DALLAS — "Extremely disappointed ... we're not gonna let this game beat us twice."
-Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn
That's it Cowboys fans. That's where we are. Dan Quinn's sentiment succinctly sums up what's on the Cowboys plate this week as they prepare to face the Chargers in front of another national audience on Monday Night Football.
The 42-10 beating from the 49ers Sunday night was so thorough, it had to raise at least some doubt in the Cowboys ranks. That's exacerbated because the front office made moves in the offseason specifically to be better prepared to play San Francisco. And, seemingly, none of those moves worked.
Dallas' two veteran off-season acquisitions - receiver Brandin Cooks and cornerback Stephan Gilmore - provided zero positive impact. And the Niners ability to run the ball to the tune of 170 rushing yards underscores the fact that first-round draft pick Mazi Smith has been missing in action for the entire season.
It's the kind of doubt that can be divisive, so it's up to leaders in the Cowboys locker room, like quarterback Dak Prescott and offensive lineman Zack Martin, to keep the troops focused. The 32-point defeat was the second-most lopsided for Mike McCarthy as a head coach and the largest in Prescott's pro career.
That duo's joined at the hip now with the team's "Texas Coast" offense in their hands. The first real test of the new scheme was an abject failure. On 6-of-7 first half possessions, the Cowboys failed to gain a first down ... not one. And the Cowboys gained just 197 yards on offense for the entire game – just awful – while the 49ers racked up 421 yards.
That didn't stop Cowboys owner Jerry Jones from giving out votes of confidence on his weekly radio show like he was Oprah:
You get a vote Mike.
You get a vote Dak.
You get a vote ... whoever...
In jest, but you get the point. Jones was also quick to point out how sobering and surprising the blowout loss was for all involved. But he was seemingly more concerned with spin control than anything else.
We should find out in short order how his team will respond. The Cowboys have been brilliant after losses the last couple of years with an NFL-best 9-1 record since the start of the 2021 season.
A Quick Look at the Weekend Ahead
- Who: Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Chargers
- When: 7:15 p.m. on Monday, October 16, 2023
- Where: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
- Weather: Partly cloudy. Highs in the high 70s, and lows in the low 60s.
- Watch: ESPN (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters)
- Listen: KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan (Brad Sham, Babe Laufenberg, Kristi Scales)
- Last Meeting: Dallas 20 - Los Angeles 17 (September 19, 2021, in Inglewood, Calif.)
- Series Record: Dallas leads 7-5
X’s and Joe’s
The X's and O's in this one add plenty of spice. Chargers offensive coordinator Kellen Moore spent eight seasons in Dallas as a player and coach from 2015-2022, the last four as offensive coordinator. He was jettisoned after last season's playoff failure - so you know he'd love to copycat some of the schemes that gave the Cowboys fits against the 49ers.
Chargers signal caller Justin Herbert is a promising young quarterback leading the league's fifth-ranked offense. Herbert's favorite target, veteran receiver Keenan Allen, is averaging nearly nine targets a game and is top 10 in receiving yards. Running back Austin Ekeler, a fantasy football favorite, has been out since week one with an ankle injury, but is expected to return this week.
You have to know Moore will have a wrinkle or two in store for Dan Quinn's defense, and vice versa. It sets up a what should be an entertaining cat-and-mouse game from two men who have schemed against each other for a couple of years in training camp and practice. Each knows what the other likes to do. Now, they have to try to make their counterpart play.
Quinn's defense has been the epitome of Jekyll and Hyde, appearing to be world beaters against the Giants, Jets, and Patriots, but looking disinterested against the Cardinals, and downright awful and unprepared versus Brock Purdy and the Niners.
WILL THE REAL COWBOYS DEFENSE PLEASE STAND UP?
Another big story line to watch: receiver CeeDee Lamb's frustration with the new offense. Lamb was targeted just five times against the 49ers and had four catches for 49 yards. The Niners were all over a scheme that for one week at least, lacked any sophistication. There were also execution issues – instances when Prescott misfired. But overall, San Francisco shut down the "Texas Coast" completely with ease. McCarthy says he and Lamb have talked through the frustration, which will undoubtedly translate into more touches for Lamb this week.
There's another issue with the Texas Coast highlighted by Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner.
WARNING: THIS IS FOOTBALL NERD CONTENT!
There, you've been warned. If you don't want to get too deep in the weeds, you can skip to the next section, but Warner's breakdown below illustrates how vital details are to running and offensive scheme.
Random Stat of the Week
Ever wonder how much hydration goes on during a game?
The Cowboys take 360 20 oz. bottles of Gatorade to each game. That's 24 cases.
The training staff also brings 10 five-gallon bottles of water.
Drink up so you won't cramp up!
Cowboys Fan Bandwagon Meter
Prediction time: Joestradamus speaks!
For all their troubles in big game environments recently, the Cowboys have shown resiliency the past couple of years after losing. So, I look for the Cowboys to bounce back.
Head coach Mike McCarthy might not win the battle with his former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, but I think Cowboys DC Dan Quinn will.
Cowboys beat the Chargers 31-27.
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