Dallas Cowboys owe fans an apology for Week One performance
The Dallas Cowboys offense is a Ford 500 GT race car, but it’s obvious that quarterback Dak Prescott is the wrong driver to unleash its potential.
The Dallas Cowboys horrific offensive performance last Sunday against the Carolina Panthers left me feeling like the great Serena Williams in the US Open. Simply stated – The Dallas Cowboys owe fans an apology!
Everyone from the front office to the water boy has spent this offseason convincing us that the team would be better, faster, explosive and most of all – Dak Friendly. That definitely wasn’t the case in Week 1.
Cowboy Nation was told that the team needed to get rid of Dez Bryant, a Pro Bowl caliber wide receiver that continued to draw double coverage from defenses. The new Cowboys system doesn’t need a true number one receiver. Instead, the offense will spread the ball around to receiver Cole Beasley and a bunch of random guys with ‘chips on their shoulder’ that want to prove they belong in the NFL.
Without a receiving threat, the Carolina Panthers defense was successful with packing the box to stop the run and playing man to man against our receivers. That defensive strategy is going to work all season because the only thing less threatening than the Cowboys’ receivers are the non-passing skills of quarterback Dak Prescott.
Don’t bother pointing fingers at head coach Jason Garrett and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan. I’ve repeatedly stated that this offense is a Ford 500 GT race car (the official sponsor of Cowboys football), but Prescott is the wrong driver to unleash it’s performance potential.
Prescott’s poor throwing mechanics has the ball landing at receiver’s feet or sailing six yards over their heads. He’s unable to read defenses pre-snap. He has zero pocket presence, which results in him holding the ball too long. Instead of taking small steps or drifting left or right in the pocket, he attempts to run.
Prescott doesn’t see the entire field nor does he throw with anticipation. He’s not accurate, has poor touch and doesn’t throw into smaller windows. I’m not giving him any credit for a preseason throw against a basic NFL defense.
Long story short – It’s horrible to watch Prescott play quarterback and fail to get this team into the opponents side of the field for 30 minutes. These are facts that his fan club – the Dak-Riders – refuse to accept.
Later, I had the pleasure of watching Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers lead his team to victory after trailing the Chicago Bears by 20 points in the 2nd half. The benches at Lambeau Field were still fully occupied because the crowd had faith in Rodgers. That’s the same faith that Cowboy Nation used to have in former quarterback Tony Romo.
I fondly watch highlights of Romo driving the Cowboys 83 yards in 2 minutes for a touchdown with zero timeouts. There were many of those 4th quarter comebacks. So many, that Romo was ranked as the NFL’s best 4th quarter quarterback.
When Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt beat left tackle Tyron Smith, it was beautiful to see Romo feel the pressure, spin and throw the ball 52 yards through the air to wide receiver Terrance Williams.
Romo attacked the entire field. Romo scrambled to pass. Romo made this offense great. How can you not miss seeing plays like this one against the Atlanta Falcons? If only the front office had blessed him with a defense to match.
Well, the best pass from Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ comeback against the Chicago Bears wasn’t the touchdown thrown deep down the right sideline. It was the 75 yard touchdown pass to receiver Randall Cobb which was thrown into a tight window.
Look at the play and observe how Rodgers exhibited calmness in the pocket then delivered a pass that placed the ball shoulder pad high on Cobb’s left side instead of bouncing at the receiver’s feet. The ball was thrown into a window that was mere inches out of the defender’s reach. It’s a pass that Prescott won’t make in 34,183 years. That number also happens to be Romo’s total passing yards – purely a coincidence.
I’ll forget about kicker Dan Bailey when Brett Maher makes every field goal and extra point attempt for the next five years. I’ll forget about Bryant when any receiver surpasses 1,000 yards and double digit touchdowns in consecutive years. I’ll forget about Tyron Smith when tackle Chaz Green – no, the front office managed to get that one right.
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I’ll forget about Romo when Prescott gives me a reason too. Until then, not only does the front office owe Cowboy Nation an apology, but I will continue to use this space to recognize, appreciate and miss Romo’s excellence – as you should.
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#GoCowboys