Post Game chat with Cleft Crusty (Dallas)

[Cleft Crusty]

HI Folks,

Well, I'm betting there will be a lot of bitter Packer fans who came to the realization that the Packers are just another also ran in the NFL. If you have any questions for 'Ole Clefty, I'll try to answer them. It's way past my bedtime and my migraine medication isn't kicking in, so I may be a bit terse and nasty. But no apologies because when you're getting paid 1.50/hour, you just don't care.

[DannoMac21]

Ryan Grant to the Pro Bowl?

[The Leaper]

Cleft Lip-

Is it ever OK to challenge a 15 yard completion in the first quarter? Did McCarthy let his emotions get the best of him there?

[Freak Out]

Have you taken your Valium yet?

[sepporepi]

What about the refs? Are they Jones golfing buddies or did they just placed some bets on the Cowboys?

[Cleft Crusty]

Ryan Grant to the Pro Bowl?

Doubtful. He's showing some things, but he won't get enough yards to attract attention. People who vote for the pro bowl love to look at stats or just vote based on past performance. Why do you even care - go tickets to Hawaii. And if you were going to Hawaii in Feb. why the hell would you waste time watching a pointless game between disinterested millionaires. Maybe you'd have more fun in Vegas watching high stakes poker instead.

[Cleft Crusty]

Cleft Lip-

Is it ever OK to challenge a 15 yard completion in the first quarter? Did McCarthy let his emotions get the best of him there?\

It was an absurd challenge. He can't challenge the blown INT call since forward progress being stopped was ruled. So he ended up just challenging the completion. He lost track of what was important because the refs clearly blew the call and he may have been steamed.

[Cleft Crusty]

Have you taken your Valium yet?

I only wish. It's in my contract to not take those types of drugs while working for the generously paying JS. Perhaps later, to kill the pain, I'll take some.

[Cleft Crusty]

What about the refs? Are they Jones golfing buddies or did they just placed some bets on the Cowboys?

You could complin about the refs, but first you have to complain about your starting QB reverting to 1992 without the athleticism and your secondary looking like they has Terrel Buckley and Ahmad Carroll at the corners and Antwaun Edwards and Eugene Robinson at Safety.

[MJZiggy]

Why do you think in the first quarter that the Packers went away from their bread and butter--the short passing play. After a while you gotta figure out that the bombs aren't dropping, don't you?

[Scott Campbell]

Cleft. We lost. So why do the Boys look beatable to me if we've got our full contingent of starters in January?

[BallHawk]

Cleft-

Should Bigby be yanked from his starting job and replaced by Rouse?

[Cleft Crusty]

Why do you think in the first quarter that the Packers went away from their bread and butter--the short passing play. After a while you gotta figure out that the bombs aren't dropping, don't you?

I can't understand what they were thinking except that the pass protection was breaking down. Daryn Colledge was a matador at RG and could have gotten Favre killed, but wouldn't you go to more short passes rather than throw deep int double coverage off of play action that wasn't fooling anyone? Very strange.

[Cleft Crusty]

Cleft. We lost. So why do the Boys look beatable to me if we've got our full contingent of starters in January?

If your starting QB plays in any game against any team like he did tonight, you won't beat anyone, regardless of who is lining up at corner or safety. It's hard to imagine that Woodson can make up so much ground, but that's hard to say. The secondary was so befuddled, it's amazing they only gave up as many points as they did. I suspect Favre's loss caused Dallas to ease their foot off the pedal. The game was over before Favre left, but his departure sealed the deal.

[Cleft Crusty]

Cleft-

Should Bigby be yanked from his starting job and replaced by Rouse?

It depends on how healthy Rouse is. Plus it's a bit late in the season to make a change like that. The real problem wasn't Bigby alone - it was how the secondary didn't work together.

[The Leaper]

Clefty -

Have you seen the pictures of McCarthy that Schottenheimer has holed up in his office? They have to be some doozies.

[BallHawk]

Cleft-

Should Bigby be yanked from his starting job and replaced by Rouse?

It depends on how healthy Rouse is. Plus it's a bit late in the season to make a change like that. The real problem wasn't Bigby alone - it was how the secondary didn't work together.

Bigby had two 15-yard unnecessary facemasks at the end of plays. He's a liability in coverage and does not play smart.

[Cleft Crusty]

Clefty -

Have you seen the pictures of McCarthy that Schottenheimer has holed up in his office? They have to be some doozies.

I think the secondary was terrible, but they really had to change things up. Not only couldn't they play their normal coverages, but they had to do it against a very talented football team. Dallas has a solid O-line that neutralized the Packers D-line pressure. That pressure is necessary for them to play man. Probably the most disappointing thing for the Packers was to have Al Harris playing out of character, sometimes in zone, sometimes in man, but really out of sorts, especially on the 3rd and 19 late in the game where he stayed in the slat, covering no one and leaving Crayton completely open. It's hard to tell if thet's Schottenheimer's faul or Al's. Stay tuned.

[Pacopete4]

I can't understand what they were thinking except that the pass protection was breaking down. Daryn Colledge was a matador at RG and could have gotten Favre killed, but wouldn't you go to more short passes rather than throw deep int double coverage off of play action that wasn't fooling anyone? Very strange.

then u go on to say how badly favre played.. u contradict urself so much which is why ur a horshit analyst...

now im not defending favre cuz he could have called some audibles to just got hit around instead of throwing them.. but please will u use ur brain and mention that the quarterback play also was set up by mccarthys horrible playcalling while favre was in.. he tried to be cute and out think people and thats not whats been winning us games..

[/quote]

[Cleft Crusty]

I can't understand what they were thinking except that the pass protection was breaking down. Daryn Colledge was a matador at RG and could have gotten Favre killed, but wouldn't you go to more short passes rather than throw deep int double coverage off of play action that wasn't fooling anyone? Very strange.

then u go on to say how badly favre played.. u contradict urself so much which is why ur a horshit analyst...

now im not defending favre cuz he could have called some audibles to just got hit around instead of throwing them.. but please will u use ur brain and mention that the quarterback play also was set up by mccarthys horrible playcalling while favre was in.. he tried to be cute and out think people and thats not whats been winning us games..

[/quote]

I think I agree with you. I don't understand why you would switch to play action passes that the defense doesn't honor and throw deep when you're getting poor protection. What I don't know Paco, is whether Favre was at fault for not checking to a different play or McCarthy for trying plays that were doomed to failure. Still, you have to admit that there were a couple of plays where Favre just chucked it up. Really, Favre has gone virtually the entire season without us seeing that - with the exception of the INT to Urlacher. Certainly, he has to take some blame for that. His stat line was 5-14 for 56 yards and 2 INTs. I think that's below a 10 rating. Very poor outing.

[Bretsky]

Cleft

Last year Bob Sanders sometimes seemed over his head against good offenses until the final four games against favorable matchups.

How would you rate his team's performance tonight ?

There appeared to be far too many missed coverages. Is that Sanders or Schottenheimer ?

[Pacopete4]

oh hell ya i think he deserves blame, he'd even tell u himself. I just dont think people really watch and observe whats going on. I think it was a Mccarthy-Favre duo that did our offense in to start the game and when Rodgers came in (he played great in his first real test) mccarthy slowed it down, went to a basic offense and let the playmakers do the rest.. people are so easy to blame favre for winning and losing


i will say this though, i think a healthy packer team and more expirience takes this cowboy team.. i really do.. i just wanna see em get healthy and we'l see what happens

ps. nice to actually agree with u on something, sort of haha

[Cleft Crusty]

Cleft

Last year Bob Sanders sometimes seemed over his head against good offenses until the final four games against favorable matchups.

How would you rate his team's performance tonight ?

There appeared to be far too many missed coverages. Is that Sanders or Schottenheimer ?

Little pressure and an altered scheme in the secondary resulted in big plays. Lack of discipline by the young guys also hurt. Given the Cowboy's passing game involves deep throws to receivers, it would make sense to play back and move up, but guys gt deep on safeties playing too shallow. O thought the secondary was playing out of character, and they had no answer for TO in motion and coming out of the slot. The defense also didn't take advantage of a golden opportunity for a blitz on the 3rd and 19. Even Collinsworth remarked that a blitz can force the QB to throw the short hot route, and force fourth down. That might have been an excellent time for a corner blitz.

[Badgerinmaine]

But no apologies because when you're getting paid 1.50/hour, you just don't care.

Not even federal minimum wage...So, tell me, Cleft: Are you an example of foreign outsourcing? Are your articles written in China? And do they contain lead? Or are you an undocumented worker in the US?

[Cleft Crusty]

But no apologies because when you're getting paid 1.50/hour, you just don't care.

Not even federal minimum wage...So, tell me, Cleft: Are you an example of foreign outsourcing? Are your articles written in China? And do they contain lead? Or are you an undocumented worker in the US?

Badger,

I'm a semi-retired sportswriter. That means I get paid less than a waitress, and given my looks, I'm not getting any tips, unless it's the tip of a cattle prod. As a semi-retired sportswriter, I get bad seats (if any seat at all) and the left over company car - a Chrysler K car from the 80s. Also, I get choice assignments like transcribing the musings of overweight assistant high school football coaches. What more authoritative source is there on the National Football League than a guy who can't even make head coach at the High School Level? I'm proud to be the conduit for his 'expertise.'

[Badgerinmaine]

:tup:
The Cleft has spoken. Long live Cleft.