Tag: 2023 Week 17

Studs and duds from Cowboys’ thrilling 20-19 Week 17 victory

Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb were among the studs in the Dallas Cowboys’ thrilling 20-19 Week 17 win over the Detroit Lions. | From @BenGrimaldi

There’s never a dull moment with the Dallas Cowboys, and they made sure NFL fans got their money’s worth in an exhilarating, 20-19,  Week 17 win over the Detroit Lions. The memory of the wild finish will remain long after the season ends, but the Cowboys walked away victorious in a game they needed to win.

It wasn’t the prettiest game Dallas has played at home this year, and in beating the Lions, the team finished the regular season undefeated at home for the first time since 1981. Mike McCarthy and the officials made things more interesting than it had to be late, but the Cowboys hung on.

The night was full of entertainment as the franchise inducted a Hall of Fame coach into the Ring of Honor, and then watched a record breaking-performance. Here are the studs and duds in the Week 17 win for the Cowboys.

Cowboys suffering self-inflicted wounds with early down play-calling

Despite the Cowboys struggles running the ball in Week 17, they continued to call running plays, crippling the offense on early downs. | From @ReidDHanson

In the Cowboys 20-19 win over Detroit on Saturday, Dallas put an end to their two-game slide and kept their division crown hopes alive. The win moved them to 11-5 and on pace to log their third consecutive 12-win season. Despite all the good news, the most recent win tasted anything but sweet.

The Cowboys offense was clunky. They struggled scoring points and sustaining drives. It was the third game in a row Dallas failed to eclipse the 20-point mark, something even the friendly confines of AT&T Stadium couldn’t fix. While goal line turnovers carry a large share of the blame in their recent scoring struggles, those are more fluke than a character trait. The same can’t be said for their play-calling.

In the Cowboys’ narrow escape on Saturday, Dallas repeatedly squandered early downs. Early downs are big play downs, offering the biggest opportunities for plays downfield. Yet all too often the Cowboys played it conservatively, choosing to run the ball early on and squandering valuable opportunities in the process.

The Cowboys ran with a paltry 37 percent success rate on early downs. This means on 63 percent of their early down rushing attempts they actually decreased their odds of scoring on that given drive. While the passing game was far from flawless, its success rate on early downs was nearly 50 percent and produced an EPA almost three times that of runs.

First downs were specifically an issue in Week 17. Even though the Lions boasted a top-5 run defense and suspect secondary, the Cowboys were committed to run the ball early. Per Warren Sharp’s tracking, Dallas ran the ball 12 times on first down, producing a total of 20 yards for an average of 1.7 yards per carry. Comparatively, Dak Prescott was 12-for-12 passing on first downs, producing 7.3 yards per attempt and a 58 percent success rate.

Dallas has struggled to run the ball most of the season so none of this is out of left field. Early down success rate in 2023 is at 37.1% while early down passing is at 50.6%. While certain circumstances may warrant early down runs, more often than not the Cowboys should be passing the ball.

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NFC Playoff Picture: 49ers clinch, Cowboys control NFC East, 2-seed destiny

A look at the ways Dallas controls their own destiny, and potential playoff seeding and clinching scenarios for the NFC in Week 18. | From @KDDrummondNFL

What an exhilarating 17-hour stretch for the Dallas Cowboys and their fans. Perhaps there’s something to this breaking the curse thing after all. During halftime of the team’s Week 17 matchup with NFC North champion Detroit, the Cowboys inducted Jimmy Johnson into the Ring of Honor. Long deserved, Cowboys Nation has felt that the team’s drought in playoff success has been a bit of bad mojo after Jerry Jones ousted the two-time Super Bowl winner.

With some late-game craziness aiding Dallas to a 20-19 win over the Lions, the good vibes continued through the early Sunday games. The Cardinals, the team that upset the Cowboys in Week 3 and placed them in a precarious position of chasing the Eagles all season, arrived in Philadelphia as major underdogs. After falling behind 21-6 at half, Arizona scored touchdowns on all four of their second-half possessions and pulled off a 35-31 win. Along with other early-game results, the playoff picture shifted and Week 18’s importance came into focus.

Cooking in silence among 3 things learned about Cowboys in Week 17 win

The Cowboys learned about their punt return unit, Brandin Cooks and the trustworthiness of their defense in their Week 17 win over the Lions. | From @ReidDHanson

Every game is a learning opportunity and the Cowboys’ Week 17 performance against Detroit is no exception. Their 20-19 win narrowly avoided an upset at home and officially put Dallas’ two-game losing streak in the rearview mirror.

Over the last month some trends have begun to immerge. The Cowboys of today have taken on a new identity in many ways, and more than a few things have been learned of this playoff-bound franchise. With just one game remaining until the postseason the Cowboys either have to accept where they are as a team or change their approach on the more problematic issues plaguing them.

Cowboys keep East hopes alive, survive wacky finish to tame Lions, 20-19

The Cowboys had to survive a late scare to improve to 11-5 on the season as they squeak past Detroit.

The Dallas Cowboys did not play a clean game in any way shape or form. Mistakes in the first half kept what should’ve been a widening margin close. Inexplicable clock management strategies reared their head at inopportune times.

And then, the pass defense which had been stout all game, allowed the Lions to easily march down the field for a touchdown in under two minutes. Head coach Dan Campbell expectedly went for two, and they converted, only to have it called back by penalty. Micah Parsons jumped offsides, negating an interception, but finally the game ended with an errant Jared Goff pass. Dallas escaped, 20-19, to improve to 11-5 on the season.

Dallas doesn’t control their own destiny, but have kept their hopes for a division title alive. They need the Eagles to lose one of their final two games and to also take out Washington themselves in Week 18. If they do that, the Cowboys are at least the No. 2 seed. Anything other than that they are the top wild card and the No. 5 seed.

Broken Record: No skips as CeeDee Lamb sets Cowboys all-time receiving mark

The Cowboys have a new single-season receptions leader.

The Cowboys have a new franchise record holder for receptions.

With his third catch of the first half, wideout CeeDee Lamb has passed Michael Irvin for the most receptions in Dallas franchise history. Lamb entered the game with 109 receptions. Unfortunately, instead of being able to celebrate it and the touchdown it should’ve been, Lamb lost the ball. To make matters worse, it went into the end zone before going out of bounds, invoking the worst rule in professional sports.

Anywhere else on the field, a fumble forward that goes out of bounds returns the ball to the spot of the fumble. But for some reason, a fumble that goes into the end zone and then out of bounds is a touchback, given to the other team.

Lamb caught two more passes on the next possession to push his total to 114 and counting.

WATCH: Cowboys slot corner Jourdan Lewis picks off a screen pass

The Cowboys thid corner is at the top of his game at the moment. | From @KDDrummondNFL

Jourdan Lewis is having himself a great first half. After missing the last half of 2022 with a serious foot injury that kept him sidelined through the entire offseason, Lewis started off the 2023 season slowly. Things have really picked up for him in recent weeks. Last week, in the loss to the Miami Dolphins, Lewis was the club’s best defender, crashing down and stifling both ball carries and receivers.

He’s picked up where he left off in Week 17 against the Lions. After a four-tackle first quarter, Lewis added a fifth. His big play though came a little after. Dallas got ridiculous pressure on a designed screen, but Jared Goff got the toss off. He probably wishes he didn’t because Lewis made an insane break on the ball and dove for the interception.

Lewis had an interception against his hometown Lions last season as well. He’s showing out.

LOOK: Cowboys’ Prescott avoids safety, finds Lamb for 92-yard TD that sets a franchise mark

CeeDee Lamb ties the club record for catches, and reaches a milestone all on a wild MVP-type play from QB Dak Prescott.

The Dallas Cowboys’ dynamic duo is at it again. Quarterback Dak Prescott ended the offense’s opening drive in bad fashion, throwing an interception into the red zone. The Cowboys defense, which allowed a field goal by the Lions on Detroit’s first profession, stiffened though, forcing a punt. That kick pinned Dallas and a failed first-down run was followed by an incompletion that led to 3rd-and-13 from their own eight-yard line.

That’s when the magic happened. Somehow, Prescott escaped a certain sack that would’ve resulted in a safety and stepped into a deep throw. CeeDee Lamb had gotten behind the defense, extended his arms and ran under the ball, jogging the rest of the way into the end zone for the 92-yard score.

The completion was the longest score of the NFL season, and put Lamb in the Cowboys’ record books. He became just the second Dallas receiver to go over 1,500 receiving yards in a single season, and it was catch No. 111 on the year, tying Michael Irvin’s 1995 campaign. The connection gave Dallas a 7-3 lead through one quarter.

 

Cowboys Week 17 Inactives: Tyron Smith will go, Deuce Vaughn to see first action in 2 months

The Cowboys’ OL will be intact, but the defensive line continues to be depleted. A look at who is sitting out Saturday night. | From @KDDrummondNFL

After a one-game blip on the radar, the Dallas Cowboys hope to get their offensive line back in sync in Week 17 against the Detroit Lions. Tyron Smith missed his fourth game of the year in last week’s loss at Miami, due to a back injury, and the Dolphins were able to pressure Dak Prescott relentlessly. Now, Smith is active after practicing on Thursday in preparation for the team’s final home contest of the season.

Also active will be running back Deuce Vaughn, replacing backup running back Rico Dowdle who is inactive with an ankle injury. Vaughn hasn’t seen the field since Week 10, and the crowd favorite will certainly garner so cheers when he hits the field. Here’s a look at both team’s inactives for the game.

Tyron Smith’s improving status a good sign for Cowboys and Terence Steele

Tyron’s Smith’s eventual return to the Cowboys’ lineup offers positive trickledown effects to Terence Steele who is struggling at RT. | From @ReidDHanson

If an offensive line has a weak link somewhere, there are things a team can do about it. Teams can devote extra players to assist that weak link from time to time. They can use RBs and TEs to chip block before they go out in their routes. They can even roll the pocket away from the weak link.  Hope is not lost.

If a team has two weak links? Now that’s when it gets tricky.

Such was the case in Week 16 against Miami. With Tyron Smith out, the Cowboys turned to Chuma Edoga in relief. No longer could they devote all their extra resources to RT to help out Terence Steele. They had an even bigger weakness in Edoga.

As a result, the two tackles gave up a combined nine pressures. Dak Prescott played with his head on swivel and often had to flee the pocket before downfield routes had fully matured. It was a tough day made harder because of the two tackles and there weren’t enough extra resources to fix it.

When Week 17 the final injury report was released, Smith’s name came up as a limited participant in practice and carried a questionable status for the Week 17 game. While this is technically just a 50/50 proposition, Mike McCarthy indicated optimism.

This is especially important this week with the Lions coming to town. Detroit has one of the best young EDGE players in the NFL in Aiden Hutchinson and since he primarily lines up on the left side of the defense, he’s slated to face Steele most of the afternoon. If the Cowboys are splitting resources between Steele and Edoga, Hutchinson is going to win a lot of downs. But if Smith makes it back into the lineup, Steele can all of the extra resources rolled his way.

Smith has been one of the most unassisted LTs in the game this season. While his age may have impacted his durability, it hasn’t impacted his ability to play on an island. This special trait is important when the tackle opposite him happens to be third in pressures given up this season. Not third on the team. Third of all linemen in the entire NFL.

The Cowboys are a different team with Smith in the lineup. He impacts both phases of the game in multiple ways. If he can make it back on the field this Saturday, it’ll be good news to the Cowboys and good news to Steele.

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