Grading the Cowboys: Multiple position groups receive failing marks in loss to Vikings

[bbgun]

Jean-Jacques Taylor’s grades from the Cowboys’ 28-24 loss to Minnesota at AT&T Stadium.

RUNNING OFFENSE
Ezekiel Elliott carried the ball 20 times for 47 yards and his long run was six yards. Minnesota has a good run defense, but it’s not that good. Without Elliott gashing the defense, the Cowboys found it hard to sustain drives without passing. Center Travis Frederick struggled. GRADE: F

PASSING OFFENSE
Amari Cooper put on a clinic with three toe-tapping catches along the sideline and finished with 11 receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown. Prescott passed for 397 yards with three touchdowns and an interception on one final Hail Mary attempt. The Cowboys never want Prescott throwing 46 passes, which is an indictment of their running game. GRADE: B+

RUN DEFENSE
Minnesota bullied the Cowboys’ defensive line in the second half as Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison took over the game. Dallas entered the game ranked 10th in the NFL in run defense (97.3 yards per game), but the Vikings had 16 carries for 91 yards in the third quarter alone. Cook, the NFL’s leading rusher, finished with 97 yards on 26 carries and a touchdown. GRADE: F

PASS DEFENSE
The Cowboys struggled to make plays on third down, which meant they couldn’t get off the field. They never solved the riddle of tight end Kyle Rudolph, who caught two touchdown passes and a two-point conversion. More importantly, they never made Kirk Cousins uncomfortable, which meant he played with confidence throughout the game. Minnesota was 8-of-14 on third down. GRADE: F

SPECIAL TEAMS
Brett Maher missed a 57-yard field goal on the Cowboys’ first possession, which set the tone for the night. Minnesota took advantage of the missed kick and drove 52 yards for their first touchdown. Maher later made a 23-yard field goal. GRADE: C-

COACHING
The slow starts are a joke. They’ve played a role in three of their four losses. We’re halfway through the season and Jason Garrett still hasn’t solved the problem. Dallas is 2-19-1 all-time when trailing 14-0 in the first quarter and 0-2 this season. We all know Minnesota likes screen passes and the Cowboys gave up a couple of 20-yard gains on screens to Cook. But it might have all been forgiven if play-caller Kellen Moore hadn’t called consecutive run plays - one was a run-pass option - on two plays inside the 10 in the game’s final 90 seconds. GRADE: F

OVERALL
This is the kind of home game a playoff team wins. Minnesota played without star receiver Adam Thielen and their best run-stopper Linval Joseph and still came away with a victory. Garrett’s days as the Cowboys’ coach are numbered if we believe Stephen Jones, who has said he expects the Cowboys to take the next step and advance past the divisional playoffs this year. GRADE: F

 

[icup]

this guy,

the injury-prone old white guy,

and the guy that looks like the predator





they all fuckin sucked too

 

[theoneandonly]

LVE starting to look fragile. Great.

 

[Ragnar]

Overall says it all. This is a game a playoff team wins at home. This team reminds me a little of the 8-8 Romo teams. They look good from time to time but no consistency. In the end they're an average team.

 

[SixisBetter]

Overall says it all. This is a game a playoff team wins at home. This team reminds me a little of the 8-8 Romo teams. They look good from time to time but no consistency. In the end they're an average team.

I mean, you don't think if Jerry had a corporate officer in his other businesses who was only successful 56% of the time he wouldn't have security clear out his desk for him?
Ginger Marvin Lewis keeps showing who he is, but Johnny Walker GM keeps propping him up.
It's disgusting.

 

[touchdown]

Nick Wright: This is why Ezekiel Elliott will never be an NFL star

 

[touchdown]

Skip Bayless doubles down after Ezekiel Elliott's mom responds to his criticism | NFL | UNDISPUTED

 

[Dupree89]

Skippy is a fucking clown. Troy Aikman, who doesn't have a bad word to say about anyone, for him to despise Bayless is all I need to know.

 

[cmd34]

The F given to both the run and pass defense stands for Fire Marinelli.

He should be arrested for embezzling.

 

[dbair1967]

The F given to both the run and pass defense stands for Fire Marinelli.

He should be arrested for embezzling.

Totally agree, but Richard and the rest of the defensive staff have to go as well. Richard has been running the defense for two seasons now. He's calling the plays and setting all the coverages, and he coaches the DB's who are as miserable as any in team history when it comes to playing the ball. The LB coach is 100% garbage too.

 

[cmd34]

He's calling the plays and setting all the coverages,

It makes for a weird dynamic on who is responsible.

Is he completely making the decisions on what to call or is he making the calls within the constraints of Marinelli's outdated scheme?

Also, I agree on the LB coach. Was supposedly Eberflus' guy, yet Matt didn't take him to Indy with him.