Cowboys vs. Redskins: Why Colt McCoy is a tough opponent
Redskins QB Colt McCoy has had 23 pass attempts in four years. Limited snaps means there isn’t much film available for the Dallas Cowboys defense to study.
As a fan of former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, the legendary Tony Romo, I don’t wish injury on anyone. It is #AdvantageCowboys after a severe injury to Washington Redskins quarterback Alex Smith forced their backup quarterback Colt McCoy into the starting lineup. I hesitate to call this game an automatic win though.
Cowboy Nation surely remembers McCoy defeating the Cowboys in the House that Tony Romo Built during a Monday Night game in 2014. McCoy hasn’t seen much action behind the center since 2014. From 2015 to 2018, McCoy had 23 pass attempts which is a gift and a curse. Limited snaps means there isn’t much film available for the Cowboys defense to study.
Will the 32-year old version of Colt McCoy scramble more or less than the 2014, 28-year old version? How will McCoy handle pressure in the pocket from the Cowboys’ defensive line with future Hall of Fame safety Jeff Heath lingering in the secondary?
The Cowboys defense looked good last week against the Atlanta Falcons, but it may take a few weeks before defenses facing McCoy can fully exploit his weaknesses. There’s also the X-factor of attitude. McCoy will be using this opportunity to prove to general managers around the league that he deserves a chance to compete for a job as an NFL starting quarterback. Teams will be seeing the best of Colt McCoy.
Everything goes out the window during a rivalry game with a chance to share the lead in the NFC division. I would look for the Cowboys offense to help remove pressure off the defense as they figure out McCoy’s tendencies by scoring points – lots and lots of points.
In September, Cowboys’ owner and general manager Jerry Jones recently stated that there are a lot of similarities between the Los Angeles Rams, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys.
After an epic offensive display (great defense was also played) by the Rams and the Chiefs on Monday Night Football in which both teams scored more than 50 points (Final Score: 54 – 51), now is the perfect time for quarterback Dak Prescott to help Jerry Jones get the last laugh.
The Cowboys offense should get plenty of opportunities and head coach Jason Garrett and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan have had 11 weeks to study the Chiefs and Rams.
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For those reasons, I’ll predict that Prescott goes 23 for 28 passing with 326 yards and six touchdowns. Might sound unbelievable, but that’s what Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes did in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch will cause and recover three fumbles, while Heath finishes with 6 interceptions and stops all fraudulent activities on credit cards during halftime.
Longtime readers know how I feel about predictions – Go big or go home.
Happy Thanksgiving! #GoCowboys