. Credit Dom Capers with being
original with his bltiz packages, but the Cowboys did not help themselves with
mistakes.

With the loss, the Cowboys fall to 6-3. This gives Dallas a one-game lead
over the Giants and Eagles, who are both 5-4. The Eagles and Giants are both 2-1
in the division, while Dallas is 1-1.