Pederson’s not on winning streak vs. Cowboys
PHILADELPHIA >> Like the Eagles’ players, the coaches have found a rhythm the last two weeks. The offensive coaches, certainly.
Let’s just say that at this point, any rhythm is better than no rhythm for head coach Doug Pederson, a likable guy who wasn’t at all happy Monday to be asked about the dirty little secret he has.
The Pederson-led Eagles are just 2-5 against the Dallas Cowboys, who they must defeat here Sunday to keep alive their division championship quest. If the Eagles lose, they’re out of the hunt. If they defeat Dallas, they still must beat the New York Giants in the regular-season finale at the Meadowlands to claim the pennant.
Beyond the postseason, Pederson needs a win over the Cowboys in the worst way, having lost four straight games to the hated rival. His mentor, Andy Reid, never lost more than three in a row to Dallas.
Pederson provided a sarcastic “thanks” when reminded of the recent struggles in the series. He didn’t appreciate being asked if the lack of success gnawed at him, much less to what degree.
The question wasn’t intended to lead him into a WIP radio response, like his message to the team was they were going to beat Dallas, tie for first in the division and then go into New York and get a win and go into the playoffs. No, it was more like, how much sleep do you lose after losing to the Cowboys? Or what’s your blood pressure before and after a loss to the Cowboys? It was a chance for Pederson to be himself.
Way back in the day, Reid told stories about how important it was for him to defeat the Cowboys. An elderly woman approached him at a South Philly McDonald’s and ordered him to make sure he kicked the Cowboys youknow-what. He nearly choked on his cheeseburger.
Pederson paused, bit his lip and stammered just a bit over the choice of words before spouting a safe response about his — and his team’s — slump against the Cowboys.
“We just, you know, they got us the last time, and they kicked our tail and they had a great game plan,” Pederson began. “Listen, we’ve just got to come prepared each day this week and study the tape. You know, coaches have to have a great game plan, obviously, and our players have got to understand the game plan, either how we are trying to attack or defend the Cowboys and then go play. We’re here at Week 16 and again, like I said, there’s a lot of tape out there, another division opponent. There’s probably a little more obviously on the line this week than most weeks but it’s where we are right now.
“I mean, we’ve dug this hole but we’re slowly climbing out of it. And we’re excited for the opportunity.”
It’s safe to say the results gnaw at him.
The Cowboys crushed the Eagles, 37-10, in the last meeting. That was in October at AT&T Stadium. The only thing the Eagles did right was to have a safe trip home.
Pederson can count on Eagles fans to give the Cowboys a Philly welcome Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
Offensive tackle Lane Johnson (ankle), defensive end Derek Barnett (shoulder), wide receiver Nelson Agholor (knee) and possibly even running back Jordan Howard (stinger), whose loss many uninformed people blamed for the Eagles’ post-bye slide, could return.
Unfortunately, the Eagles defense that enabled the pathetic Giants and Redskins to push them to the last possession the last two weeks also is going to be there. Raise your hand if you believe coordinator Jim Schwartz should stick to what he knows best and play only his picket fence defense, where everybody but the linemen stand in a line deep in the secondary to keep the opposition in front of them.
The Eagles have gotten torched by old washedup quarterbacks, by young rookie quarterbacks and by angry armchair quarterbacks, male and female.
While it’s inevitable that an Eagles coach cannot win them all against the Cowboys, and vice versa, losing a lot of them can give you a complex you’ll take to your grave.
Back in the 1988 season, right before Jerry Jones bought the Cowboys, Tom Landry had a very personal rivalry going with then Eagles’ head coach Buddy Ryan. Buddy loved to taunt the Cowboys, and he’d use any subject material he could wrap his arms around to convey that to his players.
Backing up a bit, Ryan was bitter about the Cowboys crossing the picket line during the 1987 NFL players’ strike and then running up the score on his team of replacements. When the strike was over that season, he got a little payback.
The Eagles faked a kneeldown late in the game, Mike Quick drawing an interference penalty and Keith Byars going in from the 1-yard line to complete a 37-20 victory at Veterans Stadium. Landry was steamed but could do nothing about it. It was Buddy’s Spartacus moment.
The following season, Landry and the Cowboys had a 23-17 lead over the Eagles in the fourth quarter at the Vet. Landry, on third-and-three at the 23 of the Eagles, blew off giving the ball to Herschel Walker to have Steve Pelluer throw deep even though a field goal would have iced the game. It was an obvious attempt at payback for the previous year.
Pelluer wound up being flagged for intentional grounding. Just like that it went from third-and-three to fourth-and-15 and the Cowboys were out of fieldgoal range.
Randall Cunningham marched the Eagles 85 yards in 16 plays to win it on a twoyard scoring pass to Andrew Toney with eight seconds left.
When Landry was asked why he risked the chance to kick a field goal near the 23yard line, he insisted at his post-game presser the line of scrimmage was the 30. Told it was the 23, Landry stuck to his story.
Ryan and the Eagles were in the head of Landry, who would coach and lose once more against the Birds. Landry was fired before the
1989 season. Ryan’s Eagles beat him in three straight games and four of their five meetings.
Pederson doesn’t have a contentious rivalry with Jason Garrett.
But those losses to the Cowboys, four in a row now, gnaw at him just as the losses to the Eagles did to Landry.