Dallas Cowboys Are Just Barely Good Enough

Nov 3, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys receiver

(17) dives for the game winning touchdown in the fourth quarter against Minnesota Vikings cornerback

(35) at AT

After edging out the Minnesota Vikings with a last minute game winning TD, it’s difficult to be very excited. The Vikings are a really bad team. A really bad team that came extremely close to beating the Dallas Cowboys on the Cowboy’s home turf. This game shouldn’t have even been close let alone needing a brilliant fourth quarter comeback.

It’s a lot like almost getting beaten up by your little sister. You won in the end, but it’s certainly nothing to brag about.

Nov 3, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back

(28) scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT

The Vikings have many more question marks than the Cowboys. Especially at the most important position on the field – QB. The Cowboys once again found a way to make an opposing QB look better than he really is. They better find a way to stop this trend because next week they play the great Drew Brees who needs no help looking like a star.

Through all the poor play and questionable play-calling the Cowboys found a way to win in the end.

Winning should never be taken for granted and must be appreciated. With the Eagles and Redskins both winning on Sunday, the Cowboys needed this win heading into New Orleans next week. Just like this game, the race for the NFC East will be close until the end.

Here are some observations from Sunday:

• As predicted the Cowboys played a good amount of Cover 1. What was strange was that Jeff Heath and Barry Church alternated playing deep safety. This is a great move if it’s used to disguise coverage assignments but it’s curious when the coverage assignments were so blatant and not disguised at all.
• Speaking of disguised coverage, a Monte Kiffin staple, the Cowboys have been unable to be sneaky in the least. It’s glaringly obvious what the coverage assignments are before the snap. Any (I repeat, ANY) QB in the NFL can pick a team apart if they know the coverage (and obviously the pass-rush doesn’t get him).
• Cover 2 was primarily used on 3rd down. I didn’t spot much traditional Tampa 2 as most of the time Dallas was geared to stopping the run, thus preventing Lee from dropping back in deep center coverage.
• Kyle Wilber stinks and was often abused by the opposing tackle. Much like every week before…
• The emergence of Everett Brown makes Kyle Wilber expendable. The poor guy (Wilber) was drafted as a 3-4 OLB and has been asked to play a position outside of his skill set. He’s too small and weak to play D-line in a 4-3 and he’s too big and slow to play LB in a 4-3. He’s a man without a position. Given the lack of depth currently on the line, Wilber can’t really be cut. Instead he should provide depth in a rotation and only used sparingly.
• James Hanna is still struggling with run-blocking. He has improved when blocking a defender lined up directly across from him but severely struggles when defenders are farther off the line and rushing in. His best place on this team appears to be as an H-back used in motion, split out wide, and as a situational lead blocker.
• Ernie Sims played horribly. He missed tackles, he played hesitantly, he overran plays and allowed extra yards on multiple plays (Including Christian Ponder‘s TD run).
• On a good note: these WRs block better than any WR unit I have ever seen. They are all willing and able. Amazing coaching and development at the WR position.

Next week the Cowboy’s travel to New Orleans. If the Cowboy’s do not improve and improve drastically, this game could be very ugly. For now, the Cowboys are just barely good enough to beat bad teams. They have been regressing in their play and need to turn things around in this tight race for the NFC East.

Do you have questions or comments regarding Dallas area sports? Email Reid at permaximum@hotmail.com. You may be included in the next weekly mailbag. Follow Reid on twitter @ReidDHanson