Apparently Jerry Jones has amnesia of recent times Cowboys endured regular-season whoopings K.D. Drummond Sir, can you be serious for five seconds, please? Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke to 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday, and while there may be some actual substance to his thoughts buried deep in there, one quote making the rounds around Cowboys Nation is so ridiculous it deserves to be highlighted. Longtime beat reporter Clarence Hill, Jr. of All City DLLS tweeted out a snippet that is so tone deaf it has to be highlighted. Following Sunday’s debacle at AT&T Stadium, the 2024 home opener where the Cowboys were throttled 44-19 by the New Orleans Saints, there’s a sense of “same-old Cowboys” floating around. Jones is looking to squash that notion and in what is now his normal flubbing of media appearances, stuck his foot deep in it. Jerry Jones has a bright side to the Cowboys embarrassing blow out loss to the Saints: “If we’ve got any albatross around our neck, it’s that we’ve been a good-to-very-good team during the season over the last 4-5 years with Mike and we haven’t done well in the playoffs. So let’s trade some challenges during the season for doing well in the playoffs, if you want to look at it that way.” – @1053thefan Apparently Jones has been Men-in-Blacked about what happened in Week 15 last season in Buffalo when the Bills dominated McCarthy’s boys 31-10. Or Week 5 when Kyle Shanahan lambasted the troops 42-10. While it’s true that Dallas has had regular season success, winning 12 games each of the prior three seasons, and they are normally the team blowing an opponent out, somehow forgetting that they’ve been blown out now three times in their last 14 contests is remarkable. No, Jerry, fans don’t want to look at it that way. They would like to not lose in such a fashion AND also get postseason wins.
Good, Bad, Ugly: Defensive meltdown, WR3 candidates figured prominently in Cowboys’ Week 2
As famously predicted in song, the Saints sure came marching into Arlington this past Sunday. But the jazz standard’s lyrics never mention that they’d then go on to steamroll over the high-flying Cowboys once they got there. The defense was downright awful on Sunday- against both the rush and the pass- and, incredibly, their performance looks even worse on a film re-watch after the fact. But there were problems on the other side of the ball, too; one receiver who had impressed during the summer took a serious step back, and while quarterback Dak Prescott valiantly tried to spark a comeback, his play in Week 2 cannot be completely beyond reproach. Believe it or not, though, there were a few silver linings to be found. Luke Schoonmaker played well in place of the injured Jake Ferguson, a small-school project finally started to show what the team saw when they made him a third-round draft pick, and Brandon Aubrey unlocked a dangerous new weapon within his one-man arsenal. The team- and Cowboys fans, too- may be content to just burn the tape from Week 2’s 44-19 no-show, but first, we’ll take one more look back to dig into the good, the bad, and the ugly from Sunday’s holy smackdown at the hands of the Saints. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Good: Jalen Tolbert proving worth the wait The third-year receiver out of South Alabama was M.I.A. as a rookie and only started to blossom in his second season last year. On Sunday, he was one of the few bright spots for the entire Cowboys roster. Tolbert caught six of his team-high nine targets for 82 yards and made two huge plays on the same third-quarter drive. His impressive 39-yard grab converted a third down to put the offense inside the Saints’ 10, and then he hustled back to a loose ball three plays later to salvage the possession and turn a surefire turnover into a field goal try. Playing the most snaps of any Dallas receiver in Week 2 and turning in three of the team’s seven longest plays, he may now be the staff’s clear-cut preference at WR3. Bad: Defense had no answers for Saints run game Reports of Mike Zimmer having definitively fixed the Cowboys’ run defense were, it turns out, greatly exaggerated. After a solid season opener in Cleveland, the D-line let the Saints march all over them in Week 2. Twenty-nine-year-old Alvin Kamara, who hadn’t rushed for over 100 rushing yards in a game since the 2022 season, notched his fifth-highest total ever with 115 and scored three touchdowns on the ground. (He added 65 yards and another score as a receiver out of the backfield, too.) And it wasn’t just a great day for the five-time Pro Bowler; Jamaal Williams, Taysom Hill, Rashid Shaheed, and Chris Olave all averaged at least 4.3 yards per rushing attempt against Dallas on Sunday. That is very concerning, with Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson on deck. Ugly: Missed throws early dig even deeper hole To be crystal clear, Dak Prescott was not the reason the Cowboys got steamrolled. But several of his 12 incompletions on the day happened to come at brutal moments and severely hampered the team as they tried to play catch-up with a New Orleans offense that scored touchdowns on their first six possessions. Especially disappointing were the deep-ball misses: one to Rico Dowdle and another to Tolbert on their opening drive, one to Jalen Brooks that was intercepted (more on that one later), and multiple misfires to CeeDee Lamb. All were in the first half; any might have scored and sparked a turnaround before things got out of hand. Prescott and Lamb did connect on the gorgeous 65-yard touchdown catch-and-run, but that was more a byproduct of Lamb’s post-grab slip-and-shake move than anything. Prescott’s 69% completion percentage was certainly serviceable, but in a track meet of a game, the drops stood out. Good: Brandon Aubrey is positively weapons-grade If the Cowboys were to name a team MVP after two weeks, it’s Aubrey. The second-year kicker knocked all four of his field goal tries through, with a 38-yarder being the shortest. Cowboys fans don’t have to think too far back to recall a time when a 38-yarder was a little dicey; now anything from 60 yards and in is practically considered a gimme for the ex-soccer star. But despite personally scoring 54% of the team’s points so far in 2024, Aubrey is also acing the league’s new dynamic kickoffs. His squib shot to start the game was perfectly placed in the corner of the landing zone, pinning the Saints at their own 20 instead of the 30. (Not that it deterred them from scoring.) As he and John Fassel continue to experiment with kickoff strategies and Aubrey dials in his ball placement, opponents will likely have to regularly contend with poor starting field position. Bad: Jalen Brooks doesn’t help his cause in WR rotation The 2023 undrafted free agent had, by all accounts, a fantastic camp and was earning the trust of Prescott and his Cowboys coaches. He may have lost a good bit of it Sunday. On a gotta-have-it drive late in the second quarter with the offense driving toward a potential touchdown that would have kept the game in reach, Brooks slipped on an in-route and watched New Orleans cornerback Paulson Adebo haul in the pick instead. It was a gutting beat at the worst possible time. The Saints went on to score again, and the rout was on. From the Fox booth, Tom Brady said he wouldn’t go back to Brooks again in the game. Prescott did (right away, actually), and the South Carolina product reeled in the pass for a 10-yard gain. But it proved to be his only reception of the day, and Brooks ultimately didn’t help himself in the Cowboys’ crowded WR3 rotation. Ugly: Cowboys’ lack of pressure on Carr Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak managed to not only expose the Cowboys’ run defense,
Cowboys Headlines: Micah calls out losing effort, DeMarvion disappears, Ferguson to return Week 3?
Cowboys defense has no excuse for ‘unacceptable’ no-show performance against Saints :: The Athletic Link To a man, Cowboys defenders vowed that Sunday’s effort would not be repeated. “We didn’t come to play today,” Trevon Diggs said. They’d better come next weekend, with the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry paying a visit. If the Cowboys’ run defense doesn’t improve, things have the potential to get dire in a hurry. Micah Parsons calls out the effort of Cowboys teammates in Week 2 loss :: SI.com Link “The effort was not there by all 11. The basic fundamentals of the game of football was not there,” Parsons said on his podcast. He did include himself in the criticism, adding that watching the game film was difficult. Parsons explained that he is determined to “get this thing right” moving forward. Saints/Cowboys postgame analysis :: Cowboys Wire McCarthy ‘disappointed’ after Cowboys’ loss to Saints: ‘We need to learn from it’ :: The Mothership Link “We have a lot of work to do. We looked like a young, inexperienced football team at times, and that was my first impression when I finished watching all three phases,” McCarthy said Monday. The coach said several of the team’s younger players were responsible for some of the mistakes, and he called on the veterans to step up and “help pull us through those moments.” The Cowboys’ defense lost the game. The offense could lose the season. :: D Magazine Link The Cowboys are one of the best teams in the league when they have a lead. But Sunday showed what happens when they’re chasing points. A dozen of Dallas’s 19 measly points came from Brandon Aubrey. Week 2 was likely an anomaly for the defense, but has the team done enough to beef up their offensive weaponry? Mike Zimmer fixed Cowboys’ defense after the Pickle Juice Game. Can he can do it again? :: Dallas Morning News Link Zimmer’s first game in his first stint as Cowboys’ DC was the infamous “Pickle Juice Game” against the Eagles in 2000. “I fixed it after that,” Zimmer said. “If I hadn’t fixed those [issues], I wouldn’t be standing here today.” Zimmer was reluctant to blame Sunday’s loss on a lack of effort from his players. DeMarvion Overshown’s snap count will make Cowboys fans more livid with Mike Zimmer :: The Landry Hat Link Overshown was brilliant in Week 1 in Cleveland and ended the day as the Cowboys’ leading tackler. But he was kept bottled up by his own defensive coordinator for a large part of Week 2. His snap count dropped from 44 plays to just 18 in a move that most fans saw as indefensible. It wouldn’t have changed the outcome of the game, but it was tough to watch the Saints run rampant across the middle with Overshown standing on the sideline. Cowboys’ Dak Prescott refuses to see troubling similarities between 2 blowout losses :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram Link Sunday’s loss felt eerily similar to the Cowboys’ no-show versus Green Bay in the playoffs, but Prescott downplayed any talk of a trend. “We’re talking two completely different teams. A whole different defensive coordinator. You’re talking new players in new different positions, particularly on offense,” Prescott said. It sure felt the same for fans. Should failing Cowboys move up RB Dalvin Cook from practice squad? :: Athlon Sports Link Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle have proven a near wash in their early returns, each totaling 56 yards on 16 and 15 carries, respectively. The Cowboys have wanted to allow Cook time to ramp up on the practice squad, but if they don’t more out of their existing options, Cook’s time may need to come sooner rather than later just to see if there’s a spark. Former sub-.500 Cowboys QB is somehow starting in NFL again after No. 1 draft pick benched :: Cowboys Wire Link Andy Dalton didn’t do much as the Cowboys’ starter in 2020, going just 4-5 in relief of Dak Prescott after his horrific leg injury. Dalton went on to spend a year in New Orleans and then one in Chicago before latching on with the Panthers last season. Now 36, he’ll be a starter once again with Bryce Young being shown to the bench by head coach Dave Canales. Cowboys expect to have TE Jake Ferguson (knee) in Week 3 :: 4 for 4 Link Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones said the tight end was “real close” to playing versus New Orleans, but “the expectation is for him to be back” in Week 3. Luke Schoonmaker played well in his place, catching all six of his targets for 43 yards. Chiefs to waive TE Peyton Hendershot :: ProFootballTalk Link The former Cowboy was traded to Kansas City in August. He played just seven special teams snaps on Sunday in his Chiefs debut; he drew a fine while inactive in the season opener for shoving an opponent on the sideline. Now the Cowboys will not receive their 2026 conditional seventh-round draft pick from the Chiefs. NFL Week 3: Cowboys home underdogs to winless Ravens; betting lines, over/under :: Cowboys Wire Link Two straight blowout losses in front of the home crowd isn’t a good look, and Vegas has reacted accordingly. Dallas is a one-point host underdog for their Week 3 meeting with Baltimore. The over/under is set at 47.5 points.
Former sub-.500 Cowboys QB is somehow starting in NFL again after No. 1 draft pick benched
Former sub-.500 Cowboys QB is somehow starting in NFL again after No. 1 draft pick benched K.D. Drummond Andy Dalton, come on down! The Carolina Panthers have a new head coach in 2024. Hired because of how well he did in the Baker Mayfield reclamation project in Tampa Bay, Dave Canales has apparently already seen enough out of Bryce Young. The 2023 No. 1 overall selection out of Alabama, who the franchise traded their 2024 first-round pick and a star receiver away in order to draft, is now out. Dalton is in. Dalton, the former starter in Cincinnati with the Bengals, was an injury fill-in for the Cowboys back in 2020 when starter Dak Prescott went out with a horrific leg injury after just five starts. Dalton led the Cowboys to a 4-5 record, and famously inspired very little loyalty from his troops in Dallas. Dalton was absolutely shredded on a slide in a game against Washington in late October that season with a diabolical hit to the head. Not a single teammate raised much of a fuss with the opposition over the hit. When Dalton was signed in the 2020 offseason, stop reading if you’ve heard this before, some disgruntled fans thought he should replace Prescott as a starter. He threw for 2,170 yards with 14 touchdowns against 8 interceptions in the 10 games he was a legit part of. Prescott of course signed the following offseason despite the injury to a deal worth $40 million a year. That mantle has since been passed on to first Cooper Rush and then Trey Lance, and Prescott has since signed a new deal now worth $60 million a season. Following 2020, Dalton spent a year with the New Orleans Saints (6-8) and another with the Chicago Bears (3-3) before latching on with the Panthers last year. He went 0-1 in 2023 and is now going to be the starter for the foreseeable future. In his time with the Bengals he accrued a 70-61-2 record as a starter, being named to the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2011 and again in 2014 and 2016. Pulling the plug just two games into the season for a second-year quarterback seems a bit premature for Canales. Dalton certainly gives the club a better chance to win, and a better chance to evaluate the rest of the team, but pretending like a roster missing talent at every level is a marginal starter away from competing seems a bit reactionary. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Cowboys Studs and Duds: Did anyone or anything look like a vibe in Sunday’s debacle?
Cowboys Studs and Duds: Did anyone or anything look like a vibe in Sunday’s debacle? Mike Crum After 16 straight home victories, the last two Dallas Cowboys games at AT&T Stadium have looked identical, but not in a positive way. Like the loss to the Green Bay Packers, the game was a lopsided blowout early. The New Orleans Saints put up a touchdown on their first six drives, scoring 44 points overall in a blowout that showed little resistance. The Dallas offense scored points on five of their first six drives, but it was a battle for almost every yard they gained. In the second half, they were too far behind to be impactful on offense without a viable rushing attack to help a passing attack, which was limited by the loss of Jake Ferguson. Being blown out in the home opener makes it challenging to find good performances and easy to find poor ones, but even a loss like this has some people who still shine around the myriads of terrible plays shown this week by Dallas. Duds: Cowboys pass defense Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images The Saints’ pass offense was efficient and dominant on the road. Derek Carr had just 16 attempts, only three pass catchers had more than one catch, but all three averaged over 20 yards per reception. Carr threw for 15 yards per reception, had two touchdown passes, and was only sacked once. The top three pass catchers accumulated 10 receptions on 13 targets for 242 yards and two scores. It was an embarrassing performance from a defense with plenty of talented players. The Shanahan offensive scheme has been difficult for Dallas, and new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer also failed his first test. Studs: First half passing offense ARLINGTON, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 15: Dak Prescott #4 and CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrate a touchdown during the second quarter at AT&T Stadium on September 15, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) The Cowboys’ offense tried to keep the game competitive early, even with the Saints scoring 21 points on their first 12 plays. Dak Prescott was 17-23 for 184 yards with a touchdown and an interception, scoring on five of their first six drives. The interception was courtesy of a slipping receiver. Dallas scored 16 points in the first two quarters, putting them on pace for 32 points overall. That would be enough to win most games, but it would’ve still lost to the Saints’ first-half scoring. The offense was competitive early, but the defense could never get a stop to give them a chance at a comeback. Duds: Cowboys rushing defense Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) takes a pitch from quarterback Derek Carr (4) in the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Alvin Kamara was the most dominant player on the field today at AT&T Stadium. He ran for 115 yards and three scores on only 20 attempts, but the run defense was a dud for more than just Kamara’s performance. Dallas allowed five players to rush for at least 4.2 yards per attempt, including specialist Taysom Hill and both starting receivers. The top area of concern in the Prescott era has been run defense and it showed itself again in Week 2. Studs: K Brandon Aubrey Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys place kicker Brandon Aubrey (17) kicks a field goal against the New Orleans Saints in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Brandon Aubrey might be the best kicker in the league in his second season in the NFL. Dallas continued to move the ball offensively, and Aubrey made kick after kick to help put points on the when they stalled out. He went five for five on kicks, making four field goals from 52, 38, 48, and 40 yards. Aubrey is a huge weapon for the Cowboys, and he helped keep Dallas in the contest for as long as he could. Duds: Red-zone offense Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) hands off to running back Rico Dowdle (23) in the first quarter against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images If Dallas scored touchdowns on every drive they were held to a field goal, they’d still have lost by two scores. The offense wasn’t an issue in this game because the defense was so poor that the good early offense became meaningless. On a macro level, looking ahead, the Dallas offense has to score more touchdowns. Going 0-3 in the redzone will cost them every time, but hopefully, as the rookie offensive linemen and young weapons develop, the team will get better. A miscommunication cost Dallas four points early when Prescott missed a wide-open CeeDee Lamb in the endzone for a 29-yard score. Dallas would end up in the red zone a play later, but the drive stalled, leading to a field goal. A pass to Ezekiel Elliott came up short, putting Dallas behind the chains, and then the Saints caused a strip sack to stop another redzone drive. Getting better in this area could be a key to more competitive games. You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or YouTube on the Across the Cowboys Podcast Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
NFL Week 3: Cowboys home underdogs to winless Ravens; betting lines, over/under
The Money Line is a simple win-or-lose bet. If someone thinks one team will win, but they don’t want to give or take any points, they bet on them “straight up.” If someone bets on a favorite the ML will be negative, an underdog, positive. All bets are spoken of in terms of wagering an even $100. This game throws a bit of a monkey wrench because the teams are evenly matched, so money line bets are treating both teams as favorites. Normally an underdog would have a positive moneyline, say +110. If someone were to wager $100, then they would get their $100 back, plus $110 in profit. If someone were to wager $105 on the Cowboys to win outright, then they would get their $105 back, plus $100 in profit. The Ravens ML is set to -115. So it would take someone betting $115 on them to win outright in order win an additional $100.
Marist Liufau odds to win 2024 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
Marist Liufau is +10000 to win the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2024, which ranks him 34th in the league. Liufau, as part of the Cowboys’ defense, has recorded four tackles in two games. Watch the NFL on Fubo! Marist Liufau Futures Odds DROY Odds: +10000 (34th in NFL, Bet $100 to win $10,000) NFL odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Monday at 6:32 AM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Marist Liufau Game Log Week 1 at Browns: 1 Tackle (0.0 TFL), 0.0 Sacks, 0 INT, 0 PD Week 2 vs. Saints: 3 Tackles (0.0 TFL), 0.0 Sacks, 0 INT, 0 PD Watch the NFL on Fubo! Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Cowboys Wire operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
4 Downs: The anatomy of Cowboys’ blowout loss to Saints summed up in 4 plays
1st Down: Q1 Big-Play Olave wrecks the Cowboys’ zone defense Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) throws during the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images NO-1-10-DAL 44 (11:34) D.Carr pass deep right to C.Olave pushed ob at DAL 5 for 39 yards (T.Diggs). On the game’s opening drive, the Saints looked to establish their offensive identity and rhythm. Dallas had a chance to force a 3-and-out but the pressure from Micah Parsons was muted by Alvin Kamara, allowing Carr enough time to find Rashid Shaheed on a crossing pattern where he had broken free from rookie CB Caelen Carson for 17 yards. Three plays later, the big play of the drive took place. On 1st-and-10 from the Cowboys’ 44-yard line, the Saints lined up in 12 personnel with a tight end inline right before motioning to inline left. The Move tight end, Foster Moreau, followed him from a Z alignment into the backfield as extra protection. The Cowboys were in zone, and LCB Trevon Diggs bailed backwards as Moreau began his motion. Carr was under center allowing a mild play-action fake to Alvin Kamara and there was no pressure to be found. Chris Olave was aligned on Diggs side of the field and after the defender bailed, crossed inside over the middle with several yards of free space to roam. He got to the right sideline before turning upfield for what would be a 39-yard completion to set up 1st-and-goal from the five yard line. Kamara would easily get into the end zone on the next play to open the scoring. 2nd Down: Q1 – Refs put the screws to Dallas early Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) hands off to running back Rico Dowdle (23) in the first quarter against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images 1 DAL-1-20-NO 45 (6:19) (Shotgun) R.Dowdle right guard to NO 42 for 3 yards (C.Granderson; N.Shepherd). Make no mistake about it, Dallas got mollywhopped in this contest and the vast majority was their own undoing. Early on though, Dallas had a chance to respond and go toe-to-toe in what immediately looked like a shootout. But the refs were not on their job. A wheel route to Rico Dowdle looked like there could’ve been defensive pass interference called on LB Demario Davis for making contact while face guarding, but there wasn’t. A little later, an offsetting flag on a deep ball by Dak Prescott was picked up. Lamb was clearly interfered with, but the ball was so far out of bounds they couldn’t make the call and Tyler Guyton was left holding the bag on a holding penalty, pushing Dallas back to 1st-and-20 from the Saints’ 45. Out of S11 with the RB behind him Prescott handed off to Dowdle who gained just three yards on the draw, when a loud grown emerged from the home crowd. The replay showed that Dowdle had his entire head turned around when Davis slowed him down by his facemask. It should’ve been a 15-yard penalty and 1st down from the 27, but instead the drive fizzled, leading to a Brandon Aubrey 52-yard field goal. The Saints scored touchdowns on their first six drives, but one has to wonder what the game looks like if the Cowboys score a touchdown on that drive; which the ref crew made impossible by leaving Dallas behind the sticks. 3rd Down: Q1 – The need to squash Shaheed’s speed burns the secondary Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass past Dallas Cowboys safety Donovan Wilson (6) during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images NO-1-10-NO 30 (4:14) D.Carr pass deep middle to R.Shaheed for 70 yards, TOUCHDOWN [O.Odighizuwa]. It took just one play for the Saints to stretch their advantage. After a touchback brought the ball out to the 30-yard line, New Orleans broke the huddle in 21 personnel, with FB Adam Prentice aligned outside the TE right, but motioning into inline left position prior to the snap. Another play action look but this time Carr takes an extra beat, turning away from a big hit by DT Osa Odighizuwa to let it fly. WR Rashid Shaheed was passed off by Carson as Dallas was in zone again, and he raced down the middle of the field past first Malik Hooker and then Donovan Wilson. Carr dropped a dime in his breadbasket 50 yards downfield as Shaheed ran the final 20 into the end zone for a 14-3 lead. 4th Down: Slip and Slide… Jalen Brooks can’t keep his footing and Dallas’ comeback hopes are dashed Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo (29) returns an interception against the Dallas Cowboys in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images DAL-1-10-DAL 49 (1:20) (Shotgun) D.Prescott pass deep right intended for J.Brooks INTERCEPTED by P.Adebo at NO 33. P.Adebo to DAL 20 for 47 yards (E.Elliott; D.Prescott). With the score 28-13, the Cowboys are sliding fast. They’ve shown no ability to stop the Saints and the only real hope is to pull off the bookend and score touchdowns to close the half and then open the third quarter. On 3rd-and-10 from their own 38, Prescorr had to escape the pocket and found Brandin Cooks on the right sideline for 11 to save the drive. For one play. On the next play, Prescott fired a bullet to WR Jalen Brooks, who was in the clear on the post route but he slipped making his break, stumbling down. A timing route, Prescott had already released the ball and it went directly into the hands of CB Paulson Adebo, who returned it 49 yards down to the Cowboys’ 20-yard line. New Orleans tacked on their fifth touchdown of the half, giving them the
Glass jaws? What we learned in Cowboys’ abysmal Week 2 loss to Saints
Mike Zimmer’s defense isn’t as advertised Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images It was a great debut for the new defensive coordinator, but Week 2 looked nothing like Week 1 from his unit. Zimmer’s defense resembled former DC Dan Quinn’s when facing topo offenses from the past few seasons. Dallas couldn’t stop the run, got out schemed and weren’t able to get off the field on third downs. Things were particularly bad in the first half where the Saints had 310 yards of offense, scored five touchdowns on their five possessions, and were 3-for-3 on third down attempts. Saints running back Alvin Kamara had 60 yards, rushing for almost seven yards a carry, and had three scores as the Saints and Derek Carr moved the ball at will against Zimmer’s defense. It didn’t get much better in the second half as the first series for the Saints was a 13-play, 70-yard drive that resulted in a sixth consecutive touchdown possession. New Orleans totaled 432 yards and went 5-5 on third downs until it didn’t matter late in the game. There was no pass rush, no pressure, and Micah Parsons was nowhere to be found in the loss. The Cowboys looked like a soft football team under Zimmer in his first real test against a competent offense; just like his predecessor’s defense. Offense lacks punch Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images While the defense was busy getting shredded, the offense tried to keep up but wasn’t able to score enough points. The Saints were scoring touchdowns while the Cowboys were kicking field goals; trading three points for seven is never a good thing. Carr and the Saints were rushing for big chunks and then going down the field with the passing game. In trying to keep pace, the Cowboys could barely move the ball on the ground, and quarterback Dak Prescott couldn’t find much open downfield. Prescott did manage to get one big play when wide receiver CeeDee Lamb broke a tackle to go 65 yards for Dallas’ only touchdown, but that was the extent of the Cowboys’ explosiveness in the Week 2 loss. With tight end Jake Ferguson out, the Cowboys couldn’t muster an intermediate passing game and the anemic rushing attack didn’t threaten the defense. Even with Ferguson, this is a problem for an offense that tries to use misdirection and their running game to help setup the pass. The Cowboys don’t have enough weapons or enough speed to back off defenses. The Saints dared the Cowboys to beat them with someone besides Lamb and they didn’t have the skill players to do it. Offensive line got manhandled Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images It wasn’t a banner day for the new look offensive line. After a game where the group managed to keep a good defense off Prescott in Week 1, the offensive line was pushed around by the Saints up front. Prescott was sacked three times, but was constantly under pressure. It didn’t help that New Orleans knew the Cowboys had to pass to get back into the game but even early when the contest was in doubt, the defense was around Prescott. The unit also failed to open many rushing lanes in the running game. Dallas managed to run for only 68 yards on 21 carries, good for just 3.2 ypc. Those were empty calories in the Cowboys’ offensive diet as the rushing attack lacked punch. Brandon Aubrey is unfazed Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Not many Cowboys showed up to play in the loss, but kicker Brandon Aubrey was one of them. The second-year All-Pro was perfect again, going 4-4 on field goals, which included a 52-yard kick. We learned that while the rest of the team can let you down, the Cowboys can count on Aubrey to come through. It feels pointless now, but it could pay dividends down the road. Cowboys have a glass jaw Tim Heitman-Imagn Images It’s a new year, but not much has changed for Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys. When they get challenged, they rarely know how to fight back. The Saints came out and took it to the Cowboys, who didn’t have an answer. If the team doesn’t get out to a lead and establish themselves as the bullies, too often they get knocked out. The bullies don’t like getting bullied and the Cowboys act like the toughest guys on the block until they get hit in the face. It was appropriate that boxer Mike Tyson was in attendance for the game. As Tyson once famously said, everyone’s got a plan until they get punched in the mouth. The Cowboys get punched too often and they continue to fail to adjust.
False Positives? Cowboys defense tested by Saints early and often in Week 2
False Positives? Cowboys defense tested by Saints early and often in Week 2 K.D. Drummond There was always a concern that Mike Zimmer’s complicated defense was going to take some time to take hold in Dallas. After Week 1’s total shutdown of the Cleveland Browns, there was a ton of optimism the amount of talent in the Cowboys’ locker room would prevent that from being the case. Early on in Week 2 it appears that was nothing but a Deshaun Watson mirage. Derek Carr, Rashid Shaheed and the New Orleans Saints have stormed into AT&T Stadium for Dallas’ home opener and completely abused the passing defense of the star-laden lads. On the opening drive of the game, QB Derek Carr connected on a short third down to Shaheed on a crosser, gaining 17 yards. A few plays later Shaheed broke free from Trevon Diggs and raced towards the right sideline to gain 39 yards, setting up an Alvin Kamara five-yard score. After the Cowboys cut the lead to four on a Brandon Aubrey field goal, it took exactly one play for the duo to go back to work. With no pressure in his face, Carr stepped into a throw and launched a deep bomb to Shaheed, who split and beat the two safeties, Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson, for a 70-yard score. The score put the Saints up 14-3 and was the 11th-consecutive drive they’ve scored with Carr at quarterback. Dallas’ defense seems to have their work cut out for them through one quarter. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
