Dallas Cowboys News

[DC_fan]

CB Brandon Carr Agrees To Pay Cut; Lowers Salary By More Than $3 Million

IRVING, Texas – Something that has been speculated for a couple of years now has finally happened as the Cowboys reworked Brandon Carr’s contract, lowering the base salary for the 2016 season.

Carr agreed to take a significant pay cut, dropping his base from $9.1 to under $6 million for this final year of the original five-year deal he signed in 2012.

Carr’s five-year, $50.1 million contract made him one of the NFL’s highest-paid cornerbacks four years ago, but although the veteran has not missed a start, he hasn’t recorded an interception in two full seasons.

Carr’s salary cap hit drops from $13.8 million down to around $10 million this year. Carr, who will be an unrestricted free agent after this season, hasn’t missed a start in his entire eight-year career, which is quite remarkable considering he was a fifth-round draft pick by the Chiefs back in 2008.

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/2...r-agrees-pay-cut-lowers-salary-more-3-million

Frees up some money for the Cowboys. Carr has never been anything more then a solid cornerback. Dallas paid overs to get him in the first place and he has never played up to the money he has received.

 

[DC_fan]

I would be surprised if it were to be a RB. For mine I see the choices being QB, DE or CB. I don't expect the top two QB to be available come our pick at #4 so that may knock out that position. I like Ramsey, but he might be also gone before we get to select. Bosa seems an obvious choice given the teams problems at DE.

I think the team will select the best available. Going on what the experts believe the three teams in front of them need then I believe that will be Bosa.

I am stunned. Nothing against Elliott, but our major need was not at RB.

 

[DC_fan]

Why selecting Elliott was not a good choice

Gosselin: Help the defense! Why I don't like the fit of Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott

Never thought I’d say this -- much less think it -- but it’s time to bring Barry Switzer back off the couch.

The Cowboys are building a roster that could win Switzer another national championship. Heck, why not another Super Bowl? He was the coach the last time they hoisted the Lombardi Trophy around here.

The Cowboys used the fourth overall pick of the 2016 NFL draft Thursday night on Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott, the Big Ten MVP on the strength of his 1,821-yard, 23-touchdown season. His arrival makes one of the NFL’s best rushing attacks that much better.

Now Jerry Jones needs to bring back his old friend Switzer to install the wishbone. No one knows the ground game better than Switzer -- and the Cowboys are becoming a team built to run the football.

Darren McFadden finished fourth in the NFL rushing last season and the Cowboys as a team finished in the Top 10. McFadden was one of only seven 1,000-yard rushers last season and his legs helped the Cowboys control the ball for almost 31 minutes.

The Cowboys also signed Alfred Morris away from the Washington Redskins in free agency this offseason. In 2012, Morris finished as runnerup for an NFL rushing title with 1,613 yards. He hit 1,000 yards in three of his four seasons before bolting the Redskins.

Now inject Elliott into that mix. He’s a three-down back who thrives on the workload. He averaged 22 carries per game in his final season at Ohio State. Morris also has been a workhorse. He’s been a 20-carry back in the NFL. And McFadden averaged 17 carries in the 10 games he started for the Cowboys last season.

There aren’t enough handoffs to go around in this offense unless there’s a wishbone in place that can feed three backs 50 touches in one afternoon. But the Cowboys aren’t paying Tony Romo a $100 million to hand the ball off. Maybe Switzer could convert Lance Dunbar to quarterback and turn him into the NFL version of Danny Bradley or Jamelle Holieway.

I like the player the Cowboys drafted in Elliott. He’s a complete back. He can catch as well as run and can absolutely bury a blitzer in pass protection. He’s a player who could one day join Emmitt Smith and DeMarco Murray as an NFL rushing champion. With an offensive line that features with three Pro Bowlers, that could be one day very soon.

But I just didn’t like the fit.

Offense isn’t the problem on this team -- not with Romo, Dez Bryant and Dunbar returning to health this fall. Defense is. The Cowboys lack pass rushers and ballhawks. They finished 25th in the NFL in sacks last season and dead last in takeaways with 11. That lack of plays prevented this defense from getting off the field.

By the end of the first round Thursday night, the nine best pass rushers, five best cornerbacks and two best safeties had all been drafted. Any of those players would have addressed an area of dire need on the Dallas defense. That’s 16 chances to get better that passed the Cowboys by in the first round.

But in selecting Elliott, there’s a reverse logic in place. If your defense can’t get off the field, then don’t let them on the field.

That’s how the Cowboys built an NFC East championship team in 2014 with Murray. He carried the ball a franchise-record 392 times for a franchise-record 1,845 yards and the Cowboys held onto the football almost 33 minutes per game. That allowed the Cowboys to be average on defense -- finishing 19th in the NFL -- but average was good enough to help win 12 games.

Maybe the Cowboys would have been better in the secondary with Jalen Ramsey at cornerback. The Florida State All-America went fifth overall to Jacksonville. Maybe the pass rush would have improved with DeForest Buckner up front. He led the Pac 12 in sacks at Oregon last season. He went on the seventh overall pick to San Francisco.

But the Cowboys said they wouldn’t be driven by need in this draft. Elliott obviously was the highest rated player on their board. But the Cowboys brain trust better sleep on it and start drafting for need in Day 2 of the draft. This defense needs help. Or else bring back Switzer.

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...defense-like-fit-cowboys-ezekiel-elliott-pick

 

[DC_fan]

Elliott pleads not guilty to misdemeanor traffic charges in Ohio on day after draft

As new Dallas Cowboy Ezekiel Elliott's draft whirlwind continued Friday with a visit to Valley Ranch and AT&T Stadium, the running back still had to deal with a traffic legal matter in Columbus, Ohio.

According to the Franklin County Municipal Court, attorney Douglas E. Riddell represented Elliott at an arraignment Friday, pleading not guilty to misdemeanor charges resulting from a Dec. 2015 auto accident.

TMZ first reported the arraignment.

Elliott is facing charges for driving under suspension, no operators license and failure to control.

The case was assigned to a judge.

In January, the arraignment was continued to Friday's court date.
The accident occurred near the Ohio State campus. In a police report, Elliott said he hit a puddle, lost control and struck another vehicle, the Associated Press reported.

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...ty-misdemeanor-traffic-charges-ohio-day-draft

 

[DC_fan]

The real reasons why Cowboys ignored defense and drafted Ezekiel

IRVING -- For those who love Ezekiel Elliott as a player but question the pick, for those who can't understand why the Cowboys went for the luxury of a running back over the more pressing need at cornerback with Jalen Ramsey, there's just one question.

Why are you surprised?

Pick a side and let the debate begin. Argue for Elliott and the Rookie of the Year type of numbers he can easily produce. Counter than Ramsey is the sort of talent that can transform a defense.

Both are valid, but don't miss the point. The Cowboys will side with offense over defense in virtually every high-profile decision.

It will be that way as long as Jerry Jones owns the team. It will be that way as long as the head coach is a former NFL quarterback and the current quarterback is among the league's best.
Elliott over Ramsey isn't the only example. The Cowboys were willing to give up their second and third round pick in this draft to move back into the first round to take quarterback Paxton Lynch. That did this hoping Lynch wouldn't play in 2016.

When that failed, the Cowboys turned around and used that second round pick on a player they know won't take the field in '16 in linebacker Jaylon Smith.

The Cowboys don't ignore defense. They simply don't place a premium on acquiring blue chip talent on that side of the ball the way they do offensively.

This isn't an indictment. Every team in the league operates with an offensive or defensive bent.

The goal is to excel on one side, establish an identity and make sure the other side doesn't drag you down. It can become a partner in victory, but is rarely an equal partner.

Need more proof? Look at how the Cowboys have gone about rebuilding their offensive and defensive lines.

The offensive line was in need of an extreme makeover when Jason Garrett took over as head coach. He declared that was his priority. The Cowboys used three first round picks on the position in the next four drafts.

Once the heavy lifting was done, Garrett acknowledged the priority would now shift to the defensive line. The Cowboys responded by using second round picks on defensive ends the past two drafts. The other defensive ends taken came in the fifth and seventh rounds.

The Cowboys have yet to take a defensive end in this draft, but did go with defensive tackle Maliek Collins in the third round as someone they hope can carve out a spot in their rotation.

Again, the Cowboys don't view this as neglect. Here's what Jones said shortly after the club took Elliott in the first round.

"We don't necessarily subscribe to the fact that this is a pure offensive pick,'' the owner said.
"We think this could add 10 to 12 plays to the game each week on the offensive side of the ball.''

What is the take of the head coach?

"Jerry said it well,'' Garrett added. "We feel like you have to be built a certain way to be able to do that and we feel like Ezekiel Elliot is built that way and when we put him behind that offensive line you can really control the football.

"It helps everyone else. It helps the quarterback, it helps the receiver, it helps the defense, and really the pervasive impact of this player we thought was the most significant for our football team."

In the Cowboys world view, Elliott is more significant than Ramsey. It's about offense first.
It's part of their DNA

"We spent a lot of time talking about these players and the impact they can have on your football team,'' Garrett said. "He (Ramsey) is certainly regarded very prominently by us and around the league. So he's in the discussion. He brings a lot to the table.

"We just felt like Zeke Elliott was the kind of guy who could help our team the most right now."

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...wboys-ignored-defense-drafted-ezekiel-elliott

Interesting thought by the columnist. Not sure their is a whole lot of truth to it though. Since 2011 (not including this years draft) the Cowboys have drafted 9 players in the first and second rounds. Five have been from the defensive side of the ball. Plus we need to remember we traded up in 2012 to get cornerback Morris Claiborne.

 

[DC_fan]

My take on the 2016 Cowboys Draft

1st Round – Ezekiel Elliott RB 6-0 225 Ohio State 
Running behind the Cowboys OL could have him as Rookie of the Year. Outstanding RB but team had bigger needs for the first pick.

2nd Round – Jaylon Smith LB 6-3 245 Notre Dame 
If he ever overcomes his injury could be an outstanding pick. A lot of doubt he will play this season and may not play again.

3rd Round – Maliek Collins DT 6-2 311 Nebraska 
May not be a stud but I see him being a solid starter at 3T for a number of years to come. Could push Crawford out to DE

4th Round – Dak Prescott QB 6-2 226 Mississippi State
Cowboys quarterback of the future? With his running ability he is a duel threat. On the shorter side for a qb but that hasn’t stopped others from making it.

4th Round – Charles Tapper DE 6-3 271 Oklahoma 
The Cowboys finally address the DE position with this selection. Ran a 4.56 in the 40 yards at the Combine, so he can certainly run. Has long arms and incredibly big hands (11 inches). Suffers from Sickle cell trait which may affect conditioning and stamina.

6th Round – Anthony Brown CB 5-11 192 Purdue 
Has a ton of speed (4.34) and is quite strong for a CB. Very small hands (8 ¼). Was not a playmaker at college. But reports suggest he showed improvement at the East-West Shrine Game

6th Round – Kavon Frazier S 6-0 217 Central Michigan
Big hitting safety who lacks speed and has problems with coverage. Played FS at College but better suited to SS in the Pro’s. Some have compared him to current Cowboys safety Barry Church.

6th Round – Darius Jackson RB 6-0 221 Eastern Michigan 
Has size, speed (sub 4-40 40 yard) and power (41 inch vertical leap). Productive in the receiving game. Does not use his power sufficiently enough and lacks vision.

6th Round – Rico Gathers TE 6-8 275 Baylor
An All-American Power Forward with Baylor. A huge man hoping to make the change to playing football. Can I say Antonio Gates………..

The last seven picks saved it from being a total embarrassment for the Cowboys. For as good as Elliott may turn out to be a RB in the first round is not what we needed. Their has to be doubts about Smith ever playing again, and even if he does how good will he be.

C-

 

[DC_fan]

IRVING -- The Dallas Cowboys expect to sign 15 undrafted rookie free agents now that the draft is over, owner Jerry Jones said Saturday night.

The Cowboys began to put their list together just after the draft ended Saturday night. They will have an official list finalized Sunday, but several players -- or their colleges -- made it known Saturday night that they have joined the Cowboys.

Among the 13 players who have already committed to joining the Cowboys (See the list below in the chart) includes the nation's leading tackler from a year ago and a high-flying receiver.

The Cowboys have added Jacksonville State receiver Andy Jones, who has a 41.5-inch vertical jump. The Cowboys also signed Notre Dame receiver Chris Brown (6-1, 195), who started alongside Will Fuller with the Irish. Brown caught 48 passes for 597 yards and four touchdowns last year.

Two of the players who have signed with the Cowboys were among the 29 players who the club had come into Valley Ranch for a pre-draft visit: Norfolk State linebacker Deon King and Akron defensive tackle Rodney Coe. King led all NCAA football teams last year with 163 tackles.

The Cowboys also added UT-San Antonio defensive end Jason Neill, who played high school football at Flower Mound Marcus and attended Dallas Day (the Cowboys' annual local prospects workout).

Another intriguing player the Cowboys has added is speedy Northwestern State receiver Ed Eagan (5-11, 192), who is also a standout kick returner. He finished as the school's all-time leader in career receptions (177), receiving yards (2,228), all-purpose yards (5,651) and kickoff returner yards (2,922). Eagan was on the North team at the Senior Bowl this year that was coached by the Cowboys staff.

The Cowboys also added Michigan State cornerback Arjen Colquhoun, who is from Canada. Colquhoun is from the same hometown (Windsor, Ontario) as Cowboys starting three-technique defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford.

Name Position School
Jake Brendel C UCLA
Chris Brown WR Notre Dame
Rodney Coe DT Akron
Arjen Colquhoun CB Michigan State
Ed Eagan WR/KR Northwestern St.
David Hedelin OT Purdue
Andy Jones WR Jacksonville Univ.
Deon King LB Norfolk State
Jeremiah McKinnon CB Florida International
Rolan Milligan S Toledo
Jason Neill DT UT-San Antonio
Boston Stiverson OG Kansas State
Austin Traylor TE Wisconsin

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...gnees-team-expects-sign-15-additional-rookies

 

[DC_fan]

Dallas Cowboys making play to host 2018 NFL draft

The Cowboys could show off their new world headquarters if they successfully bid to host the 2018 NFL draft, one of the biggest events on the league's calendar. The franchise is in discussions with the NFL to host the draft at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, AT&T Stadium in Arlington or both facilities, a source confirmed Thursday.

The still under-construction The Star, which includes a 12,000-seat indoor stadium and will house the Cowboys' business and football operations and team practices, is slated to open Aug. 27.

The Cowboys had no official comment on their plans Thursday. But the franchise has made it clear it will be aggressive in pursuing high-profile events at The Star, as it has done and continues to do at AT&T Stadium, where it has often targeted and set events' attendance records.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and executive vice president Stephen Jones have said that the team would like to bring future drafts to AT&T Stadium or The Star. An NFL spokesman confirmed on Friday that the Cowboys are among the teams interested in hosting a future draft.
Frisco, of course, is keen on the idea.

"The potential for having the draft in Frisco at The Star is immeasurable, especially with an organization like the Cowboys behind it," Frisco Mayor Maher Maso said. "We feel it would be a huge benefit to our community and, frankly, to the region. If you think about it, something on the caliber of the NFL draft is really regional in nature and will benefit all the communities in North Texas."
Competition has intensified among cities that want to host the popular three-day draft since it left New York -- its home for 50 years -- and landed in Chicago in 2015 and 2016. Chicago beat out fellow finalist Los Angeles for the 2015 draft after Radio City Music Hall, the regular venue in New York, had scheduling conflicts.

The site of the 2017 draft is expected to be announced this summer, with Philadelphia mentioned as one possibility. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the draft will "very likely" move on from Chicago in 2017. Denver, Canton, Ohio, and Los Angeles are among several cities that have reportedly expressed interest in hosting future drafts.

The Super Bowl Advisory Committee, made up of team representatives, is providing guidance to the league office on the draft site process. and the league office will make the decisions, according to an NFL spokesman. The timeframe for determining draft sites hasn't been revealed beyond the 2017 draft.

The Star features a unique partnership among the Cowboys, the city of Frisco and Frisco ISD.
An estimated $1.5 billion is expected to be invested in the mixed-use, 91 acres of The Star, once fully developed.

Chad Estis, executive vice president of business operations for the Cowboys, spoke of the draft during a Frisco Chamber of Commerce governmental affairs committee meeting last week, according to Community Impact Newspaper.

"I don't know if there's a bigger event we could have at The Star," Estis said, according to the report. "From a pure media standpoint, that could be one of the biggest things that we could potentially have."

In Chicago, the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University hosted the early rounds of the draft, allowing about 3,000 fans to attend inside. The downtown event included a nearby "Selection Square" and the free "Draft Town" fan festival in Grant Park, drawing an estimated 200,000 fans.
http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...s-making-play-host-2018-nfl-draft-star-frisco

 

[DC_fan]

Cowboys signing their Rookies

1st Round: Ezekiel Elliott 4 year $24.9m (includes signing bonus of $16.3m)
2nd Round: Jaylon Smith 4 year $6.5m (includes signing bonus of $2.9m)
3rd Round: Maliek Collins
4th Round: Charles Tapper
4th Round: Dak Prescott
6th Round: Anthony Brown 4 year $2.34m (signing bonus of $134,948)
6th Round: Kavon Frazier 4 year $2.34m (signing bonus of $100,356)
6th Round: Darius Jackson 4 year $2.34m (signing bonus of $100,356)
6th Round Round: Rico Gathers 4 year $2.34m (signing bonus of $100,356)

 

[DC_fan]

Dallas Cowboys the 'Worlds Most Valuable' sporting team

Forbes have released their list of the Top 5 most valuable sporting teams in the world. At #1 is the Cowboys with a value of $4 billion. Followed by Real Madrid $3.65b, Barcelona $3.55b, NY Yankees $3.4b and Manchester United $3.32b.

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...wboys-rank-among-worlds-valuable-sports-teams

 

[DC_fan]

Offensive guard Ron Leary wasn't on the practice field Tuesday at Valley Ranch for the start of the Cowboys' organized team activities, a source said, as he continues to dig in his cleats while standing firm on requesting a trade.

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...sive-lineman-ronald-leary-show-first-day-otas

Would be a real shame to lose Leary who is a very good offensive lineman. With the great line the Cowboys have he is just a quality backup. I hope he stays.

Would be a starter at just about every other team

 

[DC_fan]

The Cowboys offensive line went through last season without any injuries to speak of. Unfortunately for the team this will not happened this season. Left guard La'el Collins is expected to be out for 10-12 weeks with a toe injury that will require surgery.

I am rather happy the team kept Ron Leary who should quite easily step in as replacement.

 

[DC_fan]

To no ones surprise Randy Gregory's suspension has been increased to 14 weeks. He will be eligible to return to the Cowboys roster on Dec 19th.

I am not sure what his longterm future is with the Cowboys. Come the end of this season, his second, he would have played very few games. You expect more from a second round draft pick.

 

[DC_fan]

Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey is suffering from a back problem. Which may explain his two missed field goal attempts. He may struggle to play this weekend against the Bengals.

Backup kicker, believe it or not is safety Jeff Heath.

 

[Sans Souci Sainter]

Frees up some money for the Cowboys. Carr has never been anything more then a solid cornerback. Dallas paid overs to get him in the first place and he has never played up to the money he has received.

I don't know much about the contractual side of things here.

Why would Carr take a pay cut in his last year? It's not his problem they paid overs. Is he hoping to stay with Dallas? Cheers for any info.

 

[DC_fan]

I don't know much about the contractual side of things here.

Why would Carr take a pay cut in his last year? It's not his problem they paid overs. Is he hoping to stay with Dallas? Cheers for any info.

Sorry about the delay in responding. I don't get on here as much as I used to or would like to.

My impression is Carr is a team player first and foremost. Unusual to see a player do this in sport today. It tells you a lot about the man. Where he will be next year is anyone's guess at this stage.

 

[DC_fan]

If the Cowboys' are to continue their winning streak the they will have to do something they haven't done since 1995, that being win a regular-season game in Minnesota.

 

[DC_fan]

2016 NFC Playoff Race: Tough Remaining Schedule For Cowboys And Rest Of NFC East

A look at the strength of schedule for all of the NFC contenders. Plus the Eagles.

he Cowboys are sitting atop the NFC East playoff rankings with a three-win lead over the other division leaders, and a two-win lead in the NFC East. A lot can still happen over the remaining five games, but for the Cowboys to lose their spot as the No. 1 seed, a lot would have to happen. Here's how the playoff seeding currently plays out.

Seed Team Record Rationale
1 Dallas 10-1 NFC East Champion
2 Seattle 7-3-1 NFC West Champion
3 Detroit 7-4 NFC North Champion
4 Atlanta 7-4 NFC South Champion
5 New York 8-3 Wildcard #1
6 Washington 6-4-1 Wildcard #2
7Tampa Bay 6-5 Conf. win percentage
8 Minnesota 6-5 - -
9 Green Bay 5-6 Conf. win percentage
10 New Orleans 5-6 Head-to-head
11 Philadelphia 5-6 - -


One big factor remaining in how the next five games will play out for the playoff contenders is the quality of the teams they will face. The 8-3 Giants, for example, still have the Steelers, Cowboys, Lions, Eagles, and Redskins on their schedule, and those five opponents have combined for a 34-20-1 record so far this season. So the Giants remaining strength of schedule (if we count each tie as half a win) is .627 - the toughest remaining schedule in the NFL by this measure.

Here's a look the schedules of the top 11 teams in the NFC listed by their opponent’s winning percentage:

Team Strength ofSchedule Opp. W/L Remaining Opponents
Seahawks 0.336 18-36-1 vs. CAR, @GB, vs. LA, vs. ARI, at SF
Falcons 0.400 22-33 vs. KC, @LA, vs. SF, @ CAR, vs. NO
Washington 0.427 23-31-1 @ari, @PHI, vs. CAR, @Chi, vs. NYG
Vikings 0.436 24-31-0 vs. DAL, @Jax, vs. IND, @GB, vs. CHI
Packers 0.518 28-26-1 vs. HOU, vs. SEA, @Chi, vs. MIN, @DET
Buccaneers 0.527 29-26 @SD, vs. NO, @DAL, @NO, vs. CAR
Lions 0.545 30-25 @NO, vs. CHI, @NYG, @DAL, vs. GB
Saints 0.555 30-24-1 vs. DET, @TB, @ari, vs. TB, @ATL
Cowboys 0.582 32-23 @MIN, @NYG, vs. TB, vs. DET, @PHI
Eagles 0.618 33-20-2 @cin, vs. WAS, @BAL, vs. NYG, vs. DAL
Giants 0.627 34-20-1 @PIT, vs. DAL, vs. DET, @PHI, @WAS



The Giants may have the toughest remaining schedule of all the playoff contenders, but the Eagles and Cowboys are right behind them. The Eagles and Giants have three divisional games on their schedule, the Cowboys have two, and with the strength of the NFC East this year, that automatically translates into a tough SOS.

The Redskins have a moderate SOS by comparison, but only because they already faced the 10-1 Cowboys twice and lost both times. Minnesota is up next on the Cowboys schedule and there's a good chance that in playoff terms, the Vikings will soon go to a place where there is no more pain after the Cowboys game.

Overall, the schedule promises an exciting final stretch: Over the next five games, all but four of the 11 playoff contenders are facing opponents with an overall winning record.


But for the Seahawks and Falcons, the opposite is true. The Seahawks - currently ranked as the No. 2 seed - have the easiest remaining schedule in the entire NFL while the Falcons have the third-softest remaining schedule, so a lot would have to go wrong either team not to lock up its division.

That means that a lot of the remaining playoff action will center around who is able to win the NFC North, where the Lions, Vikings, and Packers all still have playoff ambitions. Outside of that, most of the playoff jostling will likely be for the wildcard spots. The Giants have a two-game lead for a wildcard spot, but that could quickly evaporate with the schedule they face. The Redskins on the other hand already hold the sixth seed, and with a relatively soft remaining schedule, they too could smoothly roll into the playoffs while other contenders face uphill battles all the way.

Of course, this is the NFL, where things change dramatically from one game to the next, and what we think is a likely scenario today may read like utter foolishness in two weeks.

Stay tuned.

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2016...ing-schedule-for-cowboys-and-rest-of-NFC-East

 

[DC_fan]

Snap Counts For The Cowboys’ Offense: Dak Prescott Sets Another Rookie Passing Record
57
Who played, and who produced, for the Dallas Cowboys offense? In our weekly look at the snap counts, we’ll evaluate whether Dallas is using its players well, and how well each of them is producing.

Overview
First, here’s a quick overview of the offensive game as a whole. The Cowboys won their eleventh game in a row, extending their team record, beating Minnesota in Minneapolis 17-15. It was the first time the Cowboys won in Minneapolis since 1995, their last Super Bowl year.

For the second week in a row, the Cowboys were out-gained - this time 318 to 264 yards - lost the time of possession - this time 33:17 to 26:43 - and played more snaps on defense (74) than offense (52). On the season, the Cowboys have now played only 24 more snaps on offense (806) than defense (782). As a result, they’ve slipped into second place in TOP per game(pending Sunday’s contests) to Philly, by four seconds.

Yet Dallas won the game again, this time because they hit the biggest offensive play - a 56-yard pass to Dez Bryant - and the biggest special teams play - a forced fumble by Kyle Wilber against the Vikings’ punt returner that gave Dallas a first and goal at the Vikings’ eight-yard line. The Cowboys were tied or ahead for all but 11:59 of the first half and 3:49 of the second half.

The game ultimately came down to a two-point conversion try by Minnesota with less than 30 seconds left. Sam Bradford was hit in the facemask by Cedric Thornton, causing his pass to sail high and out of the end zone. Remarkably, given how many great Cowboys’ plays had been negated by penalties throughout the game, no flag was thrown. That makes the Cowboys six for six this season in stopping two-point tries.


It may have been ugly, but it was another victory for the Cowboys. That’s the 17th road win in a row dating back to 2013 with either Dak Prescott or Tony Romo at quarterback.

Offensive Line
There were only 52 snaps on offense this week.

PLAYER, POS, GAMES, GMS 1-9, GM 10, GM 11, GM 12, TOTAL SEASON & PERCENT
Travis Frederick, C, 12, 627, 71, 56, 52, 806, 806, 100%
Zack Martin, G, 12, 627, 71, 56, 52, 806, 806, 100%
Doug Free, T, 12, 623, 71, 56, 52, 802, 806, 100%
Tyron Smith, T, 10, 475, 71, 56, 52, 654, 806, 81%
Ronald Leary, G, 10, 428, 71, 56, 52, 607, 806, 75%
La'el Collins, G, 3, 186, 0, 0, 0, 186, 806, 23%
Chaz Green, T, 4, 151, 0, 0, 0, 151, 806, 19%
Joe Looney, C, 12, 43, 12, 6, 5, 66, 806, 8%
Emmett Cleary, T, 6, 5, 0, 0, 0, 5, 806, 1%

The Cowboys five linemen played all the snaps again this week. Joe Looney was also in for five plays. Minnesota did a very good job against Zeke, holding him to his third-lowest rushing total on the season. He ended up with 86 yards rushing, though he also had a 42-yard run negated by a Doug Free holding call. (Penalties hurt the Cowboys all night.) Dak was sacked three times for a loss of 15 yards loss. That’s the most sacks since going down four times against Washington in week two.

Quarterback
PLAYER, POS, GAMES, GMS 1-9, GM 10, GM 11, GM 12, TOTAL SEASON & PERCENT
Dak Prescott, QB, 12, 622, 71, 56, 52, 801, 806, 99%
Mark Sanchez, QB, 1, 5, 0, 0, 0, 5, 806 1%

Dak had by far the fewest passing yards on the season. Yet his passer rating was 108.3, which set an NFL record for a rookie quarterback, with his 10th game over a 100 rating. He broke Russell Wilson’s record of nine. Overall, Dak was 12 of 18 for 139 yards, one touchdown pass, and 37 yards rushing on six scrambles. See the Dak and Zeke report for more details.


Running Backs
PLAYER, POS, GAMES, GMS 1-9, GM 10, GM 11, GM 12, TOTAL SEASON & PERCENT
Ezekiel Elliott, RB, 12, 443, 50, 46, 43, 582, 806, 72%
Alfred Morris, RB, 12, 99, 5, 5, 1, 110, 806, 14%
Keith Smith, RB, 12, 69, 9, 8, 10, 96, 806, 12%
Lance Dunbar, RB, 9, 63, 15, 5, 5, 88, 806, 11%

Zeke had a 86 yards rushing on 20 carries for a 4.3 yard average. He caught 4 passes on 5 targets for 19 yards. He added his 12th rushing touchdown, tying Tony Dorsett for the Cowboys’ rookie record. Details in the Dak and Zeke report.

Alfred Morris had only one play and one carry, but it was for 11 yards. Lucky Whitehead had a jet sweep, but fumbled on the Minnesota 34. Lance Dunbar was in for five plays but didn’t touch the ball. Dak Prescott ran six times for 37 yards, including a key 14-yard run on third and 13 from deep in Dallas territory that set up Dallas’s first touchdown.

Wide Receivers
PLAYER, POS, GAMES, GMS 1-9, GM 10, GM 11, GM 12, TOTAL SEASON & PERCENT
Terrance Williams, WR, 12, 441, 43, 36, 38, 558, 806, 69%
Dez Bryant, WR, 9, 362, 62, 43, 37, 504, 806, 63%
Cole Beasley, WR, 12, 346, 44, 35, 25, 450, 806, 56%
Brice Butler, WR, 12, 291, 18, 12, 14, 335, 806, 42%
Lucky Whitehead, WR, 12, 106, 6, 6, 5, 123, 806, 15%
Vince Mayle, WR, 2, 0, 0, 10, 7, 17, 806, 2%

Dez Bryant had another great game with four catches on six targets for 84 yards and a touchdown. That was almost a third of Dallas’s offense. He tied Michael Irvin for second all time in Cowboys touchdown catches at 65, in only 93 games (versus 159 for the Playmaker). Bob Hayes holds the Cowboys record at 71. The Dak to Dez connection has been heating up for the last several weeks.

Cole Beasley was next in yardage with two catches on four targets for 23 yards, his lowest totals of the season. Terrance Williams caught two passes on three targets for 13 yards. Brice Butler, Lucky Whitehead, and Vince Mayle were not targeted in their 26 snaps.

Tight Ends
PLAYER, POS, GAMES, GMS 1-9, GM 10, GM 11, GM 12, TOTAL SEASON & PERCENT
Jason Witten, TE, 12, 624, 67, 56, 52, 799, 806, 99%
Geoff Swaim, TE, 9, 203, 0, 0, 0, 203, 806, 25%
Gavin Escobar, TE, 12, 46, 17, 12, 18, 93, 806, 12%

Jason Witten took every snap this week. But it was the first time in 130 games he didn’t catch a pass. His lone catch was negated by an Ezekiel Elliott holding call. Gavin Escobar played 18 snaps, but wasn’t targeted. He was, however, called for clipping and holding, which killed two Cowboys’ drives.

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2016...k-prescott-sets-another-rookie-passing-record


It is obvious the injury free run that the Cowboys offence has gone through has helped with the success the team is having. Outside of Collins injury the OL have been very stable. I am a huge fan of Ron Leary and he has not let the team down in replacing Collins.

It will be interesting come next season if they keep Leary, move Collins to to RT and let Free free.

 

[DC_fan]

Sources: Cowboys DE Randy Gregory to return to practice Wednesday while appealing latest drug suspension

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...urn-practice-appealing-latest-drug-suspension

There's no assurance Randy Gregory will play for the Cowboys in the final two games of this season.

But at the moment, there's a chance.

A source said Gregory will practice with the team for the first time this season on Wednesday as the Cowboys prepare for their game against the New York Giants. The defensive end isn't eligible to return from his current suspension until Dec. 19, but a provision allows him to resume practicing with the team two weeks prior to that date.


The Cowboys are in urgent need of a pass rusher. So if Gregory can and does return then it could benefit the team greatly.