Andy Dalton’s debut, feeding Zeke and other things to watch for Dallas Cowboys on MNF
When the Dallas Cowboys take the field against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night, it will be a new experience for the franchise and almost everyone in the huddle.
It will be the first time without Dak Prescott as the starting quarterback since 2016, a span of 69 straight games.
Fortunately, it will not be a new experience for Andy Dalton, the former TCU star who takes over for the injured Prescott and is now charged with leading the team for the remainder of the season.
After starting the past nine years with the Cincinnati Bengals, holding a clipboard and watching from the sidelines was a new experience for Dalton.
He is now back in his comfort zone.
“I’ve been used to starting,” Dalton said. ”So my role is a little different the first five games being behind Dak, but now it’s like getting back to basically how it was for me. And so I know how to prepare. I’ve got a routine that I’ve been used to, that I’ve done, that I feel like has worked really well for me. It’s not really a whole lot new that I’m trying to figure out. I’ve got the experience of doing this for a while.”
Dalton has repeatedly told the Cowboys that this is why he signed as Prescott’s backup in the off-season. He wanted the opportunity to play meaningful games with a good team, a chance to prove himself again and possibly earn a starting job somewhere next season.
So the Cowboys not only get a proven starter but one with something still to prove.
“I’ve had some really good years and been on some really good teams and have had some success in this league,” Dalton said. “And so my goal moving forward is just to keep proving that. Just doing whatever I can to help this team win. Make sure that I’m doing everything possible on my end that’s going to allow us a chance to win these games and to win each week moving forward.”
“I feel like we still have a lot of good football left, and I’m anxious to go show that the rest of the season.”
Here are five Cowboys things to watch for Monday’s game against the Cardinals:
Letting Zeke Elliott eat
The Cowboys can help ease the sting of losing Prescott by being more balanced on offense and having running back Ezekiel Elliott shoulder a larger share of the load.
Prescott led the NFL in passing yards, completions and attempts. But those contributions are now gone.
The Cardinals present a good opportunity for a Cowboys return to ground and pound. They are allowing 4.5 yards per carry.
“I think we want to be balanced, anyway,” Elliott said. “We’ve been more passing this year because we’ve gotten behind in a lot of games and we’ve had to throw the ball that much. But we want to be a balanced team.”
Elliott is averaging 4.1 yards per carry but is still looking for his first 100-yard rushing game of the season.
Kyler Murray coming home
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has won more games at AT&T Stadium than any quarterback not named Dak Prescott or Tony Romo.
In fact, he’s the only quarterback to have never lost a game there.
His 6-0 all-time mark includes five wins while at Allen High School, three of them state championships. He was 1-0 with Oklahoma, winning the Big 12 championship in 2018.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called Murray one of the top 10 talents to ever play in the stadium, known to many as “JerryWorld.”
“He is a mess in terms of a challenge to the defense,” Jones said. “He’s probably in the top 10 of any talented player that has played in that stadium. He is just so unique in his ability to keep plays alive and then not only to have that athletic ability, but then have that speed to go with it.”
The game against the Cowboys will be Murray’s first start on Monday Night Football, but no one expects him to be fazed by the moment.
“I’m blessed to be in the position that I’m in, to be playing in the NFL,” Murray said. “Obviously, every weekend is a great opportunity. This is another one. Going back home, playing in Dallas, it’s obviously a big game for us on Monday Night in front of everybody. Obviously, have to stay composed, play my game, play our game, execute at a high level in order to win.”
Controlling the Cardinals’ offense
The key for the Cowboys defense will be to keep Murray and the Cardinals’ offense under control.
That starts with getting a handle on Murray.
The second-year quarterback led the NFL in rushing yards among quarterbacks heading into Week 6, and he is coming off a game in which he passed for 380 yards and two touchdowns. (Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson currently holds the top spot after gaining 108 rushing yards in the Ravens’ 30-28 win over the Eagles Sunday.)
“He has a unique skill set. He’s so quick and explosive, and he can get the ball out of his hand very quickly,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said. “Obviously, he can make any throw, he can hit all the quadrants of the field, and he’s leading the league in rushing as quarterbacks. So I think that, in itself, tells you the stress that he puts on your defense. He’s a dynamic player and he’s definitely the centerpiece of that offense.”
But it’s not just Murray. The Cowboys defense will be challenged to contain receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who leads the league in catches and receiving yards.
Rookie QB only a play away
A big focus of the Cowboys has been getting rookie seventh-round pick Ben DiNucci up to speed as the new backup quarterback.
He is one play away from getting in the game against the Cardinals on Monday night.
It was important for McCarthy to get the rookie from James Madison, who lost reps when the preseason was canceled, some snaps with the first team this week in practice.
“I’m not as concerned about Andy Dalton’s preparation as much as I’m focused on Ben DiNucci’s,” McCarthy said. “We have to make sure that the No. 2, that’s where the biggest preparation and change is going on. We need to make sure Ben advances in his new role.
“Most important thing is, he’s getting more live reps, and that’s what every quarterback in this league needs. He’s not only getting reps to prepare himself for the game plan against the Arizona Cardinals defense, but he’s also had to emulate Kyler, particularly in some of the drop-back stuff. His opportunity is right in front of him, so he’s got to make sure he’s ready.”
Staying atop the NFC East
When teams lose their franchise quarterback, it often means that things start going south for the team’s performance.
But that is not likely to be the case for the Cowboys, who have a proven veteran in Dalton stepping in for the injured Prescott.
And then there is the mess that is the NFC East. The Cowboys lead the division with a 2-3 mark. They have a chance to extend their lead with a victory against the Cardinals after second-place Philadelphia (1-4-1) lost to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. The New York Giants and the Washington Football Team are 1-5.
That cushion and winning at home are important. Monday’s game is the finale of a three-game home stand, and it will be followed by crucial division games at Washington and Philadelphia.
This story was originally published October 18, 2020 at 2:50 PM.
