So all of it ends, a season formally over. Was this the best way we anticipated the season going after the opening the Dallas Cowboys had? No, that’s for positive. Nevertheless it most positively wasn’t the best way we needed it to conclude.
Because the Cowboys trip off into the sundown on an in any other case miserable however entertaining season, let’s take a peek again at every dwelling recreation on the Cowboys schedule and grade every one. For every recreation there’s additionally an MVP award for the perfect Cowboys participant throughout that week.
WEEK 1
Buccaneers 19-3 Cowboys (0-1)
Grade = D-
This recreation arrived with a lot anticipation and buildup after the Cowboys first-round draft choice, Tyler Smith, received an immediate elevation to left sort out place after Tyron Smith injured himself the week earlier than the sport. The Cowboys’ anxieties have been verified after studies unfold that the eight-time Professional Bowler tore his hamstring and can be out till December. The sport noticed the primary half play out a little bit nervously for each groups as all sides amounted to nothing however discipline targets. Everybody anticipated large receiver Dennis Houston to go for large positive aspects after an eyebrow elevating preseason, however all he caught was one move for 18 yards. Then Cowboys followers had the distress of watching Tyler Smith get bullied backward by Shaquil Barrett, who bumped into Dak Prescott whereas throwing, and breaking a bone in his hand. Earlier than his harm emerged, Dak established no tempo in his recreation, was below 50% completion, had thrown an interception to Antione Winfield Jr., and threw zero touchdowns. This was an abhorrent begin to the Cowboys season, one which some feared would happen. One participant who had loads of pregame consideration was Micah Parsons and he delivered. Ending the sport on three tackles, 5 pressures and two sacks, Parsons received this protection fired up from day one.
MVP – Micah Parsons
WEEK 2
Bengals 17-20 Cowboys (1-1)
Grade = B
Trepidation was the phrase of the week after the poor Week 1 efficiency. The Cowboys, after taking a beating and shedding their beginning quarterback and main security Jayron Kearse, now confronted the earlier seasons Super Bowl runner-up. With their backs in opposition to the wall the Cowboys blasted forward and have been main 17-3 at halftime. With the Cowboys leaning again into their commanding lead, the Bengals offense, led by Joe Burrow, managed an infinite comeback to tie the sport within the fourth quarter. Due to the long-range kicking abilities of Brett Maher, he secured victory off a 50-yard discipline purpose. Cooper Rush outplayed Burrow, which additionally had everybody asking the query why Dallas had stashed Noah Brown for thus lengthy after posting a recreation of 5 receptions of 91 yards, with one landing.
MVP- Noah Brown
WEEK 4
Commanders 10-25 Cowboys (3-1)
Grade = A-
One other week with out Dak and one other week with individuals predicting Cooper Rush to flunk. Rush had a reasonably excellent recreation ending 15/27 with 223 yards and two touchdowns. The protection performed lights-out to protect the sport, holding the rating low and supporting the Cowboy’s offense to dominate the sport. CeeDee Lamb drew near a 100-yard recreation and Noah Brown continued to impress with one other extremely efficient recreation. The offensive line was additionally beginning to make waves because it was taking part in competently to maintain Rush upright, even in opposition to a well-oiled Commanders defensive position. On the other aspect we received a lockdown recreation from Trevon Diggs. He allowed solely six yards all recreation and caught an interception exhibiting his brilliance as a dominant nook within the NFL.
MVP – Trevon Diggs
WEEK 7
Lions 6-24 Cowboys (5-2)
Grade = B+
Dak is again! After going 4-1 as a starter, Cooper Rush positioned hope in each Cowboys followers hearts. It was a monumental effort by your entire group to get to this stage and the mainstream media have been speaking how deep this Cowboy’s roster was and in the event that they have been contenders within the NFC. Discuss pregame encircled Dak and if he was wholesome sufficient to have performed the week earlier than on the Philadelphia Eagles recreation, however both approach he was again. The Cowboys protection performed one in every of its finest video games of the season and was in full management. It was a turnover and sack frenzy for Jared Goff who might get nothing going besides throwing interceptions and shedding the ball with pricey fumbles. An entire kill from the protection, largely from Parsons who brought on a fumble and sacked Goff twice, he actually piled on the stress. Each Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott had nice days serving to to regulate the sport.
MVP – Micah Parsons (Leighton Vander Esch and Trevon Diggs earn honorable mentions)
WEEK 8
Bears 29-49 Cowboys (6-2)
Grade = A-
It’s now a three-headed race within the NFC East with the New York Giants becoming a member of the march to remain as challengers. Tony Pollard had the sport of his life and the offense confirmed how they may take management of a recreation. The offensive line absolutely impressed on this recreation permitting solely six pressures and one sack all day. Due to these efforts, Dak solely missed six passes all recreation, On the other aspect of the sector, the Dallas protection was trying to find methods to decelerate Justin Fields, which included sending Jayron Kearse on a security blitz to convey him down. The one downside now going through this Cowboys protection was speak post-game of the run-stopping capability of this group and why they performed so poorly in opposition to the frenzy.
MVP – Tony Pollard
WEEK 12 (Thanksgiving)
Giants 20-28 Cowboys (8-3)
Grade = B+
It’s the second assembly of the season in opposition to division foe New York. It was a combined bag for Dak, however actually not one for CeeDee Lamb who dominated the sport. Though he by no means received into the paint for a landing, he was instrumental in setting the performs up on the Cowboys scoring drives and went over 100 yards on the day. Zeke had himself an enormous day additionally averaging almost six yards per carry. However is was the tight finish group that stole the present, which included the 2 rookies who displayed their potential in the course of the recreation. All of us smile reminiscing concerning the landing celebrations the tight ends had within the crimson kettle. On protection, it was a stress frenzy up entrance. DeMarcus Lawrence had a large recreation on operating performs in addition to getting stress on Daniel Jones, which helped pave strategy to each Micah Parsons and Dorance Armstrong incomes sacks.
MVP – CeeDee Lamb
WEEK 13
Colts 19-54 Cowboys (9-3)
Grade = A
In the event you get to begin any sentence with the phrase “fifty burger”, then clearly meaning it was a very good day on the workplace. Properly that sentence is just considerably true as a result of up till the fourth quarter this recreation had a couple of individuals biting their finger nails. Within the ultimate quarter, after a collection of failings by the Colts in all phases of the sport, the Cowboys set hearth to the sport by scoring 33 unanswered factors (the second-most in 1 / 4 in NFL historical past). The Cowboys entered the ultimate quarter with solely a two-point lead on the Colts, however the Indianapolis offensive line had main points all recreation which led to Matt Ryan discovering no rhythm to the sport. DaRon Bland had an enormous recreation which positioned his identify firmly on the map by intercepting Ryan twice and permitting solely 9 yards whereas in protection. This was Bland’s third profession begin after Jourdan Lewis went out injured weeks prior. Tyler Smith was taking part in effectively now at left sort out, after this recreation he had gone seven weeks permitting just one sack.
MVP – DaRon Bland
WEEK 14
Texans 23-27 Cowboys (10-3)
Grade = C
The Governors Cup was at stake and the Cowboys encountered turbulence once more. It was a recreation that was removed from fairly in opposition to a struggling Houston Texans group, at one level it appeared as if the visiting group could possibly be triumphant. However driving a four-game profitable streak, the Cowboys managed to eek this one out. Touchdowns from each operating backs on the bottom, with an added receiving landing for Pollard, enabled them to maintain the sport within the win column. Dalton Schultz got here out for a serious recreation and James Washington even managed to make an look on this recreation taking part in 11 snaps. Leighton Vander Esch determined he was taking part in with the pressure of two gamers as he went for 14 tackles in the course of the recreation and added a sort out for loss. Discuss on LVE’s run-stopping capability is now pivotal to serving to the Cowboys run protection together with Johnathan Hankins. This will likely be Terence Steele’s ultimate recreation of the season after tearing his ACL.
MVP- Leighton Vander Esch
WEEK 16
Eagles 34-40 Cowboys (11-4)
Grade = B+
It’s revenge time on Christmas Eve! The Eagles had some selections to make, primarily what to do at quarterback with Jalen Hurts injured. The Eagles needed to finish issues at Dallas and get dwelling discipline benefit by profitable this recreation, however the Cowboys had different plans. CeeDee Lamb boat-raced the Eagles competitors and had a day he’ll always remember. He managed to go over 120 yards with two touchdowns and a thoughts blowing 151.7 passer score when focused. Tyler Smith had among the finest performances among the many offensive linemen.
MVP – CeeDee Lamb (and Santa)