The Dallas Cowboys dominated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from pillar to post Monday night. The offense punted on its first two drives, but was virtually flawless from that point on, as they posted 31 points (should’ve been 35 if not for Brett Maher’s four missed extra points, but we digress).
Maher’s meltdown aside, it was a picture-perfect performance from the Cowboys on both sides of the ball, and their biggest stars led the charge.
Given what was at stake, Dak Prescott turned in the best performance of his career, accounting for five total touchdowns and 305 passing yards. Micah Parsons, meanwhile, played all but three (!) defensive snaps and totaled two tackles for loss, a sack, two pass breakups, two quarterback hits, and nine pressures.
You also had Jayron Kearse deliver the turning point in the game with his end zone interception of Tom Brady, and Zack Martin and Tyron Smith were forces to be reckoned with on the right side of the offensive line.
The list of players who contributed in a big way goes on (and on, and on), but these next players are seemingly at a crossroads with the organization and proved Monday night that they wholeheartedly deserve new contracts.
2 Cowboys who deserve contract extensions after Wild Card win
2. Leighton Vander Esch, LB
It’s impossible to put into words what Vander Esch’s return from injury meant for the Cowboys’ defense, but we’ll try our best.
For starters, Vander Esch led the team with nine tackles, which marked his career-high for a postseason game. High tackle numbers is what Cowboys fans have come to expect from Vander Esch, but every last one of them was immense. He added two pass breakups, including a big deflection in the red zone.
On the play, Donovan Wilson and Israel Mukuamu had a miscommunication and both traveled with Cameron Brate. Vander Esch recognized the mess and played the role of garbage man by breaking inside and defending two Bucs pass-catchers in the process before getting his hands on Tom Brady’s pass.
It’s not hyperbole to say Vander Esch had a career night, and the Cowboys would be diligent to hand him a contract extension at the end of the season.
Signed to a one-year deal in the offseason after a promising 2021 following a two-year stretch that was marred by injuries, Vander Esch is fully recovered from his devastating neck injury and has played the best football of his career in 2022.
Should he reach free agency, he’ll have ample suitors. Jerry Jones and company should see to it that it doesn’t reach that point.
Micah Parsons certainly endorses the idea …
1. Dalton Schultz, TE
A divorce between Schultz and the Cowboys has seemed inevitable since the moment he signed the franchise tag over the summer. Not much ground was made during negotiations on a contract extension, and Dallas had drafted Jake Ferguson in the fourth round and signed Peyton Hendershot as a UDFA months earlier.
While it might be financially sound to let Schultz walk in the offseason, he proved again Monday night that he’s indispensable by catching seven of eight targets for 95 yards and two of Dak Prescott’s four passing touchdowns.
Schultz coming up big on the biggest stage is no surprise, of course. In last year’s Wild Card loss against San Francisco, the tight end caught seven of eight targets for 89 yards. He led the team in both categories (Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb combined for 85 yards), and no other wideout had more than 65 yards.
On Monday, Schultz also had the assist on Lamb’s fourth-down touchdown. By breaking inside, Schultz attracted multiple defenders, allowing Lamb to roam free up the sideline without a defender in sight. That’s a credit to Kellen Moore, too, but the score underlined the attention Schultz commands from defenses.
What more evidence do the Cowboys need to extend Schultz? It might cost around $14 million annually, but there are loopholes to lower his yearly cap number.
Ferguson and Hendershot have shown a lot as rookies — more than most rookie tight ends, as a matter of fact — but losing Schultz would be catastrophic and he proved yet again Monday night that he deserves an extension.
He was a monster in a potentially franchise-altering game. Plain and simple.
Mike McCarthy dancing with victory chain is must-see for Cowboys fans
Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy danced with the team victory chain after Dallas beat the Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round on Monday night.