Alan Truex: Leaving the Cowboys’ bandwagon
LLANO, Texas – Aaron Rodgers and Aaron Jones, not necessarily in that order, heaved a monkey wrench into the Dallas Cowboys’ hype machine.
Here was America’s team in all its presumptive glory. Stars of the past — Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin – were saying this year’s edition is as talented as the Cowboys who won three Super Bowls in the 1990s.
I’m not saying Jason Garrett’s team bought into the hype. Dak Prescott is a level-headed leader; he’s not giddy or unfocused. But he did toss a couple of boneheaded interceptions in Sunday’s 34-24 loss at JerryWorld to one of the other traditional dynasties, the Green Bay Packers.
Given that the week before the Cowboys lost in New Orleans to the Brees-less Saints, it’s fair to ask if Prescott is being reasonable to demand more money than the $33 million a year the Packers pay Aaron Rodgers. Forget the $25 million the Saints pay Brees, who like Rodgers has been a Super Bowl MVP.
To be fair, one of Prescott’s Sunday picks was not his fault.
He threw a perfect spiral downfield and it bounced off Amari Cooper’s hands into a defender’s. It was that sort of day.
One of the Cowboys Hall of Famers, Deion Sanders, seemed to have a clear view. “Before we start finding holes in the Cowboys, who let ‘em down, whether it was offense or defense, and we find a way to blame Jerry or Jason, we have to give the Green Bay Packers some credit,” he said on NFL Network. “They’re among the best in the NFC.”
But where are the Cowboys in the heirarchy? Sanders is skeptical: “The Cowboys have played only two good teams, and lost to both of them.”
Even in their worst game of the season, the Cowboys had sparks of brilliance — 563 yards of offense, most they’ve ever had in a losing cause. Cooper had the one ridiculous muff, but he caught 11 passes for 226 yards against what is indeed one of the NFL’s best back sevens.
It wasn’t easy for him, because Jaire Alexander and Kevin King are playing the corners better for Green Bay than Byron Jones and Chidobe Awuzie are for Dallas.
And for what it’s worth, Adrian Amoss, the safety the Packers pulled out of Chicago, is far more of a thumper than Xavier Woods and Jeff Heath.
Whether it was Matt LaFleur’s play design or Rodgers’ spontaneous creativity, the Packers exposed the coverage limitations of young linebackers Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch. Aaron Jones caught 7 passes for 75 yards, mostly at their expense.
Green Bay’s ’backers – the veterans Blake Martinez, Preston Smith and ZaDarius Smith – tamed the run and also produced three sacks.
The Dallas defense was helpless against the Aarons as the visiting team charged to a 30-3 lead in the third quarter. Rodgers threw underhanded and lefthanded, from inside and outside of the pocket, a veritable Patrick Mahomes.
We’ve seen such feats from Rodgers, though usually not when he’s missing his No. 1 receiver, Davante Adams, down with turf toe.
What was more humiliating to the Cowboys than Rodgers toying with them was Aaron Jones slicing them with his runs.
When he scored his third of four rushing TDs, midway through the third quarter, he waved bye-bye to Byron Jones as the gap lengthened.
The Pro Bowl cornerback claimed he was not offended: “I was in bad position; he was having fun out there.”
Indeed, Aaron Jones was having the time of his 24-year-old life. He played college ball at Texas-El Paso, and friends and family in Arlington were on hand for his Lone Star return.
“I’m back home and all my family is up in the stands,” he pointed out.
About all you can say for the Cowboys is they didn’t give up even when down by 4 TDs. Chris Simms of NBC Sports Network said, “Their defense couldn’t stop the run, couldn’t contain Rodgers, couldn’t get off the field. But I still think the Cowboys are among the elite.”
David Moore, long-time Cowboys reporter for The Dallas Morning News, thinks otherwise. “Every ounce of excitement generated in the first three weeks of the season has evaporated,” he wrote. “Dallas doesn’t even look like the best team in the NFC East at the moment.”
Garrett, often faulted for being too low-key (as if Tom Landry breathed fire), became so irate with a ref that he was penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct — spiking his challenge flag and issuing “abusive language.”
Jerry Jones, the omnipresent owner, weighed in after the game: “Oh I hope the little darlin didn’t hear something he hadn’t heard before.”
At any rate, the Cowboys used that incident as a rallying point. “I love it when Coach does things like that,” defensive end Tyrone Crawford said.
The Cowboys were within 14 points with 13 minutes left in regulation.
With 1:44 left they needed only a 33-yard field goal from Brett Maher to pull to 7 and set up an onside kick.
Alas, Maher continued his habit of missing short field goals. He was wide right with this one.
Which doesn’t bother Jerry Jones enough.
“It’s something you think about when you’re trying to win by field goals,” he said.
Yes, I know the Cowboys expect to win their games by big margins.
My suspicion is that’s their main problem.
