Cowboys vs. Bucs Top 10 Whitty Observations: Dallas Dominated By Brady Bunch; Dak Prescott Needs Surgery
On a weekend reserved for remembering a Queen, ageless Tom Brady reminded the Dallas Cowboys who remains the NFL quarterback King.
10. THE BRADY BUNCH - Make it 0-7. The Cowboys have never beaten Brady, whether with the New England Patriots (0-5) or Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2). In those games, the future Hall of Famer is 160 of 262 (61 percent) with 15 touchdowns. Brady’s seven wins are the most against the Cowboys without a loss. Second on that list: 5-0 Joe Montana.
9. 45-YEAR-OLD FASTBALL - There was a noticeable difference in the velocity on passes from the two quarterbacks, and the advantage went not to 29-year-old Dak Prescott but instead 45-year-old Brady.
Prescott was just "off", with questionable decisions and passes that more resembled off-speed change-ups than fastballs. His worst throw - which was both late and slow - turned into an interception by Bucs' safety Antoine Winfield Jr. that led to one of kicker Ryan Succop's four first-half field goals. For the most part, Brady showed zip and Prescott zilch.
During the week, the Cowboys' quarterback said he "felt like something popped" in his foot. Not sure if it was injury or merely rust, but at times Dak's passes were weaker than NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth's voice. Just to put a dismal exclamation point on the night, Prescott went to the locker room late in the game after twice hitting his throwing hand on a Buccaneers' arm.
According to owner Jerry Jones, the injury will require surgery.
"He'll be out for a while," he said. "This was a really tough night for the Cowboys."
8. OL PLAN ... C? - Just when we were all worried about rookie first-round draft pick Tyler Smith filling in for Tyron Smith and trying to block Bucs' star pass-rusher Shaq Barrett, the Cowboys immediately were forced to dig further into their depth chart when starting left guard Connor McGovern suffered a right ankle injury on the first series. While McGovern went directly to the locker room, he was replaced by the 238th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft: Matt Farniok. Suddenly on the left side of the offensive line Dallas had two players with zero starting experience in the NFL. Said coach Mike McCarthy after the first quarter, "Obviously we're young on the left side ... gotta keep playing."
7. FIRST-HALF FRUSTRATION - Let's face it, the Cowboys' offense was painfully anemic. Only 12 first downs, 10 penalties, a turnover and only three measly points, which came on their first drive. Last season Dallas was held without a first-half touchdown only three times in 18 total games, including Cooper Rush's emergency start in Minnesota. Dallas produced four first downs on its opening possession, but then just two during its next six.
6. PATIENCE, POOF - Didn't take long for Cowboys fans to run out of rope in 2022. After right tackle Terence Steele was called for three penalties in four plays spanning the third and fourth quarters, AT&T unleashed with a chorus of boos. Steele, the more experienced of the team's two tackles, was called for four total penalties.
5. THE NFC BEAST? - It's only Week 1, but the NFL's weakest division looks a bit, um, stronger. To the tune of 3-1. On Sunday the Commanders and new quarterback Carson Wentz held off the Jaguars, the Eagles' four rushing touchdowns held off the Lions and the Giants and new coach Brian Daboll upset the Titans in Tennessee. The division went 1-3 on the opening weekend of 2021. The NFC East, remember, hasn't had a repeat champion since 2003-04.
4. CEEDEE MIA - While his team was falling behind 19-3, Cowboys' No. 1 receiver CeeDee Lamb was missing in action. Or worse, actually. Without Amari Cooper or Cedrick Wilson or Michael Gallup for support, Lamb got 11 targets. But they resulted in only two catches, one drop and one offensive pass-interference penalty. In the opener a year ago, Cooper caught 13 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns.
3. MINIMIZED BY MICAH - Tampa Bay took a 9-3 lead late in the first half, but that bulge could've been much bigger if not for Micah Parsons.
He cold-cocked consecutive Buccaneers' drives deep in Dallas territory with sacks of Brady. After Tampa drove to the 8-yard line, Parsons grabbed Brady's ankles for a 10-yard sack that led to a missed field goal.
The next drive moved to Dallas' 4, before Parsons again zipped around left end to maul Brady for a sack that forced Tampa to settled for three points instead of seven.
2. TURPIN TIED - It's a little different when the big boys don pads and the regular-season lights come on. Just ask Cowboys' rookie KaVontae Turpin, who dazzled in the preseason but was muzzled in this one. In the second preseason game Turpin had kick returns of 98 and 86 yards. Against Tampa Bay he had five returns for only 80 yards and a long of 22.
1. SIMMERING SEAT - Jerry Jones can publicly offer all the votes of confidence he wants, but hideous performances like this one will only turn up the heat on calls for McCarthy's job. The Cowboys were - rinse and repeat - again undisciplined, committing 10 penalties for 73 yards. In the last 239 days - including last January's playoff loss to the 49ers - the Cowboys have played two games in Arlington and produced 24 penalties to only 20 points. How bad was this opener? The Cowboys scored their fewest points since being shut out 28-0 by the Saints to start the putrid 1-15 season of 1989.
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