A big Sunday is in store for the Dallas Cowboys. The talk around the sports media world has been the comments Micah Parsons made regarding Jalen Hurts and the Eagles, but guess what? They have a football game they must win on Sunday before that matchup.
Everyone is reacting to the Cowboys struggling against the worst team in football a week ago, the Houston Texans. They won the game and did what they had to sneak out a win. Here is the deal: they play the way they did last week and won't win this week.
Here are a few things I think the Cowboys need to accomplish for a victory
Stop looking ahead
I am guilty of this myself. I am so ready for Christmas eve and the matchup with the Eagles, but it is easy to do as a fan and someone who writes about them.
As an athlete growing up, I did the same thing as Parsons; this was in high school, and you can't compare the two, but it's still a fire that some athletes have to look ahead to one of the biggest games of the year.
Overlooking teams you know you should beat handily, and then a wake-up call comes. The underdog hits you in the mouth, and you aren't ready to respond. Like the Cowboys last week, they made enough plays when it mattered, but it shouldn't have come to that.
The Jags are 5-8, but outside of the loss to the Lions two weeks ago are playing pretty decent football. They are MUCH more talented than the Texans, and if you give them a free pass, they will make them pay.
Please, Dallas, do not overlook this team as you did last week against the Texans.
T.Y. Hilton will be on a rep count on Thursday as he ramps up for the #Cowboys but "he's ready" — per MM — also had full workload of full-speed route drills on Wednesday.
Trending toward having a shot at debuting vs. Jaguars.
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) December 15, 2022
Clean football
The following key will piggyback off the previous one, but this offense needs to take care of the football. Dak Prescott, Kellen Moore draw up whatever you did on the last drive of the game a week ago, and don't stop.
We know what the Dallas offense can do if they don't give it away. They can hang 40 on a team in a blink of an eye. Expect the Jags to lean on a soft zone defense like the Texans.
The penalty issue has vastly improved over the last two weeks.
Over the previous two games combined, the Cowboys have had only a total of SIX for 53 yards. That is excellent news for a team that needs to stop shooting themselves in the foot week after week.
If this continues going forward, it will help the offense stay in front of the sticks and keep the defense fresh by not expending drives due to committing one of them.
As noted above, I sometimes do the same thing by looking ahead, but with it being game week, let's hope this team is ready to take care of business on the road against an energetic Jaguars team still fighting for their playoff hopes.
It will likely be within 10-14 points all game, but if the Cowboys focus on the task and don't give the ball away like a week ago, they will win 31-24.
