DALLAS — Former Cowboys coach Bill Parcells has a particular way of thinking about the game and the NFL.
One of his tenets: the NFL season doesn't really start until after Thanksgiving.
What we're seeing from the Cowboys (6-3) so far this year is more evidence to prove the theory. What we've seen so far and leading up to Turkey Day is just pretense.
The Cowboys face the lowly Panthers (1-8) with the NFL's worst record Sunday after beating the downtrodden Giants (2-8) last week in dominating fashion. Then, it's the upstart Commanders on Thanksgiving. Washington's the best of that lot, but none of the three have a winning record. The week after Thanksgiving begins a stretch when the Cowboys will face teams with winning records for five consecutive weeks (Seahawks, Eagles, Bills, Dolphins and Lions).
That stretch is when the story of the 2023 season will truly unfold. That's why all this talk of Dak Prescott for MVP is just that - talk. Yes, Prescott is playing some of the best football of his career and the new "Texas Coast" offense has seemingly hit stride. But until the Cowboys face better competition, let's pump the brakes. Food for thought - none of the Cowboys six wins so far this season have against teams with winning records. Zero.
Prescott has made the most of his tune-up opportunities in the last month, though. The "Texas Coast" offensive looked anemic the first few weeks of the season. It seemed predicated on the dink-and-dunk short passing game that's a hallmark of a west coast offense, but it didn't work for the Cowboys. Kudos to head coach Mike McCarthy and Prescott for evolving on the fly.
In the last month, Prescott leads the entire NFL in yard-per-pass-attempt. He's racked up 38 big play passes (20-plus yard) this season which ties for third-best in the NFL.
The "Texas Coast" is now bold and aggressive, dictating what it wants to take from opposing defenses as opposed to being reactive and taking what it gets. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is making NFL history because of it. He's put together an unprecedented three-game stretch - the first receiver in NFL history to record double-digit catches and at least 150 receiving yards in three consecutive games. With another 150-yard receiving performance this week, he could become the first player in NFL history with 150-plus receiving yards in four straight games.
A Quick Look at the Weekend Ahead
- Who: Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers
- When: 12 p.m. on Sunday, November 19, 2023
- Where: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, NC)
- Weather: Sunny. Highs in the mid 60s, and lows in the upper 30s.
- Watch: FOX (Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, Erin Andrews, and Tom Rinaldi)
- Listen: KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan (Brad Sham, Babe Laufenberg, Kristi Scales)
- Last Meeting: Dallas 28 - Carolina 36 (October 3, 2021, in Charlotte, North Carolina)
- Series Record: Dallas leads 10-5
X’s and Joe’s
The Cowboys defense will be preparing to face the top pick in this year's NFL draft, quarterback Bryce Young. It has not gone well for the former Alabama signal caller or the Panthers offense. In nine games, Young has thrown just eight touchdown passes, while playing give-away with seven interceptions. He's completed just 63% of his pass attempts for a 75.9 quarterback rating. It would not be fair to make an ultimate judgement, but his start is alarming.
It's not all his fault though. For starters, head coach Frank Reich can't make up his mind about how to run the Panthers offense that ranks 30th in the league in yards gained and points scored. Reich called the plays for the first six weeks of the season when the Panthers scored just 10 offensive touchdowns, averaging less than 300 total yards per game. Then, he handed over the reins and play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Thomas Brown. But after a relatively small sample size of just three games, Reich will once again be the play-caller this week.
It feels like the ship is listing and perhaps Reich feels like if he's going to go down, it will be on his terms another tell of how bad things have become.
And they figure to get worse against a Micah Parsons-led defense that will have Young in its sights. Parsons will be more than motivated, too. Against the Giants, he failed to record a tackle or a sack - a first for the third-year superstar. Parsons didn't speak to the media immediately after the Giants game, but on Thursday said he can make an impact even if the stats aren't there. Look for "the lion" to be on the prowl Sunday afternoon.
The Cowboys should also look to bolster their rushing attack against the Panthers defense that ranks in the bottom third it the league against the run. When the Cowboys begin facing better competition, this facet of the offense will be vital. Against the Giants, Dallas finally got the run game in gear with 168 total yards, averaging better than five yards per carry. Rico Dowdle had a career-best rushing day with 79 yards, outgaining Tony Pollard who had 55 yards on 15 carries.
Dowdle's further development is necessary to unlock Pollard's potential. When many fans wanted to throw dirt on Ezekiel Elliott's football grave, they missed the important role he played even when he wasn't as productive as he was earlier in his career. Elliott's ability to fight for yards on those tough inside runs allowed Pollard to avoid that wear-and-tear, maintain his burst and ultimately hit home runs. Pollard can run inside, but it has taken a toll on his ability to make big plays this season. Dowdle needs to provide balance in a two-back system for the Cowboys rushing attack to be at its best.
Random Stat of the Week
This is ridiculously RANDOM.
The website Gambling.com decided to dig into the numbers and name the NFL's Biggest Gloaters. The study looked a which teams had been fined for excessive celebration since 2002.
The Cowboys were named the NFL third-biggest gloaters, behind the Saints and Steelers. In the given time frame, the Cowboys racked up 11 fines that have cost them $106,618.
Their financial penalties have stemmed from 10 different players, with Ezekiel Elliot the only repeat offender.
RANDOM!!!
Cowboys Fan Bandwagon Meter
Prediction time: Joestradamus speaks!
We've seen the Cowboys stub their toe and play with their food against inferior competition before, but this is not that time.
I think the Cowboys roll in this one, 28-13.
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