DALLAS — Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones weekly appointment on the Shan & RJ show on 105.3 The Fan came Tuesday, where Jones talked about the latest with his team. Wins, losses, contracts, and general life philosophies were all on the docket.
In this installment, the owner was raring to go to discuss the 33-17 Week 1 win over the Cleveland Browns, especially raving about the defensive effort while also talking about the recent contract extensions for some of the team’s biggest stars that came right down to the wire as the season kicked off.
Overall Week 1 thoughts
“Couldn’t be more pleased with the win,” said Jones. “[It’s] important to reiterate, Cleveland is an outstanding team. They line up with anyone and can play formidable on the defense and formidable at home. To go up there and to do it with question marks, and with a lot of young people involved at key areas bodes well for as we look ahead.”
It was an impressive win for the Cowboys, who started the season 1-0 for a second consecutive season. With all of the offseason distractions, and with starting three rookies, two of them on the offensive line, there were questions about how the team would handle opening week.
It turned out to be much ado about nothing as Dallas cruised to a blowout win over a playoff team from last season.
Jones impressed by defense, led by Micah Parsons
“Throw [DeMarcus] Lawrence in there, he was a menace,” said Jones. “You put him out there with Micah at the same time and it’s a challenge for any offense. I thought the best thing we did was keep pressure on the quarterback, but I was particularly impressed with our big boys in the middle. Mazi Smith really held a good accounting for what he did out there, [Jordan] Phillips, who we have great promise for this year, didn’t give them much running room.”
The defense had an outstanding outing and pressured Browns QB Deshaun Watson at every turn, coming away with six sacks. Lawrence and Parsons were two of the stars in the win, Lawrence with two sacks and Parsons with his nine pressures, one sack and one deflection that led to an interception.
Team building philosophy emphasizing youth
“[The draft] is the best way to go,” Jones shared. “Draft your players and get them out there if you can. Easy to say, harder to do…but if you can do what we’ve been able to do the last two years with our young players, then you can have some dollars available to pay Dak [Prescott], and the one we did with [CeeDee] Lamb. If you’re to pay guys that are important to you, and Dak and Lamb are critical to our success, then you’ve got to do it with young football players.”
This is Jones’ way of letting folks know that they’re going to have to live with the philosophy of not being active in free agency and relying on rookies. If Cowboys fans want the team to keep their best players, it comes at the cost of adding through free agency.
This isn’t surprising and is consistent with what Jerry and Stephen Jones have said over the last decade. Now it’s up to them to turn that philosophy into a playoff winner.
Running back by committee
“I don’t know (if a 50/50 split between the running backs will happen), we’ll see how it goes,” Jones admitted after Dallas’ no star backfield had a decent day with 102 yards rushing combined as a team. “Either [Ezekiel Elliott or Rico Dowdle] are capable of playing more. I don’t know if it’s by design, but the reps in pass protection for Prescott showed up in the passing game. There are effective backs who can run the ball, but nut cutting time comes with the pass protection, because you’ve got to have it today.”
Jones is right in that both Elliott and Dowdle came up large in terms of their pass protection. The running game wasn’t asked to do much, and neither back in the main tandem stood out with Elliott ultimately leading the way with 40 yards on ten carries in his return with Dallas, but the Browns are tough to move the ball against on the ground. Expect more of the same moving forward as the Cowboys feel their way through the RB pecking order.
Jones on Jake Ferguson’s injury
“We really did, proverbially, dodge a bullet,” said the owner after tight end Jake Ferguson’s injury was not as severe as anticipated. “He’s very excited about playing. Like everyone, he was worried sick when it initially happened. It would’ve been a blow if we lost him.”
Despite the relatively positive news, there was no word on when Ferguson will be able to resume playing, so that is less clear, but the Cowboys did dodge a bullet. Reports have varied about when the tight end can return, but the team is optimistic he’ll be back sooner rather than later.
What would make Dak’s contract a success?
“When I look at what Dak is, he’s a leader, he plays an ultimate position of leadership in sports, as the quarterback.” Jones continued, “you can put a huge value on measures of success that don’t reach a Super Bowl. Any time that we've ever made players the highest-paid player, key players, such as Troy Aikman, the most highest-paid player in the game, we won Super Bowls."
While Jones does love the person and leader Prescott is, it sure sounds like he’s expecting a Super Bowl from his current QB. He paid Prescott as the highest paid player, and his experience in similar situations has resulted in championships. The precedence has been set; Jones’ expectation is that his QB needs to get it done.
Do you agree with Jerry’s assessments on the Cowboys after Week 1? Share your thoughts with Ben on X (formerly Twitter) @BenGrimaldi.
