Tag: lessons learned

Lessons Learned: Undisciplined teams lose big games, executing a game plan is key

A lesson in exerting will and maintaining focus was beat into the Cowboys subconscious on Sunday. | From @CDPiglet

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott told Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady they’d meet again in the playoffs after a loss in Week 1 of the season. 18 weeks later the Cowboys had their chance to make that statement come true. A loss to the San Francisco 49ers, when the time ran out as they drove for a chance at a winning touchdown ended that chance Sunday.

Although Dallas had a chance on the final drive, the game wasn’t even as competitive as the final score indicated. Conservative play calling from Kyle Shanahan, like kicking a field goal on fourth-and-one from the Cowboys 22 yard-line, along with mistakes from Jimmy Garoppolo allowed the Cowboys to stay in a game in which they were physically dominated.

The season is now over, but great teams learn from the most devastating defeats. Here are some lessons learned from the playoff loss to the 49ers.

Lessons Learned: Cowboys reached several milestones in win over Eagles

Ezekiel Elliott had an underrated season, and playing for milestones among what we learned from Dallas Cowboys versus Philadelphia Eagles | From @CDPiglet

The Dallas Cowboys took care of business Saturday night at Lincoln Financial Field. They ended the season going 12-5, winning their division and guaranteeing themselves at least one home playoff game. With a 51-26 victory, this Cowboys team became the first to score 50 points in any road game. Dak Prescott became the first Dallas quarterback to start and win every division game in a season.

Then the team had to wait for Sunday’s games to finish to learn their wild-card matchup would be against old-school rival San Francisco. Dallas secured the No. 3 seed and the 49ers clinched a playoff berth with a win over the Los Angeles Rams. The Philadelphia Eagles had nothing to play for and ran the backups out for their final game of the season, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be things learned from the last game of the regular season.

Lessons Learned: Cowboys tired of officiating, Prescott struggled against disguises

While frustration over the whistle blowers mounts, the Cowboys have to solve what defenses have solved about their offense. | From @CDPiglet

The Dallas Cowboys teased their fan base yet again with high expectations. They overpromised then underdelivered. After a 56-14 drubbing of a division rival, the Cowboys went into a home game against the 10-win Arizona Cardinals. That team was reeling and on a three-game losing streak that included a blowout loss to the lowly Detroit Lions. Dallas was a substantial favorite but couldn’t deliver the comeback win.

The Cowboys are still a work in progress, entering the final week of the regular season. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams saw themselves in similar Week 17 situations, but they all pulled through in the end to win their games in the final minutes. Those teams have all been to the Super Bowl and still have players and coaches who can led them through such rough waters with experience.

Dallas has coaches that have been to, and won, big games like that, but they don’t have any major leaders on the field with said experience to guide them.

It has shown to be an issue more than once just this season, but these games are part of that growth process for Dallas. Here are some things that were learned and that can be used the next time the Cowboys are in a game like this. That opportunity is likely right around the corner.

What We Learned: Cowboys conserving offensive energy, Tankathon were on display vs Giants

We learned from Cowboys at Giants is that Demarcus Lawrence is still that guy on defense, and the conservative offense could be the plan, not the result. | From @CDPiglet

The Dallas Cowboys have learned to win games ugly. They are a Pick-6 off the arm of quarterback Dak Prescott against the Washington Football Team from winning three straight weeks by double digits while on the road. It isn’t easy to win three straight travel games in and of itself as this is the first time it’s happened for Dallas since 1969.

Not every win is going to be beautiful.  The Cowboys have done a good job of scoring early and getting up on their opponent and then allowing the defense to win the game while the offense tries to not give it away.

Dallas has plenty of stars on their offensive ledger. That makes the fans worry about the lack of consistency from them lately. Really good defenses like the Cowboys have faced the last three weeks can take away parts of the team though. Whether it’s Dak, Zeke, any or all of the trio of receivers, some games the top guys aren’t gonna be able to produce to their standards. If that happens the role players have to be able to make enough plays.

Tony Pollard led the team in rush yards and averaged 6.2 yards a carry. Dalton Schultz led the team in receptions, yards, and caught the teams only touchdown pass. When the defense is playing at a top five level, and the offensive role players are stepping up, the Cowboys can win ugly games, and they count the same in the win column as a blowout. Here are some things that were learned from a third straight ugly road win.

 

What We Learned: Cowboys offense now relying on defensive bailouts

The Dallas Cowboys versus Washington Football Team taught us Parsons has increasing DPOY odds, and defense is the team’s top unit. From @CDPiglet

As it turns out, The Washington Football Team didn’t want the Dallas Cowboys, as much as their fans claimed it was so. After a buildup that included a victory guarantee, coaches going back and forth in press conferences, and the division all but on the line, the Cowboys went into halftime up 24-0 it what seemed like a mismatch.

Some very sloppy play by the Dallas offense, including two interceptions from quarterback Dak Prescott, allowed the Football Team to make it a close score in the last three minutes, but the defense stepped up and caused their fourth turnover to shut the door for the 27-20 victory.

The tale of two halves can teach a team lots of great things in one half, and show them lots of poor play in another, giving the coaches a lot to work with over the next week. Here are some examples of what was learned from Sunday’s division win in Washington.

What We Learned vs Giants: Cowboys’ defense can be star in the show, too,

The defense can step up when needed, and it takes much more than a talented back to have this level of rushing success. Here’s what we learned in the Cowboys’ dismantling of the Giants on Sunday. | From @CDPiglet

The Dallas Cowboys improved to 4-1 overall, and 2-0 in the division with their 44-20 win over the New York Giants on Sunday. They beat up on another weak NFC East opponent, running their combined score this season against them to 85 to 41, +44. Quarterback Dak Prescott’s record against the NFC East improves to 21-6 and they now have a two-game lead in the division.

The game was a little bit of a let down, due to the amount of important players injured on the Giants team, but nobody cried for the Cowboys last year when they lost their quarterback and two starting offensive tackles. Dallas handled their business, winning all three games of their home stand in a stretch where home-field advantage means next to nothing around the NFL.

Maybe some believe that it’s impossible to learn anything from beating an injury-riddled team, but they definitely can, and here are some examples of what was learned this week.

What We Learned: DPOY candidate resides in Dallas, Cowboys coaches deserve kudos

The Dallas Cowboys continued answering questions about themselves. In Week 4, coaching adjustments and a star defender’s place led the way. | From @CDPiglet

The Dallas Cowboys had a lot of reasons they could’ve overlooked this game, even up against an undefeated team. The Carolina Panthers were down their best player, Christian McCaffrey, and top cornerback Jaycee Horn. Emotionally the Cowboys were coming off of their home opener against the rival Philadelphia Eagles, and it was in Dak Prescott’s return to AT&T Stadium after his season-ending 2020 injury. A let down would be human nature. The game after Carolina is another divisional game, and it’s against the team Prescott was injured against last season.

Under the past regime’s leadership, and a not-as-developed quarterback, any of those things could’ve been a big issue. With Mike McCarthy, his staff, and Dak Prescott, the Cowboys won the game rather easily. When a team knocks off an undefeated opponent, there is always a lot that can be learned and here are some nuggets acquired during Dallas’ 36-28 win.

What We Learned: Certain Cowboys shut it down, turned it up and bust things open

What we learned about the Dallas Cowboys rookie defenders, the safety position, Ezekiel Elliott, Trevon Diggs, and Dalton Schultz. | From @CDPiglet

The Dallas Cowboys played in a barometer game Monday Night against the rival Philadelphia Eagles. If the Cowboys were gonna be seen as a real contender, then beating Philadelphia wasn’t gonna be enough. Dallas needed to dominate, and after a 20-point blow out, it seems they did what was necessary.

The contest wasn’t close, Dallas accumulated 27 first downs to the Eagles 12. They won the turnover battle, had nearly ten more minutes of time of possession, almost 100 more rushing yards, and just under 20 more plays. If not for one defensive play by the Eagles and a missed touchdown on a replay review of a Dak Prescott quarterback sneak, then this game could’ve been a five-touchdown romp.

There is a lot that can be learned in a big, intra-division blowout win like this and here are some of the things that bode well for the future of the team.