Clarence Hill: 5 Things Dallas Cowboys need to do vs. Bengals, avoid dreaded 0-2 hole
What’s the difference between 1-1 and 0-2?
“Well, you have one win,” Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin answered with a sarcastic grin and a little laughter before continuing.
“We’re trying to go out there and win them all. Unfortunately, we didn’t get off to a very good start on Sunday. It’s important for us to go out there and get a win and kind of get the mojo going. Get this thing going in the right direction.
The truth is that any hopes the Cowboys have of salvaging their season could be decided by whether they can beat the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday at AT&T Stadium and avoid the dreaded 0-2, which has proven to be a virtual death knell.
No NFL team in the last three years has made the playoffs after beginning a season 0-2. That number was 0-7 in 2021 in the first year of the NFL’s 17-game season schedule.
Since 2007, only 11 teams have made the playoffs after starting 0-2 and those teams have gone a combined 5-11 in the postseason with none reaching the Super Bowl.
5 Things the Cowboys need to do to beat the Bengals:
Lean on Ezekiel Elliott and the run game
With quarterback Dak Prescott out for at least four weeks with a fractured thumb and the team turning to backup Cooper Rush to the lead them, the Cowboys will need to lean on running back Ezekiel Elliott and the ground game.
Elliott has 10 carries for 52 yards in the opener. He said the team must commit to the running game against the Bengals.
“I don’t know if there is a [specific] number of carries [needed], but I think we definitely have to commit to running it,” Elliott said. “I think it’s important, period, to establish the run game and run the football and get that going. I think just overall as an offense we’re a better football team when we run the ball, and so I think we ran the ball efficiently last Sunday. I’m looking forward to committing to it this week.”
Get something from CeeDee Lamb
One reason the Cowboys didn’t run more in season opener is because they didn’t convert third downs and sustain drives.
They need to make plays in passing game with quarterback Cooper Rush and that means CeeDee Lamb needs to step up as the No. 1 receiver.
He didn’t handle the extra attention in season opener with just 2 catches on 11 targets for 29 yards.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones gave CeeDee Lamb no grace in his struggles as the team’s No. 1 receiver: “People are covering your best receiver. That happens. What do you do? You’ve got to play through being covered. You’ve got to catch balls covered. You can’t not make some plays.”
Don’t get run over on the ground
As well the Cowboys defense played last season when it led the league in turnovers, one of the areas it needed to improve in most was stopping the run.
That continues to be an issue through one game in 2022. Tampa Bay running back Leonard Fournette bullied his way to 127 yards in the season opener with on the edge where the Cowboys were the most vulnerable.
“It was the outside,” defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said. “We’re pretty strong internally and pressures to go, so they were trying to get out on the edge and were able to do that some. That’s something we know is fixable and we will for sure.”
Cincinnati running back Joe Mixon will be looking to exploit the Cowboys run defense on Sunday.
Mixon had 27 carries for 82 yards in the season opener.
Take advantage of La’el Collins and Bengals line
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was sacked seven times and committed five turnovers as the Pittsburgh Steelers exploited the Bengals offensive line in season opener.
Right tackle La’el Collins, a former Cowboys player, struggled with the bull rushes of T.J. Watt last week. It’s an opportunity for DeMarcus Lawrence to do more of the same on Sunday.
Linebacker Micah Parsons, who had two sacks, in the season opener, will get his turn at Collins but he plans to attack left tackle Jonah Williams and hit Burrow with blitzes.
“I’m not expecting the same Joe Burrow as last week,” Parsons said. “Good players always learn from their mistakes. I think he’s an extremely good quarterback, I’m excited for the match up and yeah obviously I want to get pressure on Burrow and try to make an impact on the game in that way. Try my best to minimize his time and try to get the ball to his elite receivers.”
Contain explosive receiver Ja’ Marr Chase
The biggest emphasis for the Cowboys secondary is containing Ja’Marr Chase, one of the league’s most explosive play makers who is already in the conversation as arguably the league’s best receiver in just his second season.
It makes for intriguing battle with All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs, who led the NFL with 11 interceptions but also led league in passing yards allowed. If Diggs gambles and misses, Chase will be running to the end zone.
The Cowboys also need to pay attention to tight end Hayden Hurst. With safety Jayron Kearse out with a knee injury, Israel Mukaumu will see action for the first time as a cover safety due to his lenghth and background as a former college cornerback. Look for Markquese Bell to get time as linebacker in the “Big Nickel” 3-safety defense
