Cowboys offseason sins cost them against the Panthers
The Cowboys lost today’s game against the Panthers before the season ever started. The organization’s offseason arrogance doomed their team to fail.
The Cowboys may not have missed Dez Bryant today, but they certainly missed talent at the wide receiver position. Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott did their best to power the Dallas offense, but the lack of weapons on the outside makes success against Carolina’s talented defense impossible.
No one should be really surprised at the Cowboys’ inability to throw the ball. Their receiving corps simply isn’t good. Jason Garrett and company have kept up a brave face all offseason long, but the beginning of the regular season laid the team’s deficiency bare for the whole world to see. Time and time again, Prescott was forced to hold the ball entirely too long in the pocket because his receivers simply couldn’t get open.
For the record, this isn’t a referendum on whether or not they should have released Bryant. It’s far from a certainty that he would have really helped them today. What the Cowboys really need is a big time threat outside. Bryant’s future lies in the middle of the field.
The Dallas offense only managed 170 yards in the air in their 16-8 loss to the Panthers. Cole Beasley led the team in receiving with seven catches for 73 yards. He’s a nice complementary player, but if he turns into the Cowboys No. 1 wideout this season it’s going to be a really long year in Dallas.
Instead of making a big move in the draft or free agency to inject talent into the receiving corps, the franchise chose to place their hopes into a band of misfits. The group of Deonte Thompson, Allen Hurns, Michael Gallup, and Terrance Williams combined for a grand total of six catches for 62 yards against Carolina.
The biggest joke of the team’s offseason was the idea that Tavon Austin was going to emerge as a big time playmaker. The front office and coaching staff lauded him all offseason long but he did absolutely nothing for his team on the field today. He was held without a catch and only gained one yard on one rushing attempt. Austin may have better games in the future, but he’s not the answer to any of Garrett’s prayers.
Next. 5 burning questions for the Cowboys in 2018. dark
The simple truth is the lack of talent at wide receiver puts a low ceiling on how good this Cowboys offense can be in 2018. They’ll have better games than they enjoyed today at Carolina, but the team’s lack of activity in the offseason will cost them multiple games this season. Big time changes are needed in Big D.