The Dallas Cowboys attempted to get above .500 for the first time on the season, but the road game against the Chicago Bears didn’t go as hoped. Matt Eberflus’ defense had another poor performance in his return to the city of the team that fired him last year, and the offense was inconsistent, turning the ball over four times.
The major takeaways from the end of this game could include Dallas being third in the division, the CeeDee Lamb injury, or the fact that they are 1-2 with Micah Parsons returning to AT&T Stadium next week, but the defense is the story. Can Eberflus make adjustments to improve this team, or will the defense continue to cause issues every game this season?
Cowboys defense is get-right game for opposing QBs
Russell Wilson looked terrible in his first game of the season. He threw for a completion percentage under 50% and only 168 yards. The New York Giants’ offense scored only six points. In the next game against Dallas, he threw for 450 yards and three touchdowns. In Week 3, he reverted, completing just 18 of his 32 throws for 160 yards with two interceptions, with a 43.8 passer rating.
Caleb Williams had 417 total yards passing, three scores, and a passer rating under 90 in his two losses going into the game against the Cowboys. He sliced and diced the Dallas defense for 239 yards and three touchdowns at halftime. He finished with just under 300 yards and four touchdowns with a quarterback rating of 142.6. The key to Dallas’s future success lies in improving its pass defense.
The Dallas run game is good if they don’t lose their ability to utilize it
The Cowboys have run the ball well so far this season. Javonte Williams entered Week 3 ranked in the top three in yards, top five in EPA, and success rate. Dallas ran the football well again early. Williams averaged 7.6 yards per attempt, and everyone who ran the ball averaged over four yards per attempt. The issue in this game was that the defense couldn’t stop the opposing offense, and the deficit reached a point where running the ball became detrimental to the team. Brian Schottenheimer had to put the game in Dak Prescott’s hands to try to make a fourth-quarter comeback, which never came close to materializing.
Third-down offense wasn’t the same without CeeDee Lamb
When a player gets injured, it isn’t just an adjustment to losing their individual ability and statistics, but also how they impacted others. If teams are double-teaming Lamb, it’s harder to guard George Pickens or other pass catchers. Losing Lamb to an injury, the trickle-down is difficult to overcome.
The Cowboys’ third-down offense converted over 50% with Lamb in the game the last two contests. They didn’t face a third down by the time he was injured, so the team going 3-11 on third down was a sign of the impact Lamb makes on this offense. The difference is the distinction between a competitive game and a blowout.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or on YouTube at Across the Cowboys podcast
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys 3rd downs collapsing without Lamb among 3 major takeaways from Week 3
Reporting by Mike Crum, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
