Cowboys news: Dallas does their best to recruit Odell Beckham Jr.

Odell Beckham Jr. Day with Cowboys: Taking Medicals, ‘Making Music’ - Mike Fisher, CowboysSI.com

The Cowboys left no doubt they’re still in contention for the top spot in the NFC, with a FA like Odell Beckham available to push them over the top.

“I want this to work,’’ Jones said bluntly following Dallas’ 54-19 Sunday pounding of the Colts. “I want it to work. I’ve felt very good about his opinion about what we’re about as Cowboys. We have felt and been public about it, what he is as a ballplayer and what he is as an NFL competitor. All of those things are nothing but complimentary.

“He’s the real deal.’’

Jerry has “negotiated’’ this way before - being almost too open - and he will admit that the results have been mixed. Same with his roll-the-dice approach to “risky’’ signings; he knows there are no guarantees, maybe especially when the coveted player is coming off knee surgery amid questions about whether he’s truly ready to play.

But the more Jones talks about the idea, the more it sounds like he’s talking himself into the gamble.

“I’m going to be trying to make it work,’’ he said. “So I’m going to be looking for reasons to (sign OBJ), not reasons not to (sign OBJ).”

Beckham has experienced spurts of wonderful production, and has also been a centerpiece of controversy. Jones and most everyone else in this building has made peace with the balance. (At this moment, “in the building’’ means the medical staff meeting with OBJ.) The owner has been careful to mention multiple times that he wants this signing to enhance the 2022 Dallas team’s Super Bowl chances.

Odell Beckham Jr. on potential of signing with Dallas Cowboys: ‘It’s a good possibility’ - RJ Ochoa, BTB

OBJ gave a little hint of what he might be thinking.

The Dallas Cowboys played on Sunday night but a select few of them were hard at work just 24 hours later. What are we talking about exactly? As has been well-chronicled the Cowboys began their recruitment of Odell Beckham Jr. on Monday what with him officially visiting The Star. It had been reported that this visit would extend into Tuesday and that Beckham would be attending Monday night’s Dallas Mavericks game with some players.

As you can see the Cowboys are doing this The Cowboys Way™️ which is really just a ton of fun to see. This Odell Beckham storyline has gone on for a while now, so at the very least it is cool to see some tangible parts of the process unfolding.

For what it’s worth, Beckham did not speak a ton about contract negotiations or anything of the like, but he did say that signing with the Cowboys is “a good possibility” which is encouraging.

10 truths from Cowboys’ win over Colts: CeeDee Lamb looking more like a No. 1 WR - Jean-Jacques Taylor, Dallas Morning News

The Cowboys finding a way to replicate their turnover production from a year ago is one of the biggest reasons they’re 9-3.

6. The Cowboys’ defensive feeding frenzy has moved them among the league’s leaders in turnovers. The Cowboys have forced 21 turnovers — 11 interceptions and 10 fumbles — which is good for second in the league behind Philadelphia (23).

Dallas is also plus-9 in turnover margin, which is second only to Philadelphia’s plus-13.

Lots of players were involved in the turnover frenzy, which is great. Fifth-round pick DaRon Bland intercepted two passes and each of them were the result of terrific plays. He made a nice catch falling out of bounds on the first one and literally stole the ball from the receiver on the second. The Cowboys forced turnovers on four consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter, which is how they ended up scoring a franchise-record 33 points in the period.

3 Cowboys stars who found extra gear to help beat Colts on SNF - Adam Weinrib, The Landry Hat

The Cowboys safeties were all over the field in a dominant defensive performance vs. Indy.

2. Cowboys Safeties Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker

Alright, fine. A little cheat. A little cheat for the boys. But while the Dallas safeties’ contributions to the stat sheet surely lean Malik Hooker’s way in this revenge grudge match, don’t lose Donovan Wilson’s game-changing play from the game’s meaty middle.

Forget the final numbers. Wilson being shot out of a cannon into the backfield on a 3rd & 5 with Indy up 10-7 to open the second quarter seemed to ignite the defense for the remainder of the half.

Sure, Dallas still entered the locker room up just 21-13 (an inflated gap thanks to Hooker and some late-half shenanigans), but from Wilson’s rocket fuel sack of Matt Ryan to the end of the second quarter, the only score the Cowboys allowed was a field goal after the Colts were given a short field.

Following a Stephon Gilmore pick, Indy’s offense advanced just three more yards in 57 seconds before kicking.

The Colts’ surprising intensity and underdog stature will be the story for many, but Wilson’s burst from the safety position helped redefine this game and allowed Dallas to win the second quarter emphatically. That was the difference in the contest.

Oh, and Hooker, folks. Even in his wildest dreams, he likely didn’t envision the matchup against his former team going this well. Maybe the scales would’ve been tilted in the Cowboys’ direction pretty significantly. After all, they’re a much better team. But a field-flipping pick right before the half, then a scoop-and-score to salt it away in the fourth and pour salt in the wound? That’s what you get for giving up an injury-riddled first-round pick and letting another team nurse him back to health.

Discipline or strategy? Ezekiel Elliott didn’t start for Cowboys vs Colts; explanations differ - Todd Brock, Cowboys Wire

Kellen Moore still found a way to balance the effort between Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott masterfully in Week 13.

Tony Pollard got the first carry of the game. Elliott wouldn’t see his first action until the offense’s seventh snap.

There are differing explanations as to why.

Team owner Jerry Jones said after the 54-19 win that the two-time rushing champ had violated a team rule during the week, leading to him not starting for the first time in his career when he was otherwise healthy and active.

Elliott, however, told reporters that the Cowboys’ coaches simply switched things up.

Ultimately, it didn’t seem to matter much. Elliott and Pollard went on to split carries fairly evenly on the night and turn in similar stat lines in the big win- 17 attempts and 77 yards for Elliott; 12 rushes for 91 yards by Pollard. Pollard had two touchdowns; Elliott added another during the fourth-quarter barrage.

But in a year when so much has been made of the team’s tandem ground attack and so much dissection of both their running styles and gameday results- especially with questions about both players futures with the club- it did raise a few eyebrows that Elliott started the game as a spectator.

The Cowboys can win it all IF they can overcome inconsistency - Shane Taylor, Inside The Star

What do the Cowboys still need to work on to get where they want to go in the postseason?

The Cowboys are now the 2022 leaders in point differential with +127. They have the No. 3 scoring offense in the NFL this season (27.8 PPG), yet we can all agree that it didn’t look right at times. Yet here we are, winning football games by 30 plus after letting teams hang around.

The game yesterday shows what the Cowboys can do if they are clicking.

Regardless of the inconsistency, this team is dominating others when it matters the most. They played a complete game against the Vikings, the second seed in the NFC. We have seen them do it for the entirety of the game and not one quarter.

The Cowboys have everything they need to make a run at the Super bowl. They have the best backfield duo in football. Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott will rush for over 1,000 yards this season, and they are the PERFECT combo.

Michael Gallup was fantastic last night; he scored twice and is starting to look like himself. CeeDee Lamb is proving the doubters wrong, also. He is on pace for over 1,300 yards this season, and OBJ could be on the way!

Dak Prescott, since returning, has the No. 1 offense in football. Yes, you read that correctly. He threw one pick last night on a questionable non-call against Gallup. He plays at a high level and is not afraid to take chances.

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