Cowboys roar, Lions don’t score (enough): The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Bad

Defensive tackling, special teams, and lack of defensive turnovers are all worthy of consideration for the bad this week. Let’s start with tackling.

In the 2011 CBA agreement, the owners and players agreed to significant changes in how teams can practice. Training camp two a days – gone. Padded practices – all but eliminated.

As a result, tackling is not as sure as it once was. The rules are the same for each team but this season, the Dallas defense seems to be susceptible to poor tackling.

With 4:08 left in the second quarter, Detroit was backed up at their eight-yard line facing a first and 17. Lions running back J.D. McKissic caught a four-yard pass along the right sideline.

Cowboys Safety Darian Thompson was right there to make the play but he missed the tackle. Three yards downfield, corner Chidobe Awuzie had both arms wrapped around McKissic only to let him getaway.

Two yards farther downfield, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch had a chance to stop the shifty Lion but he whiffed on the tackle. Awuzie had another shot to make the tackle but he was blocked.

Finally, linebacker Jaylon Smith caught McKissic from behind 18 yards past the line of scrimmage. Rather than second and 13 from the 12-yard line, the Lions had a first down. This play had many similarities to the Dalvin Cook second-half runs last week in the loss to the Vikings.

Broken tackles fire up the offense and break the defense will. Dallas will need to find a way to stick the first tackle if they want to have more success this year.