-
-
-
2017-2018 Regular Season: Resounding Route Of
Redskins Was Great . . . But Keep The Facts Straight With G-Men Next
On The Slate
- December 6, 2017 At 11:39 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
-
- “America’s Team” – from three consecutive losses – was reeling .
. . with both coaches and players having the hardest time dealing.
Along came Washington – suffering from their own metric ton of
injuries and performance mistakes that – for their season – spelled
DONE. The Dallas Cowboys – for the first time in four games – were
practically gifted their best chance to submit a victory claim.
Either that or – for the fourth consecutive game – the Cowboys (at
least internally) would try to share, spread, or specifically assign blame.
The Cowboys were the better team just on available and healthy
roster talent . . . save for the often tragic (depending upon whom
you ask) NFC East magic that almost always, ALWAYS allows a (more)
downtrodden division foe to deliver a performance so valiant.
The Cowboys were on offense first . . . but – with three plays for
four yards and a punt – Dak Prescott and Co. were struggling against
the same challenges that continued to perpetuate their point-scoring
thirst.
The age-old foes would trade grunts and punts until a timely red
zone turnover – by a suddenly driving and thriving Redskins offense
– with just over six minutes left in the first quarter. Safety Jeff
“Johnny On The Spot” Heath picked off a receiver-tipped Kirk Cousins
pass (originally threaded towards a reasonably open Jamison Crowder)
to get the Cowboys’ affairs back in the right order.
Then – with just under four-and-half minutes left in the initial
period . . . the Redskins’ “Uncommonly Crooked Hands” Crowder would
fumble on a punt return on a day for which turnovers were beginning
to look myriad. The Cowboys would collect a total of four on the day
– two fumbles and two interceptions – helping ensure in their
direction the chance of victory would sway.
The Cowboys and Redskins would exchange still more one-and-done
offensive sets. Just inside 11 minutes left in the second quarter,
Cowboys Nation let out a sigh of relief as Dak threaded a touchdown
pass to Jason Witten, the sturdiest of pro football vets. The
Cowboys would get their offensive wheels moving a bit more with a
Dan Bailey field goal to increase to 10-0 the difference in score.
Then – like a bolt from the blue (of night) – rookie Ryan Switzer
gave the team a long-sought-after special teams spritzer . . . with
a punt return for touchdown that further-electrified the Cowboys’
energy level and produced oodles of fan delight.
Cowboys Nation would experience a collective, faint flashback of
kick and punt return fantasies – otherwise sprinkled among years of
special teams impurities . . . delivered by mostly memorable players
Deion “Prime Time” Sanders (4), "Bullet" Bob Hayes (3), Kelvin
"K-Mart" Martin (3), Kevin Williams (3), Wayne McGarity (2), Patrick
Crayton (2), Dwayne Harris (2), Dez Bryant (2), and Terence Newman
(1).
The score was 17-0, and the Redskins would never get any closer than
within 10 . . . as the Cowboys – especially “Marinelli’s Men” –
would increasingly t-off, going on to win 38-14 in their home den.
Alfred "A-Train" Morris – in a matter of three weeks – went from
mildly to wildly used . . . and his former team – to the tune of 127
yards on 27 carries with a near 5-yard-per-carry average – he
seriously abused. Morris has always been a downhill runner who – if
given more carries deeper into a game – would become just the sort
of blunt blade with which to run an opponent through.
Rod Smith also got in on the act – scraping together 10 carries
along with a tough, short-yardage touchdown – as the Cowboys'
running game got untracked.
Dak Prescott had another vanilla (albeit mistake-free) day – with
just over 100 yards through the air on a paltry 11 for 22 – but two
timely touchdowns tosses (along with his always dangerous mobility)
helped the Cowboys have their way. Considering the back of his
throwing hand was injured and resembling quite the red puff . . .
Dak remained in the game and reminded fans he is pretty tough. While "The Great Wall Of Dallas"
made a timely reappearance – paving the way for many a rushing yard – it
remains increasingly incumbent upon Dak to show (more and varied)
signs that a passing game awakening (with or without Zeke on fleek) will not continue to be so
seemingly hard.
Dez Bryant continued his new reality as a possession receiver
(rather than a "go up and get it" deep ball retriever) –
including a super-rare high-point touchdown grab. This catch was extra special, as
it was from the great Bob Hayes that the
Cowboys’ all-time lead in touchdown catches he would nab.
-
- The Cowboys' first victory in four games was all sorts of timely
. . . but – if the organization and Cowboys Nation allow themselves
even a single myopic "We're Back" sugar plum moment (seeing no further need
for poor performance atonement) – the hill of reality could quickly
become all sorts of steep and slimy.
-
- It is one thing to perform this way against a team struggling to
simply fill out their roster for game day. If the Cowboys wish to
maintain their playoff possibilities . . . they clearly understand
that reaching the 10-6 mark must involve far more than just a shot in
the dark. The Cowboys will have to include more convincing results
against (currently) better opponents (in the
wounded-but-worthy Seattle
Seahawks and division-leading Philadelphia Eagles) for necessary victories.
Short Shots And Hot Spots
Orlando Scandrick sustained a back injury against the Redskins . . .
which grants him a temporary reprieve from the sins of his recent
business decisions. If – in the next game – the Cowboys allow
Scandrick to play, it will put undue pressure on the safety position
(youth movement or not) to make sure they get in the way and tackle
receivers on the spot.
Marinelli’s changes in the secondary – involving more playing time
for Kavon Frazier and Chidobe Awuzie and less for increasingly
disappointing starters Byron Jones and Anthony Brown on the day –
proved critical to a secondary that (until this contest) had seen
its performance widely vary. While Brown did, indeed, come up with a
late-game pick . . . perhaps a “spark off the bench” role will help
his brain-talent connection better click.
DeMarcus "Tank" Lawrence continued building to his league-leading
sack attack by adding two more . . . with David "Ed Too Tall, Jr."
Irving and none other than Taco "Salad Charlatan" Charlton adding one each to round
out the QB-mauling gore. Taco may yet become hardy and a more
productive member of Marinelli's defensive line party.
While Pro Bowl voting has swung into high gear, it should be another
playoff appearance fans should hold so dear. Yes, the triggering of
certain contract incentives come with a Pro Bowl selection, but it
will a fleeting celebration if the Cowboys’ regular season ends with
a postseason rejection.
The Dallas Cowboys are – once again – having to indulge a late
season triage unit with a collective “questionable status” for
Orlando Scandrick, La’el "Back Off-track" Collins, David "Can't Play
Ball In Concussion Protocol" Irving, Brice "Battered Boot" Butler, Maliek
"Caput Foot" Collins, Justin “We Can
Rebuild Him” Durant, and Tyron “Back Pain Is A Myth” Smith.
While Dallas and their fans have begrudgingly grown used to this
nail-biting injury noise . . . it is with great anticipation that star
linebacker Sean “Cursed By Delicate Injury” Lee is returning to game
day play for the ‘Boys.
Will They Or Won’t They?
America’s Team heads to the Meadowlands and the “Big Apple” . . .
for a rematch with a downtrodden yet re-energized NFC East foe they
hope – no, they need to topple.
If any, ANY team (in the NFC East and throughout the league) when
facing the Cowboys has shown the timely ability to beat back
devastating injuries and rise above mental fatigue on pride alone –
even when much of their fan base has preferred to turn and groan –
it is the New York Giants.
Earlier this week, the G-Men were given just the right uplifting
excuse to play a little less like the NFC East caboose . . . and
really cut loose against a Cowboys team desperately seeking to avoid
any playoff-damaging defiance.
New York’s inflexible, creatively-challenged head coach – Ben McAdoo
– and their GM Jerry Reese are officially through. While “Reese’s
Pieces” certainly had a participating role in a 2-10 season that has
clearly taken its toll . . . any remaining competent and healthy
game day roster faces – now led by their defensive guru Steve
Spagnuolo on an interim basis – will undoubtedly look to spoil
Dallas’ return-to-the-postseason goal.
Will the Cowboys make the inconceivable assumption that the Giants –
in their current state of complete disrepair – will fail to put up
their usual
Dallas-hating fight and carelessly succumb to their season of
despair?
-
- Will the Cowboys (mistakenly) expect less from an understandably
embarrassed Eli Manning . . . no matter how much of his performance
– and recent benching – this season has contributed to a complete
mess?
Will the Cowboys – once again, with a more available and healthier
roster – be able to snatch victory from jaws of trap game defeat . .
. and remain within shouting distance of a potential playoff spot
for which they desperately need to compete?
Will the Cowboys – regardless of the potential bad weather and
Manning’s determination to play much better – put this contest out
of reach early like they should . . . or will they allow an
undermanned, coaching-challenged opponent to bring the emotional
wood?
We shall see. We always do.
|
