Miscommunications Mar Cowboys’ Performance Against Saints
In Week 2 of the NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys faced significant challenges during their home opener against the New Orleans Saints, falling short with a 44-19 defeat. The game was riddled with miscommunications between wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott, a factor that several players and coaches pointed to when discussing the mismatch.
Prescott and Lamb’s apparent lack of synchronization was evident early on. In a crucial moment during the second quarter, Prescott targeted Lamb in the end zone with a slot fade route. However, misalignment led to an incomplete pass, forcing the Cowboys to settle for a 38-yard field goal by kicker Brandon Aubrey, narrowing the score to 14-6 at the time. Reflecting on the missed opportunity, Lamb candidly admitted, "Missing practice time with Dak during training camp was the reason for the mistake."
Team Ownership and Stats: Familiar Names, Shared Blame
Jerry Jones, the longstanding owner and manager of the Cowboys, must have found little solace in the individual achievements of his star players amidst the team’s struggles. Lamb, who signed a massive four-year, $136 million extension before the 2023 training camp, led the NFL with 135 receptions last season. Prescott was equally prolific, topping the league with 36 passing touchdowns in 2023.
Despite these impressive stats, the Cowboys’ run game remains a glaring weakness. Averaging just 85 yards per game, Dallas ranks 25th in the NFL in rushing and only manages 3.7 yards per attempt, placing them 26th. With running backs Rico Dowdle, Ezekiel Elliott, and Deuce Vaughn in the mix, improving this facet of their game is imperative.
Key Moments and Reflections
The game against the Saints highlighted areas where improvements are needed. Besides the miscommunication on the slot fade route, Prescott threw an interception to Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu and failed to complete all three of his vertical route attempts to Lamb. Reflecting on these miscues, Prescott emphasized the importance of ongoing communication: "Just continuing to communicate each and every day that we're in here, whether it's the film, whether it's something at practice. Certain routes to make sure that some of those mistakes don't happen again."
Head coach Mike McCarthy also underscored the value of offseason efforts in building team rapport: "Our guys have done a really good job, especially away from here in the offseason, the summertime of spending that time together."
Anticipation Builds for Upcoming Matchup Against Ravens
As the Cowboys prepare to face the Baltimore Ravens, the focus will be on exploiting the Ravens' defensive weaknesses. Baltimore currently allows the most passing yards per game at 257.0 and struggles with a 68.4% success rate on targets to the slot. This could provide opportunities for Lamb, who led the NFL in slot receiving yards in both 2022 and 2023. Last season, Prescott and Lamb connected for 26 completions and 628 receiving yards on vertical routes.
Lamb is determined to mend the connection with Prescott: "It's all about getting on the same page as your quarterback being a receiver," he said. "For me, it's just making sure that I'm available for him. Whatever I got to do to be open, I'm going to do that." His confidence remains unwavering, as he expressed, "That's just only the beginning. Everything that I've trained for in the offseason is going to come to life. I have no doubt about it."
Prescott shares this optimism and believes that refinement in their gameplay will yield results, particularly in the red zone: "We can hold some windows longer. I can anticipate a little bit better. I think once you get that going a little bit more, I think that's just where the red zone will take off."
Moving Forward
The Cowboys are aware of where they currently stand and where they need to go. With the promise of better cohesion between Prescott and Lamb and a focus on strengthening their run game, Dallas hopes to turn the tide in their upcoming games. Prescott remarked, "We were able to move the ball last week. Touchdowns were the problem." Indeed, finding the end zone more frequently will be crucial for the Cowboys to convert opportunities into victories as the season progresses.