{"id":463331,"date":"2025-12-22T01:22:14","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T01:22:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/463331\/"},"modified":"2025-12-22T01:22:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T01:22:14","slug":"nothing-to-signal-progress-on-defense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/463331\/","title":{"rendered":"Nothing to signal progress on defense"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Cowboys<\/a>\u2019 three-game winning streak that had some folks talking about \u201crunning the table\u201d has become a three-game losing streak in which the club is running out of ideas. It took awhile, but once the Chargers\u2019 defense made a couple of stops, the home finale was essentially over. A look at LA\u2019s 34-17 victory<\/a> here Sunday.<\/p>\n

Offense<\/p>\n

How can you have that kind of production in the passing game (255 yards in 32 attempts), a decent enough running game (4.0 per carry) and score on your first three possessions, and then wind up with 17 points for the day? By putting up a zero in the second half. By getting stopped on a fourth-and-1 handoff to Hunter Luepke. By Dak Prescott<\/a> getting nothing but carpet on his third-and-10 and fourth-and-10 throws when Dallas had to sustain a drive. That\u2019s how.<\/p>\n

Grade:<\/b> C<\/p>\n

Defense<\/p>\n

Cowboys<\/p>\n

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There were 7 minutes left in the third quarter when the Chargers had to punt for the first time. It was not a sign of things to come. The Cowboys managed to get zero pressure (and no sacks) on the most heavily pressured QB in the league. They also gave up 300 yards passing and 152 rushing. Other than lamenting new injuries, there was nothing to signal either progress or a reasonable effort Sunday.<\/p>\n

Grade:<\/b> F<\/p>\n

Special teams<\/p>\n

There wasn\u2019t much to grade here \u2014 three short field goals that got made (one by Dallas) and one punt for each team. Cowboys, however, committed two holding penalties (Malik Davis, Markquese Bell) on kick returns, costly mistakes in the new era of good field position after scores. <\/p>\n

Grade: <\/b>C<\/p>\n

Coaching<\/p>\n

Are we to grade the decision to move Matt Eberflus to the box<\/a>? Dallas blitzed a lot and had nothing to show for it \u2014 no sacks, no big plays behind the line of scrimmage. I thought Brian Schottenheimer<\/a>\u2019s play-calling was too cute on fourth-and-1 when the game still hung in the balance, trying to fool the Chargers with a quick handoff to the up-back Luepke. Overall, it\u2019s just a team getting beat by better players, though.<\/p>\n

Coaching:<\/b> C<\/p>\n

Overall<\/p>\n

I wouldn\u2019t expect the greatest of efforts from a team that got eliminated about 18 hours before kickoff by the Eagles. And for a half, Dallas was competitive. It all broke apart in the second half, and I can only imagine what these last two games against the dregs of the NFC East are going to look like.<\/p>\n

Grade: <\/b>C<\/p>\n