Blogging The Boys - Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants, 2020 NFL Week 5Dallas Cowboys, all the time...since 2005.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47663/Picture_4.png2020-10-14T15:30:00-05:00http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/rss/stream/212698172020-10-14T15:30:00-05:002020-10-14T15:30:00-05:00Three stars from the Cowboys’ win over the Giants on Sunday
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<figcaption>Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Sunday’s Giants tilt was marred with heartbreak. Despite the injuries, Dallas managed to come away with a much needed win. Here were the game’s three stars.</p> <p id="qCyEI8">This article’s title is accurately indicative: it will be a run-through of the three Cowboys who most contributed to their win Sunday. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t begin with the man whose own star has at times shown brighter than the team’s logo. </p>
<p id="Hc08sI">So for the sake of recognizing everything that Dak Prescott has been, and is, to the Cowboys organization, it’s only right to dedicate the beginning of this piece to him. </p>
<p id="STLMxU">Prescott has been the epitome of work and perseverance, dedication, communication and elevation, and an invaluable leader of men. He rose above what was a very gloomy onset to a peculiar season, and his outreach stretched far beyond the gridiron. </p>
<p id="NEyMoa">His personal revelations of mental health struggles have aided his fellow man, and his allegiance to charities like Make-A-Wish and Faith, Fight, Finish is extraordinarily impactful. We’re all with you through this journey to recovery.</p>
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<h2 id="KS3Zfx"><strong>#3. Ezekiel Elliott </strong></h2>
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<cite>Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="esVcBW">But alas, despite Prescott’s devastating injury, the games must continue on. As such, so must our coverage of America’s team. And both will be performed with the absolute best efforts we can muster up - that’s the way #4 would want it. </p>
<p id="Atz4wg">So let us begin with the man whose newest body ink signifies exactly what he desires on a regular in-game basis: to be fed. </p>
<p id="RjdB7o">Ezekiel Elliott knew right away that his QB’s unfortunate misstep would increase his workload. But Elliott’s a man who’s never met a challenge he didn’t like - nor a meal. Meals equate to carries in Zeke’s mind, and those came aplenty in Dak’s absence. They tallied 19 in total, and Zeke made good, posting his highest yards per attempt sum all season (4.79) for 91 yards in all.</p>
<p id="1MpH8e">His most meaningful one came on the same drive that the team’s wind was taken from their sails. He provided a rejuvenating bolt of electricity with 5:11 remaining in the third, taking an outside handoff from the 12-yard line and seamlessly maneuvering through a maze of would-be tacklers before finding his final destination in the end zone. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">TWELVE PACK for Grand Poobahs RB Ezekiel Elliott today - he’s now over 20 points!<a href="https://twitter.com/TheGrandPoobahs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheGrandPoobahs</a> <a href="https://t.co/K6PyJFMEl0">pic.twitter.com/K6PyJFMEl0</a></p>— Mortal Kombat Fantasy Football League (@MKFFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/MKFFL/status/1315461720089997313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2020</a>
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<p id="MIgfV7">It was an emphatic stamp to culminate a painstakingly bittersweet drive. Zeke flashed a resounding four-finger salute to his fallen compatriot after waltzing his way to pay dirt, and the moment seemingly shocked life back into a mortified stadium. Dallas was hellbent on not losing this game - that is, at least, if #21 had anything to say about it.</p>
<h2 id="RM954U"><strong>#2. CeeDee Lamb</strong></h2>
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<cite>Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="hkuEPI">We’re sticking with the offense at No. 2, and at this point in the season, that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise (Dallas’ supposed fortress on the opposite side of the ball currently boasts the league’s 30th-ranked total defensive rating).</p>
<p id="7L8xOb">The Cowboys offense, on the other hand, has been nothing short of spectacular. Relinquishing early leads has forced the scoring brigade into full-on panic mode, and this is where they’ve thrived - putting up historic numbers through the season’s first five tilts with their backs constantly against the wall.</p>
<p id="FpUmuw">And aside from Prescott himself, CeeDee Lamb has been the most important cog in the machine. He began the season with a hot pace, and has only capitalized with consistent showcases from there, showing the inklings of developing into a full-time primary target. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Cowboys have themselves a star in CeeDee Lamb ⭐️ <a href="https://t.co/YdeXivi7fs">pic.twitter.com/YdeXivi7fs</a></p>— PFF (@PFF) <a href="https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1315719479746334723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2020</a>
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<p id="i7VYqa">Lamb was excellent Sunday. He was a needed safety blanket on multiple breakdown plays, hauling in one huge catch after another, and flashed the immense physical tenacity and ball security that is steadily becoming his trademark. </p>
<p id="eSPZ9B">One such showcase was this one, and it came on one of the more crucial possessions of the matchup.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">CeeDee Lamb will leave you speechless <a href="https://t.co/posNteer5g">pic.twitter.com/posNteer5g</a><br>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NFL</a>)</p>— NFLonCBS (@NFLonCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFLonCBS/status/1315410500977659904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2020</a>
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<p id="PewyuL">Lamb just has a certain je ne sais quoi that makes him special. A.K.A, it’s impossible to place a blueprint on what it is that renders him so unique. He’s just got “it.” Dallas would go on to score on that possession, and it was Lamb’s immaculate catch, and toughness through contact, that set it all up.</p>
<h2 id="Dj0fls"><strong>#1. Andy Dalton</strong></h2>
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<cite>Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="gT6Z4V">Enter the Red Rifle. Dalton was easily the standalone passageway between a Dallas victory or defeat, and he energetically asserted himself as a placeholder for good fortunes. </p>
<p id="eBQq6F">Although his final year in Cincinnati were less than pleasing, Dalton is a seasoned and savvy veteran still fully capable of manning backup duties, and stepping into certain roles should his number be called.</p>
<p id="KMvMUN">Even he, though, couldn’t have been fully prepared for the circumstance that would befall upon him during Sunday’s third quarter. Nonetheless, the former Bengals’ signal-caller was up to the task, and systematically engineered his team to scoring plays on multiple crucial possessions. </p>
<p id="sIJhwy">And when it mattered most, Dalton elegantly rose to the occasion, dusting off months of dormancy to conduct a grand symphony orchestra of winningness. </p>
<p id="M2apPe">He looked crisp in his progressions and confident in his throws during the fourth quarter. Following a Giants’ touchdown, the Dalton-led ‘Boys began their succeeding drive backed up to their own 25-yard line. All signs pointed to a Zeke five-star feast, but with blue and white defenders concentrating on him on nearly every play, Dalton was forced to take over the offensive reigns to provide an alternative look. He did so with full command, efficiently guiding his squad downfield in minutes for a tying field goal.</p>
<p id="U5THOg">His next possession was his best. Gutsy QB’s are rare jewels, and Dalton has never lacked in that category. He had two critical finds in the game’s final minute, hitting Amari Cooper in stride on an easy slant, before sensing blitz pressure on the next play and escaping the pocket to hit a streaking Michael Gallup on the run for 20+. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Andy Dalton making plays what a snag by Michael Gallup <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DallasCowboys?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DallasCowboys</a> <a href="https://t.co/j6ZO6yxCCV">pic.twitter.com/j6ZO6yxCCV</a></p>— Roto Street Journal (RSJ) (@RotoStJournal) <a href="https://twitter.com/RotoStJournal/status/1315436761460473861?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2020</a>
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<p id="wP2lE9">Gallup continued to receive love from his QB. On the ensuing snap, a quick-witted Dalton displayed the breadth of his experience. He noticed Gallup in single-coverage with his cornerback, and once New York’s safety committed to shadowing Ezekiel Elliott out of the backfield, the “Rifle” fired off his weapon and connected, striking his target down the sideline for what would ultimately be the game’s decisive moment.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Andy Dalton and Michael Gallup coming in super clutch for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cowboys?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cowboys</a>. This is an incredible grab. <br><br> <a href="https://t.co/J3trLIQsTE">pic.twitter.com/J3trLIQsTE</a></p>— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) <a href="https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1315437574652133377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2020</a>
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<p id="GGnMk7">Andy Dalton finished with a 9-11 completion tally, good for a total of 111 yards. The fourth-quarter comeback marked the 22nd of his career, according to <a href="https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/comeback.cgi?player=DaltAn00">Pro Football Reference.</a> </p>
<p id="WznYmj">As for appearances on Blogging The Boys’ stars of the game countdown, it’s his first. We’re hoping it won't be his last. </p>
https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2020/10/14/21515222/three-stars-from-the-cowboys-win-over-the-giants-on-sundayJustin A Morris2020-10-13T13:00:00-05:002020-10-13T13:00:00-05:00After further review: Andy Dalton on the run; Cowboys young offensive line continues to improve
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<figcaption>Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>What can we learn from re-watching the game tape of the Cowboys win over the Giants?</p> <p id="25LNV5">The <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a> victory over the <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a> on Sunday was anti-climatic to say the least. A close victory didn’t restore much confidence in the team, but even more so, they lost their star quarterback <span>Dak Prescott</span>.</p>
<p id="hVq89C">There were a lot more positive things that showed up on tape this week as the defense even made some impact plays. Let’s check out what we discovered after further review.</p>
<h3 id="j4rZ7v"><strong>This young offensive line continues to impress</strong></h3>
<p id="pae59b">There are a lot of things to be worried about with this <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Cowboys</a> team, but the offensive line is trying to get off that list. The depth the team has is performing beyond expectations. It’s just amazing how the young trio of <span>Brandon Knight</span> (23), <span>Terence Steele</span> (23), and <span>Tyler Biadasz</span> (22) have held up this season.</p>
<p id="xmWAks">Knight continues to impress. He exhibits quickness to position himself for the block and does a great job squaring up his body. Knight can maneuver quickly from one block to another sealing the running lane. He also moves well enough to get into the second level to engage, showing nice leverage to hold the block long enough for the ball carrier to pass through.</p>
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<p id="ooRm6n">Steele can be a little slow sometimes in pass protection, which is something that will surface from time to time as quicker edge defenders get around him, but he’s been very effective as a run blocker. He has a lot of strength and will overpower defenders at the point of attack. On this play, he secures his block and leaves just enough space for <span>Tony Pollard</span> to power through, allowing just enough yards to keep the chains moving.</p>
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<p id="YVlX6O">And let’s give a shout out to the rookie center Tyler Biadasz. It was impressive to see him pop into the second level so quickly. He doesn’t posses the strength to take out his blocker, but he gets to his spot and engages, and that obstructs the linebacker enough to where they can’t get a clean shot at the running back. It’s these little things that make all the difference.</p>
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<p id="eO767Y">It’s a thing of beauty when it all comes together. On <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2019/8/31/20841823/ezekiel-elliott-fantasy-football-dfs-salary-stats-2019">Ezekiel Elliott</a>’s second touchdown run, the blocking was outstanding. Both Knight and <span>Connor Williams</span> slide to their right to take on blockers, Steele and <span>Zack Martin</span> secure the right side, and Biadasz sneaks through to the second level. When the linebacker takes the wrong angle and cheat inside, he’s gets washed out of the play and Zeke just blazes by. And let’s give a special shout out to <span>Michael Gallup</span> who just throws himself into two defensive backs taking them out of the play.</p>
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<h3 id="CtbgTC"><strong>Third down struggles on defense</strong></h3>
<p id="vWRPox">It was nice to see the Cowboys defense make stops on Sunday as they regularly had success on early downs. However, the team had trouble getting off the field when they repeatedly gave up third-down conversions. And the frustrating part about it was these conversions weren’t of the third and short variety. Again and again, the defense allowed first downs on 3rd-and-6 or longer.</p>
<p id="BsknBe">Whether it was a lapse in coverage assignment, getting crossed out in a rub route, or allowing <span>Daniel Jones</span> just enough time to find a hole in the secondary, the Cowboys defense just had issues closing the deal.</p>
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<h3 id="babJDW"><strong>Jaylon showed up</strong></h3>
<p id="tAkRMw">Last week, we were critical of <span>Jaylon Smith</span> as he was essentially a non-factor in the <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Browns</a> game, so it’s only fair to point out just how great he was against the <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a>. <span>Smith</span> did a fantastic job shadowing <span>Dion Lewis</span> and making sure he didn’t get loose as a receiver. The Cowboys linebacker lurked in the weeds and as soon as Lewis released from the backfield, Smith was hot on his tail in pursuit. Smith was so fast to close that his arrival completely shut down Lewis in the passing game.</p>
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<strong>Solid relief effort from </strong><span><strong>Andy Dalton</strong></span>
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<p id="QoXJxb">The front office did a nice job securing the services of a reliable backup QB, but on Sunday it was time to put that to the test. And sure, there were a couple moments when fans got a little worried with Dalton under center, but it didn’t take long for him to get comfortable. He did a nice job in the pocket setting his feet and delivered strikes to his receivers. His throws were right on the money, including the deep pass to <span>Michael Gallup</span> that set up the game winning field goal.</p>
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<p id="XwG6N7">What was even more satisfying was how well he threw the ball on the run. This is a trademark of Prescott, and something that is so easy to take for granted, but Dak makes so many great throws on the run. Prescott’s ability to escape is essential in keeping this offense moving, so his ability to make plays out of the pocket is extremely valuable. It’s a small sample, but Dalton had a couple nice throws while rolling to his right and that’s a positive sign.</p>
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<h3 id="ecxbYB"><strong>Smack of Lamb</strong></h3>
<p id="jGKWL0">Not only did <span>CeeDee Lamb</span> have a career high in targets, catches, and receiving yards, but can we talk about how well he did hanging on the ball despite being fired upon by the Giants defense. Not once, but twice Lamb held on to the ball despite personal foul penalties where the Giants were called for a hit on a defenseless receiver.</p>
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<h3 id="oMFU2J"><strong>Throwing Dak open</strong></h3>
<p id="FfFElf">We also need to take a moment to appreciate that pass from <span>Cedrick Wilson</span> to Prescott. Giants linebacker Kyler Fackwell (who had the interception touchdown return for the Giants) actually sniffs out the play and is on Dak’s tail. When Wilson releases the ball, Dak’s at the ten-yard line, but by the time he catches it, he’s at the one. If Wilson underthrows the ball in the slightest, there’s a good chance Fackwell breaks up the pass.</p>
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https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2020/10/13/21513649/after-further-review-andy-dalton-on-the-run-cowboys-young-offensive-line-continues-to-improveDan Rogers2020-10-13T11:30:00-05:002020-10-13T11:30:00-05:002020 Cowboys rookie report: Another big day for CeeDee Lamb
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<figcaption>Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>This Cowboys rookie is something special.</p> <p id="mol5vt">It’s been a recurring theme so far this season: not much to feel good about on a large scale, but this rookie class is looking pretty good. Well, things are even more dour now that <span>Dak Prescott</span> is done for the season, but the bright side is that his replacement has plenty of weapons to work with, including <span>CeeDee Lamb</span>. The rookie receiver makes it hard to rave about these other rookies with just how dominant he’s been playing, but we’ll try our best. </p>
<h1 id="jijIiE"><strong>CeeDee Lamb, WR</strong></h1>
<p id="CJ2WfA">We knew when the <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Cowboys</a> got CeeDee Lamb with the 17th overall pick that it was a steal, but the former Sooner is showing just how crazy those first 16 teams were to pass on him. I mean, look at this catch!</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">CeeDee Lamb is the TRUTH <br><br>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NFL</a>) <a href="https://t.co/DLS6OMB1pQ">pic.twitter.com/DLS6OMB1pQ</a></p>— Overtime (@overtime) <a href="https://twitter.com/overtime/status/1315410570888216577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2020</a>
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<p id="Iae8X6">There’s only a handful of receivers in the entire NFL who make that catch. CeeDee Lamb, <em>as a rookie, </em>is somehow one of them. It makes no sense that he’s this good, but he is. And it’s not just that Lamb is making highlight reel catches, but it’s the nuance with which he runs his routes. Lamb has consistently shown an ability to adjust his routes to the coverage and get open no matter what the defense throws at him. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cowboys?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cowboys</a> rookie WR CeeDee Lamb has been living in the deep middle of opposing defenses all season.<br><br>Zone? He's aware enough to find the soft spots in between zones vs 1 & 2-high.<br><br>Man? He's good enough with his releases & overall route running to create separation. <a href="https://t.co/0qPaJZmsm2">pic.twitter.com/0qPaJZmsm2</a></p>— John Owning (@JohnOwning) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnOwning/status/1315691391234703360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2020</a>
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<p id="UCyjzE">This is the type of stuff that advanced, seasoned receivers do with regularity and Lamb is doing it in his first year in the pros with virtually no real offseason ahead of time. Is it possible I’m overrating Lamb? Pro Football Focus doesn’t think so: </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Cowboys have themselves a star in CeeDee Lamb ⭐️ <a href="https://t.co/YdeXivi7fs">pic.twitter.com/YdeXivi7fs</a></p>— PFF (@PFF) <a href="https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1315719479746334723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2020</a>
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<p id="ZzA5WW">As for the actual performance against the <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a> this past week, Lamb led the team with eight catches for 124 yards. He also remained in for punt returns, but only fielded one that went for just three yards. In a season that’s already felt too long for Cowboys fans, it helps to have a genuinely incredible star like Lamb doing his thing every week. </p>
<h1 id="vrpO5j">
<span><strong>Trevon Diggs</strong></span><strong>, CB</strong>
</h1>
<p id="nyE0YP">Trevon Diggs put up some really good plays (and some bad ones) in the first three games before he, like the rest of the Cowboys defense, got abused by the <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Browns</a> last week. More than that, Diggs has been battling through a nagging shoulder injury recently. Apparently that injury became a bigger factor against the Giants. </p>
<p id="2SwCsN">After playing every single defensive snap through the first four games, Diggs was only in on 74% of the defensive snaps this week. He started the game, but had to leave at a certain point due to complications. He was seen on the sideline with his helmet off, and it looked like <span>Daryl Worley</span> and the recently-returned <span>Anthony Brown</span> were going to be the starters at outside corner the rest of the way. </p>
<p id="MpduHm">Diggs managed to come back later in the game, to his credit, but he wasn’t playing at 100%; at one point in particular, Diggs came up to make a tackle and bounced off the receiver. Still, Diggs finished with three tackles and a pass defensed. It wasn’t the rebound the rookie was looking for, but his ability to fight through the pain and return to the game was impressive. Diggs has certainly flashed the traits you want in a cornerback, and he should only get better as he adjusts to the NFL. </p>
<h1 id="OdI4vU">
<span><strong>Neville Gallimore</strong></span><strong>, DT</strong>
</h1>
<p id="tbf8zr">Well hello there, Neville! After being inactive the past two weeks and hardly playing before then, Gallimore got some real playing time against New York. He saw 22 defensive snaps, which about a third of the total defensive snaps available. Not much, but a start. </p>
<p id="2cbOMp">While Gallimore didn’t turn any heads - there’s a reason he was inactive - he did record one tackle and one hit on the quarterback. He looked very much like he did in college: a twitchy penetration guy that doesn’t do much against the run. But with <span>Trysten Hill</span> going down in the game, it could very well mean Gallimore sees a lot more action, especially in that 3-technique role on passing downs. </p>
<h1 id="aAnemM">
<span><strong>Reggie Robinson II</strong></span><strong>, DB</strong>
</h1>
<p id="zbiw82">At this rate, odds are higher we’ll see <span>Ben DiNucci</span> in a game before Reggie Robinson. He was inactive again, and with <span>Anthony Brown</span> returning from injury for this game and <span>Chidobe Awuzie</span> getting closer to a return of his own, don’t expect anything to change on this front. </p>
<h1 id="RLOkf0">
<span><strong>Tyler Biadasz</strong></span><strong>, C</strong>
</h1>
<p id="XJkzuB">It’s been a big year for Tyler Biadasz fans. After the cancellation of the preseason robbed the Wisconsin center from a chance to compete for the starting job, he gradually made his way onto the field through the first four games, and Looney’s injury on the first play of last week’s loss gave Biadasz his first career start against New York. </p>
<p id="d2Y6IV">The result was ultimately a mixed bag, as Biadasz had some bad reps in pass protection and botched the snap on the fumble the Giants recovered. But Biadasz also showed his strength and athleticism, especially in the running game, while earning high praise from <span>Zack Martin</span>. </p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Again.. this was the best I've seen Ezekiel Elliott run in awhile. <br><br>And... look at rookie Tyler Biadasz get to the second level. <a href="https://t.co/YMuGu94G9X">pic.twitter.com/YMuGu94G9X</a></p>— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) <a href="https://twitter.com/Marcus_Mosher/status/1315756845794033672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2020</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Zack Martin raved about rookie Tyler Biadasz’s performance at center when he stepped in for Looney, said “Very bright. I don’t think he had any mental mistakes at all. “</p>— Brianna Dix (@DixBrianna) <a href="https://twitter.com/DixBrianna/status/1313957977746018305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2020</a>
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<h1 id="2v8sc7">
<span><strong>Bradlee Anae</strong></span><strong>, EDGE</strong>
</h1>
<p id="mbpk7I">The Bradlee Anae Fan Club, of which I’m a founding member, added another cut-up to their PowerPoint presentation of why the Utah edge rusher should get more playing time. Anae was only on the field for one defensive snap on Sunday, but he took full advantage of the opportunity: </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bradlee Anae's lone defensive snap vs. the Giants resulted in a QB hit <a href="https://t.co/gdHnNVCSGr">pic.twitter.com/gdHnNVCSGr</a></p>— Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhatGoingDowney/status/1315742076512997382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2020</a>
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<p id="crglUR">Anae has a total of six defensive snaps on the year so far, and he’s been highly productive on each of them. It’s provided plenty of ammunition for fans to call for more playing time, but in a game where nearly every Cowboys defender got to the quarterback in some way, Anae’s fans will have to wait at least one more week. </p>
<h1 id="jyqojv"><strong>Ben DiNucci, QB</strong></h1>
<p id="X9czxh">Once again, Ben DiNucci was inactive. But there’s a very good chance that changes next week, as he’ll now be the primary backup quarterback unless Dallas brings in someone else. </p>
<h1 id="8XcBhM">
<span><strong>Terence Steele</strong></span><strong>, OT</strong>
</h1>
<p id="1MZpnj">With Tyron <span>Smith</span>’s season ending earlier in the week, <span>Brandon Knight</span> is the new full-time starter at left tackle, which means Terence Steele is back at right tackle after being benched last week. He’ll be the starter for as long Cam Erving remains sidelined, and possibly even after that. </p>
<p id="6Gg5iJ">Based on how Steele looked Sunday, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Having potentially his best game of the year so far, Steele continued his streak of “good enough, all things considered” play; it helps not going against <span>Myles Garrett</span>, of course. Steele is a much better run blocker than pass blocker right now, but he managed to hold his own in both areas against a scrappy Giants pass rush. </p>
<p id="CCuKrm">It’ll be on Steele to continue to grow into this role as the season goes on, or else the Cowboys will really have to start scraping the bottom of the barrel for replacements. If these first five games are any indication, Steele is up to the challenge. </p>
<h1 id="rPok3H">
<span><strong>Francis Bernard</strong></span><strong>, LB</strong>
</h1>
<p id="1ECTdh">Francis Bernard saw his first NFL action last week, but was relegated exclusively to special teams work. This week, he got some time on defense. Granted, it was only seven defensive snaps and Bernard didn’t log any statistic, but it’s encouraging to see Bernard being gradually worked into things. </p>
<p id="EylkmA">But with <span>Jaylon Smith</span>’s performance on Sunday and the eventual return of <span>Leighton Vander Esch</span>, Bernard may have already hit his ceiling as far as the amount of snaps he’ll see this year. </p>
<h1 id="ZDuqaf">
<span><strong>Sean McKeon</strong></span><strong>, TE</strong>
</h1>
<p id="xJObz4">Sean McKeon has quietly carved out a nice role in this offense, functioning as the third tight end in jumbo formations and contributing on special teams. And for a brief moment on Sunday, McKeon was elevated to the TE2 role when <span>Blake Bell</span> temporarily left with an injury. </p>
<p id="v0mcft">McKeon only logged five snaps on offense, functioning exclusively as a blocker, which is nothing new for him. Depending on <span>Bell</span>’s health, though, McKeon may once again see a promotion. </p>
<h1 id="RdyAA6">
<span><strong>Rico Dowdle</strong></span><strong>, RB</strong>
</h1>
<p id="ppxfzm">Another week, another special teams-only role for Rico Dowdle. As long as <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2019/8/31/20841823/ezekiel-elliott-fantasy-football-dfs-salary-stats-2019">Ezekiel Elliott</a> and <span>Tony Pollard</span> are healthy, Dowdle isn’t going to see the field on offense. His 11 special teams snaps were right in line with what’s been asked of him thus far on the year. </p>
<h1 id="OxwDBt">
<span><strong>Rashad Smith</strong></span><strong>, LB</strong>
</h1>
<p id="8Vqqpf">Once again, Rashad <span>Smith</span> was inactive. He may be a practice squad candidate once <span>Vander Esch</span> comes back too. </p>
https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2020/10/13/21513451/2020-cowboys-rookie-report-another-big-day-for-ceedee-lamb-trevon-diggs-tyler-biadasz-andy-daltonDavid Howman2020-10-13T08:00:00-05:002020-10-13T08:00:00-05:00Don’t let the box score fool you, the Cowboys defense showed improvements vs Giants
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<figcaption>Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Cowboys defense took a promising step forward.</p> <p id="inae53">This Cowboys defense certainly got plenty of abuse during the last week - giving up over 300 rushing yards in one game will do that - and they were looking to change things against a dreadful <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a> offense. Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan even made a change, moving from the coach’s box to the sideline to call plays. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cowboys def coordinator Mike Nolan will be moving from booth to sideline to coach this week to be more interactive with players on that side of the ball.</p>— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayGlazer/status/1315328374416441344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2020</a>
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<p id="rYSgJD">It’s easy to look at the scoreboard and say “The team was dead last in the NFL in scoring just dropped 34 on us. Defense still sucks!” But the reality is that scoreboards rarely tell the full story, and the full story is that this defense was actually much improved. Granted, after last week’s loss to the <a href="https://www.dawgsbynature.com/">Browns</a>, there really wasn’t much else to go but up, but this defense showed signs of life. </p>
<p id="iMlFlw">First and foremost, let’s address the score. One of the Giants’ touchdowns came on a pick six by Kyler Fackrell. That’s not attributable to the defense at all. An additional field goal came by way of a special teams error. The Dallas defense had gotten a stop and forced the Giants to punt the ball away, but the special teams group was called for a boneheaded 12 men on the field penalty, moving New York into field goal range. That’s also not attributable to the defense, which right away should remove ten points from the “points allowed by the defense” category. </p>
<p id="UqBxld">But there was also that final touchdown the Giants scored to take the lead in the fourth quarter. It came by way of a poor snap exchange between rookie center <span>Tyler Biadasz</span> and <span>Andy Dalton</span> on his second series of the game. The result was a fumble recovery by the Giants that set them up already in the red zone. Now, you can argue that the defense should have still limited the Giants to just a field goal, but the fact of the matter is the defense was put in a very difficult position on that drive. So if we’re being generous (which I doubt too many of us are with this defense) that’s a total of 17 points out of the Giants’ 34 total that can’t be put squarely on this defense. </p>
<p id="R5YJal">But the defense’s improvements went beyond just not giving up a lot of points. After getting bulldozed by running back <span>Devonta Freeman</span> early on - he had 44 rushing yards at halftime - the defense turned it around and limited him to just 16 rushing yards in the second half. Additionally, New York’s 89 total rushing yards in the game was the lowest single-game total allowed by the defense this year. Again, it’s not saying a whole lot, but it is the best we’ve seen from this group so far. </p>
<p id="RECk0S">Speaking of the best we’ve seen, let’s talk about <span>Jaylon Smith</span>. He’s had a really rough go of things lately, putting up his worst football ever in these first four games. He’s looked lost and out of position at times, been easily fooled by offenses at other times, and just plain poor on other plays. But <span>Smith</span> was all over the field on Sunday, looking like the <span>Jaylon Smith</span> we saw in 2018. His 14 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss both led the team, and <span>Smith</span> had more than one occasion where he read the offense like a pro to snuff out screen plays for a loss. </p>
<p id="6Hv2pE">Maybe there was something to Nolan being on the sideline after all. Perhaps having Nolan on the sideline to be directly in Smith’s ear helped the linebacker improve. After all, Nolan’s experience is as a linebackers coach. Smith even got in on a half sack in the game, which brings me to my next point. </p>
<p id="7qKiXR">The pass rush looked great. <span>Daniel Jones</span> was running around in the backfield all day, and the pressure forced several bad throws from the young quarterback. <span>DeMarcus Lawrence</span> had the strip sack that <span>Anthony Brown</span> returned for a touchdown (apparently defenses are allowed to do that?) and Smith teamed up with <span>Everson Griffen</span> for another sack. <span>Aldon Smith</span> was everywhere again, and rookie <span>Bradlee Anae</span> got in Jones’ face on one play as well; all told, the <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Cowboys</a> saw eight different players combine for ten total hits on the quarterback. Not too shabby. </p>
<p id="8n8Gqk">A big part of that was the down and distance game. Whereas their previous four opponents have moved the ball at will, the Giants found themselves in several second/third and long situations. These obvious passing downs made it easier for the pass rush to pin their ears back and focus on getting after the quarterback. That’s a luxury this defense has rarely enjoyed so far this season, but they had a good time with it on Sunday. </p>
<p id="e1NkVV">Of course, the one big caveat in all of this is that it was the Giants. There are no illusions that this defense is suddenly good or even average, but after a week of having their effort questioned, we saw that these defenders are not short on effort at all. They’ll face a much tougher opponent next week in <span>Kyler Murray</span> and the <a href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Arizona Cardinals</a>, but for right now we can at least say that this defense showed improvement against the Giants. </p>
https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2020/10/13/21512212/dont-let-the-box-score-fool-you-the-cowboys-defense-showed-improvements-vs-giants-mike-nolanDavid Howman2020-10-12T16:40:26-05:002020-10-12T16:40:26-05:00Mike McCarthy press conference: Coach talks losing Dak Prescott, the future with Andy Dalton, and adding a QB
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<img alt="NFL: Cleveland Browns at Dallas Cowboys" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/J_-jDByF3q_Ky7vse37UTWroU6E=/370x241:1681x1115/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67620821/usa_today_15020652.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Coach talks about the Giants game, and the injury to Dak Prescott.</p> <p id="1fbXUt">Coach Mike McCarthy answered questions about the <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Cowboys</a> recent win over the <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a>, and the loss of their starting quarterback, <span>Dak Prescott</span>. Here is a recap of that press conference. <em>(All answers are paraphrased and not actual quotes)</em>.</p>
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<h3 id="IvcscB">Mike McCarthy has spoken to <span>Dak Prescott</span>
</h3>
<p id="B5Xxux">Coach McCarthy said on Monday that he has spoken to <span>Dak Prescott</span> and that Dak is doing well and in good spirits. He noted that Dak was excited to get home and is excited (all things considered) to start his journey back to football.</p>
<h3 id="x9Kvr0">Adjustments for <span>Andy Dalton</span>
</h3>
<p id="CWevbO">McCarthy noted that <span>Dalton</span> had a rough first play early on but played “flawless football” after that and that at the end of the day they are going to start the operation for the <a href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Arizona Cardinals</a> with all of the tools necessary to win the game. He said Andy will lead the charge there on offense. He said Dalton has the experience and ability to go ahead.</p>
<h3 id="1J1LIx">
<span>Dak Prescott</span> timeline</h3>
<p id="tp1g01">Coach agreed that he has heard the 4 to 6 month timeline, but he thought that knowing Dak he would challenge any timeline. </p>
<h3 id="RCKZdS">Unique situation that the Cowboys landed Dalton</h3>
<p id="DwGN6K">McCarthy noted that the Cowboys were fortunate to land <span>Andy Dalton</span> when they did. He said that Dalton has been a professional since his first day with the team and that he has shared his wealth of knowledge with the whole room. He noted Dalton had a good camp and you can see his competitive nature and said that he doesn’t see the team really changing a whole lot. He said Dalton is very detailed and organized with his game plans and shares that knowledge. He also complimented his competitive nature, and his accuracy and anticipation.</p>
<h3 id="pjZoqy">Usage of backups</h3>
<p id="0zrRZ1">McCarthy used backup quarterbacks multiple times throughout his tenure with the <a href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/">Green Bay Packers</a> all the way from <span>Matt Flynn</span> to Scott Tolzien. He noted that Andy has a lot of experience for them to build off of.</p>
<h3 id="pc9Ye6">Relying on <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2019/8/31/20841823/ezekiel-elliott-fantasy-football-dfs-salary-stats-2019">Ezekiel Elliott</a>
</h3>
<p id="YDSW64">McCarthy said they want to be able to run the football regardless and that the game against the Giants was the first of this season where they played complementary team defense. He did note the point total was too high, but that 14 points came from turnovers. He said he felt good about the step the Cowboys took as a team on Sunday. He especially noted the defense making a stop at the end to get the ball back for the game-winning kick. </p>
<h3 id="77m3i6">Dak rehab at the facility</h3>
<p id="29bRFE">Coach said they don’t have a plan in place yet, they were just focusing on getting him home and comfortable. But coach felt sure he would be around the building when he can. </p>
<h3 id="EYr03e">Thoughts on adding another quarterback</h3>
<p id="r5L7iX">McCarthy said that since they only have two in the building that the Cowboys will definitely be adding another quarterback.</p>
<p id="UW4P8X">Who’s your guess?</p>
<h3 id="FXqEdD">
<span>CeeDee Lamb</span>’s impressive start</h3>
<p id="zOz9ij">Coach said that yesterday when you watch Lamb play, he plays with a lot of maturity for a rookie. He noted a specific example on a simple three-step drop where Lamb made a read on a coverage element that you usually don’t see in that coverage and he read it. He said it shows his instincts and smarts, and wasn’t something they had practiced a lot and that he is just a natural player.</p>
<h3 id="WYaJ1m">
<span>Trysten Hill</span> injury</h3>
<p id="5rc5fy">McCarthy noted that going off of the tape from last year that Trysten Hill might be the most improved defensive player on the team and without question the most improved defensive lineman. He said Trysten has a bright future ahead of himself. </p>
<h3 id="j24EtJ">Mike Nolan moving to the sidelines</h3>
<p id="8Yw1Eu">McCarthy said that Nolan moving from the booth to the sidelines was something that the two of them talked about together but he noted that it was a move that Nolan wanted to make. </p>
<p id="K6CPGN">He discussed the need for communication to the players in a timely manner. He noted that the biggest change here in his opinion was the defense being able to get together as a group. He added that they will continue to do it this way going forward. </p>
<h3 id="xpe9NY">Defensive line and offensive line</h3>
<p id="Td7GHN">Coach thought that the defense got more pressure this week and a key to that was getting the Giants in down and distance situations where they could rush the passer. He felt that in the second half especially they were more consistent with the pressure.</p>
<p id="3GW1UB">He thought the offensive line had a productive day as the team was able to balance the run and the pass. He noted there are always thing to work on but that the big element is for these five guys to be able to practice together this week and start getting some continuity. </p>
https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2020/10/12/21512703/mike-mccarthy-press-conference-losing-dak-prescott-and-the-future-with-andy-dalton-and-adding-a-qbDavid HalprinRJ Ochoa2020-10-12T11:20:21-05:002020-10-12T11:20:21-05:00Report: Cowboys DT Trysten Hill suffered torn ACL against Giants, out for season
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<img alt="NFL: OCT 11 Giants at Cowboys" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/amM8WKlTvhuQ2as9FM7_TTFGvtU=/0x1:2554x1704/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67619164/1229020232.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Andrew Dieb/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>A big blow to the middle of the Cowboys defensive line.</p> <p id="TTBSTV">This season has been a rough one for the <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a> as far as injuries are concerned. Entering Week 5, they had already been operating without a number of starters on both sides of the ball for a majority of the season.</p>
<p id="3LnYCW">We already knew that players like <span>Gerald McCoy</span>, La’el Collins, <span>Blake Jarwin</span>, and <span>Tyron Smith</span> were done for the year, and it became obvious <span>Dak Prescott</span> was done for the season last night. Others have had to miss stretches of time and are still in the process of doing so; it has been a challenging year in this aspect to say the least.</p>
<p id="asdc6B"><span>Dak Prescott</span>’s season-ending ankle injury, <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2020/10/12/21512916/report-dak-prescotts-timetable-for-recovery-is-4-6-months">that is expected to take 4-6 months to recover from</a>, is obviously the leading story from Sunday’s win over the <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a>, but he is not the only player who the <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Cowboys</a> lost for the remainder of the year during the game.</p>
<h3 id="sMdF6G">
<span>Trysten Hill</span> suffered a torn ACL and is out for the season</h3>
<p id="GvQ6TO">The Cowboys <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2020/10/11/21512148/cowboys-are-concerned-about-the-injury-to-defensive-tackle-trysten-hill">expressed concern</a> over Trysten Hill’s injury in the aftermath of their win on Sunday. It was reported on Monday morning that the worst has been confirmed and that Hill suffered a torn ACL. His season is over.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Another brutal <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cowboys?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cowboys</a> injury: An MRI confirmed starting DT Trysten Hill suffered a torn ACL in Sunday’s win over the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Giants?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Giants</a>, source said. Hill’s season is over.</p>— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/status/1315683742640472066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2020</a>
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<p id="bLohRB">Hill had played very well this season so far for the Cowboys and had come a long way in proving himself to fans of the team after a disappointing rookie season. He was the best defensive tackle on the team four games and some change in. Losing him is going to set the defense back even further.</p>
<p id="LydgKw">Dallas did have rookie defensive tackle <span>Neville Gallimore</span> active on Sunday and he is going to be depended on for more given Hill’s injury. As noted, <span>Gerald McCoy</span> was lost for the Cowboys way early on before the season truly began so they are now going to have to lean on the likes of Gallimore, <span>Antwaun Woods</span>, and <span>Dontari Poe</span>. You also might see <span>Tyrone Crawford</span> more in that mix.</p>
<p id="X2c9mM">Things are rough for the Cowboys at the moment, but they do play in the NFC East, and they are in first place at that. It’s going to be a long week.</p>
https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2020/10/12/21512921/report-cowboys-dt-trysten-hill-suffered-torn-acl-against-giants-out-for-seasonRJ Ochoa2020-10-12T09:30:00-05:002020-10-12T09:30:00-05:00Crunching stats: Why the Cowboys season is far from over after losing Dak Prescott
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<img alt="NFL: New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/iR-c9MZj5WOtxml4Egg3N2023i8=/0x0:4214x2809/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67618543/usa_today_15054562.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>The new 88 is one big reason, and not the only one. | Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>It was disastrous, yet there is reason for hope for Dallas.</p> <p id="eNlJFX">Yes, it’s horrible. <span>Dak Prescott</span> suffered a nauseating injury. The <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a> are likely without him for the rest of the season. The win over the <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a> was against one of the worst teams in the league. There are still issues. Yet despite all that, we should not give up any more than the team did in coming from behind to win in what would otherwise have been a thrilling finish.</p>
<p id="SkUPyp">Suddenly, the decision to sign <span>Andy Dalton</span> to be <span>Prescott</span>’s backup looks brilliant. Down the stretch, with the game on the line, he overcame a botched snap with rookie center <span>Tyler Biadasz</span> and made a couple of outstanding throws to <span>Michael Gallup</span>, putting <span>Greg Zuerlein</span> in position to kick a game-winning, just-accurate-enough (again) field goal. And the <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Cowboys</a> salvaged a win that may be the blueprint for also salvaging what could look to many like a lost season. Here are some key numbers from the game to show what I mean.</p>
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<span>Dalton</span>’s stat line</h3>
<p id="c2C6SQ">9 of 11 for 111 yards. Yes, he had the fumble that made it so much harder, and also was sacked on his very first play. But he was definitely clutch when he had to be, first finding <span>CeeDee Lamb</span> for 11 yards to put the team in position to still be able to run the ball on the next play (which turned out well) and making those two simply great throws to <span>Gallup</span> on the game-winning drive. </p>
<p id="COlvTW">This was simply a level of play that most teams don’t get from their QB2 when they have to. Now he will have to continue, as the <a href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Arizona Cardinals</a> are up next, coming off a win over the woeful <a href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/">New York Jets</a>. (It must really suck to be an NFL fan in the Big Apple right now.) But after that, they get to play the <a href="https://www.hogshaven.com/">Washington Football Team</a> and the <a href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Philadelphia Eagles</a>, albeit on the road. Get wins over those two, which is hardly out of the question, and this team could be sitting in much better shape that we could have dreamed in light of the loss of <span>Prescott</span>.</p>
<p id="3n6CYm">Just as important is that <span>Dalton</span> led the team to 13 points in the final 20:03 of the game. That would project to over 30 points a game, and that should be enough to keep them in the mix the rest of the way.</p>
<h3 id="Oj935J">The wide receiver group</h3>
<p id="YThYIk">Lamb is now the leading receiver for Dallas after amassing eight catches for 124 yards. He is not just doing justice to the 88 jersey. He is off to the best start of any player to ever wear it. <span>Gallup</span> was the second best receiver on the day with 73 yards, including that crucial 38-yard reception to put <span>Zuerlein</span> in close for the game winner. <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2019/8/30/20838514/amari-cooper-fantasy-football-dfs-salary-stats-2019">Amari Cooper</a> and <span>Cedrick Wilson</span> had quieter games, but each still contributed catches, including some key moments.</p>
<p id="Cac1cN">For Dalton, this is the best possible situation. He has what is likely the best receiving corps of his career. The down side is of course that patchwork offensive line. But against a <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a> defense that has been far better than their dismal offense, they were just good enough. For them, and for Dalton, the more time they practice and play together, the better. Meanwhile, those receivers will be a tremendous help to all involved.</p>
<h3 id="ad3cfe">Zeke steps up</h3>
<p id="4A8uXc">It was the best game he has had this season, with 91 yards and two touchdowns rushing, including that powerful 12-yard run on third and six just after Dalton came in and completed the pass to Lamb mentioned above. He also had a catch for 14 yards as well. Dalton needs him to continue playing at this level to take some pressure off the passing game. Being able to run the ball just got more important for the Cowboys. The pass will still probably be the key to winning, but Elliott can be a crucial complementary piece.</p>
<p id="jlClQk"><span>Tony Pollard</span> was pretty good in relief work as well, with a nice five yard per carry average in adding 30 yards on the ground.</p>
<h3 id="ptOl90">The defense looked like it got steadily better</h3>
<p id="NHD6jw">It started out like the same old story, as they struggled to get off the field. <span>Daniel Jones</span> seemed to experience the frustrating (to us) trend of playing much better against Dallas than in his other games while making big league throws to convert on third downs, or wide receivers got so open he just had to get the ball to them to move the sticks.</p>
<p id="PaBIne">But as the game went on, the stops started coming. The only touchdown they gave up in the second half came after the Dalton fumble, which gave the Giants the ball on the Dallas 17. They forced a couple of punts, including the crucial one that gave the ball back to the offense with 52 seconds left at the end of the game. And, with the help of some penalties, they also limited the damage to field goals instead of touchdowns four times during the game. Those were huge.</p>
<p id="C2d0ur">One big plus was the return of <span>Anthony Brown</span> from IR, which paid immediate dividends as he capitalized on a <span>DeMarcus Lawrence</span> strip sack to take the loose ball 29 yards for a touchdown. Another was the play of <span>Jaylon Smith</span>, who led all defenders with 14 tackles, a half sack, and a total of three tackles for a loss. He looked better in this game than he has all season. With Leighton Vander Esch getting closer to returning from IR, that could be a major development.</p>
<p id="rLHIv1">One thing that was reported was Mike Nolan’s move from the booth to the field for the game. It is hard to know just how much influence that had, but the way the defense seemed to improve as things went along lends some credence to the idea that his presence on the sidelines allowed him to correct and direct the defense better.</p>
<p id="d5Kras">But the defense suffered its own big injury, as <span>Trysten Hill</span> was carted off with a reported knee injury, and looks to be lost for an extended period. He had been one of the few bright spots for the defense.</p>
<p id="8DtLo7">Overall, however, this seemed a positive game for the defense, and hopefully they will continue to build on it.</p>
<h3 id="IFN0Nf">The terrible NFC East</h3>
<p id="NyQmlb">Amazingly, at 2-3, the Cowboys are all alone in first place in the division, with a half game lead over the (also) struggling <a href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Eagles</a>. They just have to win the East to get to the playoffs, even if it is with a mediocre or worse record. That absolutely looks doable even with Dalton having to fill in for <span>Prescott</span>. </p>
<p id="8pe3ZT">It may not be pretty, but there is a discernable path forward for Dallas to play into the postseason. Don’t abandon hope just yet.</p>
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https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2020/10/12/21512345/crunching-stats-why-dallas-cowboys-season-far-from-over-after-losing-dak-prescott-lamb-gallup-daltonTom Ryle2020-10-12T08:00:00-05:002020-10-12T08:00:00-05:00Ten thoughts on the Cowboys bitter-sweet 37-34 victory of the Giants
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<img alt="New York Giants v Dallas Cowboys" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zWNfm_pABgZWcQDq0zGWRM_PCYg=/0x0:3254x2169/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67618099/1279709063.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Cowboys won the game, but it was definitely a huge loss.</p> <p id="CwoJXN">This game was viewed as put-up or shut-up game for the <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a> as early season struggles had many questioning just how good this team really is. In many ways, this was a must-win game as another underwhelming performance just wouldn’t sit well, especially at the hands of the win-less <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a>. Fortunately for the Cowboys, they were able to pull out the win, but it came at a price. Here are ten thoughts on the Cowboys 37-34 win over the Giants.</p>
<h3 id="GiKvLe"><strong>1. That heartbreaking moment</strong></h3>
<p id="cavFaK">It’s just such a sickening feeling to watch the team’s franchise quarterback go down with such a gruesome injury. <span>Dak Prescott</span> took a quarterback draw up the middle, and as he was stiff arming the defender, his ankle got caught underneath his tackler. Initially, it wasn’t clear what the injury was as Prescott just sat there calmly as if it was a cramp. But when we saw the ankle, it was clear that things were real bad.</p>
<p id="w3ccC8">Our hearts go out for Prescott and we hope he is able to make a full recovery for next season. As far as what this means for the Cowboys this season, it’s hard to say. </p>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr">4️⃣ <a href="https://t.co/k3R7WcKzfW">pic.twitter.com/k3R7WcKzfW</a></p>— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) <a href="https://twitter.com/dallascowboys/status/1315427014086733829?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2020</a>
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<h3 id="MPkPnK"><strong>2. A new receiving leader in Dallas</strong></h3>
<p id="xniSbU">Rookie CeeDee Lamb is having a great season. Coming in to this game he had 21 catches for 309 yards with two touchdowns. He trailed <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2019/8/30/20838514/amari-cooper-fantasy-football-dfs-salary-stats-2019">Amari Cooper</a> by 92 yards, which is not bad considering how great Cooper has been through the first four games of the season.</p>
<p id="4NzYqk">Well, Lamb is now the team’s leading receiver in terms of yards after he hauled in eight catches for 124 yards. What is really surprising is that Lamb had 11 targets, which is more than Amari (4) and <span>Michael Gallup</span> (4) had combined. Is it possible that Lamb is emerging as the team’s top receiver? Then again, most of passing success came when Prescott was the quarterback, so it’s tough to say exactly who <span>Andy Dalton</span>’s favorite target is going to be. Regardless, Lamb continues to show that he has superstar ability, and it’s just a matter of time before everyone knows it.</p>
<h3 id="VYqZVa"><strong>3. Good games from Tank and Jaylon</strong></h3>
<p id="kAvDBL">It hasn’t been a very good year for a couple of the team’s highest profiled defensive stars, <span>DeMarcus Lawrence</span> and Jaylon Smith. Both have been heavily criticized for their play so far. </p>
<p id="kkD2f9">These guys came to play on Sunday, as they were making big stops on defense. Smith finished with 14 total tackles, including three of them for a loss. He also was credited with half a sack. And while Tank didn’t light up the stat sheet, his sack/strip/fumble of <span>Daniel Jones</span> in the second quarter resulted in the team’s first defensive touchdown since 2018. When Anthony Brown scooped up the Jones fumble, he returned it 29 yards for a touchdown that tied the game at 17.</p>
<h3 id="bKFHkW"><strong>4. Saved by the flag</strong></h3>
<p id="Biz3rR">The Cowboys caught a nice break when former swing tackle <span>Cameron Fleming</span> was flagged for illegal shift that negated a 27-yard touchdown. The Giants were lining up for a field goal, when tight end <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2019/8/31/20837312/evan-engram-fantasy-football-dfs-salary-stats-2019">Evan Engram</a> covertly acted as if he was coming off the field. No Cowboys player had any clue he was there, which made him wide open when the Giants punter, <span>Riley Dixon,</span> threw him the ball. Ultimately, it didn’t end up hurting the Cowboys, but rest assured their special teams are floundering.</p>
<h3 id="4R8fq4"><strong>5. Boise State Special</strong></h3>
<p id="YEe3XH">Before Prescott’s season was cut short, we got to see him do something he’s never done before - catch a touchdown pass. It’s a play we’ve seen before, but not by the Cowboys. Former Boise State quarterback <span>Kellen Moore</span> pulled out some nice trickery on a reverse to former Boise State wide receiver Cedrick Wilson. But the fun didn’t stop there. Wilson, who was a high school quarterback, put the ball right on the money to Prescott to give the Cowboys their first lead of the game.</p>
<h3 id="CCazzY"><strong>6. Don’t forget about that timeout!</strong></h3>
<p id="huXVBZ">This one will quietly be swept under the rug, but we cannot stress enough the importance of a Cowboys timeout late in the first half. When it looked like Dallas might get a stop to hold the Giants to a field goal, the Cowboys wisely called a timeout to save some time for a drive of their own. It turned out to be huge as it allowed the Cowboys time to drive 75 yards on six plays to go up 24-20 before the half.</p>
<p id="0ZkjIj">Head coach Mike McCarthy has received a lot of heat because of the team’s lack of success, but he deserves credit here. In the past, the Cowboys have been perfectly content with just letting the clock run out as they haven’t even attempted to try to get anything with that last minute of the half. That wasn’t the case against the Giants, and look at how it turned out.</p>
<h3 id="Vyq0w8"><strong>7. That other injury</strong></h3>
<p id="5WBSJH">Just when something good starts happening, something really bad happens. Before we were all floored from the Prescott injury, the Cowboys suffered another loss as <span>Trysten Hill</span> was carted off the field with a knee injury. Hill was injured when he was trying to prevent himself from coming down hard on the Giants quarterback. It’s unclear just how serious his injury is, but it didn’t look good.</p>
<p id="E24vMt">The Cowboys are already without defensive tackle <span>Gerald McCoy</span>, and losing Hill would just further deplete their depth in the interior defensive line. And it’s just bad luck that Hill would go down after a really promising start to the season.</p>
<h3 id="UAKABC"><strong>8. Zeke & Pollard</strong></h3>
<p id="chQToC">The Cowboys have been a passing team this year. Entering this week, they led the league with 1,631 passing yards, whereas their 407 rushing yards is ranked 22nd in the league. That’s not really how the Cowboys have operated in the past, but the passing game has been really sizzling this season.</p>
<p id="e5hbZG">The offense went back with the ground attack as they had nearly just as many runs (29) as they did passing attempts (33). They relied on a good mixture of <a href="https://dknation.draftkings.com/2019/8/31/20841823/ezekiel-elliott-fantasy-football-dfs-salary-stats-2019">Ezekiel Elliott</a>, who rushed for 4.8 yards per carry and scored twice. Combined with <span>Tony Pollard</span>, who rushed for 5.0 yards per carry, this duo kept the offense on track after Prescott went down. It’s going to be important to utilize these guys effectively going forward to help take some pressure off their new quarterback.</p>
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<strong>9. The </strong><strong>Dalton</strong><strong> Drive</strong>
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<p id="Th9k1g">It felt hopeless getting the ball back on the 16-yard line with just 52 seconds to go. With Prescott under center, it’s a completely different feeling. But with the game in the hands of backup quarterback <span>Andy Dalton</span>, it just seemed like a lot to ask. He already had an bad exchange with rookie center <span>Tyler Biadasz</span> as well as a near pick-six, so things weren’t going all that well. Could he really lead the game-winning drive?</p>
<p id="1pt1gf">Well, as it turned out, he could. Dalton led a drive that went 72 yards on five plays, including a couple strikes to <span>Michael Gallup</span>, which brings us to...</p>
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<strong>10. </strong><strong>Gallup</strong><strong>’ing to victory</strong>
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<p id="Pktjb0">He was essentially invisible all game, but boy did he show up at the right moment. On the Cowboys final drive, Gallup made two great sideline catches, the first one for 19 yards, and the second one for 38 yards. Both plays required the officials to take a look to make sure he got both feet in bounds, and each time it was confirmed that he made the catch.</p>
<p id="QNk381">Gallup only had four targets the entire game, but he made them count, catching all four for 73 total yards. That’s some clutch play by Gallup. </p>
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https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2020/10/12/21511884/ten-thoughts-on-the-cowboys-bitter-sweet-37-34-victory-of-the-giantsDan Rogers