A Minor Defense

This is a very minor point, but I want to give a little shout of encouragement to none other than little Marty Gramatica. He's been getting hammered for his role in the fumbled FG attempt that ended Dallas's season and I don't think he deserves it.

In fact, I'll state that when I watched the replay right after it happened, I thought "Gramatica did an OK job getting in a defender's way there."

No, it wasn't much. He's not Keith Van Horne when it comes to throwing a block, let alone on a freaky broken play, but when was the last time you saw a kicker or punter throw a block? Exactly. So I just found these mainstream rips curious and unfair.

PETER KING:

Dallas fans might always wonder what would have happened if kicker Martin Gramatica had gotten a good block on Babineaux amid the chaos of Tony Romo's muffed snap on what should have been the game-winning field goal. Go back and watch it again. Romo picked up the ball and began running around left end. Gramatica made a feeble and wimpy attempt to block the 200-pound Babineaux, who shucked him aside and sprinted to catch up to Romo.

DON BANKS:

But Babineaux never would have been in position to make his game-deciding play had Gramatica done anything -- and we mean anything -- to get in the way of Babineaux when he had the chance, after Romo butterfingered the hold.

I say nice jawb, Marty. You jumped over Romo's hands and then a rolling defender, recognized what was happening, and got a hand on Babineaux. It wasn't enough, but you done good under the circumstances. Don't listen to the haters who just pick out the easy targets. Viva Automatica!