Behind Enemy Lines: 5 Questions with Cowboys Country Reporter Harrison Reno
It's time for the New York Giants to face the bully again.
The bully in this case? The Dallas Cowboys, who in Week 1 came into MetLife Stadium for a nationally televised game and beat the Giants into submission, 40-0, a game that thus far has set the tone for an extremely disappointing season for the Giants.
In thinking back to that game, it's fair to question how ready the Giants were for that game, a topic we'll be diving into during the bye week. Certainly, they didn't look as ready as they could have been, and the injury bug, which the team had tried so hard to avoid in the summer, reared its ugly head to make a bad situation worse.
Now? The Giants and Cowboys are going in different directions. Brian Daboll's team will have no repeat trip to the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Cowboys probably won't catch the Eagles for the NFC East title, but they are battling for a Wild Card spot in this year's playoffs, a spot that's far from being assured given the Cowboys' up-and-down play.
Let's check in with Cowboys Country reporter Harrison Reno to see what's new with the Cowboys since that Week 1 matchup.
Brandin Cooks hasn’t quite made the impact that I think everyone expected him to make. Why do you think that is?
You’re right that the addition of Brandin Cooks this offseason hasn’t been the immediate success many Cowboys fans expected. The 30-year-old speedster has just 17 receptions for 165 yards with two touchdowns through seven games and has mainly functioned more as a third option than being the No. 2 that many expected.
The lack of production, in my opinion, seems more due to trust, or in this case, lack thereof. Quarterback Dak Prescott and coach Mike McCarthy know exactly what they have in CeeDee Lamb, who, after an inconsistent first five games, has established himself as the far and away No. 1 option.
Not only has Lamb’s ascent hurt Cooks’ production, but also has the emergence of tight end Jake Ferguson. Ferguson has earned Prescott's trust since his multi-drop performance in Week 1 versus the New York Giants and has become a safety net.
At the halfway pole, how would you assess the job Mike McCarthy has done as the playcaller?
Since the bye week, Mike McCarthy seems to have found his stride with his new system. After being criticized before the off week for not being as creative with his play design and a lack of pre-snap motion, the Cowboys offense seems to have responded to those criticisms.
The blowout win versus the Los Angeles Rams saw a Cowboys offense that included more pre-snap motion and a general improvement in the red zone. Then, just last week against the Philadelphia Eagles, McCarthy kept some of those things in the playbook and had the Cowboys offense a play away from knocking off their northern rival.
A major part of the improvements has been the unlocking of Prescott, who is once again allowed to create more with his legs, along with the heavy concentration on getting Lamb the football. If I had to give McCarthy a letter grade for his performance so far, it’d be a “B,” as there is still plenty of room to improve, especially in the run game.
The Cowboys are coming off a disappointing loss to face a wounded Giants team. Given the circumstances, is there any sense that the Cowboys might take the Giants too lightly?
In recent years, it has become almost a yearly occurrence that the Cowboys drop a game they shouldn’t, like their Week 3 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. However, I do not believe Sunday will be another instance of a letdown for the Cowboys. While the loss to the Eagles is heartbreaking, they have managed not to lose in back-to-back games since 2020.
Give me one matchup that favors the Cowboys and one that favors the Giants in this one.
Starting with the Giants, as the Cowboys' recent games versus the Eagles and 49ers have shown right tackle Terence Steele is the proverbial “weak link” on the offensive line. Steele, who is still getting back to his best after suffering a torn Achilles last season, surrendered 12 pressures and four sacks in the loss to the Eagles, and things won’t get any easier on Sunday.
Despite the Giants trading away Leonard Williams, that defensive line is still a unit that can potentially take advantage of Steele.
As for the matchup that favors the Cowboys, it is hard not to mention the defense, particularly the pass rush versus rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito. The Cowboys' defense thrives off keeping teams in passing downs, and if they can successfully shut down Barkley and the running game, that gives them a big advantage over the Giants as they can force DeVito to beat them.
The Cowboys have had a Jekyll and Hyde type of season so far. Of all the games they played this season, which one best represents who the real Cowboys are as a team and why?
Jekyll and Hyde accurately describe how the Cowboys have fared this season. However, their most recent performance against the Eagles will likely be the most accurate representation of what the Cowboys team could be this season.
Since the embarrassing blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Cowboys' offense has seemed to figure out its best formula for success when it comes to getting the most out of Prescott and the passing game, which has been allowing him to be more mobile and make plays out of structure.
If the Cowboys' offense can sustain their success with a more off-script Prescott and re-establish themself on the ground with Tony Pollard and the run game, that gives them the best chance at accomplishing their goals this season.
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