Each week, we collect to debate the newest information concerning the Dallas Cowboys and search our author’s perspective on every headline. Welcome again to the roundtable. This week we’ve David Howman, Tom Ryle, RJ Ochoa, Jess Haynie, and Sean Martin.
What did you make of Dak Prescott’s decision-making and management of the offense in opposition to Inexperienced Bay?
Mike: In the event you had been looking for proof that Dak Prescott nonetheless has full command of the Dallas offense, the Inexperienced Bay sport delivered it in excessive definition. This wasn’t empty-calorie manufacturing or a dink-and-dunk stat pad. It was a quarterback working the present with tempo, intention, and restraint, then punctuating it with a couple of throws that solely a handful of men will even strive.
The very first thing that jumped off the display was how shortly Prescott acquired from resolution to supply. He performed on time, layered the ball between ranges, and refused to feed Inexperienced Bay free possessions. He elevated the whole operation. George Pickens turned a featured weapon, Jake Ferguson’s chain-moving routes mattered, and ancillary touches had been purposeful, not pressured. That’s management you may really feel: the huddle trusts the decision, the ball goes the place the learn says, and the offense retains its form as an alternative of shrinking round a single goal.
Prescott’s signature second got here on a sideline laser to Jalen Tolbert, threaded the place solely Tolbert may contact it. The window was microscopic, the timing unforgiving, and the position pristine. This was A-grade quarterbacking. Decisive, turnover-averse, situationally sharp, and emotionally regular. The scoreboard will invite debate, the tape gained’t.
Howman: It proved the purpose I’ve been making the previous week: The Cowboys are a playoff-caliber staff so long as Dak Prescott is on the sphere. No CeeDee? No downside. Prescott is sweet sufficient to make performs with out him, and it’s about time the remainder of the league takes observe of that.
Tom: Actually, how will you fault a QB who offers you 40 factors and no turnovers? Like Howman, I’m impressed about how the chemistry has developed with George Pickens. There’s additionally a little bit of an emergence for Jalen Tolbert, who had 61 yards. Give Dak some protection, and this staff is harmful.
RJ: Dak was simply the best level of stability for the Cowboys on Sunday night time. It’s extremely unlucky that they had been unable to return out with the win as these sorts of performances aren’t promised.
Jess: It’s the very best we’ve ever seen him, and nearly as good as something we’ve seen since this staff was profitable Tremendous Bowls. However except this protection finds some stage of solvency, there’s simply no approach Dak and the offense can do sufficient to maintain this season afloat. Exhausting to get pleasure from it an excessive amount of till it begins leading to wins.
Sean: Prescott was nothing in need of dominant in opposition to the Packers, however the truth the sport known as for him to be this near excellent to merely squeak out a tie is a heartbreak. Each third down try or passing state of affairs usually felt like the chance for the Packers to make a play and fully take over the sport was inevitable, however even down a number of offensive linemen and CeeDee Lamb, this second by no means got here. Prescott was clutch and so too had been George Pickens, Jalen Tolbert, and Ryan Flournoy all at completely different occasions.
Does an extra time tie say extra concerning the Cowboys’ resilience or their incapacity to complete?
Mike: The ineffective and brief reply right here is each, however to purpose a solution come what may it leans towards resilience. Dallas confirmed the sort of backbone you may construct on after Thanksgiving. However the identical movie that praises their struggle additionally underlines a repeatable, ending difficulty.
The Cowboys proved they’ll take a punch and preserve creating probabilities. Meaning in the event that they clear up the controllables, they’re not looking for an id, they’re optimizing one. The tie showcased coronary heart, nevertheless it additionally spotlighted the hole between being exhausting to beat and being the staff that really wins it. Repair the defensive sloppiness, and the resilience everybody admires turns into wins everybody remembers.
Howman: Resilience, for certain. The Cowboys weren’t speculated to have an opportunity on this one, and early on they had been fixing to get blown out. The truth that they not solely took it to extra time however didn’t lose is a testomony to their skill to rise to the event, even with out their finest ability participant.
Tom: They got here so shut. Had that remaining move from Jordan Love been deflected again into the top zone, the sport would have ended with a win nobody noticed coming. The tie itself exceeded expectations. I didn’t suppose a tie sport might be labeled as wildly entertaining, however up till the top, it was.
RJ: I hate to journey the fence, however I’m going to go along with each. That’s the principal difficulty. They’ve one aspect of the ball that may go toe to toe with anybody, however the different aspect is so inconceivable to belief. These issues can not perform concurrently.
Jess: I agree with R.J. that it’s resilience on offense and dysfunction on protection.
Sean: Simply resilience, as a result of this sport shared some similarities with the Cowboys different primetime loss this season on the Eagles. Backs in opposition to the wall, no person on this planet choosing your staff to even be within the sport, and Brian Schottenheimer had his group targeted and able to execute a “camel via the attention of a needle” sort sport plan on the fly to match the Packers and almost upset them. It’s been some time since let’s imagine a Cowboys coach had his staff probably the most ready for the hardest video games with probably the most noise round them, however to date it looks like that’s what the Cowboys have in Schotty, protecting in thoughts he calls the performs on offense and in that approach did every part he may to drag out this win. The protection merely has to discover a method to get a couple of extra stops to make all of it matter.
How assured are you in Dallas getting a win in opposition to a lackluster New York Jets, or does the Cowboys protection make you nervous?
Mike: I’m going with a 7-out-of-10 on the Cowboys-confidence meter. That’s largely as a result of a clear, on-schedule Dallas offense must be sufficient to beat a Jets staff that too typically sputters between the 20s. However let’s not fake the Cowboys’ protection doesn’t increase an eyebrow.
If Dallas performs with self-discipline and leverage they displayed of their finest stretches final week by rallying to tackles, capping explosive performs, and forcing the Jets to stack 10-play drives, the sport leans of their approach quick. If Dallas jumps to an early lead that makes New York chase, muddy the intermediate home windows for Garrett Wilson, then Dallas wins with room to breathe.
Howman: The protection makes me very nervous nonetheless, however I noticed a pair encouraging indicators this week. I feel the Jets current a extra manageable matchup, respectfully, and suppose the Cowboys must be favorites on this one.
Tom: The very best factor defensively was that they solely acquired beat deep a few occasions. After the abysmal showings earlier than this sport, that was an enormous step ahead. Now they simply want to determine learn how to generate extra move rush, and I feel the secondary will begin to look higher.
RJ: In the mean time the Cowboys have allowed three straight quarterbacks to every throw for (not less than) three touchdowns in opposition to them. I’ve zero cause to consider Justin Fields is not going to make it a fourth. That is extra concerning the Cowboys than Fields, nevertheless it feels truthful to the purpose nonetheless.
Jess: These subsequent two video games are a welcome probability for Dallas to work some issues out on protection within the softest remaining a part of their schedule. The excellent news is that even when what they struggle fails, it could actually’t actually get any worse than what we’ve seen. So so long as Prescott stays sizzling, I really feel fairly good about attending to 3-2-1.
Sean: To flip issues on its head for a second, I favored what I noticed from the Dolphins offense attacking the Jets protection on Monday night time. This must be one other sport that bodes nicely for the Cowboys offense, and I simply have such a tough time believing that with one other massive level output, the protection can’t do even marginally higher to earn a win and never one other loss or tie. My largest general concern for the Jets sport is making an attempt handy one other loss to a winless staff, which Dallas was not mentally ready to do in week three on the Bears, however I feel the protection nonetheless finds a method to just do sufficient.
Larger WR affect, George Pickens or Garrett Wilson?
Howman: Pickens, however extra so by advantage of the man throwing him the ball.
Tom: Second Howman’s movement.
Jess: Pickens, however as a result of Fields will do extra injury together with his toes.
Sean: Pickens, and I’ll give some love my different colleagues didn’t to Bland and Diggs working in opposition to Wilson.
Dallas edge plan, extra Jadeveon Clowney or unleash rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku?
Howman: I just like the rotation method they’re utilizing, however Clowney and Ezeiruaku ought to each get extra reps. Oh, and James Houston, clearly.
Tom: To blatantly steal a line, why not each? Or all three? I don’t know if Matt Eberflus is artistic sufficient, however in clear passing downs, put nothing however edge guys on the road and get after it.
Jess: The one plan I care about is protecting Sam Williams off the sphere.
Sean: I favored Ezeiruaku’s sport, penalty withholding, in opposition to the Packers. Let’s see extra of him.
Dak Prescott passing yards, over/underneath 268.5.
Tom: A worse protection, so over.
Sean: Screenshot alert, we’re all on the over.
Cowboys staff sacks- over/underneath 3.0
Howman: Most likely underneath, simply due to Justin Fields’ mobility.
Tom: I’ll take the underneath till this D line reveals me extra.
RJ: I’ll additionally go underneath. The mobility is an enormous issue.
Sean: Underneath, cell QB and farthest factor from a lockdown secondary.
Higher third-down weapon, Jake Ferguson or Ryan Flournoy?
Howman: Jake Ferguson isn’t the YAC risk he as soon as was, however his reference to Prescott makes him a super security blanket.
Tom: To me the deciding issue is that Ferg had seven targets and hauled all of them in.
RJ: 100% Jake Ferguson for me. No disrespect to Flournoy.
Jess: Will depend on the gap, however something underneath 10 yards is Ferg time.
Whole Cowboys factors on offense, over/underneath 31.5
Howman: I hope it’s over, as a result of this protection most likely isn’t hitting the underneath.
Tom: The Jets are a bit additional down within the stats than the Pack, so the over sounds good.
RJ: Over as a result of they are going to be mandatory.
Jess: If subject targets rely for the offense, I’ll say over.
Sean: Underneath however by one or two factors.
On a scale of 1-10, how a lot do you belief Javonte Williams at present?.
Howman: 11. Williams seems like he did in his rookie 12 months, when he was on the verge of breaking out as one of many league’s finest backs.
Tom: 9.5, simply because the season remains to be younger. In a sport that shortly turned a QB shootout, he nonetheless had a stable 85 yards. In the event that they get an enormous lead in a contest, he’ll most likely go nicely over 100.
RJ: Tom mentioned it nicely. I’ll say 9.5 additionally simply due to the Chicago fumble.
Jess: 10/10. He maximizes every part the blocks arrange and constantly creates further yards.
Sean: 9/10, could be good to see one other explosive TD run this week
KaVontae Turpin receptions, over/underneath 4
Howman: Over, as a result of Brian Schottenheimer needs to get him extra concerned after this previous week.
Tom: I’m going to go along with the underneath on this one, as a result of that Pickens connection is clicking and as I mentioned Tolbert is approaching. Plus you do wish to defend the very best return man within the sport somewhat.
RJ: Undoubtedly over right here.
Jess: I feel it’s solely 3-4 catches, however he’ll get some extra touches in different methods.
Sean: I feel the Cowboys will see some missed alternatives to get Turpin the ball on the movie vs. the Packers. I’ll take the over as they appropriate it on the Jets.
