Cowboys have problems galore after first game
Dallas offense anemic in loss
FRISCO, Texas — Dak Prescott’s difficulties in the passing game go back further than a loss in the opener at Carolina for the Dallas Cowboys.
Now that the slump has extended into a new season, coach Jason Garrett and his staff must weigh the factors and when or whether to make changes to try to fix them.
Six sacks of Prescott and little running room early for star back Ezekiel Elliott magnified two significant questions on the offensive line.
Most of the focus, though, will remain on a revamped and largely unproven group of receivers trying to replace tight end Jason Witten and receiver Dez Bryant.
Then there’s the play-calling, with offensive coordinator Scott Linehan under siege from the unemployed Bryant on Twitter, along with the fans.
“I have a tremendous amount of faith in Scott,” Garrett said Monday, a day after a 16-8 loss to the Panthers. “We just have to do a better job collectively as a staff and as an offensive unit. That starts with basic execution, play after play not beating ourselves and then finding ways to generate some big plays.”
Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy needs more information on the extent of Aaron Rodgers’ knee injury to determine the quarterback’s availability for next week’s game against Minnesota.
Rodgers was sore when the team returned to Lambeau Field on Monday, McCarthy said. The Packers reviewed the thrilling 24-23 win on Sunday night over the Chicago Bears, in which Rodgers threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter after returning from an injury.
The Packers return to the practice field on Wednesday, when the first injury report for Week 2 is due.
“We do have some information and no decision has been made. We’re still collecting all the information,” said McCarthy, who added he did not think it would take the whole week to determine Rodgers’ availability.
Revamping the offensive line has become an annual rite of spring in Denver.
This time, it appears to be paying off.
Rediscovering a balance that was elusive almost all last season, the Broncos rushed for 146 yards — all but four of those from rookies Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman — and passed for 329 yards in their 27-24 win over Seattle .
It all started up front, where all five O-linemen played all 74 snaps and drew zero penalty flags.
GIANTS: Odell Beckham Jr. is back, and the New York Giants plan to get him the ball whenever possible.
Playing in a game for the first time since breaking his left ankle 11 months ago, the NFL’s highest-paid receiver caught 11 passes for 111 yards in the 20-15 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. The three-time Pro Bowler also drew two pass interference calls late in the first half to set up a field goal.
Through Sunday, the 11 catches were the secondhighest single-game total in Week 1, trailing only the 16 by Michael Thomas of the Saints in a 48-40 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Eli Manning targeted Beckham 15 times, which was roughly 41 percent of his 37 pass attempts.
Coach Pat Shurmur said Monday the number of throws to Beckham was a mixture of his plays being called and how Manning went through his progressions.
TITANS: Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Delanie Walker will have surgery on his right ankle in the next few days, and Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel said the Titans will decide if the veteran might be able to return later this season.
The Titans placed Walker on injured reserve Monday and signed tight end MyCole Pruitt off Houston’s practice squad.