3 Cowboys with Something to Prove Against the Lions

Well, here we go again. The Dallas Cowboys are looking to secure a bounce back win to even their record at 2-2 and not get left behind in the NFC East standings. It was a poor game all over the field for the Cowboys as neither the offense or defense had much of an impact on the game.

Sure there were some positive individual performances, such as Leighton Vander Esch stepping up and leading the team in tackles, Ezekiel Elliott rushing for more than 120 yards, or Byron Jones continuing to show he’s the best cornerback on the roster.

While there were some positive performances, most of the team really struggled against the Seahawks. For the Dallas Cowboys to pull to .500, several players will need to have bounce back games.

Dak Prescott, Quarterback

This is the second time this season that I’ve featured Dak Prescott in this space. And that’s not a good thing. It’s getting to the point in Quarterback Dak Prescott’s career where he needs to start stringing together good games to secure a long-term future with the Dallas Cowboys.

After a really hot start to his career, a 24 game span that saw him have a passer rating around 100. It’s getting harder and harder to defend Prescott at this point. In eight of his last 11 games, Prescott has failed to reach a quarterback rating of 90.

If you were to take Dak Prescott’s last 11 games and project them over a 16 game season, here’s what they would look like.

289 completions on 464 attempts for a completion percentage of 62%, 2,915 passing yards 12 touchdown passes, 16 interceptions, 65 carries for 359 yards, three rushing touchdowns, and 48 sacks. For reference, Jacoby Brissett was the most sacked quarterback in 2017 with 52.

I’ve looked elsewhere to try to excuse Dak Prescott’s poor play, but at some point a franchise quarterback has to overcome it. So far to start the 2018 NFL season, Prescott hasn’t done that.

His two interceptions on Sunday weren’t entirely his fault as they were catchable passes, but they weren’t on time or exactly where they needed to be either.

Prescott has to speed up his internal clock and his anticipation to see the routes open up before they do so he can release the ball before players make their cuts. If he hits Gallup in stride on Sunday, he has a chance for some yards after the catch.

Kavon Frazier, Safety

Seattle Seahawks Quarterback Russell Wilson threw two touchdown passes on Sunday to beat the Dallas Cowboys. On both of those touchdown passes, you can see Kavon Frazier coming into the picture late and Chidobe Awuzie playing as if there was supposed to be safety help over the top.

Frazier, in Xavier Woods first game back from injury, was awful with his 25% of the defensive snap share.

On the three targets into Kavon Frazier’s coverage, he allowed three receptions for 66 yards, two first downs, and a touchdown. That includes the 52 yard reception for a score by Seahawks Wide Receiver Tyler Lockett.

The snap discrepancy between Frazier (17), Jeff Heath (55), and Xavier Woods (66) is a huge gap that Frazier can’t allow to widen. At this point he runs the risk of finding himself on the sidelines when the defense is on the field much like Jourdan Lewis.

Michael Gallup, Wide Receiver

It wasn’t a very good day for the Dallas Cowboys offense altogether. Rookie Wide Receiver Michael Gallup was among Cowboys on that side of the football that had moments he’d soon like to forget.

On the second drive of the game for the Cowboys, they had some momentum going after Ezekiel Elliott opened it up with a nice seven yard run on first down followed by Tavon Austin’s 18 yard rush on a jet sweep.

With first and 10 on the Dallas Cowboys 40 yard line, Dak through a slant to Michael Gallup — that he had to wait on — and the ball went through his hands, bounced off his chest and was intercepted by Earl Thomas.

When you only get four targets a game, and some of them are off target passes, you have to make your opportunities count. The opportunities have been few for Gallup to start his rookie career, and he let one literally slip through his fingers on Sunday.

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Which Cowboys do you think have something to prove come Sunday? Let us know in the comment section.