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2020-2021 Regular Season:
Cowboys Deliver
To Fans’ Liking Against The Vikings And Aim To Prevent That
Washington Team From Enjoying The Thanksgiving Theme
November 24,
2020 At 11:49 PM CST
By Eric M. Scharf-
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Fresh off their unexpectedly-competitive contest against that squad
from the Steel City, “America’s Team” would receive no effort breaks
as they headed to the "Land Of 10,000 Lakes." The Dallas Cowboys
would face a Minnesota Vikings team on a three-game winning streak
(and – based upon preseason expectations – had yet to reach their
performance peak). The Cowboys’ offense had to find a way to
demonstrate MUCH more scoring life to avoid more field-goal-or-bust
strife. They otherwise risked exposing their improving (yet still
delicate) defense to finding themselves with no supportive paddle
and quickly up the creek.
While quarterback Andy Dalton was returning – with his concussed
brain no longer under light-sensitive strain – his rusty presence
alone would surely not be enough to get the Cowboys’ offensive wheel
properly turning.
Head coach Mike McCarthy – in trying to become worthy – took the
unusual-but-necessary step of moving Zack Martin, a career-long guard,
over to right tackle (to better solidify the once “Great Wall Of
Dallas” with more than just the sheetrock and spackle). Those
familiar with Martin’s time at Notre Dame as – you guessed it – a
right tackle knew not to mockingly point or cackle. Beyond placing
Terence “Aluminum Foil” Steele on the bench, the Cowboys also
inserted second-year swingman Connor McGovern at right guard to
further eliminate the o-line stench.
Would that be enough to help Dalton look not so time-off-rough or
for Ezekiel Elliott to finally, mercifully show his punishing stuff?
Short Shots And Hot Spots
As with the other nine games that preceded this one, “America’s
Team” had their moments (from mindless to marvelous) before the
latest of their 16 regular season opponents was . . . delightfully
undone.
Following the Cowboys' fruitless first drive, Kirk Cousins and the
Vikings offense were expected to thrive. And yet - on 2nd-and-6 with
11:00 from the Minnesota 39 – Mike Nolan's defense would FORCE an
immediate decline. As Cousins went back to pass, his tight end
departed the o-line by design. Vikings tight end Irv Smith, however,
made no effort to chip and right by him, like an unseen radar blip,
safety Donovan Wilson would slip. Cousins – focused on the
hard-charging DeMarcus "Tank" Lawrence – was completely unaware of
"that safety (coming from the other direction) over there." Though
Tank practically had Cousins in the grasp, it was Wilson who would
close the clasp. Wilson would strip-sack the wrapped-up QB and
recover the ball before it slipped free. Yes – with game day
officials “occasionally,” collectively behaving like the Cowboys’
mortal enemy – Wilson escaped an unintentional-yet-still-potential
helmet-to-helmet penalty.
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Dalton wasted no time in launching a 21-yard pass to CeeDee Lamb,
who (by three Vikings defenders) was hard to bring down after the
easy first down. Dalton then – at the Vikings' 6 – quickly hit
Ezekiel Elliott on a screen that (with tight ends Dalton Schultz and
Blake Bell as blockers) became point-scoring mean. The Cowboys had a
7-0 lead but – check that – one point they would bleed. For the
second consecutive game, a special teams assignment was rocked, and
a Greg Zuerlein extra point was blocked. Pretty lame. Still,
“Cowboys Nation” was thrilled to trade what normally would have been
a field goal for a touchdown score.
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Cousins and crew – in rapid response – would drive right back down
the field with a combination of key passes to wide receiver Adam
Thielen and righteous rushes by running back Dalvin Cook. While the
Cowboys would briefly delay their way, Cook would turn a
second-effort rush into a touchdown push. And just that quick,
Minnesota was ahead 7-6.
Dalton and Co. went just as aggressively the other way with a drive
already at 10 plays (including a momentarily-mobile Dalton, an
elusive Elliott, and Amari Cooper forcing Mike Zimmer's defense to
chase in all sorts of ways). Just when it appeared that tight end
Dalton Schultz would have added an 11th play – with over 13 minutes
remaining in the second quarter on 1st down from the Minnesota 28 –
Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks' diving interception suddenly held
sway and luckily, ultimately did nothing to change the Cowboys'
fate.
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As a brief aside on a flashback with which that turnover would
collide, Dalton's misstep was loosely-reminiscent of another
interception (targeting another tight end and reeled in by another
linebacker) during overtime of the 2013 touchdown tilt at AT&T
Stadium between then-Broncos-QB Peyton Manning and then-Cowboys-QB
Tony "That Announcer Guy" Romo. While the result was similarly "OH,
NO!" no one stepped on Dalton's shoe to ensure poor follow-through.
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While it appeared Cousins would get back to humming along with
passing and rushing so strong, the Cowboys' swarming defense would
simply not relent, forcing some negative yardage until nearly
getting up in some fourth down garbage.
The Vikings were preparing to punt when the Cowboys – by
clumsily-executed design – pulled two blockers away from Minnesota's
gunners (in an attempt to apply greater pressure to the punter).
Vikings punter (Britton Colquitt) wisely recognized the incredible
opportunity and (with clear practice and permission) opted to pass
to a wide-open Kris Boyd, leaving "The Tortured Cowboys Fan"
dismayed and annoyed. Rookie running back Rico Dowdle – who was
great on special teams the previous week – could not switch out of
his center field position fast enough to avoid the mental leak. But
– just like against the New York Giants in week 5 – a self-inflicted
penalty prevented the Vikings from cleverly keeping their drive
alive.
Dalton and Co. would make the most of their next opportunity,
connecting (first downs), collecting (yardage), and displaying
continuity. More CeeDee Lamb, more Zeke, and a lil' more Gallup to
create the set up for quite the incredible 2nd-and-goal clean up.
Dalton took the shotgun snap at the Minnesota 5 and threw up what
might have been a back-shoulder-fade-turned-MLB-forkball. His target
– CeeDee "Plastic Man" Lamb – laid himself out to keep it alive and
made an amazing touchdown haul. No, it was not an Odell Beckham
one-handed wreck 'em, and Lamb had far less room to drop the Michael
Jordan body control boom. 13-7 was the score, and with over four
minutes remaining before half, there would be time for more.
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On 3rd-and-1 from the Vikings' 38 with 1:58 remaining in the 2nd
quarter, Dalton went deep to Michael Gallup (in great position to
deliver a wallop). While he had a few yards on his pursuing
defender, the required effort quickly became an up-ender. Dalton's
pass was short, with a “normal catch” being something to abort.
Gallup was forced to turn backwards – straining for another of his
patented circus catches – with his momentum carrying him to the
ground. If not for a hard body bounce, Gallup would have made the
reception, safe and sound.
Mike "Risky Business" McCarthy decided to go for it on 4th-and-1.
Dalton took the shotgun snap, and he threw sufficiently behind
Cedrick Wilson to turn a viable opportunity into crap. Could Wilson
have driven his defender a yard deeper and to the sideline made a
sharper cut up? Yes, but was that how the play was drawn up?
“Someone” post-game would perhaps confess. While Amari Cooper (the
ultra-crisp, route-running trooper) cannot be everywhere all the
time – and with apologists always, ALWAYS at-the-ready for the
quarterback or receiver who fails to go steady – the art of “passing
and catching” remains a collaborative effort towards results so
preferably sublime.
Nonetheless, the Vikings – with 1:51 remaining before halftime –
would “turn back the clock.” Cousins faked to Dalvin Cook, who
slipped out of the backfield for a 26-yard screen pass which - with
a few properly-placed linemen to block – had that 2019 look. Just
two plays later – when Cowboys Nation was has having flashbacks of a
familiar fate from the Dallas 34 on 2nd-and-8 – Cousins went to Cook
over the middle, and Donovan Wilson played the role of diabolical
separator. Cook was doubled-over in "discomfort" on the ground, and
turnover-sniffing Cowboys quickly gathered 'round. "Tank" Lawrence
collected the ball before allowing Jaylon Smith to take it for a
long haul.
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The Cowboys – with a first half clock that simply refused to yield –
used little more than 30 seconds to race down the field. After a
fast first down to Amari Cooper, a faux Schultz pick the Vikings'
secondary it would trick, allowing Amari to bolt down the left
sideline pretty quick. Though Dalton underthrew, Amari knew what to
do. He gathered in the pass at the 10 "and then, And Then, AND
THEN," he was taken down at the one. Dalton and Co. – with eight
seconds remaining for a bit more gaining – were not yet done. CeeDee
Lamb beat his defender to the back right corner of the end zone, but
with another Dalton pass narrowly overthrow, Lamb could only fall
prone.
Greg Zuerlein would come on to make the halftime score 16-7 in a
game that would soon stack up points like they were falling from
heaven.
The Vikings would start the second half on offense with some aerial
dents against a Cowboys' secondary still rather ordinary – minus an
injured Trevon Diggs, plus a rusty (?) Chidobe Awuzie, and with an
inconsistent Anthony Brown at which Cowboys Nation could still
enough reason to frown.
Cousins found wide receiver Adam Thielen for a 51-yard catch and –
moments later – would go to him again for a 2-yard,
back-right-corner-of-the-end-zone score that one-handed he would
snatch. It was suddenly 16-14 and unclear which team could
reasonably keep their defense clean.
After Dalton and Co. went three-and-out, another Minnesota scoring
opportunity began to sprout. The Vikings would "matriculate the ball
down the field" – with a significant mix of Cook and Thielen – and
end up with that touchdown feelin'. Though 21-16 the Vikings were
only ahead, Cowboys Nation was still unclear if the Cowboys could
maintain the pace or were about to be bled.
Just a minute-and-a-half into the fourth quarter, Dallas aimed to
reset the order. From their own 37 on 1st-and-10, Ezekiel Elliott
surged for a nice 13-yard gain, and then Tony Pollard (a couple
plays later) would burst through the right side for 42 yards,
outrunning multiple Minnesotans to apply scoring pain.
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"But, BUT" never wanting to be on the wrong end of a potential
game-winning kick, McCarthy chose to go for two, to ensure a
slightly-better point differential would stick. As CeeDee Lamb would
"innocently" saunter into place, three yards behind Dalton and Zeke,
Andy would take the shotgun snap and handoff left to Zeke (who
headed right yet subtly dipped towards the line as if to immediately
close the 2-yard gap). Just when enough Vikings appeared to take the
closing-distance bait, Elliott flipped the ball to a
purposely-shadowing CeeDee (who reached the front right corner of
the end zone, easy peasy). It was 24-21, but the trading of
offensive fireworks was not yet done.
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The Vikings – with a robust 12 minutes in the fourth quarter
remaining – had zero interest in abstaining. Cousins would drive
Minnesota from their own 25 to the Cowboys' end zone to keep a
potential Vikings victory alive. Chef Dalvin had still more
production to Cook, and a 39-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide
receiver Justin "Stefon Who?" Jefferson was all it took. The Vikings
were up 28-24, but there was still, STILL more in store.
Dalton and Co. would gobble up a few mistake-mired minutes and
effectively go three-and-out. Cowboys Nation would once again wonder
if Dallas' 2020 reality would finally, dreadfully sprout. And yet,
Mike Nolan's defense would hold the Vikings – "sans the penalty" –
to their own unproductive offensive set.
Dalton and Co. would begin anew from their own 39 and – with four
minutes to go – it was about that time to begin toeing the
game-winning line. After a quick first down to Michael Gallup,
Elliott (who – all game long – had been killing it) delivered an
impressively-patient, 18-yard run that Dallas would dial up. But
then, the Vikings' defense would stiffen and momentarily stop the
Cowboys' offensive riffin'. Dallas – with the need to pass but no
desire for picks – faced a no-turning-back 4th-and-6 with the
two-minute warning nearly horning.
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Dalton had his eyes on the slot and his timely pass to (a
left-heading, intermediate-routed) Amari Cooper at the Minnesota 12
hit the spot. Dallas then had two minutes to do with as they
pleased. Cowboys Nation wanted to see game-winning production,
though (after seeing Dallas suffer a momentary yardage reduction)
they braced for being negatively teased.
Dalton would find Zeke on the left, nice-and-clean to get Dallas
back to the Vikings' 14. Unlike catching his own batted pass earlier
in the game, "Dalton would find Dalton (tight end Schultz)" to reach
the Minnesota 4, and Dallas was knocking on the door. And – on
3rd-and-goal – with the ENTIRE Vikings defense keying on CeeDee Lamb
and Zeke both headed right, the "Dalton Boys" would deliver a
touchdown connection on an escapee route of which Minnesota brutally
lost sight. In a right-end, down-blocking position Schultz began,
but to a wide-open left side of the end zone he joyously ran. 31-28
the Dallas Cowboys were back on top, but an equally-hot Vikings'
offense they simply had to stop.
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Cousins and Co. had just about one-and-half minutes to tie the game
or outright win it. Nolan's unit – to intense fan delight – stopped
the Vikings on 4th-and-6 (with none other than safety Xavier Woods
dropping ANOTHER of his would-be picks), and a brief victory
formation finished the fight. 31-28 would stand, because the
Cowboys' approach went mostly, satisfyingly as planned.
Misery Loves Injury
Cornerback Anthony Brown (who already suffered a rib injury in week
one) suffered another such injury in Minnesota. Ironic that
cornerback Chidobe Awuzie just returned from a similar injury, and
it would appear that good luck with ribs Dallas has not received one
iota.
Kicker Greg Zuerlein is battling a bad back but – if it had been
THAT troublesome – special teams coordinator John "Bones" Fassel
would have already been on the tryout attack.
Will They Or Won't They?
The Dallas Cowboys – for at least one day this year – get to pretend
they are the hosts with the most . . . with “That Washington Team”
coming to town to determine who will be the near, however-temporary
NFC Least crown.
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That Washington Team is 1-9 all-time against America's Team on
Thanksgiving Day, but will an inspired Alex Smith find a way?
That Washington Team throttled a disinterested (?), unprepared (?)
Cowboys team in week seven, but will Andy Dalton do far better than
defaultin’ with his teammates seemingly trying to turn their effort
to 11?
Will America’s Team come out on top or will a loss to their most
bitter rivals (within a brutal division that – THIS YEAR – is about
desperate survival) cause their stock to finally, irreversibly drop?
We shall see. We always do.
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