NFC East leaders are winning with new coaches, backup QBs. So why aren’t the Cowboys?
The loss of quarterback Dak Prescott and the inability to implement new schemes in the offseason with a new staff under coach Mike McCarthy due to the COVID-19 pandemic are considered two of the big reasons for the struggles of the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys were in last place in NFC East heading into Tuesday’s game against the Ravens in Baltimore, but after a 34-17 loss they find themselves at 3-9 and trailing the division-leaders at 5-7 with four games to play. Like the Cowboys, both the New York Giants and Washington Football Team have new coaches in Joe Judge and Ron Rivera, respectively.
The Giants are riding a four-game winning streak and are coming off an upset win at the Seattle Seahawks (8-4) Sunday with backup quarterback Colt McCoy at the helm due to an injury to Daniel Jones. It was the first victory of the season by a NFC East over an opponent with a winning record.
The next day Washington one-upped New York by taking down the previously unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers (11-1) and is now riding a three-winning streak of its own. Washington is being led by Alex Smith, who opened the season as the third-string quarterback before being pressed into action when Dwayne Haskins was benched and Kyle Allen was injured.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says it’s fair to wonder why the Cowboys haven’t been able to have success similar to New York and Washington, considering the comparable circumstances. The Cowboys have not won back-to-back games all season.
“I think that’s a fair approach to look at them, because they incurred setbacks, injury,” Jones said. “They obviously made changes when they came into their various organizations. I don’t know how you could line them up and make a better, fairer comparison. And, of course, nobody is setting the world on fire here.
“They are up on us a couple of games, but we all know that we would have liked to have played better. So, I think that’s a fair comparison. I think it’s something to look at, and it’s something to look at how they compare.”
Jones, however, says the improvement that New York and Washington have shown over the course of the season gives him hope that the Cowboys can make a late run of their own over the final quarter of the season..
Their hope for improvement lies in them finally getting some consistency at quarterback with Andy Dalton getting more comfortable in place of Prescott after getting hurt and removed in one game and missing two more games with a concussion and COVID-19.
“It encourages me,” Jones said. “I think you can get it together. You can get it working. Once you start adding a few things together, then all of a sudden, you start playing good football. We haven’t played good football, and there’s all kinds of reasons. That’s just where we are. But I think it’s an encouraging sign. To see these teams, these new coaches, these new staffs, these new, if you will, the directions that they’re going, and see them play some better football as we saw the last two or three days.”
Zack Martin on injured reserve, season may be over
Pro Bowl guard Zack Martin, who was started at right tackle when he suffered a calf strain against Washington Thanksgiving, has been placed on injured reserve.
Martin will be out for at least three weeks. Depending on how the Cowboys play, he could be done for the season. If the Cowboys are out of contention, there will be no reason for Martin to return for the final two meaningless games, if he’s cleared to play.
This story was originally published December 8, 2020 at 6:37 PM.
