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2016-2017 Regular Season: You Are Until You Are Not
- November 20, 2016 At 1:41 AM CST
By Eric M. Scharf
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- After winning four out of five games
to start the season - and being one bone-headed blunder away from
winning all five . . . all that (some) prognosticators and (some)
fans could talk about was how a pending visit to Lambeau Field was
going to finally expose the Dallas Cowboys’ rookie QB sensation,
135th pick in the 2016 draft, Dak Prescott to a massive nosedive.
And with the “pressure” on, all Dak did – to the shock of some and
delight of others – was display the veteran maturity fans would LOVE
to see from all his Cowboys brothers . . . while he more than helped
“America’s Team” get closer to resuming their 2014 postseason dream.
“What about the Green Bay Packers and their highly-rated defensive
attackers? Surely, they would gobble up the still-freshly-unwrapped
Dak Prescott and Zeke Elliott like cheese and crackers!”
While it may have been just another game for Green Bay, it was
another outstanding opportunity to see if Dak Prescott and Zeke
Elliott could yet-again help the Dallas Cowboys rule the day.
The game was at Lambeau Field . . . the mystique from which many a
psyched out (or inexperienced) team has reeled.
There was, indeed, “tundra” though not a frozen one. The intense
heat from Garrett’s Gang (particularly “Linehan’s Clan” and
“Marinelli’s Men”) rather than bitter cold that would suddenly make
the Packers look outmanned, outgunned, and old before the critical
contest was handily won. Even with Morris Claiborne’s exit due to
concussion, it did not change the Cowboys’ winning discussion.
Fans – even those firmly in the bandwagon of “just wait until Romo
returns” – saw the Dak-led Cowboys becoming so white hot . . . they
were visiting trauma units for third degree burns, I kid you not.
“What about the Philadelphia Eagles and their fabulous first round
pick, QB Carson Wentz, certainly looking to deliver a few division
rivalry dents?”
Philly was filthy through the better part of three quarters,
blitzing Dak’s brains out, and even coaxing his first interception
of the year . . . but Dak awoke with conviction and showed no fear
as he led the Cowboys to an eventual tie with the Eagles to end
regulation. Marinelli’s Men – with Barry Church’s fractured forearm
and Morris Claiborne’s severe groin strain – would suffer a
seemingly mighty blow, and yet, the bend-but-don’t-break line they
would still manage to toe. The Cowboys would receive the kickoff in
overtime, drive the length of the field, and force the Eagles to
yield a game-winning touchdown that would immediately send them back
out of town. As “The Tortured Cowboys Fan” would say: “Dak sent the
Eagles back from Wentz they came.”
Cowboys Nation – with a mix of giddy excitement and
still-present-but-diminishing disbelief – was pinching itself . . .
at how Dak “The Magical Rookie Fourth Round Pick” Prescott had –
once again – turned the winning trick in putting his sixth straight
opponent on the shelf.
“What about the Cleveland Browns with some residual desire to play
more like the Cleveland Indians than the same old football clowns?”
After a particularly sluggish and low-scoring first quarter, the
Cowboys demolished the underpowered Browns and returned the game day
outcome to expected order. The Dallas Cowboys – no matter their new
juggernaut status – seemed determined to avoid taking a nap against
an almost certain schedule trap.
“What about the Pittsburgh Steelers, Big Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio
Brown, and a madder-than-hell defense surely determined to play less
like a shower curtain and more like the “Steel Curtain? Pittsburgh
would not really allow dastardly, diabolical, dreaded Dallas – led
by two high-flying rookies – to gallop into Heinz Field and force
Pittsburgh to toss its cookies?”
The Steelers made the contest a shootout from the opening gun, and
the game was nerve-wracking fun until done. Banged-up Big Ben threw
for over 400 yards and three touchdowns but – with over 300 yards
and two touchdowns of his own – Dak would not be outdone.
While Antonio Brown would gouge a limited Cowboys’ secondary for
over 145 yards (and be on the receiving end of Big Ben’s Marino-esque,
fake spike touchdown pass) . . . a heavy-hearted Dez Bryant proved
defiant with 116 yards and one touchdown of his own on an
exhilarating 50-yard pass from Dak and a key product of the Cowboys’
aerial attack. Dez’s father passed away the night before, and he
might just have been keeping heavenly score.
Pittsburgh and Dallas traded scores all game long, but it was
perpetually undermanned Marinelli’s Men (even after losing Morris
Claiborne to injury), rather than Tomlin’s Shower Curtain, who came
on strong and applied the hurtin’.
America’s Team now stands at 8-1, having convincingly defeated all
but one, and seemingly far from done.
The team theme – for the first nine games of the year – was “in Dak
we trust, because we must, lest the team be exposed the Sanchez
bust.” The catastrophic QB quandary of the previous season seemingly
no longer causes tremendous fear. 2015 results so bleak . . . have
been replaced – no, eradicated – by an eight game winning streak.
While Dak, indeed, has had “The Great Wall” and Zeke on which to
lean, any QB on the Dallas roster – with at least those playing
partners – was expected to experience and build some positivity for
Garrett and Linehan to carefully grow and foster.
Now that Tony Romo has finally been cleared to return to the roster,
the preseason expectation of having to remove a QB imposter has
proven completely unnecessary . . . due to Dak Prescott being much
more than (hopefully) complementary.
Though Tony Romo chose to fall on his sword and gave the Cowboys’
organization his word – that he would not succumb to the anti-team
art of pushing to overturn a smooth-wheeling applecart, he and his
fully-recovered form . . . must-and-will be ready to perform beyond
his new backup norm.
Barring a significant injury of his own or an unexpectedly dreadful
game day performance – as has been the case all season – Dak will
man the starting QB spot until he does not. Even with the specter of
an impulsive and – in the case of Romo – an emotionally-invested
Jerry Jones, there should be no other reason.
Will They Or Won’t They?
Everyone knows the Dallas Cowboys have a negative record against the
visiting Ravens of Baltimore and – depending on your perspective –
this week’s game is simply about winning . . . not settling a truly
secondary score.
The Ravens bring the NFL’s top-ranked defense to bear, but the
Cowboys – continuing to play like a team with nothing to lose – are
running an offense that displays no fear and stands ready to apply
their own brand of bruise.
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- Will Marinelli’s Men be able to tamp down on a seemingly challenged
Joe Flacco – limiting his survey time and giving his talented
receivers little room to go? Will the always-motivated Steve Smith,
Sr. play even meaner?
Will America’s Team end the day on a ninth consecutive addition to
their winning theme . . . or will the Ravens force them to finally
run out of steam?
Will Romo – as a freshly-minted backup – be absolutely rust-free and
ready to step in if Dak uncommonly, unimaginably fouls up? Cowboys
Nation (and fantasy footballers) should not plan for a Dak dip but – with past QB
nightmares still fresh fan memories – would it hurt to be prepared
for such a previously expected rookie blip?
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- The Dallas Cowboy are the hottest team in the NFL until they are not
. . . but will Dak and his teammates continue being a collective
Johnny on the spot?
We shall see. We always do.
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