Tag: 2022 Week 1

Finding 3 stars out of Cowboys’ Week 1 performance

The telescope needs to be fine-tuned but @CDPiglet found 3 shining entities from the Dallas-Tampa Bay game.

The Dallas Cowboys may have stars on the sides of their helmets, but they hardly appeared to be celestial beings in their 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. The performance was terrestrial, to say the least. In fact, the coaching staff would probably like to bury the film deep in the Texas tundra. But they can’t.

Nor should they. There were a few diamond performances which stood above the crowd, sparkling while others needed to be dusted off. They mostly relied on the defensive side of the ball, where Dan Quinn’s unit fought to keep the team in the game while Kellen Moore’s group struggled to find a rhythm with a severe talent deficit from their 2021 versions. Here’s a look at three players who stood out.

Micah Parsons shines brightly in humiliating Cowboys’ loss

The Cowboys best player once again proved why he’s on another level from his teammates and the rest of the league. | From @TimLettiero

When it rains it pours. The Dallas Cowboys looked flat and uninspired in their Week 1 rematch with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After almost beating the defending champs in 2021, the script for Sunday night’s game spiraled into one similar to the last time anyone saw them, the wild-card loss to San Francisco. The offense seemed to have no game plan and the defense was forced to do their best while the offense middled out.

Tampa Bay closed the curtain, 19-3, as Dallas could only manage points on their opening drive. The offense struggled mightily however, the biggest and brightest star on the field once again proved his worth. Linebacker Micah Parsons, who quickly became one of the best defenders in the league as a rookie, returned to form, leading the way in holding the Tampa Bay offense to under 20 points.

Tampa Bay did well to contain Parsons in the first quarter but played with fire in the second. Tom Brady and the Buccaneers marched downfield into the red zone and on a 3rd-and-5 Parsons hit LT Donovan Smith with a sweet spin move to get the sack and cause fourth down.

On the following drive, the exact same scenario happened, this time using his exceptional burst and strength to shoot right around the blindside protection, getting to Brady and causing fourth down once more.

There were multiple defenders who played well but on these two plays alone Micah Parsons potentially saved the Cowboys from an early blowout. The offense didn’t do it’s job, but the defense kept things close and the Bucs out the end zone through the opening drive of the third quarter.

Parsons was the only player to record a sack on Brady the entire game. This is the play that separates the good from the great and Parsons continue to proves why he is one of the best.

[listicle id=701797][listicle id=701842][lawrence-newsletter]

Twitter reactions during Cowboys loss, Dak Prescott’s injury

Things started well but went downhill in a hurry. Micah Parsons shined but Dallas lost Dak Prescott and Twitter reacted to it all. | From @ProfessorO_NFL

The Dallas Cowboys 2022 campaign got off to a solid start and quickly went downhill from there. Their opening drive led to a successful field goal attempt by Brett Maher, but the offense would not score again the rest of the game.

Dropping their home opener, 19-3, there were plenty of interesting reactions to the few highs, several lows, debilitating injuries like QB Dak Prescott’s hand, and everything else in between.

 

Prescott may be out 6-8 weeks, headlines miserable night injury-wise for Cowboys

A breakdown of when each of the 4 major Dallas injuries occured, and an update on how long Prescott is expected to be out. | From @KDDrummondNFL

Things went from bad to worse for the Dallas Cowboys last night. Not only did their offense, at least for a week, meet all of the negative expectations from the fan base as they struggled to get anything going in the passing game. They also lost several key players to injury and it looks like it could be for significant amounts of time for all of them.

Dallas suffered injuries to their offensive line first, then their secondary, and then midway through the fourth quarter lost a defensive lineman. On the very next drive the big one occurred with the game out of reach and the team desperately trying to create a rhythm they could build off of heading into next week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Cowboys lost their franchise quarterback, potentially for several months. Here’s a recap of all of the injury news from the club’s 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Instant analysis as Cowboys’ offense stinks up AT&T in 19-3 loss to Bucs

The Cowboys talked the good talk, but when the game came around their offense walked… the plank. | From @KDDrummondNFL

Mike McCarthy didn’t have Dak Prescott at his disposal during the preseason in 2021 due to injury. A shoulder tweak forced the QB to remain sidelined until the regular season. It didn’t throw off the timing, as the passing offense was crisp in their two-point loss to Tampa Bay. If that gave the coaching staff the idea that Prescott didn’t need game experience with this particular group of wide receivers, they were sadly mistaken.

The Dallas Cowboys offense was ridiculously disjointed, off-timed and altogether woeful in the season opener. The defense did their best to keep the club in the game, but there was no help at all from the other side. In addition, there’s now a potential hand injury to Prescott that occurred in the fourth quarter of an embarrassing 19-3 home defeat to the Buccaneers.

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott leaves game with hand injury

Dak Prescott has left the field with an apparent injury to his throwing hand.

Things may have just gotten worse for the Dallas Cowboys. In a miserable offensive performance where the team hasn’t been able to muster a drive since the one that opened the game, now the QB is hurt. Dak Prescott banged his hand on a defender’s helmet midway through the fourth quarter.

After struggling all game, now his health is in doubt. He raced off to the locker room for the training staff to get a closer look.

The Cowboys are trailing 19-3 as Cooper Rush comes into the game to take over the offense.

WATCH: Donovan Wilson snags timely INT, offense can’t capitalize

The Cowboys defense has kept their pride amidst the offensive struggles, with Donovan Wilson picking off Tom Brady. | From @CDBurnett7

A few minutes into the fourth quarter, the Cowboys offense has mustered just three points, which came on the first drive with just 158 total yards to show for it. Quarterback Dak Prescott is out of rhythm and below 50% passing but the Dallas defense hasn’t wavered.

After a turnover on downs in Tampa bay territory, safety Donovan Wilson quickly stole the ball back for the offense. Quarterback Tom Brady made a rare mistake on a throw over the middle and Wilson capitalized on it.

Following the takeaway, the Cowboys took over at their own 48-yard line but a quick three and out derailed the momentum. On first and third down, Prescott had receivers open but was unable to connect for a first-down completion on either. The lack of reps together is showing, with the offense unable to find an ounce of chemistry to cut into the 19-3 deficit.  The defense retakes the field after the punt and are tasked with stopping Brady yet again.

Cowboys S Jayron Kearse suffers knee injury, return questionable

With only three safeties active against Tampa Bay, Jayron Kearse suffered a leg injury, leaving just two options if he’s unable to return. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Cowboys took a surprising risk at safety against Tampa Bay. With Jayron Kearse questionable heading into gameday with a neck injury, Dallas made the promising talents of Markquese Bell and Israel Mukuamu inactive, leaving just three safeties on the active roster.

Kearse suffered a leg injury in the third quarter, leaving the Cowboys with two options forced to play extensive snaps. Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson will be forced to take over for the rest of the game.

The severity of Kearse’s injury is unknown but the decision to keep Bell and Mukuamu inactive looks worse as the game continues to develop. The Dallas defense has hung in for the majority of the game, giving up the first touchdown on the drive Kearse suffered his injury. On the other side of the ball, quarterback Dak Prescott and the offense have found no rhythm en route to a 19-3 deficit.

Tampa Bay WR Chris Godwin out for second half, Mike Evans banged up

The Buccaneers suffered injuries to their pair of key receivers on the first half, including Chris Godwin out for the rest of the game. | From @CDBurnett7

While the Cowboys came into the Tampa Bay matchup banged up at wide receiver with Michael Gallup and James Washington out, the Buccaneers had their full set of weapons for quarterback Tom Brady.

Although Chris Godwin was coming off of a torn ACL that ended his 2021 season, which he suffered later in the season than Gallup, he was active in the offense during the first half with three catches for 35 yards but he was hobbling on the sideline before halftime. Mike Evans also suffered a leg injury, but they may play through the setback.

Godwin is out for the second half with a hamstring injury and Julio Jones will be expected to take the extra opportunities. The first half was a sloppy one with Dallas failing to find any rhythm on offense, forcing the ball to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Tampa Bay entered the half with a 12-3 lead, but failed to cash in on five drives within the Cowboys 30-yard line. With Godwin out and Evans dealing with a nagging injury, it could be another sloppy 30 minutes in AT&T Stadiium.

WATCH: Micah Parsons’ dominance keeping Cowboys close

The Cowboys haven’t had much to build off against the Buccaneers but Micah Parsons’ pair of highlight sacks have kept the game close. | From @CDBurnett7

The Cowboys have a clear superstar in linebacker Micah Parsons. After earning Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021, he wasted no time showing his dominance to start his sophomore campaign.

On Tampa Bay’s third drive, Tom Brady was knocking on the door on a third down. Just a play before, Parsons was clearly held but no laundry was thrown to the turf. He clearly took it personal, spinning right by the Buccaneers left tackle for a key sack.

Tampa Bay kicker Ryan Succop missed a field goal attempt on the ensuing fourth down, and the extra yardage from Parsons’ sack may have been the difference. the Dallas defense got a short break before an ill-advised throw from quarterback Dak Prescott forced them to defend their own red zone again. With Brady knocking on the door again, Parsons closed the door on another drive with his second drive of the game.

The Cowboys have yet to find any rhythm against the Buccaneers but Parsons’ efforts have managed to keep it a one-possession game. After finishing second in DPOY voting last year, he may be the favorite to take the award this season.

[pickup_prop id=”21095″]