After the drama-filled offseason the Dallas Cowboys had, there was some expectation that the Cowboys would be overwhelmed by the Philadelphia Eagles. Dallas was an 8.5-point underdog against their division rival. Many pondered: What will the Cowboys do without Micah Parsons? What will they do to slow down the Eagles?
Like the weather in Philadelphia, the Cowboys just needed to weather the storm to give themselves a chance at the upset win. For most of the game, they held serve, but they couldn’t get one more scoring drive when they needed it most, and an untimely turnover by Miles Sanders left the Cowboys one possession short of winning and hindered their chances to steal the road victory. However, there were a few positives that Dallas can hang their hat on and carry a positive outlook into their next game against the New York Giants. Here are three encouraging signs from Dallas’ loss in the season opener.
The offensive line performed well most of the time
Yes, the offensive line for Dallas had a much easier time because Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter foolishly got himself ejected after the opening kickoff by spitting on Dak Prescott. His boneheaded blunder allowed the offense not to have to account for him, and they performed well. Tyler Booker, Dallas’ first-round pick, was good in pass protection for the most part.
Cooper Beebe did an excellent job in the running game to open holes for the running backs and got to the second level, overall giving Dallas a more balanced attack on offense. Collectively, the Cowboys’ running backs benefited from the offensive line’s run blocking. Dallas combined for 119 rushing yards for an efficient 5.4 yards per attempt.
Also, if anyone needed a bounce-back year from 2024, it was Tyler Guyton. Guyton needed to improve in pass protection and clean up his technique. He handled the Eagles’ rushers well and did enough to give Prescott time to take some deep shots downfield. The offensive line kept Prescott clean in the pocket and didn’t allow a single sack. Of course some of that credit goes to Prescott who played Houdini on several pass blocking breakdowns.
Dak Prescott is sharp in his return from injury
Dak Prescott was locked in at the line of scrimmage. He was conducting the offense, deciphering the Eagles’ coverages before the snap, and working to get his team in the right position. While it is true that the offensive line didn’t allow any sacks, Prescott saved a few by shaking off defenders to get out of the pocket and keep the offense in better down and distances than the alternative.
On one occasion, he shook off Jordan Davis to avoid a sack and scramble for a modest gain. He also managed to sidestep the pressure in the pocket to extend plays to find his receivers down the field.
Prescott orchestrated a two-minute drive to get the Cowboys points before the half, drawing the Cowboys within one point going into the break. Prescott had a few throws he would like to have back, but he was mostly crisp with his throws and made great decisions. Prescott put many throws right in the hands of his receivers who could not make the catch. Also, Prescott made a touchdown-saving tackle on Quinyon Mitchell after Miles Sanders fumbled, which would have heavily altered the game. It says a lot about Prescott that a tenth-year veteran coming off injury is still risking his body to give his team a chance to win.
The defense held when/where it mattered
It is frustrating that the Cowboys could not contain Jalen Hurts from escaping the pocket and scoring twice. Yet, Dallas did a great job of bottling up their other star players. Saquon Barkley is always a threat to score when he has the ball in his hands, but Dallas held him in check. Barkley was held to only 60 yards on 14 carries. Dallas as a whole buckled down in the running game in the second half after the Eagles had nearly 100 yards rushing midway through the second quarter.
Also, credit to defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. He called some timely blitzes that to speed up Hurts’ timing and force him into rushed throws and the Eagles’ offense off the field. The defense also responded late in the game, when Dallas got the ball back not once but twice to give the offense one more chance to win the game late. Also, DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown had four catches for 24 yards. Under those circumstances, you should expect to win. It’s not perfect, but there is progress.
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