Grading the Cowboys: With Dak and Zeke leading team, rest of NFC is fearful

[bbgun]

OFFENSE: A-

Sure, some Dak Prescott passes missed their targets and a few were dropped. But let's get a few things straight about this performance: It was in a hostile environment vs. a proud and desperate team. It was against a capable defense that put on more pressure than has been seen all year. And it was 35 points, 422 yards, 54 percent third-down efficiency and four second-half scores. Big plays and relentless spirit topped off by two clutch touchdown possessions to win the game. There seem to be no bounds to this offense and no limits to what it thinks it can accomplish. It is an elite offense. 

DEFENSE: C+

Anytime you play Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh, you'd better know the odds are stacked against you. He kept plays alive and found receivers open and shredded blitzes all day for over 400 yards passing. After a stretch of seven drives in which the Cowboys held them out of the end zone, the Steelers came alive late to put Dallas back on the ropes. The defense had just one sack and no takeaways but battled their tails off and kept Le'Veon Bell from having too big a day. It wasn't great defense, but it was pretty good in a back-and-forth struggle.

COACHING: B

This was a game that required the mental toughness and resolve that weak teams likely don't have, and they figure out a way to lose. The value in winning may not actually outweigh the value in knowing you were trading blows with a desperate team in its home, where it usually can wear down the opponent with physical attrition. That should do wonders for Jason Garrett's team. Further, the confidence in Prescott on third-and-long is that of an aggressive coaching staff that has empowered its rookie QB to do what it knows he can. A few clock/score decisions could be better but a well-coached effort for certain.

OVERALL: A

When the schedule came out, the idea of winning in Green Bay and Pittsburgh seemed rather unlikely. Then, Tony Romo was hurt, and those games moved to "impossible." Now that Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott have helped move the team to 5-0 on the road with wins in both places, everything seems possible. The combination of those two behind this offensive line makes us wonder where this train might finally stop. Nothing is slowing it down at the present. A win in Pittsburgh takes the Cowboys to a spot at 8-1 where confidence is growing and the rest of the NFC is fearful.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

The Cowboys rarely blitzed Sunday. I think PFF said something like 4 times.

 

[Doomsday]

you were trading blows with a desperate team in its home, where it usually can wear down the opponent with physical attrition.

The bolded is what we did, to them.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Yesterday marked 7, straight games Dallas broke the 400 yard plane for total offense. A franchise record and one of only 6 teams to do it since the '70 merger.

No way Linehan doesn't get an HC gig.

 

[dbair1967]

The Cowboys rarely blitzed Sunday. I think PFF said something like 4 times.

I think there's two reasons for it:

1) No Claiborne, no Church and a shell of his former self Scandrick in the secondary. They needed all the help they could get

2) They just arnt very good at blitzing. All year long there just arnt many free runs or plays where the blitz necessary throwaways

 

[dbair1967]

No way Linehan doesn't get an HC gig.

Lets hope not, although a team looking to take the QB's from either Clemson or Notre Dame might think that bringing in Linehan would be extremely prudent. That said, whatever team that is wont have Zeke Elliott, Dez Bryant, Jason Witten or more importantly, the Great Wall of Dallas

Has anyone ever seen comments from Linehan about his desires to be a HC again? There's no cap involved with coaches, so Jerry and Stevie can easily ante up if necessary to try and keep him.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I think there's two reasons for it:

1) No Claiborne, no Church and a shell of his former self Scandrick in the secondary. They needed all the help they could get

2) They just arnt very good at blitzing. All year long there just arnt many free runs or plays where the blitz necessary throwaways

Main thing is is that Marinelli just doesn't believe in the blitz as was pointed out in the telecast.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Lets hope not, although a team looking to take the QB's from either Clemson or Notre Dame might think that bringing in Linehan would be extremely prudent. That said, whatever team that is wont have Zeke Elliott, Dez Bryant, Jason Witten or more importantly, the Great Wall of Dallas

Has anyone ever seen comments from Linehan about his desires to be a HC again? There's no cap involved with coaches, so Jerry and Stevie can easily ante up if necessary to try and keep him.

I haven't seen anything on that front. Of course head coaching ambitions can always be trumped by how the season turns out. If we don't win a Super Bowl and he feels that this group is close and if he really enjoys working with the group; then I can see that factor trumping his head coaching ambitions out..