FRISCO, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys’ offense can do it all with a plethora of weapons at Kellen Moore’s disposal. Each week, a different Cowboy lights up the stat sheet. A nightmare for defenses.
In the season opener against Tampa Bay, Amari Cooper notched 13 receptions for 139 yards and two touchdowns, garnering attention from the rest of the league as a premier route runner. Moore dialed up a pass-heavy game plan to counteract the Buccaneers’ loaded front and Cooper made his status known as the No. 1 receiver on the Cowboys’ star-studded squad.
In Week 2 vs. the Chargers, Tony Pollard eclipsed the 100-yard marker. In facing a two-high shell, Dallas imposed their will on the ground in a perimeter-based attack. The design? Getting Pollard in space with his shiftiness and it paid dividends.
In Week 3, Ezekiel Elliott and Dalton Schultz became the main attraction. Elliott amassed 95 yards and two touchdowns in the team’s downhill ground attack. His power through tackles moved the chains and created opportunities/favorable matchups for Schultz in the passing game against the Eagles. His ability to make defenders miss after the catch led to a dominant victory against the team’s NFC East rival. Schultz compiled two touchdowns and led the team in receptions (6) and yards (80).
The myriad of playmakers in the Cowboys’ arsenal is remarkable and so is Kellen Moore’s ability to utilize their individual strengths. Even distribution of the football has led to the offense’s success by keeping defenses off-balance. A different player is putting up an All-Pro performance each week, a result of the talent infusion.
“We have an offense that, pick who you want to guard, and the other guys are going to get open as well,” Schultz said. “I mean obviously, it’s a big product of who we have here and how many weapons we have.”
All resulting in Dallas’ offense ranking fifth in the league in total offense, fifth in total points, and fourth in rushing yards. The charge has been led by the man under center, Dak Prescott. The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback is playing his best football, an impressive feat considering the record setting numbers he put up in 2020 prior to his season-ending ankle injury in Week 5. Prescott is getting rid of the ball quicker and his pre-snap reads and recognition of defensive looks has improved. Prescott’s command at the line of scrimmage has been nothing short of sensational through three games in 2021. Despite not having the presumed five starters on the offensive line with injuries/suspensions, Dallas’ offense has not missed a beat.
The Cowboys are averaging 30 points a game and the attributing factor is the team’s unselfish mentality.
“That’s the biggest success in this offense is how unselfish all of us are, how unselfish everybody is and how much it means that those guys are making the plays but then you look and see the way Coop [Amari Cooper] celebrates when another guy gets a catch, or you see the blocking that those guys are doing for one another,” Prescott described. “As I’ve continued to say, we don’t have an ego. We don’t have it individually, but we’ve allowed it to come together and to be one ego, one ego as this offense. It’s special. All those guys are special players, but they’re special men with great attitudes. I think that’s the great underlying factor in all this.”
A win is the ultimate goal and although professional athletes want to compete and have an impact in delivering a victory, the outcome is a collective output. For the Cowboys, that truth is materializing on the gridiron with defenses being forced to pick their poison.
The sky is the limit for what is in store. The unit will face an exam at high noon on Sunday. The Panthers’ defense is on a roll. No. 1 in total yards against. No. 1 in pass defense. No. 1 in run defense. Carolina leads the lead in sacks with 14, credit to the relentless pursuit and quick get-off of Brian Burns (3) and Haason Reddick (4.5). The unit also leads the NFL with 27 quarterback hits and the lowest third-down conversion percentage at 21.2 percent.
The Panthers are stout against the run and the matchup will be intriguing. The Cowboys are averaging 139.3 a game and conversely, Carolina has only given up 135 yards rushing (no individual rushing more than 25 yards against them).
Phil Snow heavily utilizes creative pressures and multiple fronts to generate penetration and Sunday will be a good litmus test to gauge where the Cowboys’ offense truly is. Will the team continue to combat defenses by relying on solely the run, the pass, or try more of a balanced approach? Teams have overloaded against the run or pass to start the season and if the Panthers strictly match up without overloading either, can the Cowboys keep up with their personnel? Sunday will dictate who is more lethal – the Cowboys’ explosive offense or the Panthers’ indestructible defense?
