By Jamal Baker
NDG Contributing Writer
The Dallas Cowboys returned to AT&T Stadium Sunday for the first time since the unforgettable and embarrassing loss suffered at the hands of the Green Bay Packers back in January. Cowboys fans, players and coaches experienced the wrong type of déjà vu as the New Orleans Saints delivered a 44 – 19 drubbing to a Cowboys team that had no answers.
There seems to be a common theme with the Dallas Cowboys struggling against offenses that employ a similar heavy shift and motion scheme to that of San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is a disciple of the rapidly growing Kyle Shanahan coaching tree—serving most recently as passing game coordinator for a 49ers team that lead the league with 9.3 pass yards per attempt in 2023. Kubiak showcased his proven ability to dial up explosive plays as he exposed every weakness of a Cowboys defense that apparently left their physicality and discipline in Cleveland last week.
“We got hit in the mouth, I’m glad it happened early. We know what that feels like, we just go to be better in the future. I have faith in all the guys, I know we gone be better,” Trevon Diggs asserts following Sunday’s loss.
Where exactly does this Cowboys team need to be better? The biggest elephant or humpback whale at this point in the room is this team still cannot stop the run. Alvin Kamara had a phenomenal day tallying 180 all-purpose yards and four total touchdowns.
“I wouldn’t say I’m concerned right now just because it’s so early in the year. We can get so much better, like I said, I don’t think a lot of guys played with a 100 percent and we didn’t do our job to the best of our standard,” Micah Parsons claims.
Let’s not let the offense completely off the hook. Dak Prescott connected with yards after catch extraordinaire CeeDee Lamb on a 65 yard touchdown for one of the very few bright spots during this lackluster offensive performance. Training camp matters ladies and gentlemen. Lamb has a strong claim to being the top dog at the wide receiver position in the National Football League, and signed a well-earned four- year, $136 million contract extension just before the regular season. Having two gifted players in Prescott and Lamb, naturally the star duo will make splash plays, but it was clear on a couple targets the two were simply out of sync due to lack of training camp reps.
The Cowboys’ running game posed no consistent threat and is tethering on the edge of being nonexistent. The coaching staff looks to still be figuring out the identity of this backfield as Dalvin Cook prepares to be active at some point this season.
“Hey in seven days we got another playoff team coming in here, so we’ll take the time tomorrow to learn from it and we got to get ready for Baltimore,” head coach Mike McCarthy said postgame.
The Baltimore Ravens hold an 0-2 record and will come into Jerry’s World this Sunday more desperate than Boyz II Men on their hit single “On Bended Knee.” Baltimore features a physical run-heavy and play-action pass offense with reigning MVP Lamar Jackson running the show. Cowboys’ defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer had success spying the mobile Deshaun Watson during their week one victory, and look for him to devise a similar plan utilizing a combination of DeMarvion Overshown and Micah Parsons to contain Jackson.
This upcoming week three tilt will be an identity defining game for the Dallas Cowboys who are seeking to bounce back in what is set to be a thriller during Sunday’s matinee slate of games.
Searing and accurate analysis!