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Cowboys Morning After, Week 8 - The Los Angeles KO
In less than three minutes, Dallas ended the Rams with a flurry of mighty dominance.
BOB STURM
OCT 30, 2023
Coming out of the bye week, with a noon game, against an opponent that was able to slide into town without the normal showdown hype probably made coaches nervous.
With things like the World Series stealing all available oxygen and Philadelphia looming on the horizon, home at lunchtime versus the struggling Rams seemed like a recipe for a predictable sleepy performance that the Cowboys would have to deal with as they re-started their season after some R&R.
Then, after Dallas received the opening kickoff, those concerns seemed properly realized as the Rams sacked Dak Prescott three times on the first three passing plays. Yes, only two of them turned out to officially register as sacks, but I assure you even the ones that are nullified due to a touchy penalty in the secondary still are felt by Prescott’s body. With Tyron Smith unavailable, again, the issues quickly appeared to be everywhere as Sunday’s important contest began to take shape.
Luckily, the situation was quieted by the passing game deciding that it was time to show some things. Seven straight plays after the Aaron Donald sack had the stadium murmuring.
Those seven plays moved the ball down the field quickly and impressively.
17 yards to Lamb on second-and-long to re-set the chains.
5 yards to Lamb on a quick out to the right.
14 yards to Gallup as Dak started stepping up in the pocket and moving to his right. down to the Rams 41.
4 yards quick to Lamb on a play-action rollout.
The one incomplete pass was to Jalen Tolbert on a slant that was broken up.
On third-and-6, Dallas then went right back to the play they used on the game-winning drive to beat the Rams neighbors at So-Fi Stadium in Los Angeles. It is a 3x1 set to the left that puts Ferguson in the flat. Lamb, in the slot, runs an option that is either a go or a dig and that leaves Cooks on the outside to drive his man as if it is a vertical, clear the sticks and then uncovers and sits for a pitch-and-catch first down.
Just like the Monday night conversion, they copied it perfectly as Cooks was available for 19 in a pretty easy concept that should be available often for this offense. First down.
Finally, that opening drive ended as you hope your opening drives could. It has not exactly been this offense’s forte to score touchdowns on their opening drives this season as they were 1-for-6 (17 percent).
But, on first-and-10 from the 18-yard line, Prescott throws one of his best balls of the day on the seam route to Jake Ferguson for a touchdown. That says something because this was one of Prescott’s best throwing exhibitions in a stretch where he has strung together three magnificent performances in four games.
We know there are very few balls he feels more comfortable throwing than the seam throw to his tight end headed to the back of the end zone. But for whatever reason, the tight ends have not done him many favors. That said, all tight ends are not the same, so if Peyton Hendershot did not deliver in New York and Luke Schoonmaker had an identical opportunity against the Patriots (also on the opening drive), we should not debit Ferguson for that.
Ferguson made a tremendous catch – arms outstretched and hauled it in – but the Rams tried to run a linebacker on his route and that is the flashing light for Prescott to fit it in that tight window. Dak made no mistake and it was both a big time throw and a big time catch to convert the first red zone opportunity of the day.
For Ferguson, this is the type of play that can get folks to forget what Dalton Schultz used to handle in the end zone and continue to build up credibility in the Cowboys offense. That will definitely include what might happen if you try to cover Ferguson on a vertical with a linebacker.
And for Prescott, it is how these games need to be started. Before the opponent even gets to touch the ball, you quickly set the tone that you are on point and ready to be the driving force of the Cowboys offense. He had a big challenge with a showdown against Dallas’ favorite son, Matthew Stafford, and he clearly was up for it with the way he spun the ball all day long. He was absolutely tremendous.
I started with the opening drive, because chronologically, it was the best way to summarize the events of the day. Also, because what happened next was going to steal the show with such force that the inclusion of a passage about the opening drive later in a story after we discuss the 2:58 span that would steal the show would probably seem unnecessary.
I have covered a lot of Dallas Cowboys games going back to the start of my watch in July of 1998. Well over 500 games, so I am not here to tell you I can compare to those who have been here since Roger Staubach or Bob Lilly, but the years have taken me from my mid-20’s to my early-50’s, so the number has grown. But, in all of my years of covering this football team, I am pretty positive I have never seen anything close to what we saw yesterday at AT&T Stadium in those two minutes and fifty-eight seconds.
In less time than it takes for one round of boxing, the Cowboys ended this fight with a series of knockout blows so substantial that the referees could have saved everyone an awful big chunk of their afternoons by sending everyone home about 12:45 pm. That was precisely the time as the scoreboard had 12:45 left in the 1st half after CeeDee Lamb caught another touchdown from Prescott to give Dallas an absurd 26-3 lead just moments into the second quarter.
How did that happen?
Well, I am happy you asked.
It started after the Rams scored on their first drive, but had to settle for a field goal after a dubious no-call on Jourdan Lewis who got away with grabbing Cooper Kupp around the waist. We won’t apologize for no-calls, but we will advise our defensive backs to not try that against one of the more famous wide-outs in the sport. The officials in this league will not allow you to make that a habit.
So, Cowboys 7, Rams 3. And from there, Dallas went to work on their second drive. Again, the pregame script call-sheet for Mike McCarthy’s offense appeared to be cooking well off the bye week and you can definitely see that the intent is to get the ball to Lamb as often as possible and to get Prescott out on the move.
But on third-and-4 from the 30-yard line, Prescott is sacked again as Terence Steele loses and it forced Prescott to step up and right into Aaron Donald in a painful mistake.
After the loss of 10 yards to the 40, McCarthy starts the 2:58 by signaling to Brandon Aubrey to go try a 58-yard field goal, which he promptly nailed to set his career-high kick. Cowboys lead, 10-3, with 0:43 to go in the first quarter. Thus began the 178 seconds of shock and awe.
Six plays in quick succession that were so tightly compacted in force that you might have thought it was college football where one side has five times the talent of a nervous visitors.
Every play in every situation works to its maximum force. You seldom, if ever, see this in the NFL. But, on Sunday, when looking for plays that were remarkable, you have six that nearly happen consecutively that could all be a main talking point on a normal game review.
DeMarcus “Lawrence” Ware - Getty Images
The rest of the details of this day center on Jerry Jones having just one job – properly honoring DeMarcus Ware into the Ring of Honor – and is unable to navigate the name of the honoree despite having him standing right next to Jones (he called him DeMarcus Lawrence). Thankfully, the actual name of that Cowboys legend is properly spelled and hung at the stadium for all to see who visit. Ware deserves an essay when the time allows, because many readers will know my regard for that player and human is very high.
On another wild day in the NFL, Dallas easily dispatched another reasonable foe in short order. They have won 11 in a row at their stadium and have made it look easy this year. But, easy will not be their next challenge. One month after a showdown on the road against a NFC Heavyweight went horribly wrong, they get a shot at redemption in Philadelphia.
Enjoy this one, because that next one will likely induce some stress between now and game-time. But, we have plenty to dissect from this one – both inside and outside that 2:58 that we will remember from this dominating destruction.
In less than three minutes, Dallas ended the Rams with a flurry of mighty dominance.
BOB STURM
OCT 30, 2023
Coming out of the bye week, with a noon game, against an opponent that was able to slide into town without the normal showdown hype probably made coaches nervous.
With things like the World Series stealing all available oxygen and Philadelphia looming on the horizon, home at lunchtime versus the struggling Rams seemed like a recipe for a predictable sleepy performance that the Cowboys would have to deal with as they re-started their season after some R&R.
Then, after Dallas received the opening kickoff, those concerns seemed properly realized as the Rams sacked Dak Prescott three times on the first three passing plays. Yes, only two of them turned out to officially register as sacks, but I assure you even the ones that are nullified due to a touchy penalty in the secondary still are felt by Prescott’s body. With Tyron Smith unavailable, again, the issues quickly appeared to be everywhere as Sunday’s important contest began to take shape.
Luckily, the situation was quieted by the passing game deciding that it was time to show some things. Seven straight plays after the Aaron Donald sack had the stadium murmuring.
Those seven plays moved the ball down the field quickly and impressively.
17 yards to Lamb on second-and-long to re-set the chains.
5 yards to Lamb on a quick out to the right.
14 yards to Gallup as Dak started stepping up in the pocket and moving to his right. down to the Rams 41.
4 yards quick to Lamb on a play-action rollout.
The one incomplete pass was to Jalen Tolbert on a slant that was broken up.
On third-and-6, Dallas then went right back to the play they used on the game-winning drive to beat the Rams neighbors at So-Fi Stadium in Los Angeles. It is a 3x1 set to the left that puts Ferguson in the flat. Lamb, in the slot, runs an option that is either a go or a dig and that leaves Cooks on the outside to drive his man as if it is a vertical, clear the sticks and then uncovers and sits for a pitch-and-catch first down.
Just like the Monday night conversion, they copied it perfectly as Cooks was available for 19 in a pretty easy concept that should be available often for this offense. First down.
Finally, that opening drive ended as you hope your opening drives could. It has not exactly been this offense’s forte to score touchdowns on their opening drives this season as they were 1-for-6 (17 percent).
But, on first-and-10 from the 18-yard line, Prescott throws one of his best balls of the day on the seam route to Jake Ferguson for a touchdown. That says something because this was one of Prescott’s best throwing exhibitions in a stretch where he has strung together three magnificent performances in four games.
We know there are very few balls he feels more comfortable throwing than the seam throw to his tight end headed to the back of the end zone. But for whatever reason, the tight ends have not done him many favors. That said, all tight ends are not the same, so if Peyton Hendershot did not deliver in New York and Luke Schoonmaker had an identical opportunity against the Patriots (also on the opening drive), we should not debit Ferguson for that.
Ferguson made a tremendous catch – arms outstretched and hauled it in – but the Rams tried to run a linebacker on his route and that is the flashing light for Prescott to fit it in that tight window. Dak made no mistake and it was both a big time throw and a big time catch to convert the first red zone opportunity of the day.
For Ferguson, this is the type of play that can get folks to forget what Dalton Schultz used to handle in the end zone and continue to build up credibility in the Cowboys offense. That will definitely include what might happen if you try to cover Ferguson on a vertical with a linebacker.
And for Prescott, it is how these games need to be started. Before the opponent even gets to touch the ball, you quickly set the tone that you are on point and ready to be the driving force of the Cowboys offense. He had a big challenge with a showdown against Dallas’ favorite son, Matthew Stafford, and he clearly was up for it with the way he spun the ball all day long. He was absolutely tremendous.
I started with the opening drive, because chronologically, it was the best way to summarize the events of the day. Also, because what happened next was going to steal the show with such force that the inclusion of a passage about the opening drive later in a story after we discuss the 2:58 span that would steal the show would probably seem unnecessary.
I have covered a lot of Dallas Cowboys games going back to the start of my watch in July of 1998. Well over 500 games, so I am not here to tell you I can compare to those who have been here since Roger Staubach or Bob Lilly, but the years have taken me from my mid-20’s to my early-50’s, so the number has grown. But, in all of my years of covering this football team, I am pretty positive I have never seen anything close to what we saw yesterday at AT&T Stadium in those two minutes and fifty-eight seconds.
In less time than it takes for one round of boxing, the Cowboys ended this fight with a series of knockout blows so substantial that the referees could have saved everyone an awful big chunk of their afternoons by sending everyone home about 12:45 pm. That was precisely the time as the scoreboard had 12:45 left in the 1st half after CeeDee Lamb caught another touchdown from Prescott to give Dallas an absurd 26-3 lead just moments into the second quarter.
How did that happen?
Well, I am happy you asked.
It started after the Rams scored on their first drive, but had to settle for a field goal after a dubious no-call on Jourdan Lewis who got away with grabbing Cooper Kupp around the waist. We won’t apologize for no-calls, but we will advise our defensive backs to not try that against one of the more famous wide-outs in the sport. The officials in this league will not allow you to make that a habit.
So, Cowboys 7, Rams 3. And from there, Dallas went to work on their second drive. Again, the pregame script call-sheet for Mike McCarthy’s offense appeared to be cooking well off the bye week and you can definitely see that the intent is to get the ball to Lamb as often as possible and to get Prescott out on the move.
But on third-and-4 from the 30-yard line, Prescott is sacked again as Terence Steele loses and it forced Prescott to step up and right into Aaron Donald in a painful mistake.
After the loss of 10 yards to the 40, McCarthy starts the 2:58 by signaling to Brandon Aubrey to go try a 58-yard field goal, which he promptly nailed to set his career-high kick. Cowboys lead, 10-3, with 0:43 to go in the first quarter. Thus began the 178 seconds of shock and awe.
Six plays in quick succession that were so tightly compacted in force that you might have thought it was college football where one side has five times the talent of a nervous visitors.
Every play in every situation works to its maximum force. You seldom, if ever, see this in the NFL. But, on Sunday, when looking for plays that were remarkable, you have six that nearly happen consecutively that could all be a main talking point on a normal game review.
- Aubrey hits a 58-yard field goal. This one will not stop traffic, but still, the Cowboys literally could not convert an extra point in January and now have what appears to be a massive weapon who converts nearly every kick he tries. The fact that this guy used to play for the Dallas Texans soccer club (which ironically was why I was not at the game yesterday as my son was in Houston playing on a Texans club at the same time) and then was in Major League Soccer is probably not talked about enough. He is excellent.
- On the very next play from scrimmage, Matthew Stafford attempts to throw to Cooper Kupp and they clearly are not on the same page. The two enjoy a chemistry that is nearly unmatched, so you can imagine the surprise of DaRon Bland as he is in a trail position against Kupp by a few yards only to see the ball coming directly to him. Clearly, Stafford was expecting something different from his all-world receiver, but Dallas will certainly not turn down a free defensive touchdown. Bland has three pick-6’s in 2023 which is a franchise record and the NFL high since Marcus Peters did it in 2019. It is Week 8. Those plays happened five seconds apart and it is now 17-3 with 0:36 left in the first Quarter.
- The third play of this six-play sequence of shock and awe is third and 3 on the Rams next possession. We can call it a zone blitz because technically, Micah Parsons lines up as a linebacker and rushes against the center Coleman Shelton and Dorance Armstrong drops into a zone.
But really, there is no deception here. Parsons has an opportunity to isolate against the center and destroys him and sacks Stafford with a move so decisive that you realize how fun it is to get to watch this destroyer every week. He makes grown men in the NFL look like JV backups with routine. Stafford’s shoulder certainly did not appreciate that moment. - The next play was a result of the sack. Punt time for the Rams which seemed innocuous enough until Sam Williams breaks through the line and beats his man cleanly to get in and block the punt of Ethan Evans through the end zone. The explosion of Williams reminds you of the ability of the depth pass rushers this team has available. This special teams break through is yet another play that John Fassel has generated since leaving the Rams to join McCarthy’s staff. He is what they said he was. 19-3, and now the Rams must free-kick back to Dallas.
- We are in mid-avalanche, because the Cowboys are going to get good field position. Unless, that is, they make it great. Evans punts the ball from his 20 and now Kavontae Turpin enters the chat. He puts a move on when he receives the ball that words probably cannot do justice, but his entire body is set up to return left and then steps across with such speed and fluidity that the Rams had no chance. Then he hits the afterburners and is out of a cannon. 63 yards later, Dallas is down to the 13-yard line again.
- And finally, in a span of less than one round of boxing, Dallas takes a 7-3 lead and makes it 26-3 when Prescott has Lamb isolated on the weakside of a 3x1 formation again. They use Jake Ferguson to draw the single-high safety down on a cross and when the safety steps towards the Cowboys tight end, Dak has his opening to hit Lamb on an easy post. It is easy because Lamb’s release is beautiful and he gets a step and waits for the ball. Pitch and catch. Touchdown. 26-3.
DeMarcus “Lawrence” Ware - Getty Images
The rest of the details of this day center on Jerry Jones having just one job – properly honoring DeMarcus Ware into the Ring of Honor – and is unable to navigate the name of the honoree despite having him standing right next to Jones (he called him DeMarcus Lawrence). Thankfully, the actual name of that Cowboys legend is properly spelled and hung at the stadium for all to see who visit. Ware deserves an essay when the time allows, because many readers will know my regard for that player and human is very high.
On another wild day in the NFL, Dallas easily dispatched another reasonable foe in short order. They have won 11 in a row at their stadium and have made it look easy this year. But, easy will not be their next challenge. One month after a showdown on the road against a NFC Heavyweight went horribly wrong, they get a shot at redemption in Philadelphia.
Enjoy this one, because that next one will likely induce some stress between now and game-time. But, we have plenty to dissect from this one – both inside and outside that 2:58 that we will remember from this dominating destruction.
