After only three victories over a ten game span, the Dallas Cowboys playoff hopes had faded fast following their 3-0 start. To make matters worse, the team had not beaten a single team with a winning record and had appeared to completely throw in the towel after consecutive brutal losses to the Bills and Bears. Jason Garrett‘s replacement was the hottest topic of conversation surrounding the Dallas Cowboys all week but that talk may have been postponed for at least one more week following the unexpected dismantling of a talented Los Angeles Rams team that was surging of late.
Make no mistake about it, one impressive victory does not erase the mediocrity of the entire season, nor the mediocrity of the past decade with Jason Garrett at the helm but it is a start. It was a much needed boost in morale for a locker room that was struggling to find answers after disappointing loss, after loss, after loss. What’s more, it was the type of game that reminded everybody who the Dallas Cowboys are and what they need to do to be competitive.
Until this victory over the Rams, the Dallas Cowboys of 2019 have not looked at all like the Dallas Cowboys playoff teams of 2014, 2016, and 2018. Led by new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, the Dallas Cowboys had transitioned into a passing team. Dak Prescott has had an incredible year by the numbers thus far, throwing for over 4000 yards and over 25 touchdown passes. Both of those being career highs with 2 games still remaining on the schedule. Although Ezekiel Elliott has rushed for over 1000 yards again this season, the run game has been a far cry from what it has been in the past. Yet in this victory over the Rams, Elliott and rookie Tony Pollard were dominant running the ball and the offensive line dominant at the line of scrimmage.
The dominance in the running game was accompanied by a strong defensive performance by a group that had been struggling to play disciplined and make tackles. It may have been that the defense has suddenly woken up. It may have been that the offense being able to run the ball was the formula required to keep the defense from being exploited. Either way it was a solid performance for the whole group and especially for a few individual players. Jourdan Lewis and Sean Lee both had standout performances. One player that seemed to make a huge difference for the Cowboys was Antwaun Woods. Woods was able to make some big plays at the defensive tackle position which has been a weakness for the 2019 Dallas Cowboys.
Finally, there were signs of improvement in special teams play, an area that the Dallas Cowboys have struggled mightily with the past two seasons. Kai Forbath, or “Cobra Kai” as he is being referred to, nailed all three of his field goals attempts and looked confident doing it. He was not perfect, with two kickoffs that landed out of bounds costing the Cowboys field position, but Forbath already feels like an upgrade from Brett Maher. Encouragingly, the Cowboys did not give up any big returns either, and they also didn’t make any significant errors in the return game. If special teams can simply not be a liability for the Dallas Cowboys, their chances of winning the division, and perhaps a lengthy playoff run are much improved.
Indeed this was a big win for the Dallas Cowboys not only to keep pace with the Eagles but also a huge mental victory. They have finally beaten a decent opponent, and they have overcome disastrously poor play during a brutal slump. However, Dallas Cowboy fans will not be so easily swayed that the team has turned a corner just yet. Recent history is not lost on those that follow the team closely. This one game could be an anomaly. It could be the final gasp for air before the team completely drowns and the Jason Garrett era comes to an unceremonious end. Next week, the Dallas Cowboys playoff hopes come down to a single game against their most hated rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles. If the Cowboys win that game, they move on to the post season. That will not be good enough to save Garrett’s job either. Most believe that it is conference championship or bust. Some believe it is Super Bowl or bust for Garrett to keep his job. Whichever of those scenario’s are true, one thing that is undeniable after the victory over the Rams…The Dallas Cowboys are not done yet!
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**All data and statistics obtained and verified through https://www.pro-football-reference.com/