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Cowboys looking for validation after bye week
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- Early or late, the bye week usually comes at a good time. For the Dallas Cowboys, the Week 6 bye came at a really good time because it means one less week they have to play without Dez Bryant and Tony Romo.
While Jason Garrett believes it is too early to look at the standings, it’s never too early when a team has a three-game losing streak, will be making a quarterback change, and will be switching things up at offensive line and possibly running back.
The Cowboys’ coaches return to work today, followed by the players on Tuesday as the preparation for the New York Giants begins.
It was good for the Cowboys that the Washington Redskins lost. The Giants and Philadelphia Eagles play on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” with an argument that either team losing will be good for the Cowboys. An Eagles loss might be better -- they would fall to 0-3 in the division -- with the Cowboys able to go for the season sweep of New York in Week 7 at MetLife Stadium.
A year ago, the Cowboys were 4-1 and had an established identity with the running game, led by DeMarco Murray, and an opportunistic defense. But they needed a massive comeback against the St. Louis Rams and overtime to beat the Houston Texans, so they were not as dominating as their 12-4 final record would have indicated.
This year, the Cowboys are 2-3 and haven’t won a game since losing Romo in the Week 2 win at the Eagles. They had chances to beat the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints, but failed.
To break the slide, the Cowboys have made changes.
Matt Cassel will make his Cowboys debut at quarterback against the Giants. La'el Collins will start at left guard. Christine Michael will see a larger role at running back than he has had in the first five games of the season.
"I mean, it's weird, but I don't feel like anything is falling apart,” defensive end Jeremy Mincey said. “I just think right now we're a little discombobulated, but I think we will get it together with this group of men. It's still the same guys. Bend but don't break. We're just a little wounded right now, but the wounds will heal. Once we get those wounds healed, we'll be right back to where we need to be."
Discombobulated is an apt description. The Cowboys were built to win on their running game and have yet to have a 100-yard rusher. They have 269 fewer yards on the ground than they had through five games last year.
Hence the thought that Michael will get more work.
The lack of a consistent running game has hurt the passing game. Through five games last year the Cowboys had 12 pass plays of at least 20 yards. This year they have 10. Last year, Romo had nine touchdown passes through five games. This year they have five.
Hence the change to Cassel.
“When a backup player goes in, it’s his responsibility to step into that role and do the same things,” Garrett said. “And especially when you’re a quarterback. You have to lead the team. That’s a big part of the job. You have to get people to respond around you. Brandon did that to a certain extent. Expect Matt to do the same thing. That’s part of the job. You do your job. You’re one-eleventh of the offense, but you have a positive impact on the other guys on the offense and the other guys on the team. Tony’s done that for a long time around here. That’s what our expectation is for the quarterbacks who do play.”
On defense, the Cowboys had nine takeaways in their first five games last year. This year they have three takeaways this season and none in the last three games.
Hence the hope that the more Greg Hardy and Rolando McClain play, the more the takeaways will reappear.
The Miami Dolphins made a coaching change during the bye week, firing Joe Philbin and naming former Cowboys tight end Dan Campbell the interim coach. On Sunday, the Dolphins beat the Tennessee Titans, 38-10, validating the change, at least for a week.
The Cowboys could use a similar validation after their bye week.
Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- Early or late, the bye week usually comes at a good time. For the Dallas Cowboys, the Week 6 bye came at a really good time because it means one less week they have to play without Dez Bryant and Tony Romo.
While Jason Garrett believes it is too early to look at the standings, it’s never too early when a team has a three-game losing streak, will be making a quarterback change, and will be switching things up at offensive line and possibly running back.
The Cowboys’ coaches return to work today, followed by the players on Tuesday as the preparation for the New York Giants begins.
It was good for the Cowboys that the Washington Redskins lost. The Giants and Philadelphia Eagles play on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” with an argument that either team losing will be good for the Cowboys. An Eagles loss might be better -- they would fall to 0-3 in the division -- with the Cowboys able to go for the season sweep of New York in Week 7 at MetLife Stadium.
A year ago, the Cowboys were 4-1 and had an established identity with the running game, led by DeMarco Murray, and an opportunistic defense. But they needed a massive comeback against the St. Louis Rams and overtime to beat the Houston Texans, so they were not as dominating as their 12-4 final record would have indicated.
This year, the Cowboys are 2-3 and haven’t won a game since losing Romo in the Week 2 win at the Eagles. They had chances to beat the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints, but failed.
To break the slide, the Cowboys have made changes.
Matt Cassel will make his Cowboys debut at quarterback against the Giants. La'el Collins will start at left guard. Christine Michael will see a larger role at running back than he has had in the first five games of the season.
"I mean, it's weird, but I don't feel like anything is falling apart,” defensive end Jeremy Mincey said. “I just think right now we're a little discombobulated, but I think we will get it together with this group of men. It's still the same guys. Bend but don't break. We're just a little wounded right now, but the wounds will heal. Once we get those wounds healed, we'll be right back to where we need to be."
Discombobulated is an apt description. The Cowboys were built to win on their running game and have yet to have a 100-yard rusher. They have 269 fewer yards on the ground than they had through five games last year.
Hence the thought that Michael will get more work.
The lack of a consistent running game has hurt the passing game. Through five games last year the Cowboys had 12 pass plays of at least 20 yards. This year they have 10. Last year, Romo had nine touchdown passes through five games. This year they have five.
Hence the change to Cassel.
“When a backup player goes in, it’s his responsibility to step into that role and do the same things,” Garrett said. “And especially when you’re a quarterback. You have to lead the team. That’s a big part of the job. You have to get people to respond around you. Brandon did that to a certain extent. Expect Matt to do the same thing. That’s part of the job. You do your job. You’re one-eleventh of the offense, but you have a positive impact on the other guys on the offense and the other guys on the team. Tony’s done that for a long time around here. That’s what our expectation is for the quarterbacks who do play.”
On defense, the Cowboys had nine takeaways in their first five games last year. This year they have three takeaways this season and none in the last three games.
Hence the hope that the more Greg Hardy and Rolando McClain play, the more the takeaways will reappear.
The Miami Dolphins made a coaching change during the bye week, firing Joe Philbin and naming former Cowboys tight end Dan Campbell the interim coach. On Sunday, the Dolphins beat the Tennessee Titans, 38-10, validating the change, at least for a week.
The Cowboys could use a similar validation after their bye week.
