Dallas Cowboys vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Page 10

Self-Care: Preseason is over for Cowboys fans, too; here’s how to transition to regular-season mode

Dallas is mere days away from their opener and it’s been a long time since a game mattered. Here’s how fans should process Week 1 results, no matter how it falls. Rafael Vela (@DailyGoonerRaf) returns to the Cowboys’ beat.

The following is offered as a piece of self-care advice.

It’s not easy being a Cowboys fan. Sure, our numbers are legion and our team is popular. But we’re 25 seasons removed from a Super Bowl run and relying on Triplets anecdotes and Landry-Era highlights gets old. We want, desperately want, some title chops of our own.

That hunger, and the quirky nature of this season’s opener, call for an exercise in healthy fandom. We need to prepare our nervous systems for the campaign at hand as much as Dak Prescott needs to tend to his shoulder and the trainers need to mind the Covid protocols.

With that in mind, let us go through some mental stretches, and root in a way that will leave us ready for 17 games, rather than gutted and bitter if the result doesn’t go our way Thursday night in Tampa.

Forged from necessity, new-look Cowboys defense will be tested early, often, starting with Tampa Bay

The Dallas Cowboys overhauled defense has been afforded no acclimation period as they open the year with the Bucs. | From @AsaHenry_55

When NFL teams make scheme changes or major personnel moves, it is generally expected things will come together as the season progresses. The Dallas Cowboys’ defense, despite a complete overhaul, will not be afforded such an acclimation period in 2021. The club kicks off the year against one of the most talented and experienced offenses in the league; the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

During the back half of the 2020 season, no offense was playing better than Tampa Bay’s. After starting the year just 7-5, the Bucs went on an impressive tear, as eight-game winning streak that concluded with the Super Bowl. Over that span, the Bucs averaged over 33 points per contest, and hit the 30-point mrak in all four playoff games.

Most pundits expect Tampa Bay to pick up where they left off, and it’s easy to see why. The Bucs are returning all 22 starters from last year’s Super Bowl winning squad, a first in the modern era of the NFL. Obviously that means they return the entire starting offense, including quarterback Tom Brady who seems to be the only player in the league unaffected by father time, a solid offensive line, and a plethora of dynamic pass catchers.

Brady’s main targets, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Antonio Brown make up one of the league’s top receiving trios, rivaling the Cowboys group of Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup. The 44-year old quarterback’s connection with his offensive weapons grew stronger as the season progressed and he got comfortable with his new teammates.

A test for even the best defenses in the league, the Cowboys will certainly have their hands full.

One of the most changed defensives in the NFL, Dallas’ performance undoubtedly warranted the shift.

Dan Quinn comes in as the new defensive coordinator, taking over for Mike Nolan. Nolan wasn’t done any favors with the lack of real offseason to install his defense, but it was clear that his scheme and coaching style wasn’t a fit in Dallas. Quinn bring’s a new energy, a hands on approach, and a Cover-3 base philosophy he’s had success with.

A scheme is nothing without the right players, and the Cowboys attempted to help Quinn out as they infused the defense with new free agent signings and draft picks. To showcase their commitment to improving the defense, Dallas spent their first six picks on that side of the ball. The complete opposite of the Bucs and their returning continuity, Dallas is set to feature 8 of 11 new defensive starters, and a number of new depth pieces as well.

While far from flawless, the Cowboys defense has more talent on paper than a year ago and a more cohesive plan. Only time will tell if this truly translates to a competent defense in 2021, but if Dallas wants to start the year on a winning note against the Bucs, this new-look defense can’t afford a slow start.

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Cowboys News: Jerry gives a roster spot, turning focus to Tampa, new destination for Dez?

The Cowboys owner confirms which “bubble player” will make the team, silver linings from an 0-4 preseason, and Dez Bryant going to a rival? | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys’ preseason has- mercifully- come to an end. They had no wins, but they suffered no massive season-plan-altering injuries, either. Perhaps that’s the best that can be said for the 2021 exhibition schedule. Preseason game No. 4 versus Jacksonville was little more than a showcase for relatively-unknown bubble players (at least that’s the way Dallas treated it). So for those who had better things to do with their Sunday afternoon than watch the Cowboys’ 2s and 3s get a beatdown from last year’s worst team in the league, a quick recap kicks things off.

We’ll dive a bit deeper to see who from each position group may have solidified their roster spot as final cuts loom large, including one free agent signee who had his ticket punched by the boss personally. Rookie Kelvin Joseph gives an update on his groin pull, but he doesn’t really provide an answer on his return. We’re looking for the silver linings in a winless preseason, while head coach Mike McCarthy has already closed the book and is looking ahead to September 9th. All that, plus a puzzling tease from a former star wideout about the surprising place former Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant may be headed next. Here’s the News and Notes to start a busy week.