Dallas Cowboys defense making (the wrong kind of) history versus Cleveland Browns
At one point during the second quarter, Dallas Cowboys veteran radio voice Brad Sham said of the Cowboys run defense, “Borders on unprofessional.”
Please note Mr. Brad Sham is not exactly a Cowboys hater.
“This defense can stop nothing,” Sham said.
There is no defense for the Cowboys defense.
Against the Cleveland Browns, the Dallas Cowboys were historically bad.
Consecutive second quarter turnovers led to Browns touchdowns; Cleveland has 15 plays in the first half of 10 or more yards.
Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has two touchdown catches, and their running backs are running on a six-lane freeway on nearly every run. They have rushed for 164 yards in the first half.
This is without starting running back Nick Chubb, who left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury.
They are on pace for 40 first downs this game.
1. The Cowboys had a lead!
When the Cowboys took a lead against the Browns in the first quarter it was cause for socially-distanced/responsible party.
At the time quarterback Dak Prescott laced maybe the finest TD pass of his career, the Cowboys had had a lead for 13 minutes and 29 seconds this season.
Dak Prescott had one of the best first quarters ever played by a Cowboys quarterback. He was 10-of-11 passing for 174 yards with two touchdowns.
Per ESPN Stats., that’s the most productive first quarter by a Cowboys QB in 30 years. Tony Romo passed for 167 yards against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in the first quarter of a game in 2013.
2. Zeke Elliott made CeeDee’s TD possible.
Cowboys rookie receiver CeeDee Lamb owes running back Zeke Elliott a case of champagne.
Midway through the first quarter, Elliott picked up a blitzing Browns defensive end Myles Garrett for a good block.
Elliott, who is one of the best blocking running backs in the NFL, gave Dak Prescott time to look off the safety and loft a pass for Lamb for a 43-yard touchdown reception, his first as a pro.
3. Tyron Smith is back, but the right tackle is getting killed
The loss of La’el Collins to season-ending hip surgery this week means the Cowboys’ answers at right tackle are Bad and Worse.
Against Cleveland, the Cowboys started undrafted rookie free agent Terence Steele, who was devoured by Browns’ end Myles Garrett.
Midway trough the second quarter, Steele was benched in favor of Brandon Knight.
This story was originally published October 4, 2020 at 1:35 PM.
