Five silver linings in Cowboys season-opening loss to Rams

2. Special teams was much better

Last year, America’s Team came within a whisker of having the worst special teams in the entire NFL, according to Sports Illustrated. Only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were worse. It showed up in all aspects of Dallas special teams last year.

The Cowboys were the single worst team in the league in kick returns (at 14.9 yards per return), and in punting (41.2 yard per punt average). But kicker Brett Maher also had an awful year, missing a third of his kicks (according to the NFL), finally getting cut in early December. And they were atrocious on kick and punt coverage too.

But Sunday’s special performance puts all that awfulness in the rear-view mirror. First-round draft pick receiver and punt return specialist CeeDee Lamb had one return of twenty yards, escaping several tackles. Running back and kick returner Tony Pollard had two returns for 48 yards, his longest 27 yards.

New kicker Greg Zuerlein made one of two kicks but the one he missed was over 50 yards. His 33-yard field goal was easily made and inspires confidence, something Maher never did last year. Every time Maher was on the field last year, fans were nervous, and for good reason.

All of this is aided by better coaching from new special teams coordinator John “Bones” Fassel. Effort and hustle were exhibited on the coverage teams. Blocking was good. Heck, on the Rams’ first field goal attempt, Cowboys special teamers almost blocked it. It looked to me that’s why Rams’ kicker Sam Sloman missed it. He was rattled by the rush.

All of this bodes well for the rest of season. I don’t know how the Cowboys will deal with the injuries of linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (collarbone) or Blake Jarwin (ACL), but I do have a lot more confidence in their special teams. And that’s nothing to sniff at.