Tag: 2023 Week 1

The surprising efficiency of the Cowboys 12 personnel group 

The Cowboys found the most success with multiple TEs on the virus, opportunistically mixing passes and runs. | From @ReidDHanson

The Cowboys didn’t know what to expect from their tight ends entering the 2023 season. When they let their three-year starter, Dalton Schultz, leave in free agency, they opened themselves up to a variety of unproven options and unknown outcomes.

Jake Ferguson, a 2022 rookie standout, and Peyton Hendershot, a surprise UDFA contributor, would be expected to pick up the slack. But as second-year players, how much and in what capacity wasn’t clear.

Joining the fray was their second-round pick, Luke Schoonmaker, who entered training camp injured and began Week 1 as TE3 in the pecking order.

As Week 1 unfolded, the three young TEs combined for 86 snaps and three recorded drops. The latter number is likely what stands out in the minds of many since the drops occurred at critical times that, in a closer game, could have been tide-turning.

Yet, lost in the fallout of the drops is the effectiveness of their blocking and general efficiency of their 12 personnel package.

Tyron Smith proves doubters wrong in Cowboys win, reclaims top LT status

Many felt, even when healthy, Tyron Smith had slipped in ability but if Week 1 was an indication of things to come, the Cowboys LT is back. | From @ReidDHanson

For years, Tyron Smith’s play was described with the caveat “when healthy”. The eight-time Pro Bowler carved out a reputation since joining the Cowboys as a 2011 first-round pick. He was dominant and as the years went on, prone to injury.

Over the past three seasons (2020-2022), Smith only participated in 17 regular season contests. While that limited availability proved to be a problem unto itself, it was his performance when he actually was playing that seemed to be the most concerning.

The Cowboys 2021 postseason came to an end at the hands of San Francisco. It was that game where Smith logged perhaps his worst performance as a pro, giving up a sack, a hit and four hurries per PFF tracking. To those who watched Smith’s career with Dallas, his struggles that day were almost inconceivable. Even on his worst day, he was a force. To see him suddenly as a liability?

His 2022 season wasn’t much better. After a benign training camp, Smith suffered a significant hamstring injury roughly two weeks before the regular season. After surgery and rehab, Smith returned to the lineup in Week 15. But instead of going back to his familiar LT spot, he took over the RT role in place of the recently injured Terence Steele.

In the 401 snaps Smith played last season, he showed more uncharacteristic struggles. Playing on the right side for the first time since his rookie season was certainly a valid excuse as to why, but one couldn’t help but think the veteran had finally slipped.

Training camp 2023 didn’t put those concerns to bed either. Smith was frequently on the wrong side of a Micah Parsons highlight. Everyone knew Parsons was great but could his spectacular training camp also be a byproduct of a reduced Smith?

Going into Week 1 of the 2023 season, one of the common concerns was how Smith, back at LT, would handle the rising star Keyvon Thibodeaux.

Thibodeaux victimized the Cowboys in their last meeting of 2022, clocking nine pressures, five hits and four hurries (PFF). It was a coming out party for the fifth-overall pick and a sign the Giants could no longer be taken lightly on defense.

Smith, 10 years Thibodeaux’s senior, would be put to the test right out of the gate in 2023. Thibodeaux was both fast and strong. He wins on the edge and can counter inside. Outside of his daily spars with Parsons, Smith was kept in bubble wrap all preseason. He didn’t play a single down of preseason action and was coming in cold, in some regards.

To make matters worse, Smith hurt his ankle just days before, putting his status and effectiveness in doubt.

How did Smith do?

Zero sacks. Zero hits. Zero hurries. Zero pressures.

Smith may have moved a little slower and stiffer than his former All-Pro self, but he was every bit as effective. He starved the man who feasted on the Dallas offensive line just 10 months ago and once again showed the NFL he was a dominant presence at LT for the Cowboys*.

*When healthy (of course).

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Cowboys’ Snap Counts, Positional Grades from Week 1 win over Giants

A closer look at who played, how much and how well in Sunday’s dominating performance over the New York Giants. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Cowboys got the best of both worlds on Sunday night. The biggest concern for many writers and fans was that head coach Mike McCarthy held out the majority of his starters throughout the entire preseason. This strategy, to make sure key players stayed healthy, did not work out well in 2022. Dallas was lethargic and off rhythm when they faced Tampa Bay in Week 1, and late in the 19-3 loss QB Dak Prescott broke his hand and was knocked out for five weeks.

In the 2023 opener against the Giants, the rust for the offense was still there. Combined with the horrible weather the passing game was relatively stymied once again. Only this time, the defense was able to not just play well, but out of their minds. This allowed Dallas to run a weather-induced safe offense to shake off some rust. The blowout 40-0 win also allowed Dallas to go deep into their bench and get substantial game reps for players who got the brunt of the preseason work and were able to maintain a strong level of play throughout.

Here’s a look at who played, how much and how well in the team’s big victory.

3 Major takeaways from the Cowboys beatdown of the Giants

What are the biggest takeaways from the Dallas stomping of their division rival? There were quite a few answers to offseason questions, says @cdpiglet.

The Dallas Cowboys continued their dominance against the New York Giants Sunday night, putting up a 40-point shutout at MetLife Stadium. Quarterback Dak Prescott improved to 11 straight wins against the Giants, and the Cowboys are now 12-1 in Week 1 matchups versus New York.

The game was far from a certainty going into it, with questions about head coach Mike McCarthy as the new play-caller, the offensive line’s depth, and how Dallas would perform without any pre-season work.

This was the best opening-week performance from the Cowboys in the Prescott era. Minus one missed extra point, the special teams unit was flawless, the offense did nothing to stop the rest of the team momentum, and the defense was completely dominant. The team hopes a complete victory like this will jump-start their season going forward. Here are the significant takeaways coming off a dominant performance from Dallas.

By The Numbers: A deep dive explains the Cowboys’ Week 1 dominance

The Cowboys opened the 2023 season with a win over the Giants so big, only numbers can explain the extent of the Week 1 victory. | From @ReidDHanson

There is truth in numbers. They are facts in a word full of opinions. They can be used to describe the indescribable. Numbers show the extent of a situation.

Numbers can show the undeniable amidst all the fluff. In the wrong hands, they can be used mislead. But they never lie.

Following the Cowboys’ Week 1 win over New York, they paint a very clear picture about the Dallas offense, defense and special teams.

They detail the hierarchy within the division, and they redeem a team like Dallas who came into the affair under the microscope.

Micah Parsons started his DPOY campaign in fine fashion

The 3rd-year All-Pro started his season white hot as he campaigns for his first DPOY award. | From @TimLettiero

The forecast called for rain but it was the Dallas Cowboys, not Mother Nature, who actually made it pour in East Rutherford on Sunday night. Everything went about as well as it could’ve for Dallas and, as has been the case since Dan Quinn took over as defensive coordinator, it all starts with the defense. Shutting out any NFL team is an impressive feat, let alone one that was in the playoffs just eight months ago. The key to success for Dallas under Quinn has always been getting to the QB and Sunday was no different in their 40-0 victory.

Generating pressure on 23 of Daniel Jones’ 37 dropbacks, the Cowboys’ front seven dominated from start to finish. None other than superstar Micah Parsons, who might just be the best player on either side of Patrick Mahomes, led the way.

After a blocked field goal return gave Dallas an early 6-0 lead, the defense returned to the field and chaos ensued.

On 3rd-and-10 on the Giants’ 25, Parsons burst through a double team and tallied his first sack of the night.

With only one sack and three total tackles, it may seem as if Parsons didn’t have much impact on the game. Think again.

Parsons is one of the league’s most feared players, and it’s seen on every snap. Early on he made one of the best LTs in the league, Andrew Thomas, false start because of the pure fear tackles have of Parsons beating them outside.

He doesn’t just affect the gameplan of the man in front of him, he forces the entire line to change what they want to do. This in turn sets up his teammates for easy opportunities to make plays in the backfield.

To say Parsons is one of the best players in the league somehow seems to discredit his abilities and impact on the game. He looks hungrier than ever and will face a Jets team next week with one of the league’s weaker OLs. That will be one to tune in as Parsons continues to chase his elusive DPOY award.

Best photos from Cowboys’ 40-0 drubbing of Giants on SNF

A complete whooping is deserving of a monster photo gallery of all of the action from Met Life Stadium as the Cowboys worked from home (away from home). | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys raced out to a 1-0 start to their 2023 campaign with a thorough molly-whopping of the New York Giants. Dallas entered the game as 3.5-point favorites and covered the spread on their opening defensive drive, never looking back.

Here’s a look at all of the fantastic captures from the photogs of both USA Today and Getty Images, which captured the Cowboys’ defense doing their thing while the offense knocked the rust off from not playing in the preseason. Take a look.

Cowboys dismantle, deconstruct, dominate Giants 40-0

The Cowboys scored in all three phases of the game, posting the biggest opening night NFL shutout this millennium. | From @KDDrummondNFL

When Mike McCarthy took over the playcalling duties this spring, he made a handful of eyebrow raising comments about the role he wanted his offense to play. Knowing the type of defense he had under the stewardship of Dan Quinn, he wanted his offense to focus on the ground game and allow the defense to lead the franchise to their sixth Lombardi trophy.

Week 1 performances can often be misleading, but as far as initial statements go, Dallas spoke very loudly in support of McCarthy’s stance. Dallas’ defense was neurotic, sacking Giants QB Daniel Jones seven times, while picking him off twice including a return touchdown. Dallas’ offense didn’t muster a passing touchdown but scored three times on the ground. Led by an opening drive blocked field goal return to begin the onslaught, the Cowboys went into New York and totally decimated the Giants to the tune of 40-0.

Led by Micah Parsons, who had a sack and whose pressures led to sacks and turnovers for other defenders, and Trevon Diggs, who tipped an eventual interception and forced a fumble the defense pitched their first shutout since 2017.

Dallas got 122 yards on the ground, including 70 and two scores from new RB1 Tony Pollard. CeeDee Lamb checked in with 77 receiving yards to pace the receivers as Dak Prescott had a quiet and safe 13-completion game. There wasn’t much work for him to do as  the relentless Dallas defense harassed the Giants offense all night.

The 40-point shutout was the biggest opening week shutout in the NFL since 1999.

The Cowboys will now return to Texas to prepare to host the other Gotham team, when Aaron Rodgers and the Jets come into town for Week 2.

Twitter reacts to Cowboys’ 1st-half decimation of Giants

The Cowboys rested their starters in the preseason again, but this time they came out smoking hot in the season opener. The world enjoyed. | From @KDDrummondNFL

Not too many saw this coming. The Dallas Cowboys scored in every which way possible, quickly turning around a lackluster start. Head coach Mike McCarthy rested his starters through the entire three-game preseason, and the rust was apparent for all of about seven minutes of game clock.

The New York Giants took the opening kickoff and thanks to the legs of Daniel Jones, got themselves down into scoring range with relative ease. Dan Quinn’s defense stiffened, though, and forced a field goal attempt. A block, scoop and score woke up the entire road-team sideline and the onslaught commenced. Dallas scored a field goal on their next drive, then intercepted Daniel Jones for a Pick 6. Another interception led to their first offensive score of the season and by the time the halftime whistle blew Dallas was up 26-0 and had recorded four sacks.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to a monumental effort in the first half.

LOOK: Parson’s pressure leads to Gilmore pick, Pollard TD

The Cowboys have not let up, securing another turnover and scoring another touchdown in an impressive first half.

The Cowboys are only 22 minutes into their season and are already making a statement to the lead. After alternating return touchdowns and offensive drives that ended in field goals, the offense was finally able to reach the end zone as intended.

First, though, Dallas linebacker Micah Parsons had to make another huge play. Parsons burst through the Giants’ offensive line, pressuring Daniel Jones towards the sideline and into a rushed throw. At the other end of the toss was free-agent acquisition Stephon Gilmore, who plucked the ball off the ground for the team’s third forced turnover and second interception.

A few plays later, new RB1 Tony Pollard was taking the pitch on the goal line from quarterback Dak Prescott and slow-playing the hole into the end zone for the lead.

Dallas has completely dominated the first half of their first game of the 2023 season. They lead 26-0 with just under eight minutes to go in the game