Okay, Cowboys fandom, all together now: What the heck was that?
The Dallas Cowboys traveled to the desert and wilted. The two-game win streak to start the season is gone.
So too is Dallas’ two-game win streak in Week 3 games.
And wave goodbye to the Cowboys’ four-game win streak over the Cardinals in Week 3 games as well.
Yes, Dallas played its first game without Trevon Diggs. His replacement, DaRon Bland, was targeted early and often.
But the killer was that the Cowboys’ run defense was non-existent in the first half.
Arizona piled up 182 rushing yards in the first half alone. A blown assignment in the backfield led to a game-sealing touchdown late in the fourth.
The Cowboys’ defense played a better game in the second half. They have a lot to work on before hosting the Patriots on Sunday.
The offense looked great between the 20s, led by Michael Gallup’s six pass receptions for 92 yards.
Once they got inside the 20? Not so much.
On five redzone trips Dallas scored just one touchdown and that won’t work.
Still, it was just one loss and 14 games remain. It isn’t time to panic, but Dallas cannot afford to play games like that going forward.
Running Backs Looked Solid
Dallas’ running game looked very good. It’s the one room that really doesn’t have much to work on this week.
Pollard rushed for 122 yards on 23 carries. Rico Dowdle scored his first NFL touchdown, and had three catches for 25 yards along with 21 yards on four carries.
Rookie Hunter Luepke had a nine yard run and a 12-yard reception to record his first stats in those areas in an NFL box score.
They did all of that despite having three starters out on the offensive line.
But that same line had too many penalties. They yielded two sacks and several hurries.
That too is something that needs to be cleaned up by this Sunday.
What Is Pass Interference Anymore?
The pass interference call on CeeDee Lamb late in the second quarter was huge.
Not only did it wipe out a first down at the Arizona 48, it all but killed the Cowboys’ drive.
They punted and Arizona managed a last-second 62-yard field goal. Those turned out to be three big points.
Down only 18-13 late in the third, Dallas probably kicks a field goal.
Instead of being an 18-16 game, they went for it on fourth down and failed.
Dallas’ next field goal makes it 19-18. Maybe those final nine and a half minutes play out much differently.
Making it worse, that should have been a no-call.
Both Lamb and Cardinals defensive back Kei’Trel Clark ran into each other. Both pushed off but Lamb drew the flag.
Later in the game, Gallup was clearly interfered with by Marco Wilson in the endzone. A flag was thrown and then picked up with no call made.
Prescott was intercepted six plays later to all but end the game.
In Baltimore, the Ravens’ Zay Flowers was clearly hooked on a fourth-and-three pass over the middle. No flag was thrown.
The Colts got the ball back near midfield and drove for the game-winning field goal in overtime.
Don’t ask me what pass interference is anymore. I sure don’t know. I’m not sure the officials do either.
Miami Massacre
Speaking of what the heck was that…
What happened to the Denver Broncos on Sunday? The Miami Dolphins put up 70 points on Denver.
It was the first time a 70+ score was posted in the NFL since 1966. It’s only the fourth time in NFL history that one team scored 10 touchdowns in a single game.
I’d hate to have been on the plane back to Denver. Yikes!
Tap The Brakes On Prime
About those takes on how Deion Sanders will be coaching the Cowboys next year? Yeah, lets tap the brakes on that.
Coach Prime’s Colorado Buffaloes got off to a nice 3-0 start.
Their win over TCU to open the season was amazing. Their wins over Nebraska and Colorado State didn’t shock the world.
But Colorado is now finding out there’s some seriously good teams out there and some of them are on the schedule.
For some reason Oregon’s head coach Dan Lanning was really worked up for this game. To his credit, he got his team worked up too.
The 42-6 beatdown the Ducks laid on Colorado may have put a halt to the hype in Boulder, at least for this week.
I’m not sure about going with a fake punt up 13-0 deep in your own territory, as Oregon did.
I once played for an old-school coach. I’m betting he’d have ordered a hit on the Ducks’ quarterback on the very next play.
I’m not saying he was right. Nor am I saying that is what the Buffaloes should have done.
But Colorado failed a big test when they didn’t get riled up over the play and start playing better.
Instead, they laid down after the fake worked and the Ducks rolled right over them.
After Saturday, it will probably be a few more years before Sanders is ready for the NFL’s sideline Prime Time.
I wonder if AFLAC covers getting scorched on the gridiron?