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2020-2021 Regular Season: Cowboys Suffer GERD
Against An Arizona Bird But Must Pick Up Steam Against That
Washington Team
October 23,
2020 At 11:49 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf-
- Fresh off their simultaneously
depressing and exciting
victory against the New York Giants,
“America’s Team” hoped their relatively-smooth, emergency transition
from Dak Prescott to Andy Dalton might continue without much
unreasonable haltin’. And – perhaps – the mild awakening of a
defensive unit (that had been displaying so much untimely silence)
would result in more consistent effort and some newfound defiance.
While the visiting Arizona Cardinals had previously lost defensive
end and leader Chandler Jones, they were – of course – not at all as
mentally, physically, or schematically handicapped as the Giants.
Though members of “Cowboys Nation” were allowed to pull their
unconditional lever and be as myopic as ever, the Dallas Cowboys
knew that viewing those opponents as even remotely the same was akin
to denying science.
The Cardinals flew into AT&T Stadium armed with second-year
mighty-might and star quarterback Kyler Murray (who could make
any defense look silly in a hurray), and Arizona’s defense still had
enough competitive energy to challenge Dalton’s week-old offensive
synergy.
While the Cowboys (even with the return of star linebacker Leighton
Vander Esch with fresh-legged energy to burn) quite-shockingly held
the Cardinals to three consecutive punts to start the game, everyone
was left to wonder why Kyler Murray had begun his homecoming game so
surprisingly lame.
There were several overthrown Kyler Murray passes in the first
quarter where the Dallas secondary (GASP) actually deployed quality
coverages (leaving prognosticators wondering whether a case of the
yips was causing his overages). And yet, the Dallas offense –
never
to be forgotten – was ready to step in it, by gosh, with nary a
turbo wash and mistakes so rotten.
The Cowboys' second series on offense gave everyone a humbling hint
of how the rest of the night was going to go (and not merely by an
errant Dalton throw). Backed up to their own 9 on 3rd-and-11 with
over seven minutes remaining in the first quarter, Dalton took the
shotgun snap on a 4-receiver-set play that went completely out of
order. Startling, err, starting left tackle Brandon Knight
completely blew his assignment with Cardinals linebacker Dennis Gardeck rambling untouched past the Cowboys' alignment. Dalton had
no chance to breathe and barely got the football out of his hands on
a desperation heave to Ezekiel Elliott on a play you just
had to see
to believe. Zeke proceeded to drop the pass which offered
foreshadowing of an issue he was battling (and which would only
continue to amass).
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- The Cowboys' third offensive series was making progress until a
2nd-and-9 at the Arizona 49. Dalton was able to momentarily shrug
off clingy Cardinals' linebacker Jordan Hicks and step up in the
pocket in the face of increasing pressure. He narrowly shuffled the
ball to Zeke who – had he broken one tackle – would have had
significant yardage to gain by any measure. Elliot instead was
stripped by Arizona safety Budda Baker, resulting in more turnover
cackle and ANOTHER poorly-protected football of which fans just
LOVE
to speak.
After that – even with the contest still being scoreless (and
neither squad as yet looking oarless) – the Cowboys chances began to
go totally splat. Another Murray run was followed up by a DeAndre
Hopkins catch (where Trevon Diggs could not wrap up and Donovan
Wilson merely shouldered up). Had Hopkins required a sturdier
takedown, he might have escaped for a touchdown. And still another
Murray cat-quick run following some misdirection "fun." Jaylon Smith
– as has been routinely been the case this year – bit too hard
towards the middle of Arizona’s offensive line and left himself
unable to recover enough to keep Murray from reaching 6th gear. On
2nd-and-goal from the Dallas six, Arizona receiver Christian Kirk
went in motion from the slot right before Murray received the
shotgun snap. Just as Kirk crossed his face, Murray (without even
maintaining his own possession) practically tapped the ball into
Kirk’s hands. Kirk easily raced to the right, front corner of the
end zone (leaving the Cowboys flat-footed, err, displaying more of
their confused and less-than-enthused crap).
And THEN, on the Cowboys' very next offensive series, Ezekiel
Elliott fumbled AGAIN. Some would insist that – in Prescott's
absence – he was pressing and stressing. Others more discerning
would suggest his intermittent, career-long fumbling habits were
perhaps further regressing. Kyler Murray and his more responsible
offensive teammates made quick work of the conveniently shorter
field and collected their third touchdown yield.
Two inexcusable Dallas fumbles? Two Arizona touchdown rumbles.
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- Dalton – not to be overlooked – added two of his own turnovers to
ensure the Cowboys' goose was eventually, irrevocably cooked.
Dalton – to his (abnormally-resilient) credit – drove the Cowboys
back down the field (in part with a couple timely touches by a Tony
Pollard mercifully unsealed, while Zeke’s nerves somewhat healed).
Following a sack, Dalton (with 19 seconds remaining in the half from
the Arizona 16 on 3rd-and-goal) fired a perfectly-catchable pass to
the right side of the end zone. Dalton was unable to lessen the
Cowboys' 21-0 hole, as Michael Gallup allowed the surefire score to
bounce off his (normally-reliable yet) inexplicable hands of stone.
The Cowboys would settle for a Greg Zuerlein field goal and –
outside of a garbage time touchdown pass to Amari Cooper – for the
rest of the game, the Cardinals would roll (while Dallas apparently
rekindled their performance stupor).
Arizona – on the crushing combination of a HUGE rushing day and
largely-dazzling Murray play – would win 38-10 . . . with the
Cowboys' lack of effort becoming a postgame punch line AGAIN.
Misery Loves Injury
Veteran guard Zack Martin was the very last player the Cowboys could
afford to lose before the offensive line would be completely smartin’.
His concussion against the Cardinals will – however and for at least
one week – leave the Cowboys’ o-line exceptionally weak without ANY
of its game-one starters to help with pass protection or ground game mushin’.
Veteran swing tackle Cameron Erving – following a knee injury
against Los Angeles in week one – has finally been activated from
injured reserve to join in the front-line fun. With
backup-turned-starting tackle Brandon Knight taking his own turn on
the sill, it will be up to Erving to help Dallas’ offensive line
from becoming even more physically-ill. While Jordan Mills (with 84
career starts) clearly has some serviceable skills, Adam Redmond
(having been active as a backup for but 10 games with Dallas?) is
comparatively moribund.
Andy Dalton must mentally-prepare to live and relive the RUN scene
from "Minority Report," where running must become his FIRST resort
(and more flexible play-calling – as usual – MUST BE Kellen Moore’s
only retort). Knowingly, proactively rolling away from a
blood-smelling defensive line – as at least one critical way to
extend a key play – will do just fine.
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“Did you NOT see what happened to Dak Prescott just
LAST WEEK?!” you scream (gobsmacked at what “The Tortured
Cowboys Fan” doth speak it would seem). Dak was on a designed
run when a quarter horse-style tackle the sports world it would
stun. JUST like the postseason
one by the Seattle Seahawks on Alan Hearns . . . you know
the one. No one (save – perhaps – for a narrow band of
crazed and hurt Cincinnati Bengals fans) wants to see Andy “Nice
Guy” Dalton undergo his own bone scans, but an effort
to move or slide out from the pocket to avoid the potential for
an all-day insta-sack would selfishly help prevent a
viewership heart attack.
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- Gone
but not forgotten linebacker Sean Lee (having finally recovered
from preseason core muscle surgery) and cornerback Chidobe Awuzie
(also having overcome a hamstring injury sustained in week two) have
been designated to return from injured reserve. Following actual
proof that they can make it through repeated practice without – once
again – touching the “injury cactus,” they can be activated for game
day. Unrelenting league-wide attrition means the Cowboys can only
hope and pray (as anything less – within the next two to three weeks
– will irreversibly pave their season-ending way).
Good Quote Or Garbage Bloat?
"How many strong LTs do you want to trade for and give the kind of
consideration to get a good left or right tackle when you've got
La'el Collins and Smith coming back? How much do you want to give
for that? You don't." – GM Jerry to 105.3 FM The Fan on 10-23-2020
regarding the upcoming NFL trade deadline (hard-selling the “lower
your expectations [of my head coach]” narrative and seemingly
insisting at least one of the Cowboys’ prized tackles will in-no-way
be permanently relegated to the sideline).
There are a few high-priced Cowboys players – completely regardless
of coaching theme or play-call scheme – who have thus-far performed
more like check-cashing failures. If the season suddenly takes a(n
even uglier) turn for the worse, attempting to make productive deals
at the trade deadline might prove simpler than an avoidable,
offseason salary cap hearse. “And, AND” if the Cowboys manage to
recover – with still, STILL not enough assistance from those talents
creating so much trouble – even more reason to have “a free
conversation” about how best to reasonably offload them on the
double.
Will They Or Won’t They?
The Dallas Cowboys head to FedEx Field to face “That Washington
Team” whose desired new name and logo
still, STILL have yet to be
revealed (due to ongoing negotiations with a certain trademark owner
expecting to become well-heeled). Neither team – of course and in
all fairness – has been able to consistently demonstrate enough
60-minute, game day awareness.
While they are separated by but one game within a division that has
– once again – become so incredibly lame, their challenges are not
quite the same. One team has embraced their new coach’s hard-nosed
theme, and some members of the other team have embraced anonymous
comments designed to ream.
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“But, BUT” as EVERY TEAM in the league is morbidly-suffering from
2020 fatigue, only those teams who fearlessly and hungrily embrace
the fire of competition can successfully stave off further
attrition.
Will the UMPTEENTH return of defensive end Randy Gregory bring more
life to a defensive unit that has endured so much self-destructive
strife? Or will a thus-far manageable neck injury to
team-sack-leader Aldon Smith turn Randy’s highly-anticipated return
into an unreasonable-expectation myth?
Will being in “excellent shape” and having “excellent practices”
where he is “really hard to block” confirm that Gregory deserves
high-grade stock? Or will Randy actually have to prove – in his
first game back after YEARS of practice time he does lack – that he
has recovered his game day groove? If he cannot sufficiently deliver
on the latter – with the rest of the defense in performance tatters
– will it even matter?
Will McCarthy, Moore, and Dalton try to pretend the Cowboys’
offensive line is on the mend, or will they encourage Dalton to be
an eyes-downfield pocket strafer in order to remain a bit safer?
Will they dare to stick with more week-six crap to ensure their
fragile offensive line does far more than bend-and-snap?
Will Ezekiel Elliott regain his ball-security focus, or will the
Cowboys be forced to lean more-heavily on (the Ronnie Harmon-esque)
Tony Pollard through screen, slot, and misdirection hocus pocus?
Will America’s Team be able to stop THEMSELVES from turning back to
clock to 2015? Will Andy Dalton receive more help to
avoid
resembling Brandon Weeden so, sooooo unclean?
We shall see. We Always do.
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