Fans of the Dallas Cowboys can finally take a brief moment to exhale. After what’s been a difficult stretch of games in less than two weeks, the Cowboys comfortably beat the New Orleans Saints 27-17. The Dallas offense still doesn’t have the same rhythm we’ve grown accustomed to seeing, and Kellen Moore was strangely aggressive in the closing minutes despite leading by multiple scores.
Fortunately, the Cowboys played an offense incapable of challenging them in the passing game. Taysom Hill injured his hand early and subsequently had difficulty with ball placement throughout the night. He had a few large rushes, but once Dallas was able to force New Orleans into obvious passing downs they were able to take advantage of his errant throws.
At 8-4, Dallas goes into an extended break with a three game lead over their division. If they’re lucky, they can make up some ground over the weekend in the race for the best record in the NFC. The pseudo bye week couldn’t come at a better time. The Cowboys will have three consecutive road games in the NFC East; starting with the Washington Football Team. Before we get too ahead of ourselves, let’s recap the night at Caesars Superdome and trace this Murder by the Numbers.
10.1 – Tony Pollard’s Yards Per Carry
Sure, the average is inflated by Tony Pollard’s 58-yard touchdown run in the 3rd quarter. This number is meant to highlight Pollard’s explosiveness if utilized properly. In the last few weeks, there’s been debate about how much more Tony Pollard should be involved; and if that should come in exchange for less Ezekiel Elliott. The reasons for such an argument center around the health of Elliott, as well the aforementioned explosiveness of Pollard.
I’ve maintained that it’s not so much about the number of touches between Elliott and Pollard, but the quality of touches for the 3rd-year running back. A suggestion that many have also made is to utilize Pollard in space and allow his speed to make a difference in the open field, much like we saw in New Orleans.
With the Dallas Cowboys offense still trying to recapture the magic it had earlier in the season, it would help if Kellen Moore opted to use the ace up his sleeve in more suitable ways.
6.6 – Taysom Hill’s Yards Per Attempt when Targeting a Wide Receiver
After the difficulty the Dallas Cowboys had defending receivers downfield against the Las Vegas Raiders, they received a much-needed break in facing Taysom Hill. In previewing the game, it was noted that if the Cowboys could force the Saints into 3rd and long, it would severely hinder the effectiveness of Hill and the Saints’ offense. That played true to form as he was unable to threaten the Cowboys outside the numbers.
Hill threw 26 passes to wide receivers and completed just 9 of them; good for a 34% completion percentage. A 6.6 average looks even worse when you take away the 70-yard touchdown pass to Deonte Harris. That would leave Hill with a paltry 4.2 yards an attempt when targeting a wide receiver. Dan Quinn was committed to playing man coverage the same way he did last week, and the Saints weren’t up to the task.
[pickup_prop id=”13461″]
+3 – The Cowboys turnover differential
As of late, the Dallas Cowboys offense has been under scrutiny for inconsistent showings, and rightfully so. The same could be said about the defense. Lately, the Cowboys’ defense hasn’t been recording turnovers in the same fashion; and a sluggish offense hasn’t been gifted the shorter fields they desperately have needed.
That changed against New Orleans, with the Cowboys’ defense snaring 4 interceptions. It’s a football cliche that winning the turnover margin is directly correlated to winning games. Last night was a prime example. The Cowboys scored 10 points off of turnovers, including a 29-yard interception returned for a touchdown by Carlos Watkins. Not to be outdone, Trevon Diggs also recorded his 9th interception of the season.
The Dallas Cowboys expect Randy Gregory to return next week. It’s downright scary how much better their pass rush can be, or how many more turnovers they could cause.
[pickup_prop id=”16406″]
10 – Micah Parsons records his 10th sack of the season
Speaking of game-changing plays, it’s gotten to a point where analysts and fans alike are at a loss for words to characterize how well Micah Parsons has been playing. He’s easily the most impactful defender amongst rookies. It may not be a stretch to say the most impactful in the NFL as a whole.
Parsons showcased his athleticism and closing speed on a sack of Taysom Hill, keeping the Saints from cutting into a 10 point Cowboys lead. With his 10th sack, Parsons has eclipsed the Dallas Cowboys rookie sack record of 8.5 (Demarcus Ware).
The return of Demarcus Lawrence meant Parsons didn’t have to play exclusively as an edge rusher. This allowed him to display his unique talents. He ran stride for stride with speedster Kenny Stills and broke up a pass that led to an interception in Cowboys territory. He also played a spy coverage and was in pursuit of Taysom Hill once he left the pocket.
Entering Thursday, Micah Parsons was tied for 4th in the NFL for most hits on quarterbacks for the year. He’s doing this despite splitting time at linebacker and edge rusher. The former 12th overall pick is a gem that keeps increasing in value.
Follow Me on Twitter!
