It would be best to begin immediately. That is of utmost importance in a game such as this. We all had the Dallas Cowboys pinned at 7-3 going into the season, and they’ll enter the brief Thanksgiving week with that record. That’s how many games this team has played so far.
For those of you who thrive on looking at the larger picture, that is the most important thing to remember from Sunday’s 33-10 Cowboys victory over the Panthers.
Above all else, that is what counts the most. The fact that the Panthers are winless so far in the season is irrelevant. It is of no consequence that Bryce Young is woefully unprepared to be the head coach of an NFL franchise and is severely understaffed. It makes no difference that the Cowboys transformed Bank of America Stadium into AT&T Stadium East because they obviously had more spectators. The fact that the Cowboys got off to a sluggish start and held a one-point lead into the third quarter is irrelevant.
The fact that the Cowboys took care of business on the “road” once again by overpowering a team that is accustomed to being dominated and winning by a score of 23 points is what matters.
The Panthers’ defense isn’t terrible, so I’ll give them that. They put up respectable pressure and are clumsy when it comes to pass coverage. There were several good runs by the offense, and Adam Thielen showed that he can still find open receivers.
Unfortunately, that was the last action from the Panthers. They were unable to maintain their dominance for the entire game. As a team, the Cowboys kept playing well enough on both ends to deserve credit for that. They took advantage of a two-touchdown lead when it was time to make an оffensive play before halftime. Then, defensively, DaRon Bland tied the NFL record with four interceptions this season, then he went and scored another touchdown.
Obviously, Micah Parsons wasn’t irritated after the game because he did what he wаnted to do and recorded 2.5 sacks. After engaging in a brief conversation with reporters, he continued to do so as he exited the building. Obviously, things change when the lion rules the jungle.
To be honest, I’m not sure how this could be described as a sloppy win. Despite being underdogs, the Cowboys prevailed by a score of 23 on the road. That’s remarkable versus any NFL club.
However, there are a couple additional things I learned that suggest this team is still improving.
Dak Prescott’s touchdown pass to Luke Schoonmaker gave him the momentum he needed to have a strong start. Expectations are naturally high for a second-round choice, and there haven’t been many “wow” plays so far. In Philadelphia, he was adjudicated to have been short of the goal line, but he came close. And last week, he had a dropped pass as well. On the other hand, his touchdown reception against the Panthers was a pleasant surprise.
Tony Pollard, like many other players, needed a huge performance, and he got it. Since Week 1, Pollard had failed to score a touchdown, and it was evident when he evaded multiple defenders en route to the goal. I didn’t see Pollard run as well as he did in this game, maybe not all season, but he still hasn’t had that dominant performance.
It appears that Terence Steele has been playing some of his greatest football here as of late, continuing with that theme. This is my initial impression from the press box; I have not rewatched the game. Although I could be mistaken, Steele appeared to be performing at a high level, particularly on the iconic play where he not only lost his helmet but also blocked two opponents to set up Tony Pollard. Steele, in my opinion, will do excellent, not only this year but for years to come. As he navigates his first season back on the field following ACL surgery, I see him as a talented player.
Michael Gallup appears to be improving slightly weekly; however, you shouldn’t look now. Gallup has had a string of good catches since that pivotal drop in Philadelphia, including the game-winning one against the Eagles. But then last week he scored a huge touchdown, and on Sunday in Carolina he added to that with a couple more grabs that broke chains. While I wouldn’t recommend grabbing Gallup off the waiver wire in your fantasy league just yet, I do think he’ll get more opportunities to make plays like the ones he’s made recently given CeeDee Lamb’s stellar season and what appears to be Brandin Cooks’ progress.
Additionally, this one focuses on Parsons. It’s normal to feel let down when the game you were hoping for doesn’t materialize. Putting that anger into action on the field, whether it’s during weekday practice or Sunday’s game, is an entirely different ballgame. Parsons was obviously frustrated by his performance against the Giants, as he had no tackles and no sacks. He sets the tone early in the game by coming out this week and getting 2.5 sacks. He accomplished that after experiencing nausea and vomiting on the sidelines due to an unsettling reaction to his first energy drink. On second thought, perhaps it did. He was a whirlwind of activity, racking up 2.5 sacks. The sensation, according to Parsons, was as if his heart were pounding out of his chest. It makes me question whether Bryce Young had similar sentiments.
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Like the rest of them, particularly this early in the season, I think this one has a decent chance of winning. You might sаy the same thing about this squad overall as I did about a handful of guys who are showing signs of improvement.
Like in Week 3, when they lost to the Cardinals due to a lack of preparation and inability to overcome obstacles, this was much the same game. This time, though, the Cowboys made it clear they wouldn’t stand for the Panthers getting out to an early lead and, just as the game was about to get close in the third quarter, they shut the door.
If your team can put lower-level teams in their place, you’re doing a terrific job. Is it already Wednesday? Because that was what happened on Sunday. The problem with these brief weeks is that… We won’t have time to think about it. Yes, getting to 7-3 was critical, but by the time the plane lands in Dallas, getting to 8-3 will be the bigger goal.
