'Not Ideal': Dallas Cowboys Enter NFL Playoffs With 1 Worry - Kicker Greg Zuerlein
The concerns with the offense were justified, especially going by the eye test. The Dallas Cowboys weren’t exactly humming in recent weeks despite racking up wins and numbers. And one sore thumb - er, foot - stood out the most.
"I think the most important part of a kicker is consistency and it's not consistently missing," team owner Jerry Jones said last week, talking about Greg Zuerlein.
Amari Cooper hasn’t been much of a factor in the second half of the season. Ezekiel Elliott has nursed that knee and hasn’t shown the rekindled burst from months ago. Dak Prescott has looked rather pedestrian and out of rhythm at times.
But the concern was also more of a product of high standards. The Cowboys are expected to roll through opponents given their collection of playmakers and overall offensive talent.
So when tight games happen against listless opponents – Giants and Washington come to mind – folks fret. That’s understandable … and also somewhat unfair.
The Cowboys completed the regular-season portion of the schedule by blowing out the Philadelphia Eagles 51-26 Saturday night. Taking apart a rival and fellow playoff participant on the road is just the kind of statement Dallas needed to make.
The NFC East champs begin the postseason march next week at AT&T Stadium with momentum, confidence and a good bit of swagger.
Said coach Mike McCarthy: “Statistically, rhythm, pace of operation — everything we were looking to accomplish tonight, we were able to get that done.”
There was little to fret about. Except ...
"It's not ideal," Zuerlein said of his missed extra point in the blowout. "It's not exactly what you want and it gives you things you need to tighten up."
"Tighten up''? Or loosen up. Something. Because the veteran Pro Bowler, special-teams coordinator "Bones'' Fassel's prized pupil, has been doing this all year. Zuerlein has now missed six extra points and six field goals this year.
Fassel believes he'll make "the big one'' in the playoffs. Skeptics prefer it not come down to that.
The Cowboys (12-5) are currently the highest-scoring team in the league with a franchise-record 530 points. And that club record is legit despite the extra game in 2021, as Dallas set the mark even before kickoff against the Eagles.
The Cowboys surpassed 40 points five times, with two games eclipsing 50 in the last three weeks. There were only five 50-point games in the NFL overall this season.
Prescott tossed a career-high five touchdowns in Philly, finishing the regular season with 37 to break Tony Romo’s team record. And Prescott did so in 16 games, since he missed Week 8 against Minnesota.
“I just think it was a heck of a year for a guy who was in a slump,” McCarthy joked. “I think he’s special. He’s a special man. … Hopefully he’ll get some recognition for how he plays the game.”
Elliott surpassed 1,000 yards rushing for the fourth time in his career and backup Tony Pollard racked up 719 yards despite missing the finale.
CeeDee Lamb topped 1,000 yards receiving in his second year. Cooper and Dalton Schultz each had more than 800 yards receiving. Cedrick Wilson – 119 yards and two touchdowns against the Eagles – looks like a solid replacement for Michael Gallup.
The Cowboys also currently first in total offense, second in passing yards and ninth in rushing going into the last Sunday of the season.
The ceiling for Dallas is high and the stats don’t lie. The Cowboys are an elite unit with the ball that will test any opposing defense going forward.
Playoff foes should be concerned about how often Dallas is scoring six points. Unfortunately, Cowboys Nation is concerned about scoring that seventh point.
