Some lessons have to be learned the hard way. For a Dallas Cowboys team that had essentially used up all of their margin for error earlier in the season, one more hard-earned lesson could mean the end of their playoff hopes.
In many ways, that’s what Dallas’ 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions is for America’s Team: the end of their playoff hopes. With their playoff odds dropping from 23 percent to nine percent, the Cowboys went from an unlikely playoff team to an extreme longshot overnight. Based on the New York Times playoff calculator, winning out and finishing 10-6-1 would still put them short of a coinflip, maxing out at 43 percent likelihood.
In the end, the Cowboys learned they just aren’t good enough. They learned lessons they can apply to the current season and they learned lessons they can apply to the long-term as well. Things weren’t as good as they were having you believe and the somewhat embarrassing loss to the Lions shinned light on those items which need attention. It just so happened major lessons were learned in all three phases of the game.
Primary offensive lesson learned: Pass protection
The Cowboys live and die by their quarterback. The Cowboys go as Dak Prescott goes, which means protecting him is always top priority. When Prescott has time in the pocket, he’s nearly unstoppable. He reads coverages better than any QB in the NFL and his weapons are the best in the biz. But it all hinges on the offensive line’s ability to protect.
From starboard to port, pass protection failed Prescott on Thursday night. Facing off against Aiden Hutchinson and Al-Quadin Muhammad, replacement left tackle Nate Thomas was more overmatched than my wife’s blender on Cinco de Mayo. Right tackle Terence Steele wasn’t much better, offering up three pressures in the first half alone.
Steele, Thomas, and injured starter Tyler Guyton all consistently rank among the NFL’s worst in pass protection so this issue didn’t rise up out of nowhere. It’s something the Cowboys have to seriously address over the offseason because the best QB on the planet and the shiniest weapons in the land won’t matter a hill-a-beans if the offensive tackles can’t slow the pass rush.
Primary defensive lesson learned: pressure is required
It turns out the massive defensive turnaround the Cowboys showed over the last three weeks was mostly smoke and mirrors, predicated on condition they could pressure the QB. Now, one could say all defenses are predicated on the condition of getting pressure and that’s kinda the point. Pressure is king in the NFL and when the Cowboys needed it, they failed, and their entire defense collapsed correspondingly.
Up until Thursday night’s affair the Cowboys defensive line was grading out as the best DL in the NFL. It’s safe to say that distinction has exited the building after the Cowboys got torched for 44 points while only managing one sack on the largely statuesque Jared Goff.
The most frustrating part of it all is the Cowboys started so well in the pressure department. When they were willing to blitz, they got pressure. It’s only when they abandoned the blitz when their pass rush became nonexistent. The lesson to be learned is the Cowboys still need pass rushing talent on the edge to pair with Donovan Ezeiruaku long-term, and they need a coach who’s willing and able to dial up pressure-producing plays.
Primary special teams lesson learned: They aren’t good
There’s no way to sugarcoat things on special teams. If it wasn’t for Brian Anger and Brandon Aubrey, it would be a total stinkfest on special teams. Kick coverage routinely gives up big returns. Kick return team routinely gets manhandled off their blocks. KaVontae Turpin, who only has 55 total punt return yards this season, can’t stop randomly waving to people on his returns and the opposition repeatedly wins the battle of field position.
The Lions put 44 points on the board, and they did so with just 309 yards through the air and their leading rusher topping out at 60 yards on the ground. 44 points doesn’t happen under those conditions without some excellent field position. It’s an issue that’s worth diving into more comprehensively down the road, but Dallas has seemingly struggled all year in this regard.
It’s up to the Cowboys to decide if this is an issue with their down-roster personnel or if it’s a coaching and/or practice deficiency that needs addressing. But like the other two issues listed above, this isn’t a one-off situation from Week 14, rather it’s an on-going issue that needs addressing.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 3 lessons learned includes inept special teams play in Cowboys loss to Lions
Reporting by Reid D Hanson, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
