The Dallas Cowboys’ season is only six games deep but it has been an absolute rollercoaster. A mere seven days after gutting out a huge last-second win on the road, the Cowboys suffered one of the worst losses in the 15-year history of AT&T Stadium against the Detroit Lions.
So, how bad was it? Well, Dallas allowed the Lions to score on their first nine possessions. The defense surrendered 47 points and they were lucky to limit Detroit to field goals when they did. If not for the Lions pulling out some trick plays in the second half, they could have posted a 50-burger.
While the Cowboys’ defense was in an impossible spot down six starters, the offense was close to full-strength. Dak Prescott had a rough game, but the Lions dialed up blitz after blitz after jumping out to a big lead and Dallas’ offensive line had no answers.
It was clear to anybody watching that Prescott needs more help. It feels a lot like the 2018 season when the team was reeling before it traded for Amari Cooper. Prescott was asked after the loss if Dallas needs to make a similar trade this year and he offered a blunt response.
Cowboys’ Dak Prescott is not getting his hopes up before the trade deadline
“We were 3-5 before we got rolling [in 2018],” said Prescott, via ESPN’s Todd Archer. “Don’t be plan to be 3-5 with this team, however. That’s up to the front office. I’ve got a lot of confidence in the guys we got in the locker room, the young guys coming on. You see Jalen Tolbert getting better. We’ll get Brandin Cooks back healthy…My job is to make sure I continue to push the guys in the locker room. Make sure they understand their role and how to get better in their role.”
That’s a typical political answer from Prescott. He wasn’t going to throw anyone under the bus and outright stating that the team needs to make a blockbuster trade would not send the right message to a locker room that is likely short on confidence. Not many players would take the high road in that situation, but that is why Prescott is one of the great leaders in the game.
Still, it is obvious that Prescott needs more support. Not only did he have to overcome an all-out assault from the Lions, but his pass-catchers did not create any semblance of separation. He even struggled to get the ball to CeeDee Lamb.
While Lamb finished with seven catches for 89 yards, he was targeted 14 times, including on Prescott’s red zone interception in the first quarter.
Whereas Jared Goff threw to WIDE open receivers all game, seemingly all of Prescott’s throws on Sunday were into tight windows. That has been the story of the season. It’s a major indictment on McCarthy as a play-caller. McCarthy added motion and pre-snap movement into his play-calling last week, but it was nowhere to be found against the Lions.
Assuming McCarthy isn’t going to change his stripes, the Cowboys need playmakers who can generate separation for Prescott. Jalen Tolbert has come on strong, but most of his receptions are of the contested-catch variety due to a lack of separation. As for Cooks, there’s a strong argument to be made that KaVontae Turpin should be playing over him.
While Prescott has utmost confidence in Dallas’ current roster, a trade a la Amari Cooper in 2018 might be necessary to save the offense. Cooper himself is actually available, but this front office proved a long time ago that winning is not their utmost priority.
