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- 2018-2019
Regular Season: Week 3 Preview Of The Cowboys' Battle In Seattle
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This edition of "The Tortured
Cowboys Fan" has also been published by the fine folks at
Sports TalkLine.
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September 22, 2018 At 11:30 AM CST
By Eric M. Scharf-
- “America’s Team” heads to the Great Pacific Northwest to face a
Seahawks team that used to be among the very best. Through two
contests, however, Seattle appears to be among the teams that
opponents are pleased to have messed.
While Cowboys Nation might still be angry about the outcome of games
past and hoping Dallas puts a weakened Seattle on full blast, the
Cowboys seem to understand – now more than ever before – that
appearances can be deceiving . . . and a prideful bunch can leave an
overconfident squad grieving.
While Seattle’s star quarterback Russell Wilson almost always
reaches a second gear to (often but not always) prevent losses from
getting too painfully near, Dak Prescott remains a potentially
potent part of a greater ensemble cast which (in partnership with a
creatively compliant play-caller) he can clearly steer.
One could argue the scripts have somewhat flipped (this year) for
these teams and their schemes.
Dallas has spent much of the past 12 years relying on heavy doses of
offense in order to keep an (almost always) undermanned defense from
remaining on the field just long enough to allow opponents to swing
for the fence. “Marinelli’s Men” (especially with the coaching
addition of Kris Richard) are comparatively loaded this season,
while “Linehan’s Clan” has had to work around (seemingly)
unavoidable departures, a critical o-line deficiency, and the need
to establish receiver-by-committee legitimacy. Ezekiel Elliott – for
all his elite ability – has had to fight for every yard, as rushing
behind an o-line operating with a rookie guard and without veteran
starting center Travis “Fredbeard” Frederick has been hard.
The Seattle Seahawks (since as far back as 2010) had been all about
defensive domination with complimentary offensive participation.
Even with Russell Wilson’s increasingly impressive play since 2012
(along with that “Beast Mode” fella’ Seattle so heavily rode), last
year’s literal “Legion of Boom” breakdown, devastating defensive
departures, new coaches and their newly-implemented schemes have
forced a much heavier offensive contribution. While that
(temporary?) switcheroo is expected to continue for some time, the
Seahawks’ offense has been absorbing its own lingering skill
position attrition (along the offensive line, at running back, and
at receiver), creating a much steeper gameday hill for the
resourceful Wilson to climb.
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- NFL teams must contend with injuries (some formally reported and
others shadily distorted), and it seems like an eternity since a
Dallas opponent has sported almost twice the number of wounded
warriors. Dallas traditionally collapses following the loss of but
one key player, but the Cowboys are showing signs of reasonably
overcoming those barriers.
Will They Or Won’t They?
The 2016 preseason was the last time the Dallas Cowboys visited
CenturyLink Field, and they sustained an
inconceivable-yet-believable injury from which everyone in Cowboys
Nation reeled. Then-rookie Prescott (armed with attentive coaches
and a relatively-loaded offense) took over and reduced fan concern
to utter nonsense.
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- While Tony “That Announcer Guy” Romo moved on (with other key
players and coaches also being gone), the remaining Cowboys return to
the scene of the crime, but will they render a result so sublime?
Reports suggest Earl Thomas (“Seattle’s Best”) appears set, yet
again, on forcing Seattle to divest. They allegedly want a package
of a 1st and 3rd in order to make Thomas a former bird, but will
Jerry Jones ultimately give the (2nd and 4th) word?
Will Seattle’s still healthy “12th Man” be the difference between a
Seahawks team (a shell of its former self) winning and being put on
a shelf?
Will a returning Bobby Wagner cause the Cowboys to stagger?
Will the return of Brice (Butler) be twice as nice?
We shall see. We always do.
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