The 6-2 Dallas Cowboys get to use their bye week to rest up before the second half of the season starts next week. Fans, media, and others wrote them off after all that happened the first week of the season, and the team didn’t listen to the noise.
They kept grinding out victories, which led them to the fifth seed entering the bye week.
As the team gets some well-needed rest with the week off, when they return to action in week 10, I have a few things I’ll be keeping a close eye on that could help them keep pulling out victories in the second half of the season.
1. JALEN TOLBERT
The Cowboys’ third-round pick has been an absolute no-show during the season’s first eight weeks.
The Cowboys did not make a move at the trade deadline to add to the WR room, so Tolbert could find a role in the offense as he continues to grow throughout the rest of the year.
I will be the first to admit that I thought he would be one of the guys the offense leaned on both before and after Michael Gallup returned to action, but that role went to Noah Brown, who had a very impressive start to the year.
Tolbert made his first start in the win over the Bears Sunday but did not receive an official target.
“He’s starting to make the routes come to life,” Cowboys wide receivers coach Robert Prince said. “He’s doing a nice job of that in practice and now getting a chance to play.”
I hope the 2021 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year becomes a factor in the passing game in the second half of the season.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said team has received calls from teams offering WR help. “We’ll just see. We will see.” He likes four tight ends and what Jalen Tolbert has shown. James Washington nearing return. “We don’t have to do anything, but …if it’s right, we’ll do something.” pic.twitter.com/4LHflA5Vj0
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) October 30, 2022
2. RUN DEFENSE
I can’t stress this enough, the defense has been arguably the best in football, but their Achilles heel is defending the run. We saw the Bears shred them for over 200 yards on the ground Sunday, and the Cowboys have given up the seventh most rushing yards this season with 1,081.
The Cowboys have allowed at least 117 yards on the ground in six of their eight games.
Trading for Johnathan Hankins sure seems like it will help clog the middle and maybe slow it down there, but we saw Justin Fields shred them on the outside Sunday, and if this is not fixed in the second half, it could cause genuine concern come post-season time.
Can Dan Quinn find a solution and prepare it for the playoff push? He’s the one person I trust to do it.
Cowboys run defense continues to get gashed and keep the giving the Bears a pulse
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) October 30, 2022
3. TONY POLLARD
We all saw the clinic Tony Pollard put on Sunday as the featured back, but let’s pump the brakes on making him the starter after one week. Pollard is GREAT when fresh, so let’s keep it that way.
Ezekiel Elliott and Pollard feed off one another; they both do their own thing very well. I would like to see Pollard a bit more when Zeke is active, but if they can figure out how to use them in a 60/40 split, the duo will finish the year as the best in football.
Zeke is exceptional in short yardage and blocking, and Pollard is the change of pace.
Thunder and lightning are such a good pair together.
Kellen Moore, I am looking at you! If he can make this work, we could continue to see the offensive output we saw on Sunday; I am excited to see their work in the second half.
The toughest stretch of the Cowboys’ schedule is on the horizon; the three games in 11 days in November is no joke. We are about to learn how good this football team is, and if they can keep pace, that matchup on Christmas Eve against the Eagles may have a lot on the line.
I don’t think the WR camp is a problem whatsoever. They have more than enough good players there especially when Washington comes back, and when Tolbert gets his NFL transition completed. Remember he came from a “smaller” school so it may take longer. Let’s hope he can sooner than later. And IMO, NB is underrated.
Agree with the “thunder and lightning” analogy. TP is looking very good, and EE still has enough left in his tank this year to do his part.
Run defense is still a sore spot. Hopefully the addition of Hankins can shore that area up somewhat. D Lawrence does a good job vs run from his DE position. He seems to be rejuvenated this year.
Fair or unfair, Moore will probably be the fall guy if the offense doesn’t perform well going forward, as they can’t fire players with these ridiculously overpriced long-term contracts.
Tolbert, Fohoko and Turpin are simply not used by Moore as he uses 2 to 3 tight ends as his receivers.
The Elliott cult simply needs to let go. Elliot had one great season in 2016 and has run for fewer yards per game Every Year since.
The Boys defense has given up over 200 yards rushing 3 times this year and that is not a great defense, that is a defense that sells out to pass rush. Chicago ran for 240, scored 29 and it was no fluke. The Boys face multiple run first teams , including Philadelphia, and stopping the run is not a second option.
Kellen Moore has a lot of weapons to utilize on this offense. He has not, in my humble opinion used all of them consistently. Hasn’t used Turpin very much at all. Ferguson, Schultz, and Hendershot are all good Tight Ends. Using 2 or 3 of them together more, seems sensible to me. Malik Davis CAN add to the running game. No need for Zeke or Pollard to carry the load alone the remainder of this season. Lastly, Kellen Moore himself! I haven’t in the past or now, believe he’s the right guy to guide the Cowboys offense. In my opinion, he’s OVERRATED AND NOT AS SMART about football as they make him out to be. Would still like to see him elsewhere next year. The Cowboys can do better than him ALL DAY!!!