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With four games left, let’s examine the state of the Cowboys
By Calvin Watkins 2h ago
The Cowboys had better be ready; the defending-champion Eagles come to Arlington on Sunday to face a Cowboys team now in sole possession of first place in the NFC East. Dallas will be ten days removed from last Thusday’s win against New Orleans while Philadelphia will be on a short week, having beaten Washington Monday night.
Jerry Jones was pretty direct on 105.3, The Fan when asked what he thinks about this game: “We beat them, then I feel like our destiny is a lot more in our hands.”
Yes, the Cowboys can move two games ahead of the Eagles with three to play, virtually finishing the champs and gaining some distance from Washington, now on their third quarterback — and the eight-loss New York Giants, whose aging quarterback is among their litany of issues.
It seems the Cowboys are getting healthy at the right time. We take a look at their biggest issues for the final four games of the regular season.
Health
The two biggest injuries to the Cowboys involved left tackle Tyron Smith and weakside linebacker Sean Lee. Smith is expected to return for the Eagles game after missing the previous two games with stinger and elbow injuries. Dallas has utilized Cameron Fleming at left tackle during Smith’s absence and he’s graded well. The other major reinforcement is Lee, who missed the previous four games with a hamstring injury. Jones said Lee will return to the starting lineup when healthy, playing over rookie sensation Leighton Vander Esch. The rookie linebacker from Boise State has played outstanding football alongside Jaylon Smith in Lee’s absence. Vander Esch’s play fuels the narrative that Lee is playing his final games with the Cowboys. If this is the case, the Cowboys front office should be credited with finding his replacement.
Slot receiver Cole Beasley’s health is worth noting. He suffered a sprained foot in the victory over the Saints last Thursday and his status is uncertain for the Eagles game. If Beasley can’t play, the emerging Noah Brown, Allen Hurns and Amari Cooper will get snaps in the slot. Xavier Su’a-Filo took the starting job at left guard from Connor Williams when he underwent knee surgery. Su’a-Filo has played well in Williams’ absence with the exception of last week. Jason Garrett said Su’a-Filo didn’t grade out well, and that was due to a sprained ankle that limited his lateral movement and his ability to push off. Williams is healthy enough to play but the Cowboys haven’t decided if he’s ready to take the starting job back. Defensive tackle David Irving hasn’t played since Oct. 21 at Washington, nursing a high-ankle sprain. Jones indicated that’s the reason Irving hasn’t been seen at The Star in the last week. Irving is expected to return to the facility for practices leading up to the Eagles game.
Amari Cooper effect
From the moment Cooper took the practice field, Dak Prescott got excited. The Cowboys quarterback raves about the routes Cooper can perform and just how special he is. The numbers support Prescott. In the first seven games of the season, Prescott threw eight touchdown passes and four interceptions, averaging just 202.4 yards per game while completing 62.1 percent of his passes. In five games with Cooper, Prescott has six touchdowns and one interception, completing 72 percent of his passes for a 251.6-yard average. Prescott trusts Cooper regardless of the coverage, and his play has also opened the door for rookie receiver Michael Gallup. Dallas wants to throw deep passes, mainly go routes on double moves, to Gallup. In the Saints game, Gallup was wide-open down the sidelines for an easy touchdown after beating a defender on a stutter-step, but Prescott overthrew him. As Prescott has improved, so has Cooper. He was bored in Oakland, frustrated by the losing and constant fluctuations of the roster. In five games with the Cowboys, Cooper has a catch rate of 75 percent with three touchdowns. He’s averaging six catches per game on eight targets. This is an excellent rate for a wide receiver and it might improve as the Cowboys move along.
Defense, defense, defense
The Cowboys played their best defensive game of the year against the Saints. All four cornerbacks were credited with pass breakups, the team generated consistent pressure on Brees and forced a late turnover to seal the game. When you witness a game like this, it’s easy to figure out why the defense is so giddy these days. At the forefront of the defense is defensive end Demarcus Lawrence. In the last four weeks, Lawrence has eight quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks. He has 9.5 sacks on the season and with four games remaining, it’s a given he’ll reach double digits. As good as Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith have been, Tyrone Crawford has put in yeoman’s work as a defensive tackle and defensive end. Crawford’s strong play has made some forget about the loss of Irving. Cornerback Byron Jones has also played very well all season. Playing safety for two seasons helped his coverage skills, and his intelligence is also a key factor. There was a stretch during the year where offenses wouldn’t target him. Quarterbacks are throwing his way now, but mostly emerging frustrated.
Zeke for MVP?
Has Ezekiel Elliott made himself a candidate for NFL MVP? Patrick Mahomes, Drew Brees, Jared Goff, and Andrew Luck are widely considered to be the current candidates. What about Elliott? He’s first in carries (240), second in rushing yards (1,150), yards from scrimmage (1,573) and yards per game (95.8). With Todd Gurley nursing a knee injury, Elliott could surpass him for the rushing title and quite possibly in yards from scrimmage. The Cowboys continue to run against eight-man fronts and Elliott produces. And while Zeke rushed for just 76 yards with his second-lowest per-carry average of the season at 3.30 against the Saints, Garrett made note of how difficult the yards were. Elliott carried the ball 23 times, showing the NFL’s No. 1 run defense that the Cowboys were not afraid of their eight-man fronts — and that a commitment to the running game is very high on their list. Elliott is proving that the Cowboys are going to be a physically-demanding team when he carries the ball, and they will continue to lean on him heavily down the stretch.
The schedule
The Cowboys’ four remaining opponents have a combined record of 21-27. While unlikely, it’s not impossible that the Cowboys could win out, not only taking the NFC East but possibly moving from a No. 4 seed in the playoff bracket to a No. 3. If anything, the Cowboys are guaranteed a home playoff game, which benefits them, considering their troubles on the road (2-4 after losing their first four road games). Dallas has won its last four games overall and is building momentum for the Eagles game. A victory doesn’t secure the division title, but puts them in a positive direction heading into a road game at the Colts. If any game worries you, it’s got to be the road game at Indianapolis against Andrew Luck. The season isn’t over; it’s just getting good.
By Calvin Watkins 2h ago
The Cowboys had better be ready; the defending-champion Eagles come to Arlington on Sunday to face a Cowboys team now in sole possession of first place in the NFC East. Dallas will be ten days removed from last Thusday’s win against New Orleans while Philadelphia will be on a short week, having beaten Washington Monday night.
Jerry Jones was pretty direct on 105.3, The Fan when asked what he thinks about this game: “We beat them, then I feel like our destiny is a lot more in our hands.”
Yes, the Cowboys can move two games ahead of the Eagles with three to play, virtually finishing the champs and gaining some distance from Washington, now on their third quarterback — and the eight-loss New York Giants, whose aging quarterback is among their litany of issues.
It seems the Cowboys are getting healthy at the right time. We take a look at their biggest issues for the final four games of the regular season.
Health
The two biggest injuries to the Cowboys involved left tackle Tyron Smith and weakside linebacker Sean Lee. Smith is expected to return for the Eagles game after missing the previous two games with stinger and elbow injuries. Dallas has utilized Cameron Fleming at left tackle during Smith’s absence and he’s graded well. The other major reinforcement is Lee, who missed the previous four games with a hamstring injury. Jones said Lee will return to the starting lineup when healthy, playing over rookie sensation Leighton Vander Esch. The rookie linebacker from Boise State has played outstanding football alongside Jaylon Smith in Lee’s absence. Vander Esch’s play fuels the narrative that Lee is playing his final games with the Cowboys. If this is the case, the Cowboys front office should be credited with finding his replacement.
Slot receiver Cole Beasley’s health is worth noting. He suffered a sprained foot in the victory over the Saints last Thursday and his status is uncertain for the Eagles game. If Beasley can’t play, the emerging Noah Brown, Allen Hurns and Amari Cooper will get snaps in the slot. Xavier Su’a-Filo took the starting job at left guard from Connor Williams when he underwent knee surgery. Su’a-Filo has played well in Williams’ absence with the exception of last week. Jason Garrett said Su’a-Filo didn’t grade out well, and that was due to a sprained ankle that limited his lateral movement and his ability to push off. Williams is healthy enough to play but the Cowboys haven’t decided if he’s ready to take the starting job back. Defensive tackle David Irving hasn’t played since Oct. 21 at Washington, nursing a high-ankle sprain. Jones indicated that’s the reason Irving hasn’t been seen at The Star in the last week. Irving is expected to return to the facility for practices leading up to the Eagles game.
Amari Cooper effect
From the moment Cooper took the practice field, Dak Prescott got excited. The Cowboys quarterback raves about the routes Cooper can perform and just how special he is. The numbers support Prescott. In the first seven games of the season, Prescott threw eight touchdown passes and four interceptions, averaging just 202.4 yards per game while completing 62.1 percent of his passes. In five games with Cooper, Prescott has six touchdowns and one interception, completing 72 percent of his passes for a 251.6-yard average. Prescott trusts Cooper regardless of the coverage, and his play has also opened the door for rookie receiver Michael Gallup. Dallas wants to throw deep passes, mainly go routes on double moves, to Gallup. In the Saints game, Gallup was wide-open down the sidelines for an easy touchdown after beating a defender on a stutter-step, but Prescott overthrew him. As Prescott has improved, so has Cooper. He was bored in Oakland, frustrated by the losing and constant fluctuations of the roster. In five games with the Cowboys, Cooper has a catch rate of 75 percent with three touchdowns. He’s averaging six catches per game on eight targets. This is an excellent rate for a wide receiver and it might improve as the Cowboys move along.
Defense, defense, defense
The Cowboys played their best defensive game of the year against the Saints. All four cornerbacks were credited with pass breakups, the team generated consistent pressure on Brees and forced a late turnover to seal the game. When you witness a game like this, it’s easy to figure out why the defense is so giddy these days. At the forefront of the defense is defensive end Demarcus Lawrence. In the last four weeks, Lawrence has eight quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks. He has 9.5 sacks on the season and with four games remaining, it’s a given he’ll reach double digits. As good as Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith have been, Tyrone Crawford has put in yeoman’s work as a defensive tackle and defensive end. Crawford’s strong play has made some forget about the loss of Irving. Cornerback Byron Jones has also played very well all season. Playing safety for two seasons helped his coverage skills, and his intelligence is also a key factor. There was a stretch during the year where offenses wouldn’t target him. Quarterbacks are throwing his way now, but mostly emerging frustrated.
Zeke for MVP?
Has Ezekiel Elliott made himself a candidate for NFL MVP? Patrick Mahomes, Drew Brees, Jared Goff, and Andrew Luck are widely considered to be the current candidates. What about Elliott? He’s first in carries (240), second in rushing yards (1,150), yards from scrimmage (1,573) and yards per game (95.8). With Todd Gurley nursing a knee injury, Elliott could surpass him for the rushing title and quite possibly in yards from scrimmage. The Cowboys continue to run against eight-man fronts and Elliott produces. And while Zeke rushed for just 76 yards with his second-lowest per-carry average of the season at 3.30 against the Saints, Garrett made note of how difficult the yards were. Elliott carried the ball 23 times, showing the NFL’s No. 1 run defense that the Cowboys were not afraid of their eight-man fronts — and that a commitment to the running game is very high on their list. Elliott is proving that the Cowboys are going to be a physically-demanding team when he carries the ball, and they will continue to lean on him heavily down the stretch.
The schedule
The Cowboys’ four remaining opponents have a combined record of 21-27. While unlikely, it’s not impossible that the Cowboys could win out, not only taking the NFC East but possibly moving from a No. 4 seed in the playoff bracket to a No. 3. If anything, the Cowboys are guaranteed a home playoff game, which benefits them, considering their troubles on the road (2-4 after losing their first four road games). Dallas has won its last four games overall and is building momentum for the Eagles game. A victory doesn’t secure the division title, but puts them in a positive direction heading into a road game at the Colts. If any game worries you, it’s got to be the road game at Indianapolis against Andrew Luck. The season isn’t over; it’s just getting good.