Another Dallas Cowboys Slow Start Masked by 4th Quarter

What a roller coaster. I was fully expecting to write about how the Dallas Cowboys barely pulled out a game against an inferior opponent and how they looked sloppy the whole game but did just enough. And then the fourth quarter happened and my sentiments changed. Slightly.

33 points in the fourth is more than dominance it was a statement. I think the NFL heard the Cowboys loud and clear. But at the same time I’m not enjoying an ugly first half followed by a beautiful second. Teams like the Colts should not be within two points going into the fourth.

The Dallas Cowboys need to come out of the gate hotter

Had you not watched the game it would be pretty improbable to imagine this game was close at any point. I mean when have you seen the losing team be the one to take a knee to end it? But this game was within two points with 15 minutes remaining and with all due respect to the Colts it should never have been.

This was evidenced by how the fourth quarter went. The Dallas Cowboys scored in the following ways in the fourth:

• Touchdown (Gallup)
• Defensive Touchdown (Hooker)
• Touchdown (Pollard)
• Touchdown (Elliott)
• Touchdown (Davis)

All three of our running backs were able to score this quarter and a passing touchdown was mixed in along with a defensive touchdown. Now, I understand that by the Zeke touchdown the Colts defense was likely thinking more about the plane ride back than their job defensively, but where was this Dallas Cowboys team all game. They were aggressive on both offense and defense, stomping on their opponents throat and showing why they were favored by 11.

The defense was just flocking to the ball making every effort to punch the ball out at any opportunity and just frustrating Matt Ryan. And yet, in he first half they seemed a bit complacent. The played passive and they knew it wouldn’t matter because they knew they were the better team on multiple levels.

The tone can get you killed against better opponents and if you’re off for even a quarter you’re going to pay for it.

It is frustrating yelling at my TV for an entire half knowing that we’re the better team and yet the results simply tell the opposite. When you play the 4-8-1 Colts, yeah you’ll get away with it, but the 49ers or the Eagles? Much different story.

But we here at Sport DFW are a glass half full group and there is absolutely a positive way to look at this game. When is the last time we’ve seen a team be so slow out of the gate and manage to win by 35? I personally can’t think of any and that is a testament to this squad and exactly what they are made of.

A slow start is nothing when you consider the adversity of losing your franchise quarterback in week 1. And after a 4-1 record with Cooper Rush at the helm the goal started to become clear. They have been built for something more and they rally around each other because of that.

Each week someone different is stepping up. Last week it was Dalton Schultz, and this week its Malik Hooker and DaRon Bland. Championship caliber rosters don’t just ride the wings of one player and hope he can them carry to championship.

They look around the whole locker room knowing that if one good has an off game somebody else is going to pick them up. That’s credit to Mike McCarthy and the environment he’s created over three years.

Look for the Cowboys to come out the gate hot against owners of the 2023 first overall pick, the Houston Texans. This game should not be much of a problem for this squad but a real sign of progress is starting the game the way they would expect to against the Texans.

And it wouldn’t hurt to add Odell Beckham Jr. to the 53-man by then.