COWBOYS REPORT

Cowboys crush Giants; Redskins up next

Roger Rivero
Sep 12, 2019, 6:57 am
Tim Warner/Getty Images

The Dallas Cowboys cruised to an easy victory Sunday afternoon when they defeated the New York Giants 35-17.

The Cowboys quickly gave up an early touchdown but went on to score touchdowns of their own on their next five possessions. Quarterback Dak Prescott was unstoppable. He finished the game 25/32 for 405 passing yards, 4 touchdowns, and ZERO turnovers. Prescott posted a perfect 158.3 Quarterback Rating while connecting with seven different receivers. A few more games like this and Owner Jerry Jones will gladly be opening up his check book when they come to terms on a new contract.

With the Cowboys having their way through the air on offense, Superstar Ezekiel Elliott only carried the ball 13 times for 53 yards and a touchdown. With it being Zeke's first game back from his holdout, the light workload seemed to be exactly what was needed.

Receivers Michael Gallup and Amari Cooper appear to be in sync with Prescott as they both posted 100+ yard-receiving days. Second year man Gallup had 7 catches for 158 yards as Cooper caught 6 for 106yards.With these two outstanding playmakers on the field, opposing defenses have to worry about a lot more than just Zeke.

The Cowboys have started the season off right with a win over a divisional opponent and look ready for a great season.

Three things to watch

1.Ezekiel Elliott (Running Back): With one game under his belt, it will be interesting to see how much the Cowboys coaching staff will increase his touches.I would expect him to get somewhere around 18.

2.Randall Cobb (Wide Receiver): With the Redskins giving up over 300 yards passing last week, I think Cobb should benefit the most this week when he lines up in the slot.There is high potential for him to make some huge plays down the field; just look at what DeSean Jackson did last week to this defense.

3.Jason Witten (Tight End): Witten scored a touchdown last week in his first game back from retirement, and was targeted six times. Prescott seems to use him as his security blanket, let's see if the future Hall of Famer can keep producing as he fights father time.

Coming Up

Sunday September 15th, the Dallas Cowboys (1-0) will be taking on their division rival Washington Redskins (0-1) at FedEx Field in Landover Maryland.Kickoff is set for 12:00 pm Central time.As for the game, I expect a lot of the same from the Dallas offense.The Redskins were torched through the air last week and I believe Dak and company will be Dak'ting a fool again.Washing ton is going to be without their starting running back Derrius Guice who is out with a knee injury.This should be a good spot to pick up anther easy win.

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)

Redskins: Chris Thompson (RB) maybe, and only in a PPR league

For you gamblers out there, the Cowboys are -4.5 and the over/under is 46.That is a pretty big line because they are on the road but I think the over is a good safe play and the only one I am going to make.

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Astros improve to 6-4

Astros overpower Diamondbacks in blowout win to start series

Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images

After grinding through back-to-back extra-inning games in the series with the Los Angeles Angels where they would ultimately come away with the victory, the Astros had a day off on Monday before getting back into action on Tuesday. They were in Arizona for the first of three games against the Diamondbacks. Here is a rundown of the series opener:

Final Score: Astros 8, Diamondbacks 2.

Record: 6-4, first in the AL West.

Winning pitcher: Cristian Javier (1-0, 1.42 ERA).

Losing pitcher: Madison Bumgarner (0-2, 7.04 ERA).

Houston takes an early lead against Bumgarner and then piles on

Houston wasted no time going after Madison Bumgarner, with George Springer going after the first pitch of the game for a groundout, then Jose Altuve launching a solo home run on the next pitch to get an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. They added to that lead in the second inning, with Carlos Correa leading it off with a solo home run of his own, making it 2-0. After two hit batters and a single, the Astros had the bases loaded for George Springer with one out, and he would deliver a sacrifice fly to push the lead to 3-0.

They would put runners on base in the next two innings, but would not score again until the fifth when a Bumgarner fielding error on a potential double-play would bring in a run and extend the inning. Houston would go on to load the bases, setting up Kyle Tucker for an RBI-single to make it 5-1 and end Bumgarner's night. Against Arizona's new reliever, Martin Maldonado worked a bases-loaded walk to make it 6-1, then Springer followed with a two-RBI double, blowing the game open at 8-1.

Javier gets first-career win in another impressive start

With a lead in hand when he went to the mound, Cristian Javier had another strong performance in his second-ever start. He allowed just one baserunner over the first three innings, a single in the second. After those three efficient innings, he would face some adversity in the bottom of the fourth. After allowing a double and one-out walk, he would give up his first run of the night on an RBI-single to make it a 3-1 game. Luckily, a great double play behind him would get him out of the jam and the inning.

Javier was able to settle back in after that rougher inning, getting quick, scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth, earning him the win. His final line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 HR.

Yet another rookie pitching debut as Houston's bullpen finishes the win

Bryan Abreu was first out of Houston's bullpen, taking over for Javier in the bottom of the seventh. He would not have an inning to remember, allowing a leadoff double followed later by two walks to load the bases. He then walked in a run, making it 8-2, and prompting another call to the bullpen. Enoli Paredes would enter and get the final out of the seventh inning.

Paredes ran into trouble of his own in the bottom of the eighth, loading the bases after a walk and two singles, but with some help from Houston's defense would keep it a six-run lead heading to the ninth. In yet another Astros debut for a pitcher in 2020, Humberto Castellanos entered in the bottom of the ninth, and he recorded the final three outs to close out the victory for Houston.

Up Next: This series continues on Wednesday with the middle game of this three-game set at 8:10 PM Central. Lance McCullers Jr. (1-0, 5.40 ERA) will return to the mound in another start for the Astros, while Robbie Ray (0-2, 8.64 ERA) will look to turn things around in his early season with the Diamondbacks.

astros recap mlb astros vs diamondbacks madison bumgarner cristian javier jose altuve carlos correa george springer astros

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