Dallas Cowboys start 2018 with pathetic offensive effort

Despite a great effort from their defense, the Dallas Cowboys took a loss to start 2018 thanks in large part to a pathetic offensive performance.

The Dallas Cowboys are running out of excuses and it’s only the first week. Last year, the defense was better than the offense just the second time in seven full years under head coach Jason Garrett. The only other time that had happened, the starting quarterback only played in four games.

Last year, we were all told that the offense faltered, in part, because running back Ezekiel Elliott missed six games. We were told left tackle Tyron Smith missing three games had something to do with the pour output. Even franchise legends like wide receiver Dez Bryant and, to a lesser degree, tight end Jason Witten were thrown under the bus in order to draw the stench of this offense from its true problems.

Safe from any scrutiny was the head coach, the offensive coordinator and the quarterback. Well, as far as I could tell, Sunday afternoon in Carolina, Elliott and Tyron Smith played. We know Bryant and Witten did not. Jason Garrett coached. Scott Linehan called plays and quarterback Dak Prescott ran the offense.

What came of that was eight measly points. I guess the more things change, the more they stay the same. In seven of the Dallas Cowboys last nine games, Prescott has thrown for less than 200 yards. In case you may not be aware, the year is 2018 and NFL teams like to matriculate the ball down the field via air. Here’s a little perspective as to how pathetic the Cowboys passing offense has become.

In Week One, on basically one leg, Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for 270+ yards and three touchdowns in one half of football. Speaking of touchdowns, the Cowboys now have four, total, in their last four games. The Cleveland Browns have six touchdowns in their last two games.

Sunday’s loss in Carolina was the fifth time in their last ten games that Dallas failed to score double-digits in a game. Even in the 4-12 debacle that was the 2015 season, the Cowboys scored double-digits in 12 of their 16 contests. That was with Brandon Weeden, Matt Cassel and Kellen Moore doing most of the quarterbacking.

Also in the pathetic display of football witnessed Sunday comes this fun little tidbit. The Dallas Cowboys failed to run one, single, solitary play on the opponent’s side of the field the entire first half. The last time that happened, Dave Campo was your coach and Chad Hutchinson was your quarterback.

These are not outliers. This is the brilliant, forward-thinking offense that Garrett and Linehan signed off on. The entire offseason was spent with one goal in mind. All power and faith were put into making the offense what they, along with Prescott wanted.

If you complained about the predictably of the offense, you were publicly jettisoned out and made to blame for the ills of the hideous creation. Players and coaches alike were released or fired, except of course those who likely should have been.

We were all told that a true #1 receiver was not necessary. That it was “Dak-friendly” to have the whole be greater than the sum its parts. Meanwhile, Cole Beasley was the only receiver able to routinely get open.

We have been told that the addition of wide receiver/web back Tavon Austin would open up the creativity of the offense. We then watched him be involved in 10 plays, total. He touched the ball just once. Meanwhile, tight end Geoff Swaim was in on one less play than Ezekiel Elliott. How. Very. Creative.

The Dallas Cowboys have lost two games to dynamic opposing quarterbacks that they have held in check. Last year, their playoff run ended despite sacking Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson three times and holding him to 93 yards passing. This year, they got to Panther’s quarterback Cam Newton three times as well, holding him to a passer rating of 82.4 All that defensive effort wasted due to pathetic offensive efforts of their own.

Things may get better, here and there, but this is the offense. Unimaginative play calling, a dearth of talent and a wildly inaccurate quarterback. In order for the Dallas Cowboys to be successful in 2018, they will have to be either lucky or ridiculously dominate defensively. Buckle up fans, it’s going to be a long season.