The Cowboys were beaten by a better team on Sunday; it's as simple as that, and it's not questionable on paper or on the field. That doesn't mean the head coach should be fired or Linehan and Marinelli are too simplistic, or anything else.
The facts are simple.
Defense:
- We started the game down two key linemen, and this wasn't the Giants OL
- We started the game down our best CB, and in short order, we were down 3 CBs, later 4 when Carrol left a second time, not to mention Jordan Lewis getting his first ever NFL experience having to play outside alone.
- We were down one of our best LBs, and while Jaylon Smith may turn out to be the best thing since sliced bread, right now he's not even in the same tier as Hidgens. He didn't play well against the Giants, and yesterday he was confused and late reacting. We had a lot of rookies and others who are just starting to learn the NFL game.
- The Bengals ran out much better WR's than the Giants did, and they had a hard-nosed run game that abused our 6-man front.
Offense:
- The Broncos decided to play their base defense no matter how many WR's we used. They had 7 man fronts with an 8th nearby, and they were closing on our run game fast. The bottom line is that any team can stop any run game anytime they want if they want to commit enough resources to do so, no matter how good the OL is.
- The WRs and QB didn't make Denver pay for stopping the run game. Denver had confidence in one of the best secondaries and pass rushes, and we played right into their hands by dinking and dunking instead of threatening them deep.
- Dak wasn't under duress the whole game, but he played like it. He was hesitant, and he missed receivers with poor throws and some that were just late. He didn't have a good game. If the QB can't make a defense play a 6 man front against a 3 receiver set, then the offense isn't going to run the ball well.
Yesterday, the Broncos were unquestionably the better team. Maybe when we have all our players back from suspensions and injuries, and when our rookies have some seasoning and don't have to be the front line guys, and maybe when the game plan is prepared for what Denver threw at us and Dak has a better game, maybe the Cowboys will be the better team...maybe not.
Either way, we are still the favorites to win our division, in my mind.
The Cardinals are on the horizon. Expect them to follow Denver's game plan; expect Peterson to take Dez out of the game. It will be up to Dak and the rest of the receivers to force the Cardinals back into pass coverage in order to open the running game. The Cardinals have the defense to try what Denver did, but the Cardinals aren't the Broncos, and Dallas won't be surprised.
