Now that I've had time to regroup from the loss against the Eagles on Sunday, one player remains a significant issue for this Cowboys team.
Terence Steele.
The starter signed an $86.8 million extension in September of this year. Through the first eight weeks, he has been one of the worst tackles in the league.
Steele allowed 12 pressures against Philadelphia.
On the game's last drive, he let the defender blow right by him, ending in a sack. That pretty much was the writing on the wall.
The Offense could have scored well before that, but why has he been so bad?
Yes, I get it, he tore his ACL, and maybe he's not the same player, but dude, you can't be this bad in big games.
His pass-block grade was 15.0 against Philly. Awful.
#Cowboys RT Terence Steele allowed 12 pressures, 7 hurries, and 4 sacks in Week 9, according to @PFF.
Pass-block grade of 15.0.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) November 6, 2023
He also allowed eight pressures against San Francisco. You can't be this bad being paid that money against the best edge rushers in football.
Through the first eight weeks of the season, the Cowboys offensive line has given up a total of 75 pressures. Steele is responsible for 28 of them. That can't happen.
Total pressures allowed by #DallasCowboys offensive linemen this season:
Tyler Smith – 4
Tyron Smith – 5
Tyler Biadasz – 14
Zack Martin – 13
Terence Steele – 28 (including 12 vs. PHI)
Chuma Edoga – 11— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisDC) November 6, 2023
Going Forward
The Cowboys have the part of the schedule where they can stack up some wins.
They should be 9-3 the next time they see the Eagles, and hopefully, by then, Steele gets some confidence back because that game could be for total control of the NFC East.
The Eagles have a bye this week, then take on the Chiefs, Bills, and the 49ers before they travel to Dallas for that week 14 game.
Terence Steele is a MAJOR problem.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) November 6, 2023
The Cowboys have the Giants, Panthers, Washington, and Seattle. All of those, but the Panthers game is at home, where they have won 11 in a row.
This team will be 9-3 when the Eagles come back.
The Offense has impressed me, though. They finally stopped being so conservative with the football and let Dak Prescott show that he can keep them in games when needed.
Dak Prescott on Terence Steele bouncing back pic.twitter.com/YvQmRqX6CN
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 7, 2023
Does it suck that they didn't find the end zone to win the game? Of course, it does.
The Eagles had many things bounce their way, like the fumble at the end of the game and the A.J. Brown pass interference that led to seven points.
Either way, calls happened for both bad sides.
I am not a moral victory guy because that doesn't fly come playoff time.
I still want this team to finish the deal against a team like the Eagles, but if the Offense and Dak Prescott play like that for the rest of the year, they will make a run.
Steele is making to much money for the Cowboys to try and make a switch, so we are just going to have to try and see him grind it out.
It just feels like Michael Gallup all over again.
They pay these good players big money after an injury? You have to think if the Cowboys have any chance moving forward, Steele is one of the players that simply has to play better.
