Plankton
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Which way does the weathervane blow?
Which way does it point?
The Dallas Cowboys endured a crushing defeat against the Houston Texans in overtime where, as has been their wont in 2018, the offense was unimaginative, the defense hard working and the coaching staff giving off a conservative vibe not seen since the last time we watched Ozzie and Harriet re-runs.
Following that defeat, the team, most specifically the head coach, was openly questioned and lampooned. Jason Garrett, the longest tenured head coach in Cowboy history not named Tom Landry, made a somewhat controversial decision to punt the ball back to the Texans when faced with a fourth and two situation from the Texans 42 yard line in overtime with the score tied. For a man who generally has rolled the dice in going for it in short yardage situations, and preaches a mantra of fight, scratch and claw, the decision to do the exact opposite of his credo sent a conflicted message to his team, and caused his boss, owner Jerry Jones, to openly question his strategy.
With the vultures in the media, social media and the fan base lathered up to see a public execution, and the manner with which the Cowboys lost the game in Houston, the contest yesterday between the Cowboys and the AFC runner up from 2017, the Jacksonville Jaguars, served to be a weathervane type of game.
A game where, depending on how the wind blows, would send a message to all as to which direction the remainder of the season would go.
If the results from yesterday are indicative of anything, the winds showed that the weathervane is pointing in the direction of a team that still supports their head coach, and is still in tune with his message and leadership. And, while this may be disconcerting if not downright frustrating to the fan base, we are still way too early in the season to make proclamations about anything.
Right or wrong, the Cowboys came out focused yesterday, and turned a matchup between their offense and the top ranked Jaguar defense into a complete mismatch. Just not the mismatch that most people believed would happen.
Who would have thunk it?
What can be acknowledged is that, finally 10 years in the making, ATT Stadium has emerged as a home field advantage for the Cowboys. Whether it’s the water, the food, the fans, or the general familiarity with their surroundings, the Cowboys have been a much different team at home as opposed to the road. Certainly, the coaching staff has approached games differently in this environment compared to their road games in the early juncture of the season.
Inside the walls of the Cowboys’ home, the offense has been running at a much different pace – crisp, confident and fast. Quarterback Dak Prescott has been much more cool and relaxed in the home games thus far. From the opening snap on Sunday, Prescott gave off the air of being in command. The quarterback, frequently a target of the fan base (the author a part of this), led the offense with a steady hand, and was much more involved on the ground. Prescott ran for a career high 82 yards, keeping the Jaguar defense off balance, and extending drives. Even in the moments where things didn’t go well in the first half, and there were few of those, Prescott took advantage of good fortune on two fumbles where the ball bounced right back to him, and made positive plays.
Clearly there was a focus in the game plan to call Cole Beasley’s number early and often. Despite largely being matched up against one of the NFL’s best corners in A.J. Bouye, Beasley ran the Jaguar corner ragged, hauling in nine passes for a season high 101 yards and two touchdown receptions. In a first half where the Cowboys didn’t punt the football, the Dallas offense was able to control the football with Prescott and Beasley leading the way.
While the offense for the home team was one that had been unrecognizable for most of the season, what we saw from the visitors was more in line with what the Cowboys had performed thus far – unimaginative and ineffective. The Jaguars managed only one first down in a first half dominated by Dallas. Jacksonville’s offense was only on the field for 10:21 in the half, and was held to 64 yards of total offense in a half where the Cowboys scored more points than they had in all but one entire game this season. With a 24-0 lead, the Jaguars were cooked.
When Jacksonville finally pushed across a score, cutting the lead to 24-7, the Cowboys put their heads down, and finished the Jaguars off. A drive for a field goal was followed by a Jeff Heath interception, which led to another field goal. Jacksonville continued their charity with a fumble on their first play following the field goal. The Cowboys turned this gift into a statement touchdown, with Ezekiel Elliott running through a hole that rivaled Moses parting the Red Sea, driving with emphasis the stake through the hearts of Jacksonville.
This 40-7 beatdown came out of nowhere, but was a much needed win for Garrett and Prescott. The Cowboys played with a swagger and overall confidence this week that had been missing for a good portion of the season. Whether it was a by-product of UFC star Conor McGregor meeting with the team on the field, or just being home, the Cowboy offense finally met the level of their defense in 2018, and looked for the first time that, just maybe, they could hold up their end of the bargain this season. And, unlike the win over the Lions, the offensive effort was against a top flight defense that the Cowboys took behind the woodshed.
What will be key for the Cowboys going forward will be to channel the same swagger and same diversity in offensive philosophy when they go on the road. This week’s game against the Commanders will be a great opportunity to see if the Cowboys can attack on offense with the same determined mindset that they did at home.
And keep the weathervane pointed in the right direction.
Other observations from this week:
Which way does it point?
The Dallas Cowboys endured a crushing defeat against the Houston Texans in overtime where, as has been their wont in 2018, the offense was unimaginative, the defense hard working and the coaching staff giving off a conservative vibe not seen since the last time we watched Ozzie and Harriet re-runs.
Following that defeat, the team, most specifically the head coach, was openly questioned and lampooned. Jason Garrett, the longest tenured head coach in Cowboy history not named Tom Landry, made a somewhat controversial decision to punt the ball back to the Texans when faced with a fourth and two situation from the Texans 42 yard line in overtime with the score tied. For a man who generally has rolled the dice in going for it in short yardage situations, and preaches a mantra of fight, scratch and claw, the decision to do the exact opposite of his credo sent a conflicted message to his team, and caused his boss, owner Jerry Jones, to openly question his strategy.
With the vultures in the media, social media and the fan base lathered up to see a public execution, and the manner with which the Cowboys lost the game in Houston, the contest yesterday between the Cowboys and the AFC runner up from 2017, the Jacksonville Jaguars, served to be a weathervane type of game.
A game where, depending on how the wind blows, would send a message to all as to which direction the remainder of the season would go.
If the results from yesterday are indicative of anything, the winds showed that the weathervane is pointing in the direction of a team that still supports their head coach, and is still in tune with his message and leadership. And, while this may be disconcerting if not downright frustrating to the fan base, we are still way too early in the season to make proclamations about anything.
Right or wrong, the Cowboys came out focused yesterday, and turned a matchup between their offense and the top ranked Jaguar defense into a complete mismatch. Just not the mismatch that most people believed would happen.
Who would have thunk it?
What can be acknowledged is that, finally 10 years in the making, ATT Stadium has emerged as a home field advantage for the Cowboys. Whether it’s the water, the food, the fans, or the general familiarity with their surroundings, the Cowboys have been a much different team at home as opposed to the road. Certainly, the coaching staff has approached games differently in this environment compared to their road games in the early juncture of the season.
Inside the walls of the Cowboys’ home, the offense has been running at a much different pace – crisp, confident and fast. Quarterback Dak Prescott has been much more cool and relaxed in the home games thus far. From the opening snap on Sunday, Prescott gave off the air of being in command. The quarterback, frequently a target of the fan base (the author a part of this), led the offense with a steady hand, and was much more involved on the ground. Prescott ran for a career high 82 yards, keeping the Jaguar defense off balance, and extending drives. Even in the moments where things didn’t go well in the first half, and there were few of those, Prescott took advantage of good fortune on two fumbles where the ball bounced right back to him, and made positive plays.
Clearly there was a focus in the game plan to call Cole Beasley’s number early and often. Despite largely being matched up against one of the NFL’s best corners in A.J. Bouye, Beasley ran the Jaguar corner ragged, hauling in nine passes for a season high 101 yards and two touchdown receptions. In a first half where the Cowboys didn’t punt the football, the Dallas offense was able to control the football with Prescott and Beasley leading the way.
While the offense for the home team was one that had been unrecognizable for most of the season, what we saw from the visitors was more in line with what the Cowboys had performed thus far – unimaginative and ineffective. The Jaguars managed only one first down in a first half dominated by Dallas. Jacksonville’s offense was only on the field for 10:21 in the half, and was held to 64 yards of total offense in a half where the Cowboys scored more points than they had in all but one entire game this season. With a 24-0 lead, the Jaguars were cooked.
When Jacksonville finally pushed across a score, cutting the lead to 24-7, the Cowboys put their heads down, and finished the Jaguars off. A drive for a field goal was followed by a Jeff Heath interception, which led to another field goal. Jacksonville continued their charity with a fumble on their first play following the field goal. The Cowboys turned this gift into a statement touchdown, with Ezekiel Elliott running through a hole that rivaled Moses parting the Red Sea, driving with emphasis the stake through the hearts of Jacksonville.
This 40-7 beatdown came out of nowhere, but was a much needed win for Garrett and Prescott. The Cowboys played with a swagger and overall confidence this week that had been missing for a good portion of the season. Whether it was a by-product of UFC star Conor McGregor meeting with the team on the field, or just being home, the Cowboy offense finally met the level of their defense in 2018, and looked for the first time that, just maybe, they could hold up their end of the bargain this season. And, unlike the win over the Lions, the offensive effort was against a top flight defense that the Cowboys took behind the woodshed.
What will be key for the Cowboys going forward will be to channel the same swagger and same diversity in offensive philosophy when they go on the road. This week’s game against the Commanders will be a great opportunity to see if the Cowboys can attack on offense with the same determined mindset that they did at home.
And keep the weathervane pointed in the right direction.
Other observations from this week:
- A big key for the Cowboys this week? Discipline. The Cowboys didn’t allow themselves to play from behind the sticks on offense. The Cowboys only had 8 plays that went for zero yards or less, with a couple of them in garbage time. They also were penalty free, with a season low three penalties called. They didn’t give the Jaguars any free yards on offense, with the defense committing no penalties. Jacksonville, on the other hand, extended the Cowboy drive late in the first half with an unconscionable 12 men on the field penalty on a punt, which the Cowboys cashed in with a touchdown that cemented a 24-0 lead. Outstanding focus and effort on both sides on the ball by the Cowboys.
- For as much grief as the Cowboys got for releasing Dan Bailey, it looks as if they were in the right. Aside from missing his first kick of the season, Brett Maher has been perfect. He hit all four of his field goal attempts yesterday, including a 55 yard capper on a 40 point showing. Maher has been a pleasant surprise thus far, and has more than justified the decision to keep him over Bailey.
- The Jaguars defensive line is formidable, and on paper, would have appeared to have had the upper hand over a struggling Cowboy offensive line. Well, that’s why they play the games. The Cowboys dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and largely made the Jaguar DL a complete non-factor. 206 yards rushing is a pretty good indication of the dominance shown by the line, with Zack Martin and La’el Collins having their best games of the season.
- Maliek Collins showed on Sunday why he is so valuable to the Cowboys. His power spin move that resulted in a sack is a move that no other defender in the Cowboy interior defensive line can execute. Collins showed explosive quickness on that snap, and if his legs are finally healthy, could provide the interior push that can cause sack opportunities for the Cowboy ends.
- Sunday was a nice bounce back game for Jourdan Lewis. Seeing more snaps due to the injury issues with Chidobe Awuzie, Lewis played with a physical edge early, and demonstrated his athletic ability with an outstanding diving recovery of a Keelan Cole fumble in the third quarter. Lewis brings swagger to the secondary, and it was his best effort of the season.
- What had been a weakness for years is now a strength of the team. The Cowboy linebacking corps has been playing sideline to sideline, and has been wreaking havoc in defending the run. The Cowboys are 10th in yards allowed, but tied for second in yards per attempt. A great deal of credit needs to go to Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch for their efforts against the run. Considering that this has been accomplished without Sean Lee on the field, this is a remarkable turn of events. In the past, without Lee, the Cowboy defense was basically replacement level at best. Now, they are still going strong. Once Lee returns to the field, the Cowboys will have quite a rotation with the two aforementioned youngsters, as well as the steady Damien Wilson.
- Another week, another strong effort from Byron Jones. Jones had three more passes defensed against the Jaguars, and continues to be a virtual blanket for opposing receivers. Jones has found a home at corner, and will be in line for a big contract in the not so distant future. If can manage to intercept some passes, he could have some consideration for an All-Pro nomination.
- One area of concern? The Cowboy pass rush, while productive thus far, has not been getting home as much without blitzing. Adding Collins and David Irving should help a bit, but the Cowboy have gotten little pass rush production from the RDE position. Randy Gregory got his first sack of the season on Sunday, but the Cowboys were facing the Jaguars’ third string LT. They should be more productive on the pass rush than they have been, and will face a much stiffer test this week against the Commander offensive line.
- Schedule wise, the Cowboys are entering a difficult stretch, but they are getting their bye week at the right time. After a road test against the Commanders (a very winnable game), the Cowboys come off their bye to a home tilt against a Titan team that allowed 11 sacks to the Ravens, and gained barely more than 100 yards of total offense in a 21-0 loss. Then, they enter the gulag of their schedule – four games in 18 days, with road tilts against the Eagles and Falcons, as well as a Thursday night test against the Saints, sandwiched around a Thanksgiving contest with the Commanders. This stretch will decide the season.
