THE COWBOYS REPORT

Cowboys defense dominates the Jags in Big D; Redskins next

Roger Rivero
Oct 17, 2018, 3:12 pm
Dak Prescott had a big game. Tim Warner/Getty Images

The Dallas Cowboys cruised to an easy 40-7 victory on Sunday over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Cowboys looked like a completely different team from the one that showed up in Houston last week.  The offense was crisp, the play calling was excellent, and the defense didn’t allow Jacksonville to get anything going offensively.   

The Dallas defense was GREAT. They caused two turnovers (one interception and one fumble), only allowed 10 first downs, and had three sacks.  The front seven kept constant pressure on quarterback Blake Bortles and never let up. Linebackers Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith look like they are the ones who will be picking up the slack with the absence of the injured Sean Lee.  They combined for 18 tackles, 13 of them were for a loss.

The Cowboys offense was also clicking on all cylinders and it began on their first offensive play of the game.  Head Coach Jason Garrett started the game off with a bootleg, where Dak Prescott faked a handoff to Ezekiel Elliott, rolled out and hit a wide open Geoff Swaim for an 11 yard gain.  Dallas went on to score on its first four possessions. Throughout the game, Garrett mixed in lots of play action passes as well as taking deep shots down the field to receivers like Cole Beasley and Michael Gallup.  Dallas also ran a few option plays where Prescott was able to break free and get some yards with his legs.

Dak Prescott was 17 of 27 for 183 yards, two touchdowns, and NO interceptions.  He also ran 11 times for 82 yards and another touchdown. A Cowboy receiver finally showed and helped Prescott out in the passing game. Cole Beasely caught nine balls for 101 yards and 2 touchdowns.  No other pass catcher caught more than two. He seemed to always be open somewhere down the field and Dak always got him the ball.

With the defense locked in on Elliott, Dallas let Prescott get at the Jaguar defense through the air and once they had a good lead, they leaned on Elliott to seal the game.  Ezekiel Elliott had 24 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown.

The win moved Dallas to 3-3 on the season and keeps them one game behind the division leading Washington Redskins.

3 Players to Watch

  1. Dak Prescott (quarterback): Dak is going to be a major factor this week as Washington has a good defense and will have to make plays down the field to help back the defense off the line to help create space for Elliott to get free.

  2. Cole Beasley (Wide Receiver): Looks like he has become Prescott’s No. 1 go-to receiver and needs to build last week’s success and leads the team in catches, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.  

  3. Leighton Vander Esch (Linebacker): Has filled in nicely for an injured Sean Lee and has become the team’s leading tackler.  He helps keep consistent pressure on the opposing offense and helps create opportunities for other players like Jaylon Smith to make plays in the backfield.

Coming Up (Week 7)

Sunday afternoon the Dallas Cowboys will be in our nation’s capital taking on the Washington Redskins at 3:25 pm Central time.   

This NFC East battle is very interesting as the Cowboys have a chance to move into a tie for first place in the division with a win.  The Redskins are coming into the contest off a win over the Carolina Panthers and look like they have found a reliable running game with Adrian Peterson in the backfield.  The Cowboys defense is going to have to play another great game to keep him corralled. Luckily for Dallas, the Redskins have a lot of injuries on their receiving group and that should allow the front seven to keep the pressure on Washington.   As for the Dallas offense, they are going to need to click on all cylinders again because Washington is the No. 2 defense in yards allowed this season.

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

Cowboys:  Ezekiel Elliott (RB)

Redskins:  Adrian Peterson (RB), Jordan Reed (TE)

For you gamblers out there, the current line is Dallas +1.5 with an over/under of 41.5.  If you think Dallas is going to win, bet the Cowboys. I am probably going to stay away from it and take the under seeing how both defenses are playing well.  



 

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THURSDAY, APRIL 15

49ers RB Austin Walter gives back to Crosby H.S. with Night of Champions

Walter will host The Night of Champions. Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images.

In 2014, Austin Walter rushed for 2,704 yards and 34 touchdowns as a senior at Crosby High School. Despite falling short of a state title, Walter was named District 19-4A MVP and finished his prep career with a little over 6,000 rushing yards on 613 carries (6,062 yds). Seven years later, Walter will be returning to his high school alma mater to give back to the community that laid the foundation for an NFL career as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.

"It's a blessing to be able to come from a small town and be one of the guys who made it out," Walter said. "Not a lot of people made it to the NFL or the NBA from Crosby High School. To be one of the first, it's an amazing feeling. It's a blessing and an honor."

On Thursday, April 15, Walter will host The Night of Champions to benefit the Crosby High School Booster Club from 6-9 p.m. The event will be a weight lifting competition at Crosby High School for student-athletes around the area to showcase their talents and abilities.

In addition to hosting a weight lifting showcase, Walter will also share his life teachings with student-athletes in attendance. Perseverance and not taking no for an answer will be one of the most vital messages the Crosby native will share with aspiring pro-athletes. It's the two virtues Walter has leaned on from little league football to the NFL. And as an undrafted prospect in 2019, it was that same morale that helped him outshine six other running backs during the 49ers rookie training camp that same year.

"Before I started playing football in high school, a lot of people thought I was too small," Walter said. "They thought because we played little league and not in middle school we would not make it in high school. My twin brother [Ashton Walter] and I did not listen to that. We just kept pushing forward."

"When I left Rice, people thought I was going to play in the Canadian league or AFF, and I did not take no for an answer. I believed in myself. And I believed in God. And if I can make it out of a small town like Crosby, anybody can make it...It's the mentality I've had my entire life of not quitting. I feel like that is what got me to the point I am at right now."

Whether their life goal is to play in the NFL or not, Walter's primary objective for The Night of Champions is to be an inspiration and show kids they can find success despite their environment. It is one of the things the former XFL running back (Dallas Renegades) wished he would have seen growing up in Crosby.

After graduating from Crosby High School, Walter went on to have a record-breaking collegiate career at Rice University. He became one of two players in school history to rush for over 1,500 yards (1,744 yds.) and 1,000 kick return yards (1,548 yds.) in four seasons with the Owls. In February, Walter signed a one-year contract extension to re-join the 49ers ahead of the 2021 NFL season.

Click here to learn more about The Night of Champions at Crosby High School or support Walter and the Crosby High School Booster Club.

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