The Dallas Cowboys are apparently not themselves after the 33-36 overtime loss on Thanksgiving Day. Dallas put up 14 points in the fourth quarter for a near comeback victory but failed to finish in overtime. The first three quarters were a stark contrast to the hope many fans had for a Thanksgiving Day victory that could send the team on a high into the final stretch of the season. Now Dallas is wavering with consistency and has to face some serious questions in the face of injuries for the final run towards the playoffs.
Dallas Cowboys Are Not Themselves in Thanksgiving Day Match
The Cowboys Are a Shell of Themselves Without A Healthy Receiving Core
There is no arguing that the Cowboys look like a completely different team when Amari Cooper and CeeDee lamb are missing from the lineup. Typically, when Dak drops back to pass, he either throws it deep to an open receiver or at least 10 yards for a first down. It was a strength of the Cowboys. Now when Dak drops back to pass, half the time he is taking the check down, and the other half of the time a receiver drops a crucial ball. The offensive showing the Cowboys put up the last couple of games is not who they really are; it does, however, highlight the importance of their receiver core – especially Amari Cooper.
Ezekiel Elliot Needs Time Off
Ezekiel Elliot has been nursing a bone bruise in his knee the last few weeks and it goes without saying that he looks like a different running back out there. A bone bruise is not something that could get worse like a sprain, but it is extremely painful for him whenever he plants or gets hit. This injury is affecting his speed, burst, and cutting abilities. If the Cowboys want to have an efficient Ezekiel Elliot come playoff time, they should shut him down for a couple of games once Amari and CeeDee return and rely on Tony Pollard.
Micah Parsons Has Entered the Defensive Player Of The Year Conversation
It was clear that Micah Parsons was going to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, but now it’s time to bring him up in the defensive player-of-the-year conversation. Micah Parsons recorded five tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, and ten quarterback pressures. Ten quarterback pressures are the most by any rookie this year and stat lines like that every week are arguably the best in the NFL. Nick Shook from NFL.com ranked Micah Parsons as the number one disrupter in the NFL this season. With nine sacks in the year and still six games left to play if he continues this pace he could very well end up as a front runner for defensive player of the year. Imagine the impact he could have with both Randy Gregory and Demarcus Lawrence back on the field.
Without A Completely Healthy Defense, The Cowboys Are Too Turnover Dependent
The Raiders game was an awful showing for Cowboys cornerback Anthony Brown. While many of the calls were controversial, he still struggled to try to cover DeSean Jackson. The Cowboys give up a lot of big plays, but usually, there is a risk-reward to that type of playstyle. The Cowboys have been getting away with it because they usually force a turnover every game, whether it is an interception or fumble. When Dallas does not force an interception, the defense tends to give up way too many yards and big plays. The return of Randy Gregory, Demarcus Lawrence, and Neville Gallimore should help alleviate this problem by getting more pressure on quarterbacks. However, if Dallas doesn’t get this issue fixed, it will continue to haunt them as they face better quarterbacks and deep threat wide receivers in the postseason.
The Cowboys Might Have To Stop Thinking About The #1 Seed, And Start Thinking About The Division Again
Now it’s time for some overreactions, the Dallas Cowboys have fallen to 7-4 on the year. The Philadelphia Eagles are 5-6 with a matchup against the New York Giants this weekend. If the Eagles win against the Giants, they will be 6-6 and only one win behind the Cowboys in the division. Philadelphia has not had their bye week yet, but their schedule is quite favorable going down the stretch. Their remaining games are the Giants, Jets, Washington, Giants, Washington, and ending with Dallas. That week 18 Dallas game could be a lot more important than people realize for both Dallas and Philly. Do not be surprised if Philadelphia wins out showing up to play Dallas with a 10-6 record.
On the bright side, the Cowboys schedule gets a bit easier as well. They finish the year against the Saints, Washington, Giants, Washington, Arizona, and finally Philadelphia. In order for the cowboys to finish the season strong and with momentum, they must win out the rest of the season. That would get them to 13-4 and possibly in contention for a #1 seed. If they continue to lose more games than they should be winning it could truly jeopardize their season. However, as the team returns to their healthy selves, they should easily cruise to a division title with no worries whatsoever.
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