The Cowboys scored on the opening drive for the second straight game. Last week they proceeded to give up 26 straight after that first score. Last night they gave up 24 straight.
This is a middling team disguised as a good team. Or maybe it's a good team disguised as a middling one. Whatever they are, they've been one of the toughest NFL teams to understand in the 24 years since winning their third Super Bowl in four seasons. They've won only three of their last 13 playoff games. They've gone 13-3 twice during this stretch and failed to win a playoff game both times. They currently have four of the NFL's 30 highest paid players. On paper they have one of the most balanced teams (offense / defense) in recent franchise history.
Yet they're scuffling like a sub-.500 team. Which is what they are.
The Eagles are now in the driver's seat, despite an awful loss to Miami last weekend. Philly can even things up in the NFC East with a home win over the Giants. They'll also get the Cowboys at home Week 16. So if they win out (Giants twice, Redskins, Cowboys), and if the Cowboys win three of their last four (Bears, Rams, Redskins), Philly should win the tiebreaker over Dallas based on strength-of-schedule of defeated opponents.
That's why the Eagles somehow control their own destiny despite being 5-7. That's almost unheard of. And if Washington somehow beats Green Bay Sunday, they'll still be squarely in the postseason hunt at 4-9. Yes, 4-9, thanks to remaining contests against Philly and Dallas.
OK, that's enough about the miserable NFC East, except to say I was wrong about Zeke Elliott (thanks to two scores), and Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup each had about 5-6 points more than I expected. Meanwhile, someone asked yesterday how I could be down on a near-elite QB like Dak Prescott. My question is, why does near-eliteness have to be permanent? Obviously, it doesn't. Dak played out of his mind to start the year; since then he's had seven scores and eight turnovers vs. above-.500 teams. Despite its injuries, Chicago was good enough to contain him.
For the Bears, I was completely wrong about Allen Robinson. If any of you want to be kind, his 5-48 line was well below his season numbers. But two red-zone scores made all the difference, and in the end I'm judged by points. I also expected more out of David Montgomery, who actually ran very well. And if not for his questionable fumble (forward progress?!), he was headed toward a double-digit fantasy night. But clearly he proved unhelpful.
Among the guys I got right, Anthony Miller was no better than a WR4, Javon Wims was unstartable, and Tarik Cohen was right on the edge of streamability. This past week I've also expressed confusion about Mitch Trubisky's lack of mobility after using it as en effective weapon last season. Sure enough, last night he got back to what once made him good: nine carries for 64 yards and a TD. He's now averaged a little over 24 fantasy points per game in his last three. Despite a tough upcoming schedule, he's finally looking like a capable NFL starter.
Next up for the Cowboys will be the equally enigmatic Rams. Win or lose, Dallas's Week 16 showdown in Philly will likely determine just how many personnel Jerry Jones fires.
This is a middling team disguised as a good team. Or maybe it's a good team disguised as a middling one. Whatever they are, they've been one of the toughest NFL teams to understand in the 24 years since winning their third Super Bowl in four seasons. They've won only three of their last 13 playoff games. They've gone 13-3 twice during this stretch and failed to win a playoff game both times. They currently have four of the NFL's 30 highest paid players. On paper they have one of the most balanced teams (offense / defense) in recent franchise history.
Yet they're scuffling like a sub-.500 team. Which is what they are.
The Eagles are now in the driver's seat, despite an awful loss to Miami last weekend. Philly can even things up in the NFC East with a home win over the Giants. They'll also get the Cowboys at home Week 16. So if they win out (Giants twice, Redskins, Cowboys), and if the Cowboys win three of their last four (Bears, Rams, Redskins), Philly should win the tiebreaker over Dallas based on strength-of-schedule of defeated opponents.
That's why the Eagles somehow control their own destiny despite being 5-7. That's almost unheard of. And if Washington somehow beats Green Bay Sunday, they'll still be squarely in the postseason hunt at 4-9. Yes, 4-9, thanks to remaining contests against Philly and Dallas.
OK, that's enough about the miserable NFC East, except to say I was wrong about Zeke Elliott (thanks to two scores), and Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup each had about 5-6 points more than I expected. Meanwhile, someone asked yesterday how I could be down on a near-elite QB like Dak Prescott. My question is, why does near-eliteness have to be permanent? Obviously, it doesn't. Dak played out of his mind to start the year; since then he's had seven scores and eight turnovers vs. above-.500 teams. Despite its injuries, Chicago was good enough to contain him.
For the Bears, I was completely wrong about Allen Robinson. If any of you want to be kind, his 5-48 line was well below his season numbers. But two red-zone scores made all the difference, and in the end I'm judged by points. I also expected more out of David Montgomery, who actually ran very well. And if not for his questionable fumble (forward progress?!), he was headed toward a double-digit fantasy night. But clearly he proved unhelpful.
Among the guys I got right, Anthony Miller was no better than a WR4, Javon Wims was unstartable, and Tarik Cohen was right on the edge of streamability. This past week I've also expressed confusion about Mitch Trubisky's lack of mobility after using it as en effective weapon last season. Sure enough, last night he got back to what once made him good: nine carries for 64 yards and a TD. He's now averaged a little over 24 fantasy points per game in his last three. Despite a tough upcoming schedule, he's finally looking like a capable NFL starter.
Next up for the Cowboys will be the equally enigmatic Rams. Win or lose, Dallas's Week 16 showdown in Philly will likely determine just how many personnel Jerry Jones fires.