Last year the Dallas Cowboys were the story of the NFL with a star rookie running back rumbling behind a dominant offensive line, winning games because their rookie quarterback never seemed rattled by any situation. They were so good with Ezekiel Elliott running the ball and Dak Prescott throwing it that franchise quarterback Tony Romo was chased into an early retirement.
The future belonged to Elliott and Prescott.
But there always lingered a question about the Cowboys’ new plan. What happened if the run didn’t work? What if Elliott wasn’t there and Dallas would need Prescott to win the games himself? On Sunday they got a glimpse and it was ugly.
In a game that no one could have seen coming, the Denver Broncos’ defense tore the Cowboys line to pieces, shut down Elliott and dared Prescott to beat them. This time Prescott could not respond. He threw 50 times but could only generate 238 yards and was intercepted twice in Dallas’s 42-17 loss to the Broncos.
While a big loss in the season’s second week to a defense like Denver’s isn’t normally the worst thing to happen to a team, the Cowboys actually have a lot to worry about. They may be about to lose Elliott for six games depending on how the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals rules on the NFL’s request for a stay of a preliminary injunction over their six-game suspension of Elliott for domestic violence allegations. On Sunday they got a good look at how they might be without the sophomore back.
It’s really as if he wasn’t there, rushing nine times for eight yards. This meant Prescott had to try to win the game himself, and without Elliott pushing through opposing defenses Prescott did not look nearly as poised. In fact, it was as bad as he has looked since he’s been in the NFL.
“This does not paint an accurate picture of who we are,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters after the game.
He better hope he is right. Because if this is who the Cowboys are without Elliott they are in serious trouble.
They had looked so good beating up the Giants in their season opener and while the drama of Elliott’s appeal my well be wearing on them, there was no reason to believe a performance like Sunday’s was looming.
Maybe credit belongs to the Broncos, who have one of the league’s best defenses. But as aggressive as Denver might be defensively in their 2-0 start, no one anticipated quarterback Trevor Siemian doing things like throwing for four touchdowns and just one interception as he did against Dallas. They might challenge New England and Pittsburgh to be the AFC’s best team.
The Cowboys were supposed to be the one of the NFC’s best for many years with a great young running back and a quarterback who never panicked. On Sunday, Denver took away the great young running back and the quarterback panicked. It’s not a good hope for Dallas’s future.
Fantasy player of the week
Tom Brady. Did anyone really think the Tom Brady who threw for just 267 yards and no touchdowns in the Patriots season-opening loss to Kansas City would be the Tom Brady we’d see the rest of the year? Ten days after one of his most uninspiring performances ever, he shredded the Saints for 447 yards and three touchdowns in New England’s 36-20 victory. He had a passer rating of 139.6.
Even his interceptions were brilliant. Both coming on pending penalties on the Saints which meant they were in essence, free plays where he could take a risk without consequence.
Stat of the week
86. This is the combined age of the kickers in Sunday’s Colts-Cardinals game. Indianapolis kicker Adam Vinatieri is 44, Arizona’s Phil Dawson is 42. And while kickers can have a much longer football lifespan than say any other player on the field, 44 and 42 is, well, 44 and 42.
But both men played a key role in Arizona’s 16-13 overtime victory. Vinatieri hit both of his field goal attempts, the longest coming from 46 yards. Dawson missed a game-winning attempt at the end of regulation but did hit a 30-yarder in overtime. He also hit two others showing that age is really nothing when it comes to kicking an oblong ball through a pair of yellow, metal poles.
Quote of the week
“I am enjoying the fact I am playing football.” – Dolphins’ quarterback Jay Cutler
Cutler wasn’t supposed to be in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson on Sunday, leading the Dolphins to a 19-17 victory over the Chargers. He had given up on football after last season, beaten up by opposing defenses as well as fans and media. But after Miami’s starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill went down with a season-ending knee injury in training camp, Dolphins coach Adam Gase called Cutler and made him the team’s starter.
In an opener delayed a week by Hurricane Irma, Cutler completed 24-of-33 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown. More importantly, he wasn’t intercepted. In all, not a bad day for a player who wasn’t supposed to be in the league.
Gif of the week
Marshawn Lynch is a national treasure pic.twitter.com/hbyQyJ4SdU
— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) September 17, 2017
Let’s enjoy Marshawn Lynch’s return to the NFL. He also had his first touchdown in more than a year as Oakland trampled the Jets 45-20.
Elsewhere around the league
- Cleveland is still looking for the quarterback that can break them from their years of losing. On Sunday, rookie starter Deshone Kizer struggled in Baltimore before going out for two quarters with a migraine. His replacement Kevin Hogan was only slightly better as the Browns fell 24-10.
- Marcus Mariota was not sharp against the Jaguars’ aggressive defense, throwing for just 215 yards. But Tennessee overwhelmed a sluggish Jacksonville offense in a 37-16 win.
- The Seahawks continue to struggle offensively. Quarterback Russell Wilson only threw for 198 yards and one touchdown, relying instead on the power of running back Chris Carson’s 98 yards in a 12-9 victory over San Francisco.
- Kansas City went to 2-0 with a 27-20 victory over Philadelphia. The Eagles had a chance to tie the game at the end of regulation after a late touchdown and a onside kick, but a Hail Mary pass from Carson Wentz was knocked down in the end zone.
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