After an offseason of hype and hysteria a year ago, the Dallas Cowboys have minimal fanfare headed in 2018. Is it deserved, or an oversight?
Bob Ryan needed a title. Ryan, who was working on the 1978 Dallas Cowboys season review for NFL Films, was trying to find a name for the piece. He finally settled on America’s Team.
Forty years later, the Cowboys are still known by the moniker, perhaps now more than ever. They have fans across the country and around the globe, fans that a year ago, had dreams of a Lombardi Trophy hoisted in the hands of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott.
This August, the temperament is much different. The braggadocio’s have turned bashful, with the Cowboys embarking on a campaign that is merely expected to be competent instead of championship-caliber.
With the Philadelphia Eagles reigning as world champions for the first time since 1960, the Cowboys are in the rare position of flying under the proverbial radar. The offense still has the duo of Prescott and Elliott, although a lesser year for the former and a six-game suspension for the latter a year ago have tempered dreams this time around.
For Prescott, life might be even harder in 2018. The Cowboys decided Dez Bryant was no longer worth the money and headache, releasing him in the spring (perhaps they were onto something, with Bryant still on the market). Dallas also lost longtime tight end and future Hall of Famer Jason Witten to the Monday Night Football booth, taking two weapons off the roster. The replacements? Allen Hurns and Tavon Austin. Color most folks, including yours truly, underwhelmed.
For Hurns and Austin, the production has been hard to come by. In fact, between their nine combined seasons in the NFL, the pair has totaled 3,937 receiving yards, averaging out to 437.4 yards per year from each. Not exactly putting immense fear into opposing defenses.
A franchise that was once known for its stars has become largeness faceless outside of Prescott and Elliott. The offensive line is borderline generational, but America’s Team isn’t going to sell sizzle with the big boys up front. The defense has some talent in men such as Sean Lee and DeMarcus Lawrence, but a vast majority of football fans outside the greater Fort Worth area couldn’t pick them out of a lineup.
Even Prescott and Elliott — undeniable stars — aren’t without their Madison Avenue flaws. Prescott is good, but at this point, not great. There’s also little to sell about him besides the fact he seems like a great guy … which is something that rarely sells. Elliott is a tremendous athlete, but the suspension looms over his star.
In short, the Cowboys who were once known by names like Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin and Tony Romo are now largely anonymous.
Right now, the most famous Cowboy is the 75-year-old owner, who currently is dodging questions about why he kept his hat on during the national anthem at training camp.
None of this means the Cowboys can’t surprise and contend in the NFC East, maybe even make a run deep into January’s heart. All it means is that Dallas isn’t expected to do much, only 12 months after being trumpeted as a threat to all that stood in its way.
If Ryan were making a preview for the 2018 Cowboys, he would certainly have a tough time coming up with an exciting title.
Power rankings
Top 10 fan traditions at NFL games
1. Lambeau Leap – Green Bay Packers
2. The Terrible Towel – Pittsburgh Steelers
3. Home of the CHIEFS – Kansas City Chiefs
4. The Black Hole – Oakland Raiders
5. Hail to the Redskins – Washington Redskins
6. Dawg Pound – Cleveland Browns
7. Viking blows the Gjallarhorn – Minnesota Vikings
8. Fly, Eagles Fly – Philadelphia Eagles
9. Raising the “12” flag – Seattle Seahawks
10. J-E-T-S chant – New York Jets
Quotable
"“Our standards are higher that we expect to be better. No excuse for first preseason game. We have a bunch of experienced guys from last year, so there shouldn’t be any jitters. Maybe guys were excited, but it’s very simple — come out here, do your job, do exactly what we were doing in practice. We practiced our butts off this week. We just came out here and were sloppy.”"
– Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky on his offense’s poor showing vs. Bengals
The Bears are getting considerable praise for their offseason moves, but the first showing fell flat on Thursday night, with Chicago losing 30-27 to the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium.
Despite the high point total, Chicago’s starting offense did zilch, with Trubisky completing 2-of-4 passes for four yards. The offensive line was terrible, the running game wasn’t there and the execution was lethargic.
While the Bengals were clicking, the Bears looked lost in their second game under head coach Matt Nagy. Of course, it’s mid-August, but things must change in Chicago.
Podcast
We’re expanding Stacking The Box!
On Monday, Matt Verderame and Josh Hill will bring you the podcast which can be downloaded on iTunes, breaking down all the latest news and notes.
Then, on Tuesday, make sure to visit the FanSided Facebook page where Verderame, Hill, Mark Carman and Michelle Bruton will chat NFL topics at 12:30 p.m. ET.
Random stat
The New Orleans Saints are the only NFC South team to never draft a quarterback with the No. 1 overall selection.
Steve Bartkowski went to the Atlanta Falcons with the first-overall pick in 1975, while the Carolina Panthers nabbed Cam Newton (2011) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Jameis Winston (2015) in the top spots.
Info learned this week
1. Rookies QBs produce uneven in preseason’s opening week
If you watched the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants play at MetLife Stadium, you saw a few impressive debuts. For openers, Saquon Barkley took his first carry with Big Blue and rumbled 39 yards down the right sideline, following a sweet jump-cut.
Meanwhile, the only picked before Barkley, Baker Mayfield, tossed two touchdown passes and threw for 212 yards on 11-of-20 passing. For both the future looks bright.
The next night, Sam Darnold stole the show in Jersey’s swamps. The third-overall pick was almost flawless, torching the Atlanta Falcons for 96 yards and a touchdown on 13-of-18. Darnold made a strong case to become the starter by September, although Teddy Bridgewater was no slouch, going 7-of-8 for 85 yards in his action.
In Baltimore, Lamar Jackson struggled in his second outing, completing 7-of-18 attempts for 119 yards against the Los Angeles Rams. The Ravens won 33-7, but Jackson looked raw, lending more credence to the idea that he should be a 2019 option, but not a moment before then.
For the Rams, they have reason to be optimistic about sixth-round running back John Kelly, who got the bulk of the work with Todd Gurley on the sideline. Kelly was elusive and powerful, gaining 77 yards on 13 carries against a quality front.
Finally, Josh Rosen and Josh Allen had moments both good and bad. Allen produced a cringe-worthy scramble and missed on some throws, but he also tossed a touchdown while hitting the mark in tight windows. As for Rosen, he only amassed 41 yards but stood tall against the Los Angeles Chargers’ unrelenting pass rush, showcasing a toughness needed at the game’s highest level.
2. Injury bug bites Redskins, Colts
The opening week of preseason football has come and gone, but the effects are still being felt in some towns. The Indianapolis Colts were hit especially hard, losing rookie receiver Deon Cain for the season to a knee injury, and running back Marlon Mack for a few weeks due to a balky hamstring.
In Washington, the news was equally as grim for rookie running back Derrius Guice, who tore his ACL against the New England Patriots. Guice, taken in the second round out of LSU, was expected to get plenty of action this year, only to go down in his debut.
3. Time for Broncos to move on from Lynch
Between 1983-2016, there were 78 quarterbacks selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. The only ones to make four starts or less throughout their careers? Jim Druckenmiller and Paxton Lynch.
Druckenmiller lasted two years with the 49ers before being released, while Lynchis entering his third with the Denver Broncos. After an atrocious preseason opener (6-of-11, 24 yards, 1 INT), it appears Chad Kelly is primed to pass him on the depth chart. Kelly, a former seventh-round choice, hit on 14-of-21 possessor 177 yards and two touchdowns, at least giving Denver a reason to be intrigued.
Frankly, there’s nothing Lynch has shown since being drafted in 2016 to keep the Broncos from releasing him. With Case Keenum in the building on a two-year deal, general manager John Elway has little reason to hold onto one of the biggest busts in NFL history.
4. Lions find an intriguing running back
Kerryon Johnson was somewhat the forgotten man in this loaded rookie class, but he’s not going to be much longer. Against the Raiders on Friday night, Johnson burst onto the scene with 67 total yards (34 rushing, 33 receiving) while showcasing both speed and balance.If he can continue to provide that sort of production, the Motor City finally has its engine.
For the Lions, having a back who can provide some punch would both be much-welcomed and an oddity. Since Matthew Stafford became the No. 1 overall pick in 2009, Detroit has employed just one 1,000-yard runner (Reggie Bush).
5. Andrew Luck makes his return
After missing all of 2017, the Indianapolis Colts finally got to see No. 12 back on the football field. Andrew Luck started Indianapolis’ first preseason game of 2018 and played well against the Seahawks, completing 6-of-9 for 64 yards in the first quarter before finding the bench.
If Luck can stay healthy and find his previous form, the Colts are a much tougher out in the AFC South. While their roster doesn’t stack up with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans, they have the quarterback to hang tough in any game.
History lesson
Preseason records mean little, but going winless is usually a omen of bad things to come. Only the 1982 Washington Redskins are the only team to lose all their preseason games before winning the Super Bowl. The Buffalo Bills are the only other Super Bowl participant to go winless in the exhibition slate, going 0-4 in 1990.
In fact, 115 teams have lost each preseason game over the NFL’s documented history, and just 17 have reached the playoffs.
Only two teams have never suffered through a goose egg in the preseason … the Jaguars and Seahawks.
Parting shot
On Thursday night, Miami Dolphins receivers Albert Wilson and Kenny Stills knelt during the national anthem. Elsewhere, players raised their fists in both protest and solidarity, including Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, San Francisco 49ers receiver Marquise Goodwin, and Dolphins defensive end Robert Quinn.
In Jacksonville, the Jaguars were noticeably without T.J. Yeldon, Telvin Smith, Leonard Fournette and Jalen Ramsey during the Star Spangled Banner, with the quartet remaining in the locker room.
Predictably, president Donald Trump took to Twitter in a rebuke of the actions. The Commander in Chief cited that players from multiple teams wanted to express outrage over “something they are unable to define.” Trump also claimed players in the NFL make “most” of the money that the league brings in.
According to the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the players are entitled to between 47 and 48.5 percent of league earnings. If Trump was specifically referencing ticket sales, players are only receiving 40 percent of those profits, making the statement all the more false.
Additionally, players have repeatedly expressed why they are kneeling during the national anthem. It has never been about disrespecting the flag, military or song, but rather to bring awareness to social injustices within our nation. In fact, Jenkins took to Twitter before Thursday night’s game against the Steelers to explain the reason for the protests, a message Trump has continued to ignore.
This commentary isn’t a referendum on politics or policy. It’s a statement of fact. If the President of the United States is going to demand suspension without pay for protesting players in the NFL — a private company — he needs to be correct.