Nice effort by the Cowboys today. They stepped up their game when they needed to, and got a much needed win.
Romo was terrific today. Yes, he missed the big throw to Witten on the first drive, but that may have been the lone mistake he made today. He was patient, and showed good field vision all day. He wasn't 100%, but he was efficient, smart and very effective. Murray was his usual solid self, and the offensive line once again played terrific football. Zack Martin continues to impress - he is an absolute stud, and watching him and Frederick work in tandem is a thing of beauty. Dez Bryant looked like he had more fight in him today, and was outstanding with the ball in his hands. This is the most explosive that he looked all season long, and it was good to see coming off of his last two performances.
The defense made plays when they had to. Anthony Hitchens played really well today - he was active, showed great hustle running down Cecil Shorts after he broke down the sideline, and made a terrific stop on the 4th and 1 play. His ability to be so active was due to the unsung play of Henry Melton, Nick Hayden and Terrell McClain up front, who did a great job of tying the Jaguars interior OL up. Bruce Carter looked more sure of himself today, and played well. DeMarcus Lawrence flashed once, but was largely ineffective, and doesn't look quick off of the snap. He looks very much like a rookie who missed camp, preseason games and the first eight games of the season.
Two things of concern from watching this game today:
- Dwayne Harris looks like he is running in concrete shoes. He has gone from a mainstay on this team, and a real force on special teams to a complete JAG. If I didn't know better, he's playing through an injury of some kind, but he looks awful out there. They need more from him - when he's right, he's one of the most unsung contributors on the team.
- Sterling Moore is starting to show why the Patriots let him go, and why the Cowboys had him on the practice squad last year. The Jags had a clear strategy with their passing game - attack Moore. When they were throwing, they tried to isolate Moore in coverage. Moore tries hard, but he just lacks the step of speed needed to close down slants and crosses with regularity. Watching Patmon limp off in the second quarter showed how little depth they have at corner. It's something to keep an eye on as the season progresses.
Yes, I know this was a win against the Jaguars, but it was much needed, and a good job by the Cowboys in beating an inferior team, and beating them bad. This bye week is huge for getting players some much needed rest to heal (Romo, Murray, Crawford, McClain, Spencer). With the Giants losing today, and showing a complete indifference to stopping the run, the rematch sets up well for Dallas. Watching the Bears tonight pull a 2010 Cowboys vs. Packers act makes me think that the December game won't be as daunting as it looked a few weeks ago. The Cowboys have positioned themselves well for the stretch - they just need to perform.
7-3 sounds nice, especially if you were someone who projected the team to end up 6-10 (that would be me).