The Cowboys Report

Cowboys burned by Jets; Eagles up next

Cowboys burned by Jets; Eagles up next
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The Dallas Cowboys lost a close game on Sunday when they were defeated 24-22 by the New York Jets.The Dallas defense wasn't prepared for the return of the Jets' starting quarterback Sam Darnold who boosted the New York offense.

Recap

The Cowboys dominated every aspect of the game except for the scoreboard. They out gained the Jets, had no turnovers, and their time of possession was 32:03 minutes.Their problem was that they were unable to score touchdowns in the first half and had to settle for field goals.

Quarterback Dak Prescott was 28/40 for 277 yards, Zero touchdowns, and NO turnovers.He also carried the ball three times for 11 yards and scored a touchdown late in the game. This wasn't a bad outing for Dak considering he was playing without his two starting tackles La'el Collins and Tyron Smith. Prescott also lost his No. 1 receiver Amari Cooper early in the game with a quad injury.

With the team missing some key players, Pro Bowl running back Ezekiel Elliott was asked to carry the team. He carried the ball 28 times for 105 yards, 1 touchdown, and caught 5 passes for 47 yards. Usually when Zeke gets more than 20 touches the Cowboys come out victorious, but a missed 32-yard field goal and a turnover on downs at the Jets 6 yard line were the difference makers.

Dallas now falls to (3-3) but is still tied with the Philadelphia Eagles (3-3) for first in the NFC East.

3 Things to Watch For

1.Ezekiel Elliott (Running Back): The Cowboys need to continue to keep getting Zeke the ball, but this week they might have to get creative as the Eagles have 4th best rushing defense. I would look to see if they call some screen and swing passes for him.

2.Michael Gallup (Wide Receiver): With the health of Cooper up in the air, Gallup is in line to step up and lead the way for the pass catchers.The Eagles are the 4th worst pass defense in the league and I expect Gallup to have a career day.

3.Dallas Defense (All): The Dallas defense should have a nice matchup this week.The Eagles are pretty one-dimensional, they are a passing team and don't have a workhorse running back.I would expect the defensive backfield to not allow big plays to the Philly receivers.

Coming Up

Sunday night Oct. 20, the Dallas Cowboys (3-3) will be taking on the Philadelphia Eagles (3-3) at home in AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:20 pm Central time.The winner of this game will be alone in first place of the NFC East.I expect both teams to score in the 20's but I think Dak will have a big day that will put Dallas on the winning side.

If you have any fantasy players, the only must start players are:

Cowboys: Ezekiel Elliott (RB), Amari Cooper (WR), Dak Prescott (QB), Michael Gallup (WR)

Eagles: Carson Wentz (QB), Zach Ertz (TE), Alshon Jeffrey (WR)

For you gamblers out there, the Cowboys are currently -3 and the over/under is 49. I would only take Dallas at -3 but would really like it a -2.5 but I think the over is the best play again.The over has hit the last two weeks in a row.

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Houston will have to lean on Altuve and Paredes with Peña on the IL. Composite Getty Image.

Fresh off their 50th win of the season, the Houston Astros begin a three-game series in Colorado on Tuesday night, looking to stay hot against a Rockies team still searching for answers.

Houston enters the matchup atop the AL West with a 50–34 record, having won seven of its last 10 games. Though the Astros haven’t been as sharp on the road — just 18–20 away from home — their pitching and power-hitting combo continues to give opponents fits. Isaac Paredes leads the team with 17 home runs, and when Houston clears the fences multiple times in a game, the results speak for themselves: an 18–5 record when hitting two or more homers.

Victor Caratini has quietly chipped in during this recent stretch, going 8-for-33 with three home runs and eight RBIs over the last 10 games, helping make up for some offensive inconsistency. Houston’s team batting average over that span sits at just .225.

Left-hander Colton Gordon takes the mound Tuesday, carrying a 3-1 record and 3.98 ERA into his ninth start of the year. He’ll face a Colorado offense that’s scuffled all season, particularly at home. The Rockies have managed just eight wins in 40 games at Coors Field and are riding a 2–8 skid. Rookie righty Chase Dollander (2-8, 6.06 ERA) gets the start for Colorado as he looks to slow down a Houston team that has found different ways to win.

While Hunter Goodman and Mickey Moniak have provided some spark for the Rockies at the plate, the team has been outscored by 26 runs over the past 10 games and owns one of the league’s worst pitching staffs, a troubling combo against an Astros club that doesn’t need many openings to take control.

This will be the first meeting between the two teams this season. For Houston, it’s a chance to keep momentum rolling against the team with MLB’s worst record. For Colorado, it’s another test in a season full of them.

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -173, Rockies +144; over/under is 11 1/2 runs

Astros news

Shay Whitcomb has been recalled from Sugar Land to take Pena's place on the roster.

Here's a preview of the Astros lineup for Game 1.

So what stands out? With Peña unavailable, manager Joe Espada is once again using Paredes to leadoff, followed by Jake Meyers in the two-spot. Caratini is hitting fifth and will serve as the DH. He's followed by Yainer Diaz and Christian Walker. Cooper Hummel will hit eighth and play left field, as Jose Altuve is playing second base. Mauricio Dubon will hit ninth and fill in for Peña at shortstop.


Image via: MLB.com/Screenshot.

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