Cowboys achieve a much-needed victory
NEW ORLEANS – Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy was about 530 miles from the Caesars Superdome in Frisco, Texas, watching from a hotel because he is on COVID-19 protocol. Five other coaches and two players also were not in New Orleans because of the virus.
The Cowboys met virtually before and after Thursday’s pregame practices and were unable to use the gym all week. Upon arriving in New Orleans Wednesday night, the players were confined to their hotel to mitigate the possibility of adding more players to the COVID list.
None of that stopped the Cowboys, who got a win they absolutely had to get, beating the New Orleans Saints 27-17.
The win snapped a streak of two consecutive losses and improved the Cowboys’ record to 8-4. They remain in the hunt for home field advantage and widen the gap in the NFC East over a 5-6 Washington team, against whom the Cowboys will play twice in the last five weeks.
The team’s ability to overcome adversity is recognized. Running back Tony Pollard’s 58-yard touchdown run in the third quarter gave the Cowboys some breathing room. Credit to a defense that had trouble slowing down quarterback Taysom Hill’s running game, but they did manage four steals.
They played their third game in 12 days and the Cowboys could not afford another loss, which would have been their fourth in their last five.
It wasn’t pretty. In fact, it was ugly. But tonight, the style of the points didn’t matter.
Pivotal play: It could be Pollard’s long run, but Micah Parsons did very ‘Micah Parsons’ things after the touchdown. With the Cowboys leading, 20-10 to start the fourth quarter, the Saints were in field goal range on third-and-2, but then Parsons happened. The rookie went after Hill and hauled in an 11-yard catch, knocking the Saints out of scoring position and forcing a punt. It was Parson’s 10th catch of the season and he now has 7.5 catches in his last five games.
One good thing: The Cowboys’ second series offered a glimpse of what the offense can be. Playing together for the third time this season due to injury or COVID-19, wide receivers Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup combined for 67 yards on four plays that ended in TDs. Cooper, playing for the first time since Nov. 21, converted a third-down attempt for 31 yards. Lamb took a cort pass and turned it into a 33-yarder. Gallup hauled in a big reception in the end zone.
Worrying trend: big plays have been a problem for the Cowboys’ defense all season, so this isn’t really a recent trend. Here’s what they really are. But when the opponent’s aerial game is as limited as the Saints’ because Hill is the quarterback; the Saints didn’t even have an offensive tackle; and the skill players, to be kind, aren’t the best, it’s concerning when you get four complete passes of 20 or more yards. The Saints came in tied for the fewest pass completions of 20 or more yards on the season with 26.
