One of my favorite players of all time, Kobe “Bean” Bryant (RIP), was quoted as saying, “Determination silences doubters.” For the Dallas Cowboys, this team has doubters in spades.
Despite completing a four-game sweep in November, fans and cynics still hold their breath, waiting for the other shoe to fall off.
December continues to be the month most believe Dallas will show their true colors. If you ask the players, those who subscribe to that must wait a little longer.
Their confidence is at an all-time high. Quarterback Dak Prescott is playing at an MVP level. CeeDee Lamb pushed his way into the conversation of the NFL’s top wide receiver.
What about the defense? At the onset of the season, Micah Parsons and company stood as the toast of the town.
But now we see that the defense has its warts.
Even still, Dan Quinn remains the hot commodity for next year’s NFL head coaching openings. Before we get there, he must overcome a few obstacles in December and January.
What stands in Quinn’s way, you ask? Oh, you’ll see.
Dan Quinn’s defensive secondary will be put to the test over the next four weeks
Saying they’ll be put to the test may be an understatement.
DaRon Bland, Stephon Gilmore, and Jourdan Lewis represent a solid defensive backfield. At this point, I’m not including the safeties.
Despite the tail-kicking Bland received against DK Metcalf and company, he is still one of the better young corners in all football. I said that with my chest.
However, they’ll have to hold up against some stellar competition for Quinn’s defense to work.
We know what the receiving group for the Philadelphia Eagles represents. AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Julio Jones are formidable, but it doesn’t stop there.
The Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, and Miami Dolphins all come in with top-rank offenses. Specifically, all three has a place in the top five passing attacks in the NFL, with the Dolphins leading the pack.
When healthy, the Bills and Dolphins trout out top-level wide receivers that can change the trajectory of a game single-handedly.
Dan Quinn loves to play man coverage to a fault.
That’s where the point related to the competition in December is accentuated. Leaving your corners on an island with questionable back-end help is a recipe for disaster (this is my plug on the safeties).
Quinn won’t listen to me and nor should he.
However, playing against this level of talent at this time of the year, he may need to listen to someone he trusts.
Will Quinn shine against the young offensive minds in the month of December?
I get it. Coaches don’t put the helmets on or make a single tackle.
However, they are the chess players moving pieces around to get that competitive advantage.
Some excellent offensive play-callers are coming our way. While Johnson (Brian) and Johnson (Ben) of Philly and Detroit are very good at their craft, we know Mike McDaniel causes heartburn.
The lasting feeling from Kyle Shanahan remains stuck in our memory banks. A similar type of offense is heading directly at us.
The Miami Dolphins’ offense has similar tendencies to the San Francisco 49ers’. Unfortunately, McDaniels also has Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to make the offense click.
Not to mention, Micah purposely or inadvertently added fuel to the fire. Tua and Mike may keep receipts of his minor Twitter or X outburst.
Dan Quinn has his work cut out for him. The last thing he wants is for his brand to be that he can’t stop the young offensive coordinators.
It could leave the impression that while the defense is overly talented, his scheme may not be suitable for today’s NFL.
The defense is a totally different group, on grass
Two of Dallas’ final five games are scheduled to be settled on God’s natural surface.
That seems trivial, but it has slowed the Dallas Cowboys’ defense down to a certain point.
With the offensive playmakers and play callers on the horizon, it’s one more thing for Quinn to consider as they march toward the playoffs.
We’ve talked about Miami as a tough out. They play on grass, and the Washington Commanders do, too.
I doubt we will get to a point where the final game is needed as a deciding factor, but if it is, it will be played on grass.
What about the playoffs? If Dallas ends up as a wild card team, the two teams that stand in front of them (Philly and San Francisco) also play on grass.
Is it something this defense can overcome? Absolutely.
All three losses this year (Cardinals, 49ers, Eagles) played on grass. The added cherry on top was that they gave up 371 total offensive yards in those games.
Last season, five of their six losses, guess where – if you thought grass, you’re seeing the trend.
Dallas has a solid offense and defense. However, Dan Quinn has his work cut out for him in December.
