"We dem boys!" is starting to sound like "who are these guys?"
The Cowboys: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
Oct 17, 2019, 11:05 am
Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
Jason Garrett coaching on the sidelines.
The Week Six game between the Cowboys and the Jets was like most football games; there was the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. The end result left a bad taste in the mouth of every Cowboys' fan, but there were other takeaways from this sad loss in East Rutherford.
The Good
The defensive front seven is playing very well. Guys like Demarcus Lawrence and Robert Quinn were able to get some pressure on Sam Darnold. Quinn added two sacks Sunday, bringing his season total to five.
Kicker Brett Maher made two key field goals from 50 and 62-yards in the first half. The 62-yarder as time expired in the first half tied a Cowboys record that Maher had set himself last season. However, he did miss a 40-yard field goal in the third quarter. Those three points could have propelled the Cowboys to a victory, but Maher still performed admirably this game. Ezekiel Elliot added another 100 yards to his season total, but took a pounding every time he touched the ball. This has to be a wake-up call for the Cowboys. For a team supposed to be contending for a Super Bowl, the Cowboys could find themselves sitting at home come playoff time.
The bad
The Cowboys defensive secondary has been bend don't break for too long, and on Sunday they finally broke in half. Sam Darnold and the Jet's offense were able to figure them out early, and took full advantage of their soft coverage. Jets receiver Robby Anderson had the play of the game when he torched the Cowboys backfield for a 92-yard touchdown reception. Both defensive backs Jeff Heath and Chidobe Awuzie could not keep Anderson and the Jets receivers in front of them all game.
The ugly
With tackles Tyrone Smith and La'El Collins inactive for the game, the Jet's defensive coordinator was able to come up with multiple rush packages to disrupt the Cowboys' depleted offensive line. Under constant duress, Prescott struggled through poor throws, short throws, and a barrage of body blows. He did find some rhythm in the second half, but it felt more like a Blake Bortles garbage time performance than Dak and the Cowboys electric offense that was on full display weeks1-3. What also didn't help was the horrendous play-calling. On 4th and 2 on the seven-yard line, Garrett called for a QB run option instead of handing the ball off to Elliot, or settling for an easy field goal. Of course, it failed and on the very next play, Darnold threw his 92-yard bomb to Anderson putting the Jets up 14-6. One more time, the Cowboys and Garrett heavily underestimated his opponent.
While the season is not doomed with the loss to the Jets, the Cowboys certainly missed a golden opportunity. Next up, the Cowboys run face first into division rival Philadelphia Eagles, who are also 3-3 and coming off a tough loss.
The season may not be over for the Cowboys, but unless he starts learning from his mistakes, Jason Garrett won't be allowed to waste all this talent for much longer.
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Astros keep doing this, and it’s getting hard to ignore
Jun 25, 2025, 10:01 pm
While the rolling Astros have a week of possible World Series preview matchups against the Phillies and Cubs, it’s the Rockets who made the biggest local sports headline with their acquisition of Kevin Durant. What a move! Of course there is risk involved in trading for a guy soon to turn 37 years old and who carries an injury history, but balancing risk vs. reward is a part of the game. This is a fabulous move for the Rockets. It’s understood that there are dissenters to this view. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, including people with the wrong opinion! Let’s dig in.
The Rockets had a wonderful season in winning 52 games before their disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Warriors, but like everyone else in the Western Conference, they were nowhere close to Oklahoma City’s caliber. While they finished second in the West, the Rockets only finished four games ahead of the play-in. That letting the stew simmer with further growth among their young players would yield true championship contention was no given for 2025-26 or beyond.
Kevin Durant is one of the 10 greatest offensive players the NBA has ever seen. Among his current contemporaries only Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic make that list. For instance, Durant offensively has clearly been better than the late and legendary Kobe Bryant. To view it from a Houston perspective, Durant has been an indisputably greater offensive force than the amazing Hakeem Olajuwon. But this is not a nostalgia trip in which the Rockets are trading for a guy based on what he used to be. While Durant could hit the wall at any point, living in fear that it’s about to happen is no way to live because KD, approaching his 18th NBA season, is still an elite offensive player.
As to the durability concern, Durant played more games (62) this past season than did Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith, and Tari Eason. The season before he played more games (75) than did VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Alperen Sengun. In each of the last two seasons Durant averaged more minutes per game (36.9) than any Rocket. That was stupid and/or desperate of the Suns, the Rockets will be smarter. Not that the workload eroded Durant’s production or efficiency. Over the two seasons he averaged almost 27 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor, 42 percent from behind the three-point line, and 85 percent from the free throw line. Awesomeness. The Rockets made the leap to being a very good team despite a frankly crummy half-court offense. The Rockets ranked 21st among the 30 NBA teams in three-point percentage, and dead last in free throw percentage. Amen Thompson has an array of skills and looks poised to be a unique star. Alas, Thompson has no credible jump shot. VanVleet is not a creator, Smith has limited handle. Adding Durant directly addresses the Rockets’ most glaring weakness.
The price the Rockets paid was in the big picture, minimal, unless you think Jalen Green is going to become a bonafide star. Green is still just 23 years old and spectacular athletically, but nothing he has done over four pro seasons suggests he’s on the cusp of greatness. In no season has Green even shot the league average from the floor or from three. His defense has never been as good as it should be given his athleticism. Compared to some other two-guards who made the NBA move one year removed from high school, four seasons into his career Green is waaaaaay behind where Shae Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker were four seasons in, and now well behind his draft classmate Cade Cunningham. Dillon Brooks was a solid pro in two seasons here and shot a career-best from three in 2024-2025, but he’s being replaced by Kevin Durant! In terms of the draft pick capital sent to Phoenix, five second round picks are essentially meaningless. The Rockets have multiple extra first round picks in the coming years. As for the sole first-rounder dealt away, whichever player the Rockets would have taken 10th Wednesday night would have been rather unlikely to crack the playing rotation.
VanVleet signs extension
Re-signing Fred VanVleet to a two-year, 50 million dollar guarantee is sensible. In a vacuum, VanVleet was substantially overpaid at the over 40 mil he made per season the last two. He’s a middle-of-the-pack starting point guard. But his professionalism and headiness brought major value to the Rockets’ kiddie corps while their payroll was otherwise very low. Ideally, Reed Sheppard makes a leap to look like an NBA lead guard in his second season, after a pretty much zippo of a rookie campaign. Sheppard is supposed to be a lights-out shooter. For the Rockets to max out, they need two sharpshooters on the court to balance Thompson’s presence.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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