Dallas Cowboys vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Standouts and Observations

The Dallas Cowboys held on to secure victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football. Here are this week’s standouts, notes, and observations…

• The Cowboys’ first drive looked like the Cowboys of old, even if it failed to result in points. It was an unneeded holding penalty that inevitably derailed the drive but the play-calling was both safe and a little unpredictable – two things it needed to be. This trend (both the good and the bad) would continue throughout the night.
• Interesting that the Dallas Cowboys first drive effectively stalled because of a Noah Spence sack. Spence was a player draftniks are well aware of and someone the Cowboys could have selected instead of the red-shirted Jaylon Smith. Later a TD pass to Lance Dunbar was taken off the board because of a Tyron Smith hold on Noah Spence. Spence potentially cost the Dallas Cowboys two TDs.
• On the second Dallas Cowboys drive it was nice to see Dak Prescott hit a short hot-route in the face of the blitz. This is something the Cowboys struggled with (even with Tony Romo in years past) and can greatly deter blitzing. It was also nice to see a third down conversion, and a Lance Dunbar reception.
• How’s this for a surprising season standout? Terrell McClain has been the best defensive linemen this season. Pretty impressive for a veteran rotational guy cast as a 1-technique DT.

They may refer to themselves as “the Orphans” but I’m going to go with “The Viagra Single Packs”.

• Back-to-back standout games from DE Benson Mayowa. After falling out of favor with the coaching staff early in the season, Mayowa has developed into a well-rounded player for the Cowboys.
• DL David Irving does more with limited snaps than almost any player in the NFL. It will be interesting to see him develop the next few seasons because his tangible skills and versatility are through the roof. He is also the only other player on the roster besides DeMarcus Lawrence that has the kind of burst and lean to man the right defensive end spot.

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• The Dallas Cowboys defensive line is built on their rotation and depth more than high-snap star players. All of the defensive line production doesn’t come from just one player, but a rotation of players.  They may refer to themselves as “the Orphans” but I’m going to go with “The Viagra Single Packs”.  Because all of the production isn’t just coming from one source, it’s coming from many.
• Against the no-huddle the D-line cannot substitute like normal stripping them of their greatest strength. The Giants and Packers are two teams who can thrive in a no-huddle and two teams the Cowboys do not want to face in the playoffs (Seattle is still the match-up they should most want to avoid).
• TE Cameron Brate tore up FS Byron Jones on Sunday despite close coverage. Jones had questionable deep coverage late in the 4^th and was beat deep somehow on a 3^rd and 18 overthrow. Not a great game for the former 1^st round pick.
• I complain incessantly about the Dallas Cowboys using Orlando Scandrick as a blitzer but that doesn’t mean other DBs can’t do it. Byron Jones has shown he’s more than able to blitz – he’s willing to fight through blocks and add continued disruption. Not all DBs have the traits needed to blitz and Rod Marinelli needs to focus on finding the right guys and play to their strengths. Keep using Jones, Rod.
• For the record, I counted two Scandy blitzes where he pulled up and quit the play the moment he was met with a blocker. Have I mentioned how much I hate blitzing Scandy?
• When Dak Prescott runs he adds such an important layer to the Dallas Cowboys offensive attack. I’m not saying to turn him into a run-heavy read-option QB but good things happen when Dak tucks the ball.
• It gets old listing Sean Lee as a standout every week but the man deserves it. He flies to the ball like he’s playing at a different speed. He’s the best ILB in the NFL not named Kuechly and frankly, he’s closer to him than many realize.

• Jameis Winston was called for a drive-stopping personal foul but it very well could have been called on Cowboys LB Justin Durant. The whistle had blown, killing the play, yet Durant still threw Doug Martin to the ground a full 3 seconds after. Durant was brought in for some veteran stability but he’s also brought a handful of reckless plays. He’s standing out in all of the wrong ways this season.
• The Dallas Cowboys were loving the delayed blitz Sunday night, bringing a LB a second after the rest of the rushers. It was successful because the Bucs linemen commit to their blocking assignments immediately upon snap. The delay cause just the right amount of chaos to that.
• Does anyone else laugh when they see injured back-up QB Kellen Moore patrolling the sideline? He looks like one of Stephen Jones’ lesser athletic sons.

Next: Flashback: Get Lance Dunbar the Dang Ball!

The offense did a great job of moving the ball but penalties prevented them from scoring points making the impressive yardage totals almost a moot point.