Tag: 2022 Week 7

3 Stars: Rookie, vet RB shine alongside main mane in Cowboys win over Lions

The two-headed RB monster roared, the pride leader showed others their place but it was the young upstart who stole the show in @CDPiglet’s 3 stars from Sunday.

The first game back for quarterback Dak Prescott ended up looking like a game started by backup Cooper Rush. Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard were the focus of a conservative offense that had more than 30 rush attempts and under 200 passing yards. The Dallas defense led the way, only allowing six points, while sacking the opposing QB five times, and creating five total turnovers.

Prescott did have some impact on the offense, throwing zero interceptions compared to the three last week, and leading the team to a 75% redzone touchdown percentage with the team scoring three out of four times. The one time the team didn’t score was because wide receiver Noah Brown fumbled on a reception inside the five-yard line.

This team isn’t the Kansas City Chiefs, or the Miami Dolphins offensively. They don’t have the offensive line or receiving talent to spread out and throw the ball all over the field, but an excellent run game and ferocious defense can still be impactful and help the team shine like the decals on the helmets of the three stars of the game.

5 videos of ridiculous skill by Cowboys defense, special teams vs Lions

Collecting highlights from Dallas’ Week 7 victory sees a seething defense, a game-changing returner and offensive stars invoking memories. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The first priority for the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday was making quarterback Dak Prescott comfortable. The tackles didn’t have their best game, as they were constantly harassed by sensational rookie Aiden Hutchinson and the offensive playcalling left something to be desired. However there Prescott was, turning in the best performance by a Dallas quarterback this season.

Dallas’ 24-6 victory was not accomplished on the strength of the offense however. Not in the least bit. Once again, the Cowboys’ defense rose to the occasion, shutting down a potent but limping Lions team. Detroit entered the game without RB D’Andre Swift, who was averaging a mind-numbing 8.6 yards a carry. A big hit by linebacker Anthony Barr knocked their leading receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown out with a concussion. The results of the NFC’s top defense facing a high-powered but depleted offense were predictable. They dominated. How much so? Take a look.

Prescott performed much better than he’s being given credit for in Cowboys return

There’s been a ton of squawking that Prescott’s performance Sunday wasn’t any different than what Cooper Rush has done in his place. Stats say nah. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys didn’t score a lot, putting just 24 points on the scoreboard. Considering they were given a mind-boggling five extra possessions in the second half thanks to forced turnovers by the defense, that is not a quality performance. Add in another great field position starter setup by Kavontae Turpin’s 52-yard punt return to Detroit’s 41-yard line and it certainly feels like there wasn’t much impact on the offense from the return of quarterback Dak Prescott.

But as always, the eye test and sometimes even the scoreboard aren’t total representatives of how well things went. Here’s a look inside the offensive numbers from Dallas’ 24-6 Week 7 victory.

All metrics courtesy of rsbdm.com.

Here’s what Jourdan Lewis’ injury could mean for Cowboys secondary moving forward

The Cowboys look to have suffered an injury to a key secondary member. Here’s a look at the impact it may have on playing time, roster moves and game strategy. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Cowboys appeared to be escaping their Week 7 contest against the Detroit Lions relatively unscathed. In the third quarter, sixth offensive lineman Matt Farniok was shaken up and left the game with a hamstring injury sustained on  point-after attempt following an Ezekiel Elliott score. Elliott himself avoided catastrophe after he was hit on his right knee, fortunately while the leg was in the air. He’d return to score Dallas’ first two touchdowns in the 24-6 win.

Tight end Dalton Schultz was tackled awkwardly on his injured knee, but returned to and finished the game. The same couldn’t be said for slot corner Jourdan Lewis, who suffered a foot injury following a fourth-quarter interception. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, the club is concerned that it is a lisfranc injury, which would require surgery and sideline him for multiple weeks. The injury will have a ripple effect on Dan Quinn’s defense, which will enter Week 8 as the NFC’s best scoring defense.

Good, Bad & Ugly from Cowboys’ 24-6 victory over Lions

Prescott’s return, evaluation of the playcalling and a rookie gets on the ledger. All part of the process judged by @BenGrimaldi as Dallas moved to 5-2.

The Dallas Cowboys survived a scare from the one-win Detroit Lions and won in quarterback Dak Prescott’s return from injury. It wasn’t as pretty as the 24-6 score suggested and it took some fortuitous bounces for the Cowboys to earn the victory but getting to five wins is all that mattered.

The Cowboys held the Lions out of the end zone and forced five turnovers to aid a pedestrian offense that did just enough to win the game. Prescott and the offense showed some rust, but the defensive effort put forth once again led the way.

No matter if it’s Cooper Rush or Prescott under center, Dallas’ defense continues to rise to the occasion. Winning ugly is better than losing pretty, and that’s exactly how the team will feel walking away with a 5-2 record.

Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly for the Cowboys in the win over the Lions in Week 7.

80 of best pics from Prescott’s return, Cowboys’ Week 7 win vs Lions

It’s been five weeks since Dak Prescott took snaps in a game. Peep all of the pics from the Week 7 win that featured four forced turnovers. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys returned to the win column on Sunday, courtesy of a 24-6 win at home over the Detroit Lions. The victory improved their record to 5-2 on the season, keeping pace in the suddenly dominant NFC East. With the Philadelphia Eagles on a bye, Dallas kept pace with the New York Giants and ahead of the Washington Commanders. That’s the big picture, but the little picture focused on the biggest potential improvement any NFL team could imagine during a strong start.

Quarterback Dak Prescott lined up under center for the first time since Week 1. While the rust was there, so was the improved efficiency of the offense. While some might have wanted a huge blowout performance in facing the Lions’ porous defense, Prescott was able to lead a dominant second-half performance as the ground game pounded and the defense pounced. Take a look at all of the great photography captures from the likes of the Associated Press and Getty Images.

Full Week 7 Coverage

 

Watch pair of Cowboys’ strip sacks, Prescott’s first TD of 2022

The Cowboys’ defense padded the stats late while Prescott was a beneficiary, delivering his first touchdown pass of 2022. | From @CDBurnett7

The Dallas defense stifled the Lions offense all day, who was averaging 28 points per game heading into AT&T Stadium. That number will drop after the Cowboys’ dominant five takeaways, giving up no touchdowns on the day.

Following running back Ezekiel Elliott’s second touchdown, defensive end Sam Williams stole the ball from quarterback Jared Goff’s hands for the fourth takeaway of the game.

Williams’ strip sack and return set up quarterback Dak Prescott at the Lions’ 24-yard line and Dallas made a point to get their leader his first score. After reaching the Detroit 2-yard line, a play-action call gave Prescott a wide open tight end Peyton Hendershot for his first touchdown of the 2022 season.

If the late-game dominance wasn’t enough yet, linebacker Micah Parsons added salt to the Lions’ wound. Parsons slipped by the offensive line and made his seventh sack of the season while knocking the ball out of Goff’s hands yet again.

The Cowboys’ defense slammed the door in the face of Detroit with five takeaways in Prescott’s return en route to the 24-6 victory, moving Dallas to 5-2.

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WATCH: Elliott closes game with second TD run

The Cowboys closed the door on the Lions with a second Elliott TD run thanks to the third Dallas takeaway. | From @CDBurnett7

Thanks to the third Cowboys’ takeaway of the game, quarterback Dak Prescott was set up on a short field with 8:25 left to seal the game for Dallas. This time, Prescott put together a strong drive and extended the lead.

After a mix of Prescott’s precision and the continued efficiency of running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard, the Cowboys marched 54 yards for a score. Elliott ended the drive with a one-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 11.

This is Elliott’s first two-touchdown game since Week 10 of last season against the Falcons. The score gives Dallas a 17-6 lead as the door closes on the Lions’ chances in AT&T Stadium.

Defense dominates, run game leads late surge in Prescott’s return as Cowboys win 24-6

Dak Prescott returned under center and the defense returned to form as the club put up a dominant second-half performance in the win. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The impact of the rust was obvious, as was the impact of the rest. After five weeks on the sideline, quarterback Dak Prescott returned to the field to lead the Dallas Cowboys. Their opponent, the 1-4 Detroit Lions were coming off a bye week. Detroit sported the league’s worst defense, but with the week off and with the help of a disjointed passing game, were able to keep the Cowboys’ attack one dimensional.

Fortunately for Dallas, that one dimension was good enough when it had to be and the defense was stout once again. The week off didn’t help Detroit find their own offensive mojo, missing in Week 5. Dallas turned the Lions over four times, including on 1st and goal, and kept the No. 3 scoring offense out of the end zone. Including a dominant first drive of the second half, the offense did just enough to earn their fifth win of the season to the tune of 23-6.

Once again, the Dallas defense was the star of the contest, holding their sixth opponent in seven games to under 20 points. It’s the third time they’ve kept the scoring to 10 points or less.

Prescott was a little off in his return sailing a couple of passes and trying a couple throws that could have been turnovers. He also wasn’t helped by two early drops by his receivers. Still, Cowboys fans should be breathing a sigh of relief to have him back under center. Albeit against a much easier opponent, things looked to be in much better rhythm than they did against Philadelphia in Week 6.

The seventh-year quarterback finished the contest passing 19 for 25 for 207 yards and a 113.2 passer rating. A late touchdown to UDFA rookie tight end Peyton Hendershot got him his first touchdown pass since the 2021 season.

Running back Ezekiel Elliott, who suffered a knee injury right before halftime, scored two touchdowns while Tony Pollard had 89 yards on a 6.9 average as the run game once again shined.

On defense, rookie Sam Williams played his best game of his young career, notching two sacks, two tackles for loss including a game-sealing strip sack of Jared Goff. Micah Parsons put the exclamation mark on the game with a strip sack on the next drive to lead to the victory formation.

Dallas improved to 5-2 on the season, with a home date against the struggling Chicago Bears in Week 8.

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WATCH: Cowboys make heroic goal line stop to save lead

With their backs against the goal line, the Dallas defense forced a fumble to deny the Lions from retaking the lead. | From @CDBurnett7

Down four, the Detroit Lions marched down the field with ease against the Dallas defense. After quarterback Jared Goff’s interception, Detroit went to the run game and chewed off seven minutes and got all the way down to the Cowboys 1-yard line.

On the play that set up the Lions short, linebacker Micah Parsons was behind the play but sprinted back in and made the tackle just before the goal line. That play seemed pointless until defensive end Demarcus Lawrence poked the ball out of running back Jamaal Williams’ hands for a heroic takeaway with their backs against the endzone.

Just a yard from giving up the lead, the Dallas defense had some luck go their way and keep the lead in their hands as the fourth quarter continues to wind down.