The Cowboys proved they have a gameday advantage we didn’t expect, and two more things we’ve learned from 3-0 run
The Dallas Cowboys have a gameday advantage that starts with HC Brian Schottenheimer.
The Dallas Cowboys have reignited their playoff hopes with three consecutive weeks ahead of a crucial Week 14 matchup against the Detroit Lions.
And they look like a much-improved team on defense, but that’s not all. There is a lot we have learned from the Cowboys on offense, as well. Let’s get into what we’ve learned from Dallas amid the 3-0 run that has them back in the playoff hunt.
1. Coaching is a legit gameday advantage for the Cowboys
Ahead of the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving matchup versus the Kansas City Chiefs, I couldn’t help but think there was one obvious mismatch that could cost Dallas the game: Coaching.
Now, my thought wasn’t at all against Brian Schottenheimer’s staff, which has been impressive in many ways. But it was about facing head coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo on a short week. Those are two of the very best in their respective positions. But the Cowboys showed up in a major way.
One way it showed up was Malik Davis’ 43-yard touchdown run, which according to Cowboys OC Klayton Adams, was put back in the playbook to punish the Chiefs’ tendencies to jump out of gaps. In Davis’ run, Chris Jones jumps out of his gap to pass rush and the defense pays the price big time.
“That was a play that we had run earlier in the season and then we had put back in that plan late just because there are certain teams, with the kind of pass rushers around the league, where you’ll see guys jumping out of gaps a little bit,” Adams told reporters Monday. “They’re hard to block because they’re really good players. But how you try to punish somebody for that is you try to get the ball through the line of scrimmage quickly. And so that’s kind of where we were going with that. And I think we were all kind of taken by surprise that it hit the way that it did.”
Davis’ run was a surprise, indeed. But I was mostly shocked at how well they game planned and executed against such a good and experienced staff.
2. Cowboys can win with this defense
Say what you want about the struggles the Las Vegas Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, and Chiefs are going through. This Cowboys defense had struggles of its own against every and anybody prior to the bye week, regardless of the quality opponents. Their improvement has been legit. This is no longer one of the worst defenses in the NFL, and that’s enough to complement one of the best offenses in football.
Cowboys DC Matt Eberflus credits continuity, influx of talent, and overall execution for the improvement. But also, it’s about adapting your scheme to your players, as he explained.
“I think you move your scheme to where the players are,” Eberflus said. “You just got to see where that is and then you always want to put your best players on the field. If you have some really good D-tackles like we do have, you find a way to get those guys on the field. You package it that way. So, you’re always looking at the talent level that you have.”
That’s what the Cowboys have done on defense, shifting to five-man defensive fronts when possible to get Kenny Clark, Osa Odighizuwa, and Quinnen Williams on the field at the same time.
3. Offensive line can deal with top defensive tackles
Though the Cowboys have struggled against top edge rushers due to inconsistent pass protection from their offensive tackles. But in recent weeks, they’ve dominated two of the best defensive tackles in the league. Jalen Carter and Chris Jones lost their respective battles to Tyler Smith and the first-round rookie, Tyler Booker.
The Cowboys wanted their interior offensive line to be as physical as it gets and it hasn’t disappointed. Handling business inside should only make game-planning easier for Dallas.
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