Cowboys still face big concerns after win
LANDOVER, Md. – With his Dallas Cowboys having made good on his proclamation that they would go on the road and beat the Washington Football Team in a crucial NFC East showdown, Mike McCarthy didn’t want any negativity.
On one hand, the final score of 27-20 didn’t accurately reflect just how lopsided an affair had taken place in front of a FedEx Field audience that appeared evenly split between the burgundy-andgold-clad Washington fans and the Dallas faithful.
The Cowboys defense put on a dominant performance, holding Washington to 224 total yards while recording four takeaways and a defensive touchdown.
But at the same time, the Cowboys had reason for concern.
A 24-0 halftime score wasn’t safe in large part due to offensive struggles that have plagued Dallas for much of this second half of the season. An injury- and COVID-19-riddled Washington squad managed to outscore its guests 20-3 in the second half, and not until there was 2:24 remaining did the Cowboys manage to secure victory.
But rather than dwell on the shortcomings or possible concerns that could include quarterback Dak Prescott’s two interceptions (one of which was returned for fourth-quarter touchdown), the continued minimal impact of running back Ezekiel Elliott and an overall lack of explosive plays, McCarthy chose to view the performance through a different lens.
“That’s your narrative,” the coach said when questioned about possible concerns about his team’s inability to deliver a knockout punch. “I think it’s the reality
of pro football, too. They have good players, too. There are plays to be made. … I think you’ve got to recognize that this isn’t fantasy football. Never has been. At the end of the day, things happen. It’s the ultimate team sport. It’s 11 on 11, lot of moving parts. They played with two different quarterbacks. We had some things going with our running back situation, and that’s why it was a great team win.”
NFC East foes do indeed have a history of engaging in knock-down drag-outs regardless of records. And for a second consecutive season, Washington has proved scrappy while embarking on second-half quest for the playoffs.
But the Cowboys have lofty aspirations and talent that, on paper, should translate into more than eking out divisional wins over shorthanded opponents such as Washington.
And so, Dallas (9-4) exits Week 14 in a peculiar position.
For the first time since they returned from their Week 7 bye, the Cowboys on Sunday managed to string together back-to-back wins. They did so by flipping the script of previous years: relying heavily on an ever-improving defense as their underperforming offense searches for answers.
Dallas certainly has what it takes to polish off its final four games in winning fashion, especially considering that of their four remaining opponents (New York Giants, Washington, Arizona and Philadelphia), only the Cardinals own a winning record.
But if required to trade offensive fireworks with the elite teams of the conference and league, the Cowboys, in their current state, will struggle.
After a string of injury and COVID-19related absences, Dallas at last has its three leading wide receivers back on the field at the same time. CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Amari Cooper each recorded at least five catches for 50-plus yards against Washington.
But the Cowboys struggled to move the football downfield with Washington’s defense playing its safeties deep and daring Prescott and his receivers to operate with underneath throws.
Prescott’s first interception came on a deep (and ill-advised) throw that Landon Collins intercepted in the first quarter. His second came on an intermediate throw that missed its mark and went right to linebacker Cole Holcomb, who returned it 31 yards for a touchdown, cutting Dallas’ lead to seven points with 4:13 remaining.
Prescott said he needed to be more patient throughout the game and take what the defense gave him. He also wished he had taken the sack in the fourth quarter rather than trying to force a play, which Holcomb wound up cashing in.
But the Cowboys have to find a way to ease the pressure on their quarterback, who clearly is trying to do his part and more to ignite this offense.
A sagging rushing attack ranks among the most troubling trends of the second half of the season. After averaging 164 rushing yards per game during their first six games – a six-game stretch in which Dallas averaged 34 points a game – the Cowboys have mustered just 97.1 rushing yards per outing in the last seven games. By no coincidence, they have averaged only 25 points per game during that stretch.
Re-engaging a punishing rushing attack could take time. Elliott isn’t 100%, and Tony Pollard missed Sunday’s game with a foot injury. Elliott, who wore a knee brace on Sunday, managed 45 yards on 12 carries. It marked the eighth consecutive outing in which Elliott had failed to record a 100-yard rushing performance, and his seventh game this season without a rushing touchdown.
Until the Cowboys do get that ground game back on track, McCarthy said his mission will involve sharpening the short-to-intermediate passing game so his unit can better move the ball in chunks.
The Cowboys are hoping that as the regular season winds down, their offense can return to full strength similarly to how their defense is getting healthy at the right time.
Sunday marked the return of pass rushers Randy Gregory, who also had an interception and a sack, and the second game back for DeMarcus Lawrence, who also had a sack. The duo perfectly complemented impressive rookie Micah Parsons, who had two sacks.
Although McCarthy dismissed the need for concern over the offense, his offensive assistants and players would do well to attack their struggles with urgency.
They do believe a resurgence is possible.
The source of that confidence?
“The people that we have and the fact that we’ve done it,” Prescott said. “Obviously, there’s frustration, but there’s no doubt or concern about where we are. We’ve just got to continue to get better.”