- Years from now, we likely won’t remember the score or the insignificance of this season finale scrimmage. We’ll just refer to it as “the Blake Jarwin game.” The second-year tight end entered the game with zero career touchdowns and exited it with three. Jarwin produced something that neither Jason Witten, Doug Cosbie nor Jay Novacek ever did, and a Cowboys’ tight end hadn’t since Billy Joe Dupree in 1973 – a three-touchdown game.
- The Cowboys going 10-6 isn’t that surprising. Most of us predicted a record of between 8-10 wins. But the fact that 10-6 won the NFC East – with a week’s cushion, no less – is downright shocking. And that 10-6 came after a 3-5 start definitely raised every eyebrow in the NFL.
- Promising to see Tavon Austin back on the field. Not for his one 10-yard catch against the Giants, but because he injects a speedy weapon into Dallas’ offense for next week and beyond. Remember, it was Austin that started the Cowboys’ Week 2 win over the Giants with a 64-yard touchdown bomb.
- I’ll have more – much more – to say on this in item 1, but let me just remind Cowboys fans of this: In a meaningless game – one that had absolutely zero ramifications to their playoff seeding, opponent, etc. – Dak Prescott threw 44 passes and endured four sacks. Combined, that’s 48 too many.
- The Cowboys beat the Steelers to win Super Bowl 30 after the 1995 season. Since then – 23 years – they are 194-174, including 3-9 in the playoffs.
- I graduated from UTA. I didn’t play football past junior high. Jason Garrett went to Princeton and played and coached in the NFL. Why is it then that I’m smarter than him in Week 17? Not only did Garrett play valuable players such as Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch waaaaay too long, he also confoundingly took aggressive gambles in the exhibition. Let’s try to follow Garrett’s thinking, shall we?
Week 5: Fourth-and-1 from Houston’s 42 in overtime = Punt.
Week 17: Fourth-and-2 from Dallas’ 43 in the third quarter = Go for it.
There is no rationale for that thinking. None.
- In nine seasons as head coach, Jason Garrett is 77-59. In three seasons as starting quarterback, Dak Prescott is 32-16.
- Of all the records set this season, the most impressive was the Cowboys’ defense allowing only 24 points in the first quarter. They held opponents scoreless in the opening 15 minutes in 12 of 16 games, giving up touchdowns to only the Lions, Redskins and Colts, and a field goal to the Buccaneers. As good as a defensive effort as it was, it didn’t come close to flirting with the NFL record. In 1978, the Steelers went an entire 16-game schedule allowing six first-quarter points – on two field goals.
- Brett Maher is the guy that’s deadly from behind the 3-point line but struggles to make free throws. Every playoff kick is gonna be a hold-your-breath stress scenario.
- Hate to close 2018 by nitpicking in a dramatic Cowboys’ victory, but playing Prescott the entire game was – at best – an unnecessary risk and – at worst – professional malpractice. Seriously, it was an inexplicable decision that stunk of reckless disregard and exposed them to playoff failure next weekend. In a clear sign that it was protecting valuable assets, Dallas didn’t start Zeke Elliott, Tyron Smith or Zack Martin. But why was the quarterback allowed – made? – to play and throw his second-most passes of the season? The drop-off from Dak-to-Cooper Rush is just as drastic as Zeke-to-Rod Smith. Prescott entered the game being sacked a franchise-record 52 times (second most in the NFL behind only Deshaun Watson). With Cam Fleming playing left tackle and eventually three backup offensive linemen in the game, every pass attempt was a flirtation with a senseless injury. A twisted ankle? A concussion? Torn ACL? Garrett exposed his quarterback to all of those for three hours of meaningless football. Sure enough, Dak was sacked four times and took numerous hits. Just because he got the right result doesn’t mean Garrett made the right decision. Fortunately for the Cowboys, Dak threw four touchdowns and survived his team’s dumbfounding decision without injury. But this was Dak’s 48th start. The Cowboys rallied from 3-5 to win the division. If you really think he or his team “needed” to beat the five-win Giants in a scrimmage for confidence and momentum, you’re just a naïve football fan more enamored with screaming “it’s a W!” than the big picture. In 1992, the Cowboys were on the verge of ending a long playoff drought. They had the division clinched entering their season finale. In that game, backup quarterback Steve Beurlein handed off to backup running back Curvin Richards. A month later, the Cowboys won Super Bowl 27. Sorry, but give me Jimmy Johnson over Garrett.