Season opener gives Cowboys fans reasons for optimism
As 8.5pt underdogs heading into the NFL Kickoff game against the Eagles, the expectation was that the Cowboys were going to get mauled by the reigning Super Bowl Champions.
What transpired was far from the case. The Cowboys left America’s birthplace ruing missed opportunities to win in the home of their biggest rival.
While there are no moral victories in the NFL, the Cowboys showed more than enough on both sides of the ball to suggest they can be a very capable team this season.
Here are my reasons to be optimistic about the Cowboys:
Defensive adjustments
The first half was not pretty on defence, all our worst fears from losing Micah Parsons came true. The defence couldn’t get near Eagles QB Jalen Hurts.
Time after time Hurts slipped out of the pocket and killed the Cowboys with his legs. Along with that, the Cowboys really struggled to slow down the Eagles vaunted run game. This led to the Eagles scoring on every first half possession.
In the second half the Cowboys defence stepped up. Huge credit to defensive co-ordinator Matt Eberflus for improving things. The interior defensive line combination of Osa Odighizuwa and newly acquired Kenny Clark dominated the line of scrimmage and stuffed the Eagles run game.
This forced the Eagles into more passing situations. The Cowboys also finally started to get pressure on Hurts and get some stops.
Dak is back
On the face of it 188 passing yards and no touchdowns looks like a pretty poor night for the highest paid player in the NFL. The reality is that Dak Prescott played incredibly well on his return from a gruesome hamstring injury that ended his 2024 season. Dak was decisive all night long and made some truly exceptional throws.
Sadly he was let down by some criminal drops, especially from his top target CeeDee Lamb.
Rushing attack & offensive line
It certainly helped that the Eagles best player on defence got himself ejected from the game six seconds in. Jalen Carter is truly repugnant.
Rookie guard Tyler Booker had a solid nights work. In the first half especially, the offensive line as a whole were able to create run lanes and gave Prescott plenty of time to pass.
Running back Javonte Williams ran well in short-yardage and goal-line situations. I will also take the positives from Miles Sanders limited touches (you can not get chased down by a linebacker Miles!!)
Brian Schottenheimer
In what has to be one of the toughest gigs in sports, Cowboys Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer has handled himself brilliantly since day one in the job. He was scoffed at for preaching ‘Culture, Culture, Culture’ through the off-season. However, this team showed they have bought into the message.
The Cowboys played tough, played physical and when the Eagles punched the Cowboys in the mouth the Cowboys punched right back. In some cases literally through the numerous scuffles on the field.
Scottenheimer’s offensive game-plan was terrific and in the first half kept the Eagles defence off-kilter. A range of different looks, formation and a lot of pre-snap motion kept the Cowboys on schedule.
Schottenheimer has done exactly what he said he would do and is making ‘compete every day’ more than just a tag line.
Onwards & upwards
All in all a great performance from the Cowboys where they came up just short. It might be 0-1 for now but I have a lot more faith that the Cowboys can win a lot of games the rest of the way.
