Cowboys News: Focus on OL, Dak’s confidence rating, RGIII’s hot take on Zeke
The Cowboys are putting Arizona behind them, but will last Sunday’s myriad problems follow them into Week 4? We’re looking at the critical role the patchwork offensive line played in the team’s disappointing loss. Plus, Dak Prescott says he’s “got to live with” that late interception, but will he get over it? One outlet’s confidence rating on him is shaky. We go inside the numbers for one last look at the Cardinals catastrophe, we ask about the Trevon Diggs effect on the defense, and we ask why one network talking head is convinced that being without Ezekiel Elliott is what’s causing the Cowboys’ red zone woes.
Elsewhere, the offense is concerned enough about Elliott and Will Grier coming back to town that they may be changing some signals versus the Pats. And while New England will be without a major defensive star, the Cowboys could still face stiff competition from this week’s officiating crew. All that, plus a Kyle Pitts trade rumor gets quashed, a former fan favorite heads to L.A. ahead of a mid-October reunion, we explore what’s happened to kickoff returns, and an MLB legend showed off a different talent on the sidelines of Sunday’s game in Glendale.
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Cowboys QB Dak Prescott on costly first INT of the season: ‘I’ve got to live with that’ :: Dallas Morning News
Any comeback bid in Week 3 was going to require a furious rally. Knowing he needed two touchdowns in the final three minutes, Prescott says he took a calculated risk with what proved to be his first pick of 2023 and his final pass of the day. “I knew it was going to be a tough throw but at that moment [I was] trying to make the throw,” he said. “Obviously, the linebacker made a great play. I just tried to put it behind his ear thinking I had enough space to just get it up and down in the back [of the end zone], but I’ve got to live with that.”
The Cowboys can’t solve their offense before they fix their patchwork offensive line :: D Magazine
Just because they didn’t give up a ton of sacks doesn’t mean the piecemealed O-line had a good day. Prescott was under pressure on 13 dropbacks; he completed just three passes for 39 yards on those plays. Brock Hoffman, T.J. Bass, and Chuma Edoga combined for a pass-blocking grade of 55 from PFF. Nothing else on offense will really start to click until the starters come back and those numbers change.
Why does an ESPN analyst say Dallas Cowboys miss Ezekiel Elliott? :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Former Washington QB Robert Griffin III caused a stir on Tuesday when he said the Cowboys’ red zone woes can be blamed partly on no longer having Elliott as their goal-line “hammer.” Fans then spent a good portion of the day either debating or defending the hot take.
Schottenheimer: Cowboys to safeguard against Elliott, Grier sharing offensive intel with Patriots :: Cowboys Wire
With Elliott and Will Grier now in New England, Dallas may make some alterations to things like hand signals and audible verbiage, just in case the former Cowboys have been pumped for inside information by Patriots coach Bill Belichick. “Sometimes you can use it to your advantage,” the Cowboys OC said. “Because they think they know what’s coming, they hear something and think, ‘Hey, it’s this,’ and we’re smart enough to adjust those things.”
NFL Power Rankings Week 4: Dolphins, 49ers are 1-2, plus QB confidence ratings :: The Athletic
The Cowboys fall from No. 1 to No. 6 in this set of power rankings. Perhaps more concerning, though, is Prescott’s play through three games. Thanks to middling numbers- he’s 12th in offensive EPA per dropback (.12), 12th in completion percentage (67.6 percent), 16th in passing yards (647) and 33rd in air yards per attempt (5.2)- his confidence rating comes in at just a 7 out of 10. That’s Jared Goff, Jordan Love, Kirk Cousins territory.
By The Numbers: Red zones woes, play-calling insights from Cowboys' Week 3 debacle :: Cowboys Wire
For the first time this season, the Dallas defense failed to get a turnover and ended Sunday with a negative turnover differential. Four changes on the offensive line sure didn’t help, either. And the troubling trend of mobile quarterbacks gashing the Cowboys continued. Too many obvious passing situations on third down let the Cardinals defense tee off, and many feel the offense was too predictably run-heavy on first downs in the red zone.
Cowboys draw another penalty-prone ref in Week 4 :: Bobby Belt
The Cowboys get Scott Novak's crew for their game against the Patriots this week.
They've had Novak twice before. Dallas was flagged 10 times against the Cardinals in January 2022, and 13 times against the Giants last November.
— Bobby Belt (@BobbyBeltTX) September 26, 2023
Cowboys special-teamer responds to phantom offside penalty :: Juanyeh Thomas
https://t.co/YdtTQrSuch pic.twitter.com/2xXCGyMcpv
— Juanyeh Thomas (@STG_Yeh1) September 25, 2023
Mailbag: Diggs make that much difference? :: The Mothership
The Dallas D looked awful in their first game without Trevon Diggs, but the team’s staff writers feel that’s more coincidence than cause-and-effect. Take away the broken coverage on the 69-yard completion and the Cardinals passed for only 120 yards. You’d take that any day. No cornerback’s absence should translate to giving up 222 rushing yards; that’s where the real defensive failures were on Sunday.
Patriots Place DL Daniel Ekuale on Injured Reserve and Release DB William Hooper from the Practice Squad :: Patriots.com
New England will be without defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale on Sunday. The team’s highest-graded player in Week 3 (as per PFF) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday after suffering a torn biceps during their 15-10 win over the Jets.
Former Cowboys WR Simi Fehoko signs with Chargers; will meet in Week 6 :: Cowboys Wire
The club’s 2021 fifth-round draft pick had been on the Pittsburgh practice squad since being released by Dallas in August. Now he’ll be reunited with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore when the Chargers host the Cowboys in Week 6’s Monday night showdown.
Cowboys insider shoots down Kyle Pitts trade rumors :: Jane Slater
The Cowboys are always looking to bolster their offense, so when I heard a show say Dallas should call Atlanta to see if Kyle Pitts is available, I checked into it.
A source with the Falcons’ answer when I asked “LOL. No way.”— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) September 26, 2023
Why one of football’s most thrilling plays is vanishing from the NFL :: Yahoo Sports
KaVontae Turpin has yet to actually return a kickoff this NFL season. Then again, not very many kickoffs have been returned, period. Through three weeks, 80.9% of kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks, the highest rate in at least three decades and very likely a league record. As recently as 20 years ago, it was less than 10%. One of the most exciting plays in the game is vanishing before our eyes as rules meant to increase player safety are making return specialists and those field-flipping highlights obsolete.
MLB great is pretty good at sports photography, too :: Pro Football Hall of Fame
Ken Griffey Jr. is one of the greatest baseball players of all-time.
But this past weekend his focus was on football, where his passion for photography led him to shooting these photos of the @AZCardinals–@dallascowboys game. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/w7wnUaAVXe
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) September 26, 2023
