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The Dallas Cowboys have every reason in the world to feel great right now. In the aftermath of the team’s season-opening loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers many said that they would be lucky to reach the bye with two wins to their name.
Well here they sit. Seven gamed have passed since then and the Cowboys have won all but one of them (with the lone loss coming on the road against a division rival - who just so happens to be the last undefeated team left standing - while Dallas was trotting out their backup quarterback).
We discussed everything from Sunday’s win against the Chicago Bears on the latest episode of The Postgame on the Blogging The Boys podcast network. Make sure to subscribe to our network so you don’t miss any of our shows! Apple devices can subscribe here and Spotify users can subscribe here.
Resiliency has been the theme of this team all season long which is why it was so strange to see them start so hot. They absorbed the natural dips of a game, plus some questionable officiating, and have a 6-2 record next to their name while they take some much-deserved time to rest up for the next stretch before a little break.
It is time for our weekly stock report and with things being so positive we are keeping it mostly that way.
Stock Up: Dak Prescott
We cannot not mention what the franchise quarterback did on Sunday. Dak Prescott was spectacular.
That was Dak’s finest work since the Atlanta Falcons game a season ago (which took place on November 14th for those keeping score). He started off hotter than hot and while he had the interception at the end of the first half he ultimately executed to a pretty flawless degree.
Prescott helped orchestrate four straight touchdown drives to start the game. He helped to give one of the better defenses in the NFL a huge lead to work with and defend. Well done.
Stock Up: Tony Pollard
There is not a more explosive player on the Dallas Cowboys offense than Tony Pollard. None.
Pollard was responsible for three touchdowns on Sunday afternoon, including an incredible 54-yard one, but his presence on the offense as a whole felt like such a breath of fresh air.
This is not a knock to any other runner on the team as we have learned that there is room for multiple mouths to feed. But Pollard is justifying all of the claims that he should touch the ball more as he is constantly finding ways to cash in. He finished with 9.4 yards per carry for crying out loud!
Stock Up: CeeDee Lamb
It was a pretty solid day at the office for CeeDee Lamb. Ultimately there is frustration with the constant flashes and lack of consistency, but it is worth mentioning that this offense has sort of been under construction for this season and that obviously impacts players involved in it. Lamb finished the day with 5 catches for 77 yards and an impressive touchdown. The arrow is pointing up.
Stock Up: Malik Davis
Malik Davis got an opportunity to play an NFL game and just about did everything he could with it. Unfortunately he was just shy of the goal line on what looked like an amazing touchdown and the Cowboys (deceptively!) decided not to give it to him on the next play after a review.
What an awesome debut.
Stock Up: The Offensive Line
It feels like a cop out to split one spot five ways but the Cowboys offensive line has really impressed on the whole.
There were some huge moments and big-time plays against the Bears (we mentioned Pollard’s 54-yard run) and they belong as much to the ‘Boys up front as they do the players who got into the end zone.
Credit where credit is due. This offensive line cannot be counted out.
Stock Up: Kellen Moore
You can argue that Moore had the most room to grow/impress of all the staff members associated with the Cowboys but he was in his bag (that’s what the kids say, right?) on Sunday afternoon.
Like we mentioned with Lamb, it is important to note that Moore has had to deal with a variety of factors as far as his personnel is concerned and Chicago was the first time that it felt like he was truly comfortable.
Seeing the offense move with tempo was a great adjustment as it kept them in their rhythm and provided the lead that we mentioned early on in the game. Good for Moore for attacking early and for not doing the predictable things like giving Malik Davis his earned touchdown just because of reasons. He was going for it over and over and over again.
Stock Up: All of the tight ends
Again this feels like a bit of a cheat, but they are all just so much fun. When was the last time you felt so confident in three different tight ends on the Cowboys roster?
Jake Ferguson had the touchdown, but Peyton Hendershot had some big moments in his own right. Dalton Schultz clearly has the strongest connection with Dak Prescott (and helped him get into the paint on his rushing touchdown). They are solid all the way through.
It was a lot of fun to have a future HOFer at tight end for 100 years but it has been a different kind of fun to see the Cowboys work with project after project.
Stock Up: Donovan Wilson
Entering the season it felt like Anthony Brown was the most underrated player on the Cowboys roster but we might be approaching a world where it is actually Donovan Wilson.
Obviously we are hoping that Wilson is alright from a health perspective (Jayron Kearse as well who also played well), but what a game he had.
It is clear that Wilson is an incredibly athletic and rangy safety, the fact that Dan Quinn uses him in so many different ways is a clear example of that.
Stock Up: Micah Parsons
Week after week we make the same joke about how we are running out things to say about Micah Parsons. But seriously. We are running out of things to say about Micah Parsons.
Parsons was not credited with a sack against Chicago but he was so incredibly impactful. Whether it was not drawing holding calls (more on that shortly) or helping to collapse the pocket, you can make an argument that Parsons was the biggest problem that the Bears offense dealt with at AT&T Stadium.
The play in which Parsons scored his first career touchdown (!) was so much fun, too. How he managed to get back and chase things down, pick up the ball, realize he had not been touched, get up, and make it all the way into the end zone... he is one of one.
Stock Down: Officials
It is against my own personal beliefs to blame officials since that is such a lame move, but the officiating in this game felt terrible in my best attempt at an objective opinion.
The fact that Parsons is not drawing any holding penalties is silly, but fine. Whatever. Don’t call that. There are far more issues at hand, though.
What is Chauncey Golston supposed to do when he is in the air trying to stifle the quarterback? How is he supposed to control his body to the degree that he impacts what it does (even when the quarterback is also moving)?
Again. Fine. Call the penalty. But roughing the passer has to at least be reviewable so that we can confirm what did or did not happen. These games and results mean and matter too much.
Unfortunately, though, reviews are not always something that comes in handy as evidenced by the Khalil Herbert non-fumble. Herbert clearly fumbled initially and there was no clear evidence that he recovered that loose ball. That felt like a stretch and an assumption which is not what the purpose of a review is. The ruling is supposed to be based off of what the evidence shows and that was not the case with this particular fumble.
Both of these situations cost the Cowboys significantly. The Golston penalty negated a Trevon Diggs interception and Chicago scored right after. They also scored after Herbert did not fumble, according to the officials.
Those are 13 points (Chicago missed a two-point conversion on the second) that officials had a hand in allowing to happen. That simply cannot be the case at the professional level.
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