Is Cowboys-Bengals Now Biggest Game on Dallas' Schedule?
Through 12 weeks of the NFL season, expectations have clearly changed for the Dallas Cowboys. Heck, just last week we thought the biggest game of the Cowboys' season was the Thanksgiving match versus Washington. Well, that's past us now and since Dallas tallied one more loss, it's time to wonder what's the next big game […]
Through 12 weeks of the NFL season, expectations have clearly changed for the Dallas Cowboys. Heck, just last week we thought the biggest game of the Cowboys' season was the Thanksgiving match versus Washington. Well, that's past us now and since Dallas tallied one more loss, it's time to wonder what's the next big game for this football team.
Just a quick glance at the schedule will reveal it's their Week 14 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Sure, they're not even in the same conference as the Cowboys, but we're not talking about the playoffs here. Instead, we're talking about the NFL Draft.
Prior to Week 12 Sunday's games, here's how the NFL Draft order looks, per Tankathon.
- NY Jets (0-10)
- JAX Jaguars (1-9)
- CIN Bengals (2-7-1)
- DAL Cowboys (3-8)
- LA Chargers (3-7)
You see, it's likely that when it's all said and done, whoever gets the win between the Bengals and Cowboys in Week 14 will define who picks after the other. This is always important, but it seems even more now with these two teams.
The reason is one prospect in particular, and that's Offensive Tackle Penei Sewell from Oregon. There are many things to say about Sewell, but perhaps this quote from The Athletic's Dane Brugler says it all:
"Although they play on different sides of the ball, this year’s version of Chase Young or Nick Bosa is Sewell, a dominant prospect who is widely considered the top non-quarterback in the draft class."
He comes into the NFL Draft confident that even though he opted out, he'll be one of the top picks in April. He's got the prototypical size, the athleticism and the instincts to make an impact right away on Sundays.
At just 21-years-old, Sewell shines in both run blocking and pass protection. Some have criticized his hand technique, but that should only make him an even more exciting prospect as he still has plenty of room to improve.
If the Bengals end up picking third, chances are they're taking Sewell. They just lost QB Joe Burrow for the season after he tore his ACL and that ended up happening because of a terrible offensive line. They'll do everything to protect their young QB.
As for the Dallas Cowboys, if they're in a position to take Penei Sewell, I don't know if they can pass on him. Sure, they got Tyron Smith who is one of the best tackles in the NFL when healthy. The problem is, he hasn't played a full season since 2015 and as he nears the 30-year-old mark his injuries are the kind that tend to come back.
With the Dallas Cowboys aiming to lock Dak Prescott for the long run, it should be a good idea to ensure that he'll have somebody protecting his blind side. Especially because Sewell is so good. Who knows, Sewell could even play guard for a year before the Cowboys move on from Tyron Smith.
But all of that won't matter if the Bengals end up picking ahead of the Cowboys. I know most fans don't like to root against their favorite team when the game comes on, but Dallas Cowboys will be better off by losing to the Cincinnati Bengals in the Penei Sewell Bowl.*
*As much as I'd love to take credit for this name, shoutout to A to Z Sports writer Adam Holt for coming up with it.
Featured Image Via Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
