3 Cowboys who could lose starting jobs with poor performances vs Patriots
By Josh Wilson
The Dallas Cowboys lost Week 3 in a stunner to the Arizona Cardinals, 28-16. Against the thought-to-be worst team in the NFL, the Cowboys looked outmatched from start to finish. Dallas appears to have a window where they can make a run at a Super Bowl, presuming the of-late injury luck doesn't tumble into something even more concerning.
As such, Dallas needs to ratchet up the intensity and shorten the leashes on underperforming players. A bad week happens in the NFL, but two bad weeks? That's flirting with habits.
Losing habits cannot fly in Dallas this season.
Unfortunately for Dallas, the idea of actually removing these players from starting roles if they stumble is actually a bit of a pipe dream, and perhaps a luxury they don't have. The injury bug has continued to press on in Dallas this year, and depth is not to the Cowboys' advantage.
That said, these three players should be motivated to prove themselves in Week 4 in order to convince the world their starting roles are justified.
Terence Steele
One thing is sure to keep Terence Steele in the starting lineup if he otherwise should be taken out: The health of the entire rest of the offensive line.
Steele, despite recently signing an extension, has been relatively disappointing, allowing four pressures and earning the second-worst grade per PFF ahead of only Tyler Bass in the pass rushing game.
Putting that aside, what's most frustrating is that the veteran presence fans hoped Steele would bring haven't come, as he has committed a line-leading four penalties.
Expect Steele to stay in the lineup solely because of depth issues and injuries, but if the Cowboys had more of a luxury decision to make, Steele's role might be more in view as a lingering question.