How Jason Garrett’s gamble helps the Dallas Cowboys against Seattle
The Dallas Cowboys know who they are going to host next week in AT&T Stadium. But the Seahawks may not be sure who they are facing.
When the Dallas Cowboys take the field next Saturday night at AT&T Stadium in the first round of the playoffs, they’ll be facing off against a Seattle Seahawks team that racked up 10 wins using a strong rushing attack and solid defense play.
For the Seahawks, they’ll be facing a Dallas team they won’t recognize from their first meeting back in Week Three. And that in large part due to head coach Jason Garrett’s gamble in the Cowboys’ final regular season game.
Dallas lost the first time these two teams back in late September mainly because their passing attack wasn’t good enough. The Cowboys posted an abysmal 168 yards passing in that 24-13 defeat in Seattle.
After Sunday’s game against the New York Giants though, the Seahawks will have to figure out how to stop a Cowboys offense that put up 387 yards and four touchdowns through the air. All without star running back Ezekiel Elliott taking a single snap.
Most people, including myself, were questioning why Garrett was pushing his luck keeping his starters out there after halftime. And when offensive lineman Xavier Su’a-Filo and linebacker Leighton Vander Esch went down with injuries, those questions turned to frustration. Luckily, the injuries aren’t serious and both should be ready to go this Saturday.
But thanks to Garrett’s gamble on Sunday, the Seahawks now must figure out how to stop a balanced Cowboys’ offense that came to life thanks to his decision to keep his starters on the field. Do they load up to stop Elliott or play a more honest defense to keep quarterback Dak Prescott and the Cowboys resurgent passing attack in check? Either way, it’s going to be a tall task for a very good Seattle defense.
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At the end of the day, Jason Garrett has given the Seattle Seahawks defensive coaching staff a lot more to think about and plan for when they face his Dallas Cowboys next Saturday in the first round of the playoffs. And that’s exactly what he wanted to do.