News: Red flags in Cowboys’ red zone offense, combine coming to Dallas?
The Cowboys’ 5-1 record makes the minor imperfections and occasional mistakes a lot easier to gloss over. But a closer look at the numbers shows that one of the team’s longstanding bugaboos has not gotten better despite the overall improvement. If the Cowboys are going to make a serious Super Bowl push, they’ll need to address a red zone offense that still can’t put the ball in the end zone with regularity.
Elsewhere, news on Dak Prescott’s calf (albeit from the team’s chief hype man), legendary comparisons for rookie linebacker Micah Parsons after just six games as a pro, breaking down what’s made the Cowboys’ 2021 bounceback possible, and why the team should not even consider trading returning wide receiver Michael Gallup. Also, a look at the Cowboys assistant coach who’s turning around not only his unit but maybe his own reputation in the mainstream, a franchise icon helps fuel a youngster’s dream, and could the NFL Scouting Combine be coming to the home of the Cowboys? All that and more in this edition of News and Notes.
Is there a fatal flaw with the Cowboys’ offense in the red zone? Decoding Kellen Moore :: The Athletic
For the quantum leap forward this Cowboys team has made in 2021, the offense’s red zone touchdown percentage is, somewhat incredibly, still terrible: less than one in four. According to Bob Sturm and his research, there are two big culprits. One, too many run plays inside the opponents’ 20. And two, though it may be hard to believe at first blush with all of their weaponry, Dallas simply doesn’t have a reliable red-zone target in the way that Dez Bryant and Jason Witten were.
Cowboys' Jerry Jones says Prescott's calf 'not even in my thought process of things to worry about' :: Cowboys Wire
The Cowboys owner says he feels “very good” about Prescott’s chances to play Sunday night in Minnesota. He went on to tell a Dallas radio station that the quarterback’s calf strain concerns him “much less” than the shoulder injury that caused the club to shut down Prescott’s passing for nearly all of training camp and preseason.
Cowboys offense grades highest in NFL (by a lot) after 7 weeks of play :: Pro Football Focus (Twitter)
Highest-graded offenses this season:
1. Cowboys – 92.1
2. Buccaneers – 84.5
3. Rams – 83.7Get advanced data and grades for all of your favorite players and teams ⬇
— PFF (@PFF) October 26, 2021
Cowboys place DL Brent Urban, CB Maurice Canady on injured reserve :: Cowboys Wire
Urban has a triceps injury; Canady is dealing with a concussion suffered in the Week 6 contest. Both will have to miss at least the next three games. Their spots on the 53-man active roster could go to tight end Sean McKeon and rookie cornerback Kelvin Joseph, who were designated for return on October 13.
The Cowboys can’t afford to trade Michael Gallup :: Blogging the Boys
Sure, the Cowboys are 5-0 since losing wide receiver Michael Gallup. But that doesn’t mean he’s easily replaced in the long term. In fact, among receivers with 25 or more catches, Gallup has led Dallas in yards before catch per reception (YBC/R) in every single year he’s been with the team. There’s just no way Cedrick Wilson and Noah Brown can be expected to do that just so the front office can acquire some other puzzle piece.
Veteran coach compares Parsons to legendary LBs :: The Mothership
Defensive assistant coach George Edwards has seen plenty of good linebackers in his two decades on NFL sidelines. He’s seen several great ones. And when asked to find a comparable to the Cowboys rookie in terms of versatility, he mentioned LaVar Arrington and Junior Seau. “The number of hats that he wears going into a game is very impressive,” Edwards said of Parsons. “The things that we ask him to do and the things that he’s capable of doing is very impressive.”
'There's meat on the bone:' Cowboys OL coach Joe Philbin sees room for improvement :: Cowboys Wire
The Cowboys’ offensive line coach is perhaps best known to fans for an ill-fated stint as head coach once upon a time in Miami. But Philbin, a lifelong O-line guru, has the Cowboys’ offensive front trending in the right direction in 2021. They’re far out performing last year’s group in terms of blocking for the ground game and preventing quarterback sacks, but Philbin believes there’s still room for improvement.
2022 NFL Scouting Combine will be in Indianapolis; 2023 between Dallas, L.A. and Indy :: NFL.com
The league’s annual scouting combine could be taking its show on the road after the 2022 event in its longtime home city of Indianapolis. Dallas is one of the three cities that could host the 300-plus draft prospects and staffers from all 32 teams in 2023. Insider Ian Rapoport is reporting that Los Angeles and Indianapolis are the other locations up for consideration. It is widely thought that, should Dallas win the bid, The Star in Frisco would be the base of operations for the four-day combine, given its multiple playing fields and practice surfaces.
Super Bowl contenders? Breaking down 7 keys to the Dallas Cowboys’ early success :: USA Today
It’s not one thing; it’s lots of things that have led to the dramatic turnaround in Dallas. Besides the obvious (Prescott’s return, increased takeaways), Jori Epstein looks at the resurgence of the run game, a series of smart offseason moves, and the offensive line’s return to form as additional factors. But don’t forget about the club’s long-play gamble on Randy Gregory finally paying off. And, believe it or not: coaching.
Ezekiel Elliott supports Dallas Mavericks in home opener :: Bri Amaranthus (Twitter)
FEED ZEKE.@EzekielElliott here at the #Mavs home opener. #MFFL pic.twitter.com/hgwLuiu1zO
— Bri Amaranthus (@BriAmaranthus) October 27, 2021
Young teen lives out photography dream with a Dallas Cowboys great :: NBC DFW
Isaac Edwards may be just 13, but the Dallas youth is already set on a career in sports photography. Through the Boys and Girls Club of East Dallas, a philanthropic group called “Stand Together,” and Outschool.org, he got some professional instruction and a chance to work with a larger-than-life athlete at a photography boot camp. The subject at his photo shoot? Former Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who went through the paces in a private workout so that Isaac could practice getting the shots. “We believe in what you want to do,” Ware told Isaac, “and don’t let anyone else tell you what you can’t do.”
1
1
