It’s been a strong start to the season for the Dallas Cowboys. They came out with a definitive victory against the Giants in week one, but things have been a little shaky since.
Week two started out just like week one, as the Cowboys’ defense dominated the New York Jets and the team won 30-10. They forced another four turnovers against the Jets, three of those being interceptions. They also accounted for three sacks, with star edge rusher Micah Parsons showing why he is the early favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year. Parsons finished with two sacks, three tackles-for-loss and four QB hits, showing he is on track to become the most impactful player in the NFL on defense.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Cowboys also proved why they should be in the early playoff discussion. Quarterback Dak Prescott was efficient, going 31/38 for 255 yards and two touchdowns through the air. He is finally giving Cowboys’ fans what they have been hoping to see from him.
The run game was not as effective against the Jets; however, as the Cowboys had no touchdowns in the ground game. Possibly the biggest story to start out the season, though, is that the Cowboys finally have a good kicker. Brandon Aubrey went 7/7 on field goals through the first two games. And even though he had a shaky start, missing his first PAT of the year, he hasn’t missed one since.
Unfortunately, after two dominant showings in week one and week two, star cornerback Trevon Diggs tore his ACL in practice prior to the Cowboys week three matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Diggs will be out for the season — a massive loss for the Cowboys’ defense. This could possibly be the worst thing that could have happened to the Cowboys other than Parsons being out for the season.
Going into week three versus the Arizona Cardinals, the Cowboys were not 100% healthy, as they were without three starting offensive linemen, and Diggs was out on defense. Although the Cowboys were not at 100%, it doesn’t change the fact that they were sloppy and inconsistent against the Cardinals when they lost 16-28. The Cowboys defense could not stop the run game from the Cardinals, as they gave up over 200 rushing yards.
It was an abysmal performance all around from the Cowboys. The offense couldn’t do anything with the ball in their hands and failed to convert in the red zone twice. Prescott was ineffective, going 25/40 and throwing an interception. Running back Tony Pollard had a good game, rushing for over 100 yards, but he failed to get into the end zone. The only positive that came from the Cowboys offense is that Aubrey managed to keep his perfect percentage for field goals.
After their horrendous performance against a bad Cardinals team, the Cowboys looked to bounce back against the Patriots in week four. The Cowboys came away with a blow out win against New England, winning 38-3. This was the Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s biggest loss of his 29-year career. The offense and defense also appeared to wake up from whatever nap they took during week three’s game against the Cardinals.
The defense dominated the entire game causing another three turnovers. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch recovered a fumble for a touchdown early in the second quarter. Cornerback DaRon Bland had two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown and proving why he is the new No. 1 corner on the team.
The offense, led by Prescott, also had a good game. Prescott went 28/34 through the air for 261 yards and a touchdown. The overall run game was also effective, as they ran for 124 yards and had a touchdown.
Overall, a record of 3-1 is a great start to the season, and the performances by both the offense and defense have been promising so far. There is still a long way to go, but Cowboys fans can certainly be hopeful and have high expectations for the season ahead.
