By
Calvin Watkins
7:55 PM on Dec 22, 2019
PHILADELPHIA -- For those who believed in the Cowboys following last weekend’s victory over the Los Angeles Rams, you weren’t watching the real Dallas Cowboys.
The real Dallas Cowboys, a team that has been inconsistent all year, continued their problems with a 17-9 loss to the Eagles on Sunday. The loss knocked the Cowboys from first place in the NFC East, and now they need help to reach the postseason.
Jason Garrett also needs help. If he doesn’t get into the postseason, it appears he will be without a job soon. And even if he does reach the postseason, his tenure as head coach most likely will come to an end if he doesn’t lead the team on a deep playoff run.
So what does this mean? The Eagles are now alone in first place in the NFC East. Next weekend, the Cowboys face Washington and the Eagles visit the New York Giants. In order to make the postseason, the Cowboys would have to defeat Washington at home and hope the Giants beat the Eagles. If this occurs, the Cowboys become division champs with an 8-8 record. If the Eagles win, then it doesn’t matter what the Cowboys do, so there is no difference between 8-8 and 7-9. If the Cowboys don’t make the postseason, it’s hard to imagine Garrett returning in 2020. His contract ends when the season is over, whenever that is.
Run the ball, young man. Run the ball. The Cowboys’ offense was a mess at The Linc. One of the biggest issues was the run game. They should have run the ball more often, especially with Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys faced a third-and-1 early in the fourth quarter, so instead of running the ball with Elliott -- who had gained 9 yards on the previous play -- Dak Prescott had a pass to Amari Cooper knocked away by Avonte Maddox. Just run the football. The Eagles were determined to slow down the Cowboys’ running attack, but there were times Elliott gained productive yards. But with about 10:58 left, he had just 13 carries. That’s not enough. And when the Cowboys were running with some efficiency in the third quarter with Elliott, they lifted him for Tony Pollard. Nothing against Pollard, but Elliott needs the touches. In the third quarter, the Cowboys had a productive drive going to the Eagles’ 26. Elliott was taken out and Pollard was inserted, gaining 1 yard on a second-and-2. On third-and-1, Pollard lost a yard on a pitch and fumbled the ball away. You could question the play call, but why not use Elliott?
Lineup changes. So you want Garrett to hold players accountable, well here you go. In the early stages of the second defensive series, cornerback Chidobe Awuzie was benched after taking a bad angle on a Miles Sanders 8-yard run. It was more than just taking a bad angle on a single run play, as Awuzie struggled in pass coverage while Carson Wentz picked on him. Awuzie is probably one of the most picked-on corners on this team, and with so much on the line, it was time for a change. In another move, linebacker Joe Thomas, playing with a knee injury, was taken out in the first half and replaced by newcomer Malcolm Smith. Thomas failed to keep up with Sanders on a swing pass that went 29 yards.
Where is Amari Cooper? The Cowboys have struggled all season to get Cooper into the offense in a road game. Outside of the Bears game, when he was targeted eight times, Cooper has been a ghost away from AT&T Stadium. He was targeted 12 times against the Eagles, making four catches for 24 yards and no touchdowns. He also had a drop on a third down in the first half, allowing the ball to hit him in the stomach. Late on a field goal drive, where Kai Forbath made a 49-yard attempt to cut the score to 17-9, Cooper was on the sideline watching. No word if he was hurt, but it’s telling that on five consecutive plays, Cooper was sitting. Cooper also was on the sidelines for the Cowboys’ final fourth-down play while they were desperately trying to tie the score.
Why weren’t Amari Cooper & Randall Cobb on the field for the Cowboys 4th down chance to tie the game? Jason Garrett said both players were on the field'for a lot of plays in 2-minute offense & needed a rest. Cooper said it was part of normal rotation.
— David Moore (@DavidMooreDMN)
December 23, 2019
Pass rush was lacking. The lack of sacks continues for the Cowboys’ key pass rushers. DeMarcus Lawrence has just half a sack the past seven weeks, Robert Quinn had his first sack in the past four games and Michael Bennett has just one the past five weeks. Now, Lawrence played well at times against the run, but he’s not the highest-paid defensive end in a 4-3 scheme for stopping the run. Lawrence is paid to get sacks and he’s not getting them right now. Late in the fourth quarter, Quinn got a sack on Wentz, forcing a fumble and causing a 6-yard loss.