Tag: Michael Gallup

Instant Analysis, Game Balls, Key Stats: Cowboys 47, Washington 16

The Dallas Cowboys closed out Week 17 with a 47-16 beatdown of the divisional rival Washington, that was ultimately meaningless.

And with that, it was over. The book closed on perhaps the most disappointing Dallas Cowboys season in recent memory, as a year that began with seemingly very real Super Bowl aspirations ended with an 8-8 record and no playoffs.

The Jekell and Hyde performances continued, as Dallas again thrashed an inferior opponent 47-16. It was all for naught however, and perhaps was the final note of the Jason Garrett coaching era.

It was over when . . .

. . . Michael Gallup’s second touchdown reception of the game put the Cowboys up 37-16. It was nearly simultaneous with an Eagles touchdown that put them ahead by two scores in the fourth quarter, on their way to winning the division by beating the New York Giants.

Game balls

WR Michael Gallup

The second-year receiver recorded his fourth. fifth, and sixth TD receptions of the season, capping out a promising 2019 for the former third round pick. Each of Gallup’s touchdowns were uniquely inspiring: a 4-yard toe-tapping pirouette, some insane body control to absorb a hit and then scamper 32-yards down the sideline, and a slick route to get behind the defense and find a seam.

This season, Gallup and Amari Cooper combined to be the first pair of 1000-yard receivers in Dallas since Dez Bryant and Jason Witten in 2012.

RB Ezekiel Elliott

Forever Hungry Ezekiel Elliott ran for 122 yards on the ground, giving him seven 100+ yard rushing games in 2019. He scored two total touchdowns, including his second receiving touchdown of the season, off some nice improvisation with Dak Prescott. Elliott finished the season with 1,357 rushing yards.

LB Jaylon Smith

Jaylon Smith was extremely active, finishing with eight total tackles (six solo, one for loss) and the first interception of his career. It may not have been the season many were expecting  from this Dallas defense, but the talent is clearly there for whatever the future may hold.

Key Stat: +113

The 2019 Dallas Cowboys finished the season with a +113 point differential, a mark that typically belies a playoff-bound team. It’s actually a depressingly impressive feat that Dallas was able to put up stats like these, yet still win only 8 games.

Quick Hits:

  • The Cowboys defense recorded turnovers on their first two series, as Smith’s interception was followed by Malcolm Smith forced fumble on Adrian Peterson (recovered by Xavier Woods). Smith’s presence may not have saved this season, but the former Super Bowl MVP definitely made an impact in the two games he played.
  • DE Robert Quinn notched another sack, giving 11.5 to lead the team. It was also the second-highest sack total Quinn’s recorded in a single season. A free agent at the end of the season, it’ll certainly be interesting to see whether the Cowboys decide to bring him back after a successful season.
  • Before Elliott’s second quarter touchdown reception, Kai Forbath had scored the 15 straight points for Dallas dating back to Week 16. Forbath stayed perfect as a Cowboy, hitting all four of his field goal tries to finish 10 for 10 in four games after taking over for Brett Maher.
  • Montez Sweat was guilty of some Mississippi State Bulldog on Bulldog crime. The 26th overall pick of the 2019 draft had a big game, sacking Prescott twice and forcing a fumble. Sweat finished with seven sacks as a rookie, making things real interesting for Washington with the second overall pick, who’ve gone defensive line-heavy with their last several first-round selections.
  • After recording only 126 receiving yards in his last three games, Amari Cooper totaled 92 in the season finale. 48 of the them came on a free play in the second quarter, setting up the Cowboys’ first touchdown of the game. Cooper also took a reverse for 6 yards. his first and only rushing attempt of this season. What the team ultimately decides to do with Cooper after his lackluster finish will be a major storyline this offseason.
  • With draft season officially upon us, Dallas will have the 17th overall pick in the upcoming draft.

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5 Cowboys with major records within reach in 2019 season finale

Despite a disappointing season, several Dallas Cowboys are among the best at their respective positions and offer hope for the future.

The Dallas Cowboys need a significant amount of help to make the 2019 postseason. They would have to take care of business in their own season finale and beat the 3-12 Redskins. That’s no gimme; Washington always turns it up in pride games against their hated rivals, and Dallas suddenly has question marks at quarterback, as Dak Prescott is working at less than full speed this week. But the Cowboys also need the Philadelphia Eagles to suffer an upset loss in the Meadowlands at the hands of the 4-11 New York Giants.

According to the New York Times, that exact scenario- the only one that puts the Cowboys in the playoffs- has a 27% chance of playing out. So the odds say that Cowboys fans will be looking for other silver linings to the 2019 campaign come Monday morning. While possible changes to the coaching staff may offer newfound hope for next season and beyond, the brightest spot of the current season might reside in the statistical leaderboards, as a handful of Cowboys playmakers could finish in the top tier of their respective categories.

Dak Prescott

The Cowboys quarterback has never missed a game in almost four full seasons as a pro, but that streak is in doubt, as a sprain of this throwing shoulder is limiting him at practice leading up to Week 17’s game.

With 4,599 passing yards, Prescott currently sits in second place among the league’s passing leaders, behind Tampa Bay’s Jameis Winston. Winston leads the NFL comfortably with 4,908 yards; it would require him sitting out the team’s closer versus Atlanta (or making a very early exit), coupled with a big game from Prescott for Dak to catch him.

The Chargers’ Philip Rivers sits in third place, 265 yards behind Prescott. Jared Goff of the Rams is 280 yards back, and Atlanta’s Matt Ryan is 446 behind Prescott. As long as he plays the full game against Washington, Prescott should maintain his hold on the runner-up slot in the category and finish as the league’s second-most prolific passer for 2019.

It would be Prescott’s highest finish and best yardage output by far. In his rookie year of 2016, the fourth-round draft pick finished 19th with 3,667 yards. The next year, he placed 16th with 3,324 yards. Last season, Prescott came in 15th with 3,885 yards in the air.

Prescott is also within reach of the team’s single-season passing record. With 305 additional air yards, his 2019 would supplant Tony Romo’s 2012 as the best regular season by a Cowboys quarterback in terms of yardage.

Say what you will about the Cowboys’ occasional ineptitude and reversion to bad habits at times this season, but the exponential impact that Kellen Moore’s offense and Jon Kitna’s tutelage have had on Prescott overall is obvious.

Continue…

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Amari Cooper says Garrett’s rotation ‘took me out’ on Cowboys’ key play

The leading wide receiver of the Dallas Cowboys was on the sideline for the biggest play of the season, and the given reasons don’t add up.

Few who know what they’re talking about when it come to football personnel doubt that the 2019 Cowboys are loaded with talent. It’s what set the bar so high coming into this season. It’s what made the team the favorite in so many games. It’s what has kept the experts picking the team to eventually turn it around against seemingly overmatched opponents. It’s what makes the current 7-8 record and sudden status as a postseason outsider so surprising.

And it’s the Cowboys’ embarrassment of riches at skill positions that makes their personnel package for the most important play of their year downright staggering. With the Week 16 game, a season sweep of the Eagles, and a playoff berth all hanging in the balance but within reach, top wideout Amari Cooper and nine-year veteran Randall Cobb were not on the field. Questions about why were met with answers that don’t quite add up… and may help seal the fate of head coach Jason Garrett.

Despite another slow start and playing from behind all afternoon, Dallas was still- perhaps inexplicably- in a position to steal a win in Philadelphia on Sunday and claim the NFC East throne. Quarterback Dak Prescott had led the offense 69 yards and were set up inside the Eagles’ 20 at the two-minute warning. After that break, Prescott was sacked for a loss of four yards. Next, Prescott and Cooper were unable to connect on a third-down deep shot to the end zone.

The following play represented the Cowboys’ last best chance. From shotgun formation on 4th and 8, Dallas lined up with running back Ezekiel Elliott in the backfield, receivers Michael Gallup and Tavon Austin split wide, and tight ends Jason Witten and Blake Jarwin working midfield.

Amari Cooper, the squad’s leading receiver with 75 receptions, 8 touchdown catches, and 1,097 yards on the season, was standing on the sideline.

“Coach just took me out,” Cooper told reporters after the game. “I had just ran a deep ball. Took me out.”

Prescott’s final throw went to Gallup in the end zone. The second-year Colorado State product made a leaping try, but Philadelphia cornerback Sidney Jones knocked the ball away. Replay officials reviewed the play for possible pass interference, as Jones had seemingly hooked one of Gallup’s arms, but the play stood without a penalty.

Gallup played well, hauling in five catches for 98 yards on the day and passing 1,000 yards on the season. He’s been a bright spot in a frustrating season, but on this critical play, he was the clear-cut number-one option for the Eagles’ secondary to cover. It left many to wonder why Cooper, a three-time Pro Bowler reportedly in line for a massive contract extension, and Cobb, specifically brought in for 2019 to be a legitimate threat from the slot, weren’t also in the huddle.

“We had an opportunity outside to [Michael Gallup],” Garrett said of the play call in his postgame press conference. “We had different routes going inside so the ball can go any of five places on that play based on the coverage they get. Obviously in those two-minute situations, those guys ran a lot of plays in a row. Each of those guys, particularly Randall, came up big at different times. We had a great matchup outside, but unfortunately we weren’t able to cash in on it.”

Cooper had just four catches in this game on 12 targets. A high quantity of drops led to some speculation that Cooper had been benched for poor play, much like cornerback Chidobe Awuzie had been earlier in the game.

Cooper is the league leader in dropped balls since 2015, according to Pro Football Focus, but Dallas knew what he was when they traded for him. Occasional drops are nothing new for Cooper. Nor is his baffling tendency to disappear in road games (although the rest of the world is just now figuring this out). No, even for the Cowboys coaching staff, the deciding play of the season would be an uncharacteristically odd time to suddenly yank Cooper for habits he’s had his entire career.

“On my behalf, I know I didn’t play my best game at all,” Cooper told the media. “It was terrible.”

The Alabama alum has been dealing with some nagging lower-body injuries this season; was there something physical limiting him on Sunday that took him off the field on that key fourth down?

“I’m good,” Cooper said afterward. “My body’s okay. You know, you have nicks and bruises at this point of the season, but in terms of anything limiting me? Nah.”

Garrett confirmed Cooper’s health status when asked. “He wasn’t [hurt]. We were rotating Tavon in there. Had a couple good opportunities with Tavon, and unfortunately, we weren’t able to cash in on them.”

Austin has made a handful of important plays for Dallas this season, none bigger than Week 15’s 59-yard touchdown versus the Rams, his only score of 2019. But with just 12 catches and 176 total receiving yards on the year, his presence over Cooper or even Cobb on the play that could have won the division is puzzling, even for a team that says it wants to attack with multiple players and in different ways.

If Cooper was on the sideline because he was winded (or because the team was stuck in hurry-up mode), why not call a timeout before the 4th-down play? The Cowboys still had all three of them at that point. A stoppage might have allowed the team time to work up a higher-percentage play, and it certainly would have given the twenty-five-year-old time to sufficiently catch his breath for one more route.

But Garrett kept the timeouts in his pocket, saving them for the defensive stand that started when the Eagles took over on downs. The Cowboys did stop the clock three times, but it only prolonged the inevitable. Dallas lost the game, control of the NFC East is no longer in their hands, and the playoffs are a long shot. Garrett’s job is in serious doubt, and he’ll be answering more questions about apparently sticking with some mysterious “rotation” instead of having his best players on the field at the most important moment.

“It’s very disappointing,” Cooper said of being held out. “Obviously, you want to be out there, try to make a play for the team.”

Cooper even seemed to have a play in mind that he felt would have worked against the Eagles defensive backs.

“Just the way they were playing, we could have ran more deep routes. I feel like the ‘go’ ball was a good route to run tonight, but we didn’t really get to it.”

Except they did get to it. It’s the route Cooper ran on third down, on the incompletion right before he reported to the sideline, according to Cooper himself.

“I had a ‘go’ ball on the play before, and I was taken out.”

Whether the main weapon of the team’s receiving corps was sidelined on the biggest play of the year because he needed a breather or because of too many drops or because it was hurry-up time or because that’s just the way the rotation happened to go in that moment, it’s one of many, many, many things that will leave an awful taste in the mouths of everyone associated with the club in 2019.

It simply makes no sense. And, like almost everything else about this Cowboys season, the more it’s dissected and picked apart and analyzed, the less sense it makes.

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Instant Analysis: Cowboys can’t score when their lives depended on it

Once again, the Cowboys couldn’t complete a comeback they desperately needed, falling to the Eagles 17-9 in Week 16.

The Cowboys 2019 season hopes took a massive hit, as they fell to Philadelphia 17-9 in Week 16. A win would’ve clinched the division, but now the Cowboys find themselves on the outside looking in, needing help heading into the final week of the season to make the playoffs.

The loss to the Eagles dropped the club’s record to 7-8 and they need to win next week and get help from the 4-11 New York Giants to earn a berth. In other words, things are looking grim.

It was over when . . .

. . . Dak Prescott and Michael Gallup couldn’t connect on 4th and 8 from the Philadelphia 23 with 1:21 left in the game. The play survived a replay review for defensive pass interference before it was ultimately upheld as an incompletion. The Eagles took over on downs, and bled out the clock.

Game balls

WR Michael Gallup

One of the lone sources of offense early in the game, Michael Gallup led the team with 98 receiving yards on five catches. His 41 yard grab in the second quarter was the team’s longest play from scrimmage, and set up Dallas’s first field goal. Gallup’s night could’ve been much bigger however, had he been able to reel in some crucial catches on the team’s final drive.

DE DeMarcus Lawrence

Lawrence did much of the dirty work on defense to keep the Cowboys in the game. He recorded just three total tackles (two solo), but also affected the game with two pass defenses and another QB hit. His presence on the defensive line opens things up for many of the other Dallas pass rushers.

K Kai Forbath

For better and for worse, Forbath was the entire Cowboys offense. He made all three field goals, hitting from 49 twice and another from 32. Unfortunately, even with a more reliable kicker, this year’s Dallas team continues to struggle and underachieve on offense.

Key Stat: 33%

Prescott targeted Amari Cooper 12 times, resulting in just four catches for 24 yards. It was a night where the Cowboys’ No. 1 receiver could’ve really taken advantage of a beat up Philadelphia secondary, but Cooper simply wasn’t able to get consistently open, or do much with the ball in his hands.

Quick Hits:

  • It was far from Dak Prescott’s best game, who finished completing 25 of 44 passes for 265 yards, two sacks, zero touchdowns. It was only the second time all season he didn’t record either a passing or rushing touchdown. He was off on several throws, and didn’t receive much help on others, but overall, it was a disappointing result in a must-win game.
  • Six of Prescott’s pass attempts resulted in drops, a running theme this season. Jason Witten and Cooper were each guilty of memorable drops in the first half that would’ve really helped the Cowboys’ cause.
  • Tony Pollard’s fumble on Dallas’s opening second half drive ended their best opportunity to take control of the game. The Cowboys looked to be in command, and were just outside Philadelphia’s red zone before Pollard took his only two rushing attempts of the game. The rookie has been electric this season, but he greatly cost Dallas this game.
  • Unfortunately, Pollard was only in that situation because Ezekiel Elliott was previously shaken up, and took himself out of the game. It was tough sledding for Elliott early, who was mostly bottled up before coming to life in the third quarter. He ultimately rumbled for 47 yards on 13 carries, but it seemed like the Cowboys insistence on getting Elliott going really sputtered and held back their offense.
  • The Dallas offense benefitted from two missed Jake Elliott field goals from 53 and 55 yards out, setting them up with rare short fields and keeping them in the game. Only able to come away with field goals themselves, the game could’ve been much different if the Cowboys had been able to reach the end zone.
  • Freshly signed LB Malcolm Smith recorded two tackles, including one for loss. He was also involved during Xavier Woods’ early third down stop on Miles Sanders at the end of the first quarter. It was a good showing on short notice for the former Super Bowl MVP.
  • The Dallas defense came up with a huge series to force an Eagles punt with 4:40 left in fourth quarter, giving the offense one last chance. Michael Bennett stopped Sanders in the backfield on first down, and then Robert Quinn strip-sacked Carson Wentz to set up botched screen attempt on 3rd and 18. Philadelphia had been driving, looking to go back up two scores and end the game, before being forced backward by an emotionally charged Cowboys defense.
  • Jason Garrett does not win these games. His team once again folded when given another chance to prove what kind of team they are. Garrett’s conservative game management really limited their chances as the game wore on, perhaps best evidenced by his early fourth quarter decision to punt from his own 33 down 11 points.
  • Needing to be extra aggressive and in the face of a very manageable 4th and 1, Garrett instead opted to punt, and was rewarded with a Blake Jarwin false start. He ended up choosing 38 yards of field position over a chance at extending the drive, in a game where Dallas would only get two more possessions.
  • Somehow, the Cowboys are still in the playoff picture at 7-8. The NFC East’s comical battle royal all comes down to Week 17, as all four teams play each other. If the Eagles fall to New York, and the Cowboys win over Washington, they’ll win division and stumble into the playoffs.

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Fantasy football: 5 sleepers to start, 5 starters to sit in Week 15

Five starters to sit and five sleepers to start in fantasy football Week 15.

It’s crunch time in fantasy football.

A little scouting and you can avoid a crucial late-season loss or do just enough to cross the finish line with a win this week in the playoffs. We’ve got you covered with a quick scouting report to help you out.

Here are five sleepers to start and five starters you’ve got to sit in fantasy football Week 15:

Starts
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

QB Jimmy Garoppolo

49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is fresh off the best game of his career when his team edged out the Saints 48-46 on the road. Garoppolo had 349 yards and four touchdowns with an interception. The Saints defense over the years has been terrible, but this year they’ve been average. En route next for the 49ers is the Falcons, who’ve been a bottom-feeder defensive team all season. That, and the 49ers have home-field advantage this time around.

RB Kareem Hunt

In PPR leagues, Kareem Hunt is a solid starter as the Browns face the Cardinals this week. This meeting pins two poor defensive units up against each other and Hunt has shown production over the past few games, even with Nick Chubb, scoring a touchdown in three-straight. This game could even turn into a shootout.

RB James White

Like Hunt, James White will be more productive in PPR leagues but he still has value, regardless. The Patriots have the lowly Bengals en route. Cincy is bad all-around, but particularly bad against opposing running backs, who grab an average of 45 yards in receiving against the Bengals. While White does most of his damage in the air, the Bengals also sport the NFL’s worst run defense heading into this one as well.

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Fantasy football thoughts for Week 15

Jimmy Garoppolo and Jared Goff are must starts while you should stay away from Jameis Winston and Mitchell Trubisky in Week 15 of fantasy football.

It’s semifinal playoff week in fantasy football leagues and that means it’s imperative to make the right decisions on your lineup. Especially at quarterback.

Pick the right guy at quarterback and you could be playing for a championship next week. Pick the wrong guy and you won’t even be playing next week.

I’ve scoured the advice that’s out there from a bunch of fantasy gurus and I don’t agree with the consensus on several quarterbacks, mainly Tampa Bay’s Jameis Winston and Chicago’s Mitchell Trubisky. Most experts are saying to start them both because they’ve put up big numbers lately.

I disagree with that and think you should sit Winston and Trubisky unless you have no other choice. Winston will be playing with a slight fracture in his right thumb and will be without receiver Mike Evans. Trubisky will be going against a tough Green Bay defense. Stay clear of both these guys.

The quarterbacks I think you should be starting are Jared Goff and Jimmy Garoppolo and that’s based mainly on the fact that both have favorable matchups. Goff and the Rams play the Cowboys, who have struggled with pass defense recently. San Francisco’s Garoppolo plays the Falcons, who have struggled against the passing game all year.

The quarterbacks are the headliners and I’ll share more thoughts on them later. But I also cover the other positions in my thoughts for Week 15 in fantasy football.

Robert Woods is a must-start

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

The Rams receiver has had at least 95 receiving yards in each of the last four games he’s played in. He’s got a favorable matchup this week. The Cowboys have allowed seven touchdown passes to wide receivers in the last four weeks.

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Report card: Bills top Cowboys, 26-15

The Buffalo Bills played lights out against Dallas on Thanksgiving to move to 9-3 on the season.

“Well, well, well…” is what BillsMafia is saying to the collective national media, who counted out the Buffalo Bills on their Thanksgiving clash with the Dallas Cowboys, 26-15.

On the national stage, the Bills had their pie and ate it too. The Bills played their most complete game of the season in Dallas showing off to the nation what many in Western New York already knew. The Bills are legitimate playoff contenders.

With that, here’s how the positional groups graded in the Bills’ Week 13 win on Thanksgiving:

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterback: A

Josh Allen played like a true franchise quarterback on Thursday, using both his legs and arm to make plays down the field. Allen showed that he can beat a team with his arm, he can improvise in the pocket, and turn a seemingly dead play into something positive. This is something Bills fans have seen all season, but never against a quality opponent on this big of a stage.

Allen completed 79 percent of his passes on 19-for-24 passing with 231 yards, and one passing touchdown. Allen also used his legs to rush for 43 yards and the game sealing touchdown in the third quarter.

He also showed improved decision making and better ball placement and he was making it easy for his receivers to make big plays. This type of game is something the Bills franchise has been looking for since the days of Jim Kelly.

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Bills at Cowboys: 5 matchups to watch

The Buffalo Bills face the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving in an important game that have potential playoff implications for both teams.

The Bills will be facing the Dallas Cowboys for a Turkey Day clash, and will be looking to pull an impressive upset on the big stage. Dallas sits at 6-5 and are coming off a poor loss to the New England Patriots, while the Bills are 8-3 and are coming off an important victory vs. Denver.

Both teams are jockeying for playoff positions before the homestretch of the season. With that being said, here are five important matchups to watch on Thanksgiving:

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott. Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Ezekiel Elliot vs. Tremaine Edmunds, Matt Milano 

Ezekiel Elliot is one of the best running backs in football and has the burden of carrying Dallas’s offense. In four of the Cowboys losses this season Zeke was held to under 100 yards, which means that the entire Bills defense needs to be on the top of their game to stop the Pro Bowl running back. If Buffalo wants a shot at winning they will need to hold Zeke to under 100 yards.

Holding Elliot to under 100 yards is easier said than done though. On his 215 rushing attempts this season he has 919 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Elliot averages 4.9 yards per carry, while the Bills defense allows 4.4 yards per attempt which is 20th in the NFL. Luckily for the Bills, Elliot has only managed 3.1 yards per carry in his past three games. 

The leaders of the Bills defense, Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano will be spearheading the rush defense to prevent Ezekiel Elliot from dominating Buffalo. In the past two weeks, Milano and Edmunds have been sent on more blitzes on crucial downs which has led to the two making blowing up plays in the backfield. 

Milano and Edmunds have combined for 153 tackles this season, with 17 of them coming in the backfield. If Edmunds and Milano want to prevent Elliot from dominating the game, they will need to make plays in the backfield and at the line of scrimmage. 

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News: Vander Esch ‘week-to-week’, Gallup ‘No.1 receiver’, Belichick calls Dak ‘super impressive’

Previewing Sunday’s showdown between Dak Prescott and Tom Brady, outsmarting Bill Belichick, and cashing in on Dak’s pregame dance moves.

So much to discuss as Sunday’s showdown draws ever nearer. The Cowboys look like they’ll be dealing with a surprise scratch in the middle of the defense, while there’s plenty of talk about the two quarterbacks this game will feature. Everyone is trying to predict what Patriots coach Bill Belichick will or won’t do, and what the Cowboys should or shouldn’t do in this one… all while one of the player units in Dallas suggests it’s all just business as usual.

All of that, plus an early look ahead at running back contracts and unrestricted free agents for 2020, breakdowns of both the Dallas offense and defense, and the perfect holiday gift for the Cowboys fan who’s still trying to learn “How to Dak.” That’s ahead in this edition of News and Notes.

Sources: Cowboys LB Leighton Vander Esch (neck) out vs. Patriots :: ESPN

Updating Thursday night’s big news, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is expected to miss Sunday’s matchup with New England.

“Vander Esch’s injury flared up in practice, which led to an MRI. He will have another MRI in three weeks, according to a source,” reports ESPN’s Todd Archer. Also citing sources, Archer says the second-year star is now considered “week-to-week.”

Longtime veteran Sean Lee will take over for Vander Esch as the team’s weakside linebacker. Joe Thomas is slated to move into Lee’s spot on the strong side, but he has missed two practices this week with an illness.

–TB

Brady vs. Prescott: A one-sided battle is on tap in Cowboys-Pats :: Cowboys Wire

Metrics nerds, get your popcorn ready. Travis Somers presents all kinds of graph goodness in this look at the two quarterbacks who will lead their teams against one another at Foxboro Stadium on Sunday.

Come for the visual eye candy of data plotted out on an X/Y grid and all the pretty colors; stay for the eye-opening conclusion about how the Cowboys’ young star actually compares to the most decorated passer in league history.

–TB

Belichick: Prescott is ‘Super Impressive’

Not much else to say here but watch the reverence  (second vid) the Patriots head coach has for the Cowboys QB ahead of Sunday’s matchup.

— KD

Tom Brady: I’ve disliked the Dallas Cowboys since birth :: Boston Herald

As a San Francisco kid who grew up during the 49ers’ dynasty of the 1980s and saw Dwight Clark make “The Catch” in person as a four-year-old, Tom Brady was perhaps genetically hardwired to hate America’s Team.

“I’ve really not liked the Cowboys since coming out of the womb,” the Patriots quarterback said this week.

“They’ve actually had a great, winning organization, and have got a lot of great players in their history,” Brady said. “Guys that I, just as a Niner fan, you know — you play the Cowboys and every time they’d hand it to Emmitt Smith, it’d be a 5-yard gain. And you’d pull your hair out.”

Brady is 4-0 in his playing career against Dallas.

–TB

Cowboys not changing mentality for defending champ Patriots :: The Mothership

For all the hype and hoopla surrounding Sunday’s showdown with the New England Patriots, the guys in the trenches say they’re approaching this week’s game like any other.

On the Miller Lite Cowboys Hour, offensive linemates Zack Martin and Travis Frederick dispelled any notion that they’re changing their mentality for Week 12 simply because they’ll be squaring off against the defending Super Bowl champions.

–TB

Examining what the Cowboys are up against in Bill Belichick’s singular coaching mind :: The Athletic

“Take away what they do best,” they say. Well, no one’s better at it than New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who has been making winning look easy for going on two decades. The Cowboys offense will present a unique challenge in Foxborough, but here’s a look at what has made things in New England so different for so long.

–TT

Should the Cowboys focus on blitzing Tom Brady? :: Blogging the Boys

The Patriots do just about everything well, but if there’s a weakness to be found, it may in Tom Brady’s performance when under duress.

Connor Livesay writes: “Heading into last week’s matchup against the Eagles, Tom Brady ranked 28th in yards per attempt (4.0), 27th in passer rating (47.9), a 4:3 TD:INT ratio, and is only completing 34% of his passes when under pressure.”

Harassing Brady will be of critical importance, but only if the Cowboys can do it without sending too many blitzers. That’s because one of Brady’s strengths is utilizing screen passes to backs James White, Rex Burkhead, and Sony Michel… and unfortunately, stopping the screen attack hasn’t been something the Dallas defense has excelled at in 2019.

–TB

Classic matchup: Dallas Cowboys’ ‘America’s Team’ vs. New England’s ‘We are all Patriots’ :: ESPN

A comparison between two of the best runs in NFL history, the Dallas team that garnered the “America’s Team” moniker and the Bill Belichick version of the New England Patriots. There’s a trip down memory lane, an NFL record that’s on the brink, and a look at the animosity that the two teams’ success has wrought over the years.

–TT

Amari Cooper confident in WR depth vs. Pats :: The Mothership

Given the Patriots knack for shutting down the thing that’s working best for their opponent, it’s fair to say that keeping wideout Amari Cooper in check will be a priority for the New England secondary. That unit “has been outstanding, ” team staff writer David Helman notes, “anchored by strong play from Stephon Gilmore and Jason McCourty, and nabbing 19 interceptions on the year.”

Cooper himself, though, thinks that strategy is a double-edged sword. “We have a lot of guys that can make plays, so if they try to take me away and just focus on me, I don’t think that’d be the wisest approach,” he said. “You saw what Gallup and Cobb did last week, going for over 100 yards. If they do try to take me away, we have other guys that can make plays.”

–TB

2 under-the-radar keys to Cowboys finding weakness in Belichick’s defense :: Cowboys Wire

Joey Ickes breaks down a favorite New England technique for negating an opponent’s primary receiver and offers a pair of strategies that Kellen Moore could use in response.

The entire article is worth the read, but one of those tactics has been screamed at the TV by every Cowboys fan out there at some point this season: let Dak Prescott use his running ability.

The second ploy involves a few names that the casual fan- and hopefully the Patriots- might not expect. And a former New England assistant confirms that this particular plan of attack hits one of Belichick’s personal bugaboos.

–TB

All the NFL running backs who could get paid in 2020, and why recent deals look like disasters :: ESPN

Ezekiel Elliott’s is among the running backs’ deals examined in this piece by ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, and the results aren’t pretty. Elliott is very good, but he hasn’t recaptured that dynamic play that he flashed throughout his rookie season when he took the league by storm. This year, the new rookie in town, Tony Pollard, has made the Cowboys more efficient when he spells Elliott. Caveat: sample size.

Elliott isn’t holding the Cowboys back by any means, but they have actually been slightly more efficient on offense with backup Tony Pollard on the field than him. Elliott has been on the field far more frequently, but the offense has generated 0.21 points of additional expected points per play with Pollard on the field and 0.17 points with Elliott in the lineup.

–TT

Decoding Kellen Moore: Explosive passes become routine as Cowboys offense transforms before our eyes :: The Athletic

A team’s record has the capacity to make the general NFL fan either overestimate or underestimate a team on that fact alone. This is certainly the case with the Dallas Cowboys, whose offense is as good as any in the league. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and quarterback Dak Prescott have their half of the team rolling in terms of explosive plays and third down conversion. That and more in Bob Sturm’s weekly breakdown of the offense.

–TT

The Richard Report: Cowboys defense allows Detroit a worrisome number of big plays :: The Athletic

It takes two to tango, and in Week 11 the defense failed to hold up their end of the bargain. As explosive as the offense has been, the defense let a backup quarterback match them in that regard. That kind of performance is the exact opposite of the “bend but don’t break” approach that’ s been preached for years in Dallas.

–TT

Top 50 pending NFL unrestricted free agents for 2020 :: The Athletic

The Cowboys dominate this list of upcoming free agents with five players listed on it. Two of them, Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper, are guaranteed to continue their careers in Dallas, but the others on the list have futures that are up in the air, including one of the newest members of the team.

–TT

‘How to Dak’ shirts now available :: Cowboys Pro Shop

Nobody knows how to push their brand quite like Jerry Jones. First, it was the “Zeke Who?” shirts that poked fun at the owner’s perceived slight of Ezekiel Elliott during the star running back’s holdout. Then it was the fun the team had with the black cat who appeared during the Week 9 win over the Giants, even putting him on the stadium’s video screen during player intros the following week.

Now it’s Cowboys Nation’s ongoing love affair with quarterback Dak Prescott’s pregame warmup routine.

The 100% cotton tee is available in all sizes for both men and women, and features the above graphic on the back. On the front, the Cowboys star and Prescott’s jersey number appear above the left breast. The shirt sells for $24.99.

–TB

[vertical-gallery id=634743][vertical-gallery id=634702][vertical-gallery id=633628][lawrence-newsletter]

Gallup says departed brother helped on circus catch: ‘He was right there with me’

Cowboys WR Michael Gallup’s circus catch changed the game and capped his career-best outing on the anniversary of his brother’s suicide.

November 17, 2018 was one of the darkest days imaginable for wide receiver Michael Gallup. November 17, 2019 was one of his very best as a Dallas Cowboy. On the one-year anniversary of his younger brother’s death, the second-year wideout logged a career-high nine receptions for 148 yards in an important 35-27 win over the Detroit Lions.

Gallup provided perhaps the turning point of the game with an improbable catch in the second quarter. And while it would be a cheap cliche for some sportswriter to suggest that the 23-year-old wideout had some sort of divine intervention in making the acrobatic grab of a tipped ball, Gallup himself says his brother was with him.

But Gallup admits his highlight moment almost didn’t happen at all.

“I wasn’t even supposed to run that route,” Gallup said after the game. “I kind of messed myself up. That’s really why I had to catch the ball, because I messed it up. I’d just seen [quarterback Dak Prescott] throw it in the air, and [Lions cornerback Mike Ford] was behind me, so I had to fight through him. Then luckily, the ball didn’t go too far after I missed it the first time.”

According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, Gallup wouldn’t rule out the possibility that his brother may have provided a slight nudge while that ball was fluttering in the air.

“I know he was right there with me when I bobbled that deep ball,” Gallup said. “I know he was right there with me.”

The circus catch moved the chains on a critical third down and extended the Cowboys drive. Two plays later, running back Ezekiel Elliott punched the ball into the end zone to give Dallas a lead that they would not relinquish. Gallup compiled over 100 of his receiving yards before halftime.

“We needed him,” Elliott told the media after the win. “We needed him right there. He definitely carried us through the first half. He’s the reason we won the game.”

“It’s no surprise. No surprise at all,” Prescott said of Gallup’s play during his postgame press conference. “If you watch practice or if you could see practice, that’s what he does week in and week out. He’s somebody that I have so much confidence in, the way that he wants to learn, he wants to get better. He’s a hungry player, and it’s fun to play with him.”

Gallup’s sideline grab impressed his fellow receivers, too.

“Even after he caught it, I said, ‘You wanted that one bad,'” Cooper joked with reporters. “I don’t think I’ve ever made a catch like that. Being interfered, not initially catching it because you’re being interfered, and then catching it? Like I said, he really wanted to catch that ball.”

“He’s an amazing player, he makes some incredible catches,” Randall Cobb said at his locker. “I think we’ve got to get him more involved and find ways to get him the ball and let him do what he does.

“He’s been making plays since I got here: through OTAs, through training camp. I think people are starting to understand exactly how good he can be. And he’s going to continue to grow, continue to get better. That comes with experience, but to see a young guy like him making plays consistently throughout the season is huge for him as a player, and it’s huge for our team.”

The concept of team is an important one for the 2018 third-round draft pick our of Colorado State. He’s demonstrated it repeatedly in his short pro tenure with the Cowboys, even in the devastating wake of his brother’s suicide last year.

The club was in Atlanta to play the Falcons. After the win, Gallup, a Georgia native, was joined by family members in a private room at the stadium. That’s when he was given the news of his brother Andrew’s death the previous day. Michael stayed behind with family when the players returned to Dallas. But the rookie rejoined his teammates and played just four days later, though, recording two catches against Washington and earning a game ball that Thanksgiving Day from coach Jason Garrett before returning to Georgia the next morning for the funeral.

“I just have so much admiration for Michael as a person and how he handled that situation,” Garrett offered Monday during a phone interview with 105.3 The Fan. “I can’t imagine what he was going through, what his family was going through. And he just handled it so beautifully, with so much grace last year. And I was just so impressed by him as a person and the character he has and his family and how they all came together around this tragedy. He’s just handled everything so beautifully since then. Obviously, we’ve talked a lot about how he continues to develop and grow as a player, and he certainly did a great job for us yesterday.”

Though obviously pleased with Sunday’s win and his contribution to it, Gallup admitted that his brother had been on his mind leading up to kickoff.

“Obviously, it’s going to be tough around this time every year,” Gallup said. “His birthday was November 10. So it’s always a hard one. But to go out here and have fun, do what I love, and he knows that. I’ve always loved this game and he’s up there watching me. It’s a good feeling, to be able to do that for him and have the family watch as well.”

But if the young speedster was struggling with memories of his brother, he kept it to himself. Most of his teammates didn’t even know about the tragic anniversary until it was pointed out to them by reporters after the win.

“Man, you just gave me chills,” Elliott said when told. “MG’s been a great dude ever since I met him. I knew he was going to be special. I knew he was talented. For him to go out there and have the day he did- today, on the one-year [anniversary] of his brother passing away- I’m sure it means a lot to him. I’m happy for the kid.”

“You did it for your bro?” Cooper asked Gallup directly in the locker room. “Yeah, he did it for bro. Hey, it explains a lot now, how he really wanted that ball? It explains a lot now. He did it for bro.

“Proud of him,” Prescott declared. “I know his brother’s proud of him. That’s what you do when you’re a player like that, when you’re a ballplayer, being able to go out there on that field and be at peace, it takes away and just allows you to be who you are. That’s what Michael Gallup did tonight. Just showed the type of player he is, in the midst of the anniversary. Proud of him. Proud of him.”

As for what Andrew would have said about the Cowboys’ win and his older brother’s incredible catch? Gallup grinned broadly just imagining it.

“Man, shoot. I don’t even know what little Andy would say. He’d just probably look at me and smile, to be honest.”