First place? Last place? It’s all possible as the Dallas Cowboys return from the bye
So what did the Dallas Cowboys accomplish during their off week.
Quite a lot, actually.
The Cowboys moved closer to the top of the race in the NFC East while firmly landing in last place in the division and moving one step closer to a Top 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Philadelphia Eagles (3-5-1) remain in first place in the NFC East but their loss to the New York Giants (3-7) on Sunday brought everyone closer to the top. Washington and the Cowboys trail at 2-7.
Washington is ahead of the Cowboys because of the head-to-head victory. And for those hoping for a premium draft pick, the Cowboys now have the third-worst record in the NFL behind the New York Jets (0-9) and Jacksonville Jaguars (1-9).
The Cowboys, who are now just 1 1/2 games behind the Eagles, can get right back in thick of things in the NFC East if they snap a four-game losing streak with a victory against the Minnesota Vikings (3-5) when they resume play on Sunday.
A win over Vikings followed by a victory against Washington on Thanksgiving would certainly jump start a possible Cowboys revival.
With only one winning team left on the schedule in the 6-3 Baltimore Ravens, a 7-9 finish might be good enough to win the division title, if not 6-10, considering the current state of the NFC East.
“It’s obvious the state of our division,” coach Mike McCarthy said Monday. “It’s something, I hit it today in the team meeting, you go through administrative facts and details and what you need to do. I think it’s only obvious what the four records are in the division and winning the division and what’s in front of you. But the bulk of our focus and the majority of the messaging is really on self-improvement.”
On the flip side, if the Cowboys lose out, they are guaranteed to pick at least third in the draft with the possibility of rising higher.
Here are three questions facing the Cowboys coming off the bye:
Will it be Dalton or Gilbert at quarterback?
The Cowboys hope to see the return of veteran quarterback Andy Dalton against the Vikings.
Dalton has been on NFL’s Reserve/COVID-19 list the past two weeks after missing a game with a concussion.
He will start against the Vikings if he is clear of COVID. And he appears on track for the start. Dalton practiced with the Cowboys on Monday and looked good, said McCarthy. “I think realistically we have to get through the whole week in practice. He hasn’t been involved for a couple of weeks now. He looked good today. We’re taking it one day at a time.”
Former Texas and SMU product Garrett Gilbert will be the likely backup.
Gilbert was impressive in the 24-19 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers before the bye and there is sentiment towards continuing on with him to see what he has for the future.
But the Cowboys plan to stick with a healthy Dalton as long as they are still in playoff contention.
Should Zeke Elliott relinquish more carries to Tony Pollard?
Team owner Jerry Jones is against giving reducing the role of struggling running back Ezekiel Elliott and giving backup Tony Pollard a bigger piece of the pie.
Never mind that Elliott has struggled through the first nine games with a career-long strong of games without 100 yards on ground.
He is averaging a career-low 3.8 yards per carry and has five fumbles. Pollard is averaging 4.4 yards per carry and has provided juice the last two games with seven carries for 40 yards against the Eagles and nine carries for 57 yards against the Steelers.
“Tony’s not a Johnny come lately,” Jones said. “It always was exponential his potential here to help us, not though, let me emphasize, not though, at the diminished times we get the ball in the hands of Zeke or get Zeke involved in the offense in a way that he influences the offense so we can make big plays. I would say ‘no’ in answer to any role that Pollard is being considered that would diminish anything that we’re doing with Zeke.”
Can the Cowboys continue to improve on defense?
Through the first seven games, the Cowboys had the league’s worst run defense and were on pace to set a new team record for points allowed.
But progress started to show in a 23-9 loss to the Eagles when they gave up a season low in points, yards allowed (222) and forced four turnovers.
In the 24-19 loss to the Steelers, the Cowboys allowed just 46 yards rushing and came within in two questionable penalties against linebacker Jaylon Smith of pulling off what would have been viewed as the upset of the season.
But improvement has been made with a unit that had struggled with a new scheme, a new staff and a breakdown in communication.
The players are admittedly more comfortable with what they are being asked to do and it’s showing.
One hitch in their ability to continue to show progress after the bye will be the loss of rookie cornerback Trevon Diggs, who is out for four to six weeks with a fractured bone his foot, though veteran Chido Awuzie is ready to go after missing the past seven games with a strained hamstring.
