Cowboys news: Dak Prescott’s legs could be a factor in improving redzone production

Jones, McCarthy all-in on Dak using his mobility - DallasCowboys.com, Patrik Walker

Dak Prescott’s legs are another weapon for Dallas.

The only question now is a fairly obvious one, as it relates to the topic at-hand, and that’s if the two-time Pro Bowler plans to use that ability more often going forward.

“It’s not something you want to live in because that means something — the initial play or the gameplan — isn’t working,” said Prescott. “But when those plays present themselves, you’ve got to take advantage of it. It’s something I’ve been [sic] in my career, getting out of the pocket and being able to throw on the move, so guys can work and get open, and it’s just another weapon. When you practice it and put time into it as we’ve done this past week or so, it becomes a whole ‘nother play.”

[...]

“Scrambling quarterbacks making plays with their feet, extending plays, we talk about the 2.3 [seconds to make a decision], it’s how we train and how we play,” said [Mike] McCarthy. “I think it’s not only beneficial from an offensive approach, but we do it in practice too, so that’s really good for our defense. With our pass rush and the aggressiveness of our pass rush, if the quarterback can get out of there and extend the play we obviously got to be very good in our reaction from a coverage call plaster, the coverage element.

“So to me, it’s a big part of the game. If you look at big play opportunities, whether it’s red zone production, big passes and everything, the scramble is probably a top-three concept annually in those situations.”

Jerry Jones gives mixed signals on Cowboys’ trade deadline approach - FOX Sports

Flip a coin on the odds, Dallas fans.

As the NFL trade deadline fast approaches, the 4-2 Cowboys appear to be in a spot to add as they look to finally get over the hump in the NFC. However, Jerry Jones is giving mixed messages on what his team might do ahead of the Oct. 31 deadline.

...“Would I improve it if given an opportunity and it made a lot of sense? Of course we would. But if we don’t do anything at this trade deadline, we’ve got a team in my mind that can get us where we want to go.”

But Jones then reversed course on some of his earlier comments. When asked if teams have recently been more willing to make moves at the trade deadline than in the past, Jones said that was the case and indicated that his team has been a part of it.

“We will trade. There’s no mistake about it. We will make a deal. But it’s certainly got a high bar because I like our team.”

Cowboys riding 10-game home winning streak as Rams’ Stafford visits his hometown team, The Associated Press, Schuyler Dixon

Dallas hot at Jerry World.

Dallas (4-2) is still trying to bury the bad memory of a blowout loss at San Francisco. Stafford’s Rams (3-4) are trying to capitalize on the stumble by the Niners in the NFC West race since then.

The Cowboys are coming off their bye after holding on for a 20-17 win on the Rams’ home field — against the Chargers. That followed a loss to the Niners that shocked everyone inside an organization trying to end a 28-year stretch without even a trip to the NFC championship game.

The home winning streak is the longest since an 11-game run in 1991-92 at Texas Stadium, almost two decades before Dallas’ current retractable-roof stadium opened.

Cowboys’ DaRon Bland is playing like one of NFL’s best corners in place of Trevon Diggs - CBS Sports, Garrett Podell

He’s on a four-year, $3.9 million contract, by the way.

The Cowboys defense learned and bounced back in a big way in Week 4 with three takeaways, two of which went for touchdowns, in their 38-3 victory over the New England Patriots. Two of those three takeaways were interceptions courtesy of second-year cornerback DaRon Bland, the fifth-round pick out of Fresno State in the 2022 NFL Draft tasked to help fill the void left by Diggs’ absence.

“I always try and stay on top of my technique and this time knowing I had to step up again, I had already done that before,” Bland said postgame ”I can be another playmaker. We lost one playmaker, but it could easily be any one of our days.”

Bland’s eight career interceptions since the start of the 2022 are the most in the NFL. His 9.4 passer rating allowed in coverage as the primary defender in 2023 ranks as the best in the NFL among players with at least 30 passes thrown their way as the primary defender, according to Pro Football Focus. The next closest player, Los Angeles Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon — who will face the Cowboys in Week 8 — , has a passer rating nearly 30 points higher. Bland’s three interceptions rank as tied for the second-most in the NFL. If he can keep this type of play up going forward, Bland will find himself on the NFC Pro Bowl team, at the very least.

Parsons or Prescott? Who is the Cowboys MVP through six weeks? - CowboysWire, Reid Hanson

Obvious choice but always worth a discussion.

The opening stretch was rocky, and many questions remain as the Cowboys move into the meat of their schedule. But Dallas owes thanks to a couple key players for keeping the team alive while they navigated the treacherous seas of Week 1 through Week 6.

Without Parsons on this Dallas roster, the entire defense would suffer. Teams would shift their double-teams to DeMarcus Lawrence and Osa Odighizuwa, which would likely have a negative result on their respective impacts as pass rushers.

His absence would also give passers more time in the pocket and allow receivers more time to gain separation. With the loss of Trevon Diggs, the Cowboys aren’t as secure at CB as they’d like to be. They rely on the pass rush to hurry passes and assist their depleted CB group.

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