JJT: 10 truths from the Cowboys' win

Cotton

One-armed Knife Sharpener
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
119,737
10 truths from the Cowboys' win: Randall Cobb is a more dynamic player than Cole Beasley, Dak Prescott impresses and more

What should you know about the Cowboys win over the Giants

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) points out players on the New York Giants defense before the snap during the first half of play in the home opener between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Sunday, September 8, 2019. (Vernon Bryant / Staff Photographer)

By Jean-Jacques Taylor
10:00 AM on Sep 9, 2019

10 truths from the Cowboys' 35-17 win over the New York Giants on Sunday at AT&T Stadium:

-- Dak Prescott has never looked more comfortable or confident in the pocket, completing nine passes of 20 yards or more to four different receivers. Not bad for a dude criticized often by the Dak Hate Hive for not being able to connect on the deep ball. Those completions led to 28 points.

-- Amari Cooper is the epitome of a big-play receiver. Of his 26 career touchdown receptions, 18 have come on passes of more than 20 yards. The 21-yard touchdown pass he caught in the second quarter made it five of his seven touchdown passes with the Cowboys have come on plays of at least 20 yards.

-- Leighton Vander Esch had the quietest monster game you'll ever see. He had 10 tackles, half a sack, a quarterback hit, a pass deflection and a forced fumble. He also made two huge plays by correctly playing naked bootlegs and blowing them up.

-- Ezekiel Elliott, as you might expect, started running much better in the second half when he found a rhythm. He powered through a defender at the three-yard line and lunged into the end zone for the Cowboys' final touchdown. He finished with 53 yards on 13 carries.

-- The run defense, you hope, will get much better. Now, Saquon Barkley is a fantastic running back, who finished with 120 yards on 11 carries, but there were way too many creases and missed tackles for a unit that aspires to be amongst the NFL's best. If the score had been closer, he would've had a lot more carries.

-- Play-caller Kellen Moore had a definite impact on the Cowboys' offense. You saw Dak Prescott throw more deep balls. Twice, you saw Prescott use the read option on third down and get a first down. You saw some crossing routes and misdirection. Mostly, though, you saw an offense that stressed the defense by getting the ball to its best players in space.

-- Former receiver Cole Beasley is a good dude with a great story, who has made a really nice career as an undrafted free agent. Randall Cobb, who essentially replaced him as the third receiver, is a more dynamic player and it showed Sunday. He caught four passes for 69 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown. In seven seasons and 103 games, Beasley never averaged as much as 17.7 yards on four catches.

-- Michael Gallup, who caught only 33 of 68 passes directed his way (48.5 pct.) last season, caught each of the seven passes Prescott threw him for a career-high 158 yards. The performance was simply an extension of the strong training camp and offseason Gallup has had.

-- Blake Jarwin and Jason Witten each caught three passes and scored a touchdown. They combined for 54 yards. The 28-yard touchdown Jarwin scored on is normally a play reserved for Witten. Times have changed.

-- The Cowboys have spent $54 million on their offensive line - 14 million more than any other NFL team and it showed against New York. Prescott was only hit twice in 32 pass attempts and was not sacked. The Cowboys totaled 35 points, 490 yards and five drives of 80 yards or more, which is the definition of dominant.
 

boozeman

28 Years And Counting...
Staff member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
121,760
-- Former receiver Cole Beasley is a good dude with a great story, who has made a really nice career as an undrafted free agent. Randall Cobb, who essentially replaced him as the third receiver, is a more dynamic player and it showed Sunday. He caught four passes for 69 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown. In seven seasons and 103 games, Beasley never averaged as much as 17.7 yards on four catches.
Ahuhayuh.
 

NoDak

Hotlinking' sonofabitch
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
22,934
-- Blake Jarwin and Jason Witten each caught three passes and scored a touchdown. They combined for 54 yards. The 28-yard touchdown Jarwin scored on is normally a play reserved for Witten. Times have changed.
Could have swore I was guaranteed that Witten would never leave the field.
 
Top Bottom