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- 2018-2019
Regular Season: Cowboys Course Correct With The Lions Tamed To Good
Effect
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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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October 1, 2018 At 12:03 AM CST
By Eric M. Scharf-
- The Dallas Cowboys were in familiar territory. They were in the
midst of trying to overcome their latest round of self-destructive
mistakes. They aimed to sprinkle “new wrinkles” to change their
on-again, off-again story. They had to find a more consistent way to
shift their play calls and execution into gear, closer to the
accelerator and further from the brakes.
While the Cowboys might have become conflicted as to whether their
solution was akin to rocket science or physics, they knew one of the
best ways to silence their critics and their (sometimes carefully)
deconstructed analytics was to go back to basics. They had to do
what they did best in the past and, most importantly, tack on
sincere second effort to make it last.
“What about key missing personnel? Well? How can they go back to
their meat and potatoes when new, struggling players are being
picked over by crows?” you ask. That question is perpetually hard to
ignore, but the answer still lives in the simplicity Jason Garrett
and his coaching staff must practice, preach, and implore.
The Host With The Most
When “America’s Team” last hosted Detroit, they played it close for
a half. The Lions lost their roar and could not manage another
score. The “Pontiac Pussycats” fell flat with Dallas thoroughly
enjoying a 42-21 laugh. This time around there was no “Puntisher”
sighting to make it more exciting, but the point difference would
significantly diminish, and it was a fight to the finish.
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- As with every game, there were a handful of individual and
collective performances that were near-difference makers and true
game-breakers.
On first and ten from the Detroit 25, Kerryon "Not Carry On Or
Carrion" Johnson exploded through the tackles and wove his way down
the left side of the field for 32 yards before he would yield. After
nearly giving Cowboys Nation a stroke, "Marinelli's Men" would go
onto ensure the Lions' running game (save for no more than one
score) went up in smoke.
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- While the Dallas defense maintained a pretty good handle on the
Lions’ ground game, Golden “Keep Your Head On A Swivel” Tate was his
usual talented, taunting self who almost single-handedly put Kris
Richard's secondary on the shelf. Kenny Golladay may be on as
Detroit’s vinyl-upholstered version of Megatron, but (if given half
a chance to dance by a cornerback with a dismissive stance) that
dude has the requisite long stride and good enough hands for a
dangerous downfield glide.
After a bit of a slow start against a Detroit defensive line showing
some early game heart, Ezekiel Elliott began to deftly dart. He was
here, there, and everywhere with an MVP-like 240 total yards (152
rushing and 88 receiving), eventually making Matt Patricia’s defense
resemble a house of cards.
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- Dak was able to more than make do right on cue. He had the
Cowboys “slingin’ it around” to go with Zeke’s success on the
ground. Linehan's Clan went heavy on the play action to gain passing
game traction. It seemed pretty clear that Dak's 31-yard connection
with Swaim was the longest pass to a Dallas tight end all year.
Prescott would also locate rookie Michael "Get On That Horse And"
Gallup and Zeke for 37 and 38-yard strikes, respectively but not
consecutively. Cole Beasley continued doing the dirty work with his
ankle-breaking route-running, though an uptick in game day
punishment may make his continued availability increasingly
stunning.
Elliott – as if with an all-day pledge – would find daylight between
the tackles and at the edge. With 1:50 left in the second quarter,
Dak hit Zeke on a “Linehan Special” screen, with part of "The Great
Wall Of Dallas" (Looney, Martin, and Williams) leading the way and
lookin' mean. Zeke (from 38 yards out) would practically cruise to
the end zone before slipping past a defender’s attempted T-bone.
Zeke showed nice patience on another drive with 7 minutes left in
the 3rd quarter and – once out of the blocks – he practically
skipped though a tackle and zipped down the sideline until deploying
a Walter Payton high step and stiff-arm combination that set off
Cowboys Nation.
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- When the Cowboys were practically on the Detroit one – with
three minutes to go in the third – they simply had to get it done. A
fortuitous Zeke fumble on the previous play would bounce the right
way to land in Blake Jarwin's hands. The football was returned to
the spot of the bumble, preventing irritable fans from starting to
mumble. Nonetheless, Dak would fake to Elliott and (with a defender
heading in his direction) throw off his back foot to a wide open
Swaim for some first-career-touchdown fame.
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- Secondary stud Chidobe Awuzie played tight coverage against
practically every receiver he faced . . . ensuring that most
successful passes by Matthew Stafford (of which there were many) had
to be cleanly placed. Marinelli’s Men had the audacity and the
capacity to eventually halt Stafford’s impressive accuracy. DeMarcus
“Tank” Lawrence continued to come up large – treading thrice over
Stafford – leading the snack, err, sack time charge.
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- Brett Maher would continue to make up for bumping Dan Bailey
from his roster spot (with four more field goals and two extra
points), making the best of every shot.
Maher would help the Cowboys remain the host with the most, as they
tamed the Lions on a last-second score, 26-24. Dallas displayed a
long-dormant offensive balance, finally gave Zeke a significant
passing game chance, and left Cowboys Nation hankerin’ for more.
Happy Not Crappy
“The Tortured Cowboys Fan” is fond of pointing out one particular
pro sports philosophy that (without fail) transforms into a
late-season prophecy. It is not whether you win or lose but how you
win or lose, and that is the ongoing poison from which you (the game
day participant) must choose. People (from team owner to head coach
to practice squad player in search of a game day prayer) often
attempt to boorishly dodge the quality level of a victory by saying
“A win is a win in this league,” or “It is hard to win in the NFL
(and then conveniently complain about “no respect” fatigue).”
“It is hard enough to win in the NFL without beating yourself” is
perhaps the most appropriate theme for a Dallas team and fans who
want to feel happy about a victory while remaining wary of the
unforeseen injury or avoidable mental mistake that can leave
everyone feeling crappy.
One game at a time, Cowboys Nation. The Cowboys need to prove that
their coaches (so creatively-inspired) and their available athletes
(so execution-wired) can steadily stack victories (rather than
losses plagued by a million messy inconsistencies) to avoid another
premature, season-ending vacation.
Short Shots And Hot Spots
"He’s a damn good football player. He handles success. He handles
adversity as well as anyone I’ve been around at that position. He’s
a great leader. He never blinks. He just goes out and plays. I think
if you look at his performance today, it’s the way we want our
quarterbacks to play." – Captain Clappin’ on Dak Prescott, as if
auditioning for a college football television spot.
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- Yes, aside from the mild haze of another couple minus plays (and
receiver drops that resulting in avoidable stops), Dak did very
well. It is, however, but one contest (from a painfully inconsistent
12-game path) upon which Cowboys Nation should know better than to
imaginatively dwell. He threw for 255 yards, two touchdowns, and
zero interceptions, but neither he nor Zeke achieved this Sunday
success alone. If not for a true team effort, perhaps Linehan’s Clan
might have remained as rigid as stone. Even more of Dallas’ bad
habits they must regularly and reliably subvert or their winning
ways could sadly revert.
Will They Or Won’t They?
The 2-2 Dallas Cowboys head to NRG Stadium to face a 1-3 Houston
Texans team equally focused on an early season recovery theme.
Outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney and defensive end J.J. "The Milk
Man" Watt are to the Texans (far more than) what the Cowboys once
hoped they had in Anthony Spencer "For Hire" and DeMarcus "A Man
Called Hawk" Ware, but that is neither here nor there.
And yet (even with that blunt defensive front) Deshaun Watson
remains Houston's best bet. Watson continues to amaze as an
undeniable, rocket-armed dual threat. Paired with wideouts DeAndre
Hopkins and Will Fuller, along with running back Lamar Miller, the
Texans' offense has been a potential thriller, but (particular to
Fuller and Miller) the injury bug has recently been an untimely
thug.
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- While the Texans’ secondary ain't no slouch, recent injuries
have key starters hitting the couch with remaining depth asked to
quell the ouch. Tyrann "Honey Badger" Mathieu (with bionic knees
among other managed injuries) still knows what to do, ready and
waiting to triangulate towards you. Veteran cornerback Johnathan
Joseph may be 34, but (for QB's none too fearful of a coaching
earful) he can still pick and score.
The Cowboys have well-documented (mental and physical) boo-boos of
their own. If (for the second week in a row) the opponent is ready
to fall and victory places a call, will Dallas eagerly pick up the
phone?
Will the continued absence of a spying Sean Lee be felt most against
a Texans QB who can really coast?
Will Dak and Zeke continue to peak . . . or will Linehan’s Clan
spring another on-again, off-again leak?
Will Brice Butler finally debut for tour of (Dallas) duty number
two?
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- Will Tank Lawrence and the "Hot Boyz" become even more
QB-unnerving with the long-awaited return of defensive end David
Irving?
Will America’s Team continue smartly slinging it . . . or will they
return to inconsistently winging it?
We shall see. We always do.
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