Sturm: No fluke! These Cowboys have opponents looking as flustered as they were during 'Triplets' era

Cotton

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By Bob Sturm , Special contributor

The Morning After


We continue to be amazed.

It is difficult to articulate how far the reality of the 2016 season has strayed from the projections of the summer -- especially once the veteran quarterback was injured in Seattle (which was after

the veteran backup was injured in Oxnard). But, know this: the premise of owning one defeat as the calendar turns to December seemed about as far-fetched as it gets.

And yet, here we are.

The Cowboys no longer are a surprise this season. They now are squarely on the radar of teams that could play in Houston on February 5. As insane as that idea seemed four months ago, we may as well admit the reality. The Cowboys are one of the very rare teams in the league right now that look like they may be very difficult to take down.

It once again played out before our eyes on Thanksgiving Day, when the Washington Redskins had to feel pretty good about the effort they were able to produce, yet always looked like the second-best team on the field. In losing 31-26, the Redskins can take solace in the fact that they traded body blows with Dallas for much of the afternoon, but most every close viewer of the proceedings would leave with the same conclusion: Dallas was always going to leave with the "W."

They are simply that good.

Not on defense, mind you. For the third straight week, the Cowboys' defense looked like a side running out of steam. They are starting to suffer from more focused attacks on portions of their defense that look vulnerable and, frankly, are proving to be just that. This time, it was Kirk Cousins continuing his fantastic statistical season with another gem, 449 yards through the air and three touchdowns. That was the most yards allowed since Matthew Stafford lit up the Cowboys' secondary for 488 in that forgettable Monte Kiffin season of 2013. That day, Megatron had 300 yards receiving himself. But, on this afternoon, it was a rotation of several different Redskins targets who found space -- even against eight defenders in the secondary (thanks to another three-man rush) -- with four different receivers logging at least 68 yards.

Surely there will come a point when the offense cannot save the bacon of a defense that has now gone a full month without a takeaway. On Thursday, they did something truly rare and historic:

The Redskins lost this game in which they had over 500 yards and no turnovers. According to our friends at ProFootballReference.com, the all-time record for teams to pull off the double of 500 and no turnovers is 89-5. The somewhat ironic add-on to the fact that they are only the fifth team to do it would be that another one of those losses also happened on a Thanksgiving Day in Dallas. It was 1998, when the Cowboys had 500 yards (mostly from Troy Aikman slinging the ball around the field for a record day) and still lost by 10 points to the Minnesota Vikings' aerial attack that was unstoppable.

Added: The above stat sorted another way: 500 yards, zero turnovers and zero sacks mean the all-time record is 32-2. The only two times an offense hit all three of those markers and lost were Thanksgiving 1998 and Thanksgiving 2016, both in Dallas. In NFL history. And both winners, the 1998 Vikings and the 2016 Cowboys, were then 11-1 and 10-1, respectively.

This game had a similar feel to that one.

When neither defense looks particularly powerful, sometimes a great offensive day isn't enough to be victorious. Ask Washington this morning.

The 1998 Vikings did eventually stall out. They were a 15-1 team that fell short of the Lombardi Trophy by losing in the NFC Championship Game on a missed kick. The 2007 New England Patriots and 2013 Denver Broncos both lost in the Super Bowl after seasons when their offenses appeared to have no equals.

The fact that this sport decides its outcomes on a series of one-game showdowns demonstrates that there is no room for errors when the stakes are raised. But, to be mentioned in that group requires an offense that will be remembered and can make its rivals beg for mercy by the end of a day. The 2016 Dallas Cowboys offense seems to have similarities. For when they get the ball, it seems like they are always going to get points soon thereafter.

Yesterday, there were no overly gaudy statistics. In fact, they fell short of 400 yards of total offense for the first time since the week after they were last defeated (Sept. 18). Washington did a nice job of attempting to keep the Dallas offense off the field as much as possible. For instance, the Cowboys only had about 13 minutes of possession in each half. There were but seven Dallas snaps in the third quarter.

But, throughout the day, it was another dominant and efficient offensive performance. The Cowboys balanced their offense with 5.4 yards per run and 7.6 yards per pass. They converted third downs at 50 percent but also played well enough that they hardly ever encountered third downs. On their first three touchdown drives, they never had a single third-down situation. Not one!

The line protected their quarterback and Dak Prescott continued to do what he does best -- move the offense up and down the field and keep the ball out of danger. Does he miss a few opportunities in doing so? Yes. He missed Dez Bryant streaking down the field for a touchdown and he missed Brice Butler in the end zone. He doesn't throw perfect games.

But what he does do with great routine is extend plays, which then extend drives. He moves the chains and takes the team down the field. He seldom misses throws when he must have them. And most importantly, the ball is almost never risked. There are many quarterbacks -- including those we have enjoyed in Dallas -- who are great at what they do but risk giving the opposition a chance to take the ball away. This quarterback has now thrown 340 passes in his 11 professional starts and has had two intercepted.

The number of throws that have been close to becoming interceptions also has been near zero. There was one yesterday that had a chance to get picked off, but even that one first bounced off Bryant's hands. In other words, Prescott did his job. Either he hits his target or he misses safely. And that means, over the course of time, he can win games for you without offering the equal opportunity of losing games for you.

And that leads to a frustrated defense. They already know there is very little to be done against the Cowboys' running game as Ezekiel Elliott, behind this offensive line, is going to be a load to defend in any situation. But now you have a perfect complement at quarterback, in that he can beat you with throws or his feet. Add to that this Aikman-like ability to never flirt with an interception, it seems, and you come up with the recipe that had Washington rolling the dice.

They try a field goal from deep because they feel they must. Once it missed, the Cowboys get a short field.

They try an onside kick because they feel they must. They don't get it, and the Cowboys get another short field.

They feel compelled to do these things because they know they are behind and find it difficult to imagine getting a stop. This is the same reason opponents quickly abandon a running game.

The noose keeps tightening. Prescott and Elliott show no mercy. Bryant, Jason Witten, Cole Beasley and Terrance Williams take turns moving the chains. The scoreboard keeps going up and the clock keeps running out.

I don't know how many more ways to describe these games, because at times, it is exactly what we have been calling it in this space for weeks.
"Repeatable and sustainable."

There is nothing fluky about this offensive power. There is something familiar about it, though. It has opponents looking as flustered as they used to appear against the old "Triplets" 25 years back.

They have a long ways to go to get into that conversation, but they definitely seem to be standing on the gas and going as fast as they can to get there.

Dallas is 10-1 and welcoming all challenges.

December awaits.
 

DLK150

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I didn't think we could ever recreate the magic of "The Triplets" but I'm starting to believe it's happening.
 

UncleMilti

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I'm enjoying this ride, but I am fearing the huge thud that awaits this team in the playoffs with no pass rush and no one taking the ball away defensively.

The offense isn't going to carry this team to the SB, the odds are just stacked against it.
 

Joe Fan

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I'm enjoying this ride, but I am fearing the huge thud that awaits this team in the playoffs with no pass rush and no one taking the ball away defensively.

The offense isn't going to carry this team to the SB, the odds are just stacked against it.
Hopefully the return of Church and eventual return of Mo will help with that.
 

L.T. Fan

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I'm enjoying this ride, but I am fearing the huge thud that awaits this team in the playoffs with no pass rush and no one taking the ball away defensively.

The offense isn't going to carry this team to the SB, the odds are just stacked against it.
I agree with your observation but then I ask myself who in the NFC is going to stop Dallas?
 

p1_

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I wonder how much regret Jerry has over not addressing the defense until this current draft. It would be a shame to see this
team lose because of its weak D. But many of us sense it coming at some point. Maybe not, maybe we have perfected the formula
that keeps our defense off the field. It's exciting as hell, but each and every week, I cringe when opposing qb's slice right through our secondary
and we get ZERO sacks. Ugh.....
 

Cotton

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I'm enjoying this ride, but I am fearing the huge thud that awaits this team in the playoffs with no pass rush and no one taking the ball away defensively.

The offense isn't going to carry this team to the SB, the odds are just stacked against it.
It's very possible, but the good thing about this year is, this is just the beginning of this era. Barring something crazy happening, we have many more to look forward to. That defense will just get better, and like 90% of our offense is under 25. We are going to be good for a while.

I just can't believe I'm saying this.
 

mcnuttz

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It's very possible, but the good thing about this year is, this is just the beginning of this era. Barring something crazy happening, we have many more to look forward to. That defense will just get better, and like 90% of our offense is under 25. We are going to be good for a while.

I just can't believe I'm saying this.
You make me vomit, little homerin out sumbitch.
 

ravidubey

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The offense isn't going to carry this team to the SB, the odds are just stacked against it.
The offense IS the team. No one can stop the run or the pass. That means we're in every game, then come the 4th quarter we're in 4-minute mode FTW.

Tough formula to beat.
 

Cotton

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Seconded.
Face it. We are good. Like best I have seen since early 90's good. You are going to have to just accept this fact.
 

mcnuttz

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Face it. We are good. Like best I have seen since early 90's good. You are going to have to just accept this fact.

Dak is great, but he's going to have a bad game.

Going to suck if it's in the playoffs and the defense proves they can't be depended on, even a little bit.
 

ravidubey

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I don't think it's as easy as Dak having a bad day.

Now 11 games in Dak's developed enough confidence and success to not have to try to win it all on one play, so his decisions are straightforward. Defenses have a Hell of a time covering everything from a designed short throw to a deep shot.

With that success, Dak really can focus on ball security first and trust the play-calling and his reads.

Who out there can pressure him out of it? Seattle, Denver, Minnesota, Arizona, Washington, Baltimore and Philly. Well he's beaten Baltimore and Washington twice with no turnovers. Hell, if anything the Dallas offense pressured the snot out of those other teams.
 

Cotton

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Dak is great, but he's going to have a bad game.

Going to suck if it's in the playoffs and the defense proves they can't be depended on, even a little bit.
I expect him to have his bad games. Still doesn't take away from the fact that we have our future at QB. And, the future is bright. Nomesayin'?
 

mcnuttz

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I expect him to have his bad games. Still doesn't take away from the fact that we have our future at QB. And, the future is bright. Nomesayin'?

I haven't been around much, but wtf have you become?
 

Genghis Khan

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I wonder how much regret Jerry has over not addressing the defense until this current draft. It would be a shame to see this
team lose because of its weak D. But many of us sense it coming at some point. Maybe not, maybe we have perfected the formula
that keeps our defense off the field. It's exciting as hell, but each and every week, I cringe when opposing qb's slice right through our secondary
and we get ZERO sacks. Ugh.....
That's actually not true. Used a 2nd round pick on pass rushers in both 2015 and 2014. That's certainly addressing the defense. And that's not even counting drafting Hitchens and Wilson.
 

Simpleton

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That's actually not true. Used a 2nd round pick on pass rushers in both 2015 and 2014. That's certainly addressing the defense. And that's not even counting drafting Hitchens and Wilson.
Crawford, Collins, Lawrence and Gregory were all 2nd or 3rd round picks. That's investing in the DL for sure, it's just that Gregory was a high risk/high reward pick that didn't work out and Crawford was drafted when we were still running a 3-4.

We just haven't invested in the position like we have the OL.

Then of course there's the borderline 1st round pick we spent on a redshirt.
 
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