Dallas Cowboys must have a top ten defense and quality quarterback play to make playoffs.
The Dallas Cowboys must bode a top ten defense for this season to be successful. Last season, it was apparent that the Dallas offense could not produce much against top defenses. Frankly, the Dallas offense could not produce much against average defenses. When it was all said and done, the offense managed to score just 354 points, putting the offense in the average zone of fifteenth overall. Broken down: the Cowboys passing game was ranked at a poor twenty-sixth overall, and the rushing game ranked second best behind Jacksonville. Seems as though, the rushing game was all the Cowboys had to offer on offense.
The Dallas defense ranked eightieth in 2017. Which, isn’t playoff worthy of its own, but the offense did not help it any. The rush attack last season helped win games, no doubt about it, but our passing attack and our defense were mostly to blame for our failures. Surely, Dak Prescott must perform better. He was, to be fair, a disappointment. He was among the worst rated quarterbacks in football last season. Sixteenth overall in passer rating, eighteenth overall in pass completions, thirteenth overall in completion percentage, and rated just eighteenth overall in passing yards, with 3,139 net passing yards. Not to mention, Prescott ranked seventh overall in interceptions, with 13 interceptions. That is not what you call a slump, that is what you call a collapse.
Nevertheless, Dak has all the help he can get with the best running game in the National Football League. Arguably the best player on the Cowboys’ offense, Ezekiel Elliott, was suspended for six games last season for rag-dolling his former girlfriend, or “allegedly” rag-dolling his former girlfriend.
The point is, the best running back in the world was out for six games, and the Cowboys still managed to be the League’s second-best rushing team. All I am saying is; something is clicking right in the run department for the boys. Moreover, Prescott should still be able to find ways to win with that kind of fire-power on his side. Unfortunately, he did not last season.
The best part about the NFL is; there’s always a re-do button. The Cowboys must look at it like this: we are a young team, we still have the best offensive line, we have the greatest defensive coordinator the universe has ever seen, our defensive line is going to be hungry this year, and Coach Garrett is still clapping away with the positive attitude of success! We have those basic building blocks of success there; we have to utilize them!
The good news is; Dak Prescott has been working on the deep ball and appears to be finally clicking with his corp of receivers. After a horrible start to camp, his struggles have appeared to disappear for the meantime. Although, some coaches are known to give the defense secret “quarterback confidence boosting exorcises” in order for the starting quarterback to gain a little rhythm. However, I am not the monkey banging those cymbals in Coach Garrett’s head, so I do not know for sure if he is exorcising those type of drills or not. All I know is, there’s been a considerable change in Prescott’s game, in practice.
On a side note: I am McLovin’ the way Michael Gallup has looked thus far in camp. Dare I say: he reminds me of a smaller and faster Dez Bryant? I have no doubt he will be a star in this game. He is a starter, week one versus the Panthers. Guaranteed. Also, watch out for the new bulldozer Jerry Jones has found in running back Bo Scarborough! He is pounding that rock in practice! I know Elliott has been a professional at pounding things, but I think he just found his Executive partner at Pound Corporation. I do understand Elliot is your stereotypical three-down back; however, Bo will give the Cowboys offense some girth on the goal line. Bigger is better, right? Although, Danny Woodhead would tell you size does not matter. However, that is irrelevant to the Dallas Cowboys.
Okay, my career as a stand-up comedian is over! Back to the football.
I do not think the Cowboys will make the playoffs this year, but they most certainly could shock the world by going, say, 10-6? To get to ten wins this season, the Cowboys must: Boost their defense into the top-ten rankings and Dak must play better; as if his future depends on it (it does).
