Check out Jason Garrett’s latest motivational tactic to spark slumping Dallas Cowboys
In an effort to get the Dallas Cowboy out of their slump, coach Jason Garrett showed his team a reel of their highlight plays this week to show them how good they are at their best. It included a few plays from last season.
The Cowboys have lost three in a row, four of their last five and seven of their last 10, but control their destiny heading into Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams (8-5) at AT&T Stadium.
Garrett hopes a little positive reinforcement will get his team out of funk in enough time to save the season over the last three games.
“I think he’s just trying to convey that there’s a way in which we need to play,” tight end Jason Witten said. “We haven’t played to the level that we expect, and I think it was just a reminder of, ‘this is how we play.’ A lot of that is like, whether you know football or not, look at these guys and how they’re playing. It was a good reminder to start the week with ‘this is who we are.’”
The plays included a goal-line tackle by linebacker Jaylon Smith on quarterback Deshaun Watson in last season’s game against the Houston Texans. And a run by quarterback Dak Prescott in last year’s wild-card victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
“It was like a highlight reel,” right tackle La’el Collins said. “They were all fantastic plays. Everything went well on them, offense and defense. So it just shows the type of team we have, the players we have. It’s just putting it all together so that you see what it looks like when we do it the right way.”
Here are five things to watch for Sunday’s game against the Rams:
Focusing on the losing streak
On paper, the Rams game has no bearing on the Cowboys quest for the NFC East title and the playoffs.
The Cowboys (6-7) could lose to the Rams but win the NFC East with wins over division foes the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins.
That seems like the most logical road to the playoffs for the Cowboys, who are undefeated against the NFC East and 0-6 in games against teams with winning records in 2019.
The Rams are playing their best football of the season.
Quarterback Dak Prescott said the Cowboys’ focus is on winning against the Rams because it’s not just about getting to the playoffs, but building momentum and going in there with some confidence.
“Momentum is something serious,” he said. “And if we can get it on our side, this has been a streaky team and, yes, you got to get that first one to get the second one. That’s just the mindset: Let’s focus on today, let’s focus on the now, let’s focus on this week and not worry about the rest. We’ll worry about that when it comes.”
Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott vs. Rams RB Todd Gurley
Todd Gurley has the most rushing yards in the NFL since he entered the league in 2015.
Ezekiel Elliott has the most rushing yards in the NFL since he entered the league in 2016.
Neither are at the top of the league in rushing in 2019 but they remain the gold standard. Elliott is the highest paid back in NFL history after surpassing Gurley in September.
Elliott is fifth in the NFL in rushing with 1,071 yards and nine touchdowns. Gurley is 16th with 721 yards and nine touchdowns.
Asked what he appreciates about Gurley’s game, Elliott said: “Just his ability to do a little bit of everything. Great pass catcher, great size, great speed, great vision. He’s just overall a very talented player.”
Said Gurley: “Zeke’s always been a beast. He’s been a beast and everyone’s known since (he) was running all over Alabama at Ohio State. Then, going to ‘America’s Team’ with the Cowboys and doing the celebrations. He’s just a good running back, good for the league, good to have guys like that. Definitely deserved everything he got because he definitely worked hard for it.”
Cowboys WR Amari Cooper vs. Rams CB Jalen Ramsey
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper 70 catches for 1,054 yards and eight touchdowns for the NFL’s top-ranked offense.
But it’s been well chronicled that he has struggled when going against some of the league’s top cornerbacks in Marcus Lattimore of the New Orleans Saints (five catches, 48 yards), Darius Slay of the Detroit Lions (three for 38) and Stephon Gilmore of the New England Patriots (0 for 0).
On Sunday, he faces Jalen Ramsey of the Los Angeles Rams. In their only other meeting, Cooper had four catches for 29 yards. That was during Ramsey’s rookie season in 2016 when he was with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cooper was with the Oakland Raiders.
“Yeah, I mean, Jalen Ramsey is a pretty good corner,’’ Cooper said. “He’s long, he’s fast, he has all of the tangible things you want in a corner.
“It’s going to be a challenge. It’s going to be a battle.’’
Ramsey remembers that first meeting and agrees it’s going to be a battle. Cooper didn’t do much damage because the Raiders made a living on the other side of the field in a 33-16 victory.
Ramsey said Cooper actually got the best of him in their battle.
“It looks like I won the matchup, right?” Ramsey said to Rams media this week. “If you actually turn on the film and look at it he was like eating me up all game long, especially on the line and his releases. I was overly aggressive. He was really killing me off the line. They were just at the time basically picking on the corner on the other side.
“That’s something that’s always stuck in my mind. Like that stat line didn’t matter to me. How that actual game went mattered a lot to me — and that’s when I gained a lot of respect for him.”
He is “one of the most underrated receivers in the league,” Ramsey said. “What he’s been able to do since he got to Dallas, it’s elite.”
Can new kicker Kai Forbath make kicks?
The Cowboys have a new kicker in Kai Forbath, who was signed to replace the released Brett Maher.
Forbath had the best workout among three players at a tryout Monday morning and the team finally made a move with Maher, who was 20 of 30, including just 1 of 5 from 40-49 yards.
His 10 missed field goals were the most of any kicker in the league over the last four years.
Coach Jason Garrett said Maher missed too many kicks he should have made.
Forbath started his career with the Cowboys in 2011 before he was injured in training camp. The club went with rookie Dan Bailey who held the job until he was replaced by Maher last season.
Forbath has been with five teams but has kicked in just four games the past two seasons, three in 2018 with the Jacksonville Jaguars and one this season with the New England Patriots.
Forbath has made 121 of 141 field goals in his career.
He knows what’s on the line.
“It’s something I’ve gotten used to. It’s not the best situation,” Forbath said. “But if you make kicks you stick around.”
Cowboys must stop the run
The Cowboys defense is coming off an embarrassing effort against the Chicago Bears, when they were gashed on the ground and missed tackles all over the field.
The Rams and Gurley exposed the Cowboys’ defense on the ground in last season’s divisional playoff loss.
The Rams rushed for 273 yards and gained 459 total yards. They amassed 30 first downs as they confused the Cowboys with motion, movement and misdirection.
Teams have rushed on the Cowboys all season. But most disheartening has been the litany of missed tackles.
“We must be better tacklers out there,” Cowboys passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Kris Richard said. “Especially dealing with this team. Tackling is at a premium. And we’ve got to get our bodies on him, all 11 to the ball, wrap up, rip, strip, do whatever we can to try to take the football away. And then get lined up and get ready to do it again.
“We’re all watching the tape. We all understand. We all want to be better. We all see where we need to be better. So now it’s about going out there and doing the fundamental things correctly.”
