Cowboys vs. Seahawks: Postgame Grades, Notes and Quotes for Dallas

Five losses in a row.

The Dallas Cowboys haven’t experienced five losses in a row since losing 45-7 at Lambeau Field on November 7, 2010. Each loss has reinforced the fact that Tony Romo’s value to the Cowboys has been consistently understated for his entire career.

The Cowboys failed once again in Romo’s absence to move the ball with any consistency, picking up only 220 yards of offense. The defense finally got off their turnover snide and held the Seahawks to only 13 points, but it wasn’t enough, as the Cowboys couldn’t find their way into the end zone offensively, registering only four Dan Bailey field goals.

The game had its share of drama and controversy, from the brutal injury to Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette suffered during a punt, to the illegal timeout called by Seattle that was allowed by the referees, avoiding a penalty that would have given Dallas a first down in the red zone.  But in the end, the Cowboys didn’t make the plays necessary to win the game, and they now find themselves 2-5 with a tough road to achieve the goals they had when the season opened.

Read on for all the grades, notes and quotes from the game.

Position Grades for the Dallas Cowboys

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

Position	Grade
QB	D
RB	B
WR	C
TE	C
OL	C
DL	B+
LB	B
DB	B
Special Teams	A
Coaching	C-

Quarterback:  Matt Cassel made his second start at quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys but was unable to replicate his Week 7 performance. He didn’t turn the ball over, which was the major problem in his last start, but he also wasn’t able to move the ball the way he did against the Giants. He pushed the ball down the field several times and completed passes to five different receivers, but he wasn’t able to connect on an explosive play or clutch throw in the red zone. Cassel finished 13-of-25 for 97 yards and ran four times for 43 yards.

Running Back: Darren McFadden was clearly the lead back in this game, coming off of his 152-yard game against the Giants, and he carried the ball 20 times for 64 tough yards. The Cowboys continued their more mixed run game, showing a greater variety of run schemes designed to fit McFadden's skill set, but they were unable to break an explosive run, with a long of 12 yards. Christine Michael saw some snaps spelling McFadden and carried five times for 20 yards.            

Wide Receiver: It was a rough game for the Cowboys receivers. Dez Bryant made his first appearance since Week 1 but drew a tough matchup with Seattle’s Richard Sherman and wasn’t able to make many plays, catching two of his six targets for a total of 12 yards. Terrance Williams was the only other wide receiver with a reception, catching two passes for 20 yards.   

Tight End: The limitations in the Cowboys passing game carried over to Jason Witten and the tight ends, as Witten caught only two balls for 16 yards. James Hanna was the target of an uncharacteristic halfback pass from McFadden, but the ball went incomplete, and Gavin Escobar wasn’t targeted at all in the game.  

Offensive Line: The offensive line played well, as La’el Collins continued to show growth and dominating potential. Doug Free struggled against Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril, who are both very good rushers on that Seattle front. If the Cowboys can continue to get this level of play from the offensive line, they will be able to move the ball on just about anyone when Tony Romo returns.

Defensive Line: The defensive line wasn’t able to register a sack on Russell Wilson, but they affected the game on multiple occasions. DeMarcus Lawrence probably played his best game, and Greg Hardy registered three of the Cowboys' six quarterback hits. Hardy also made the defensive play of the game, tipping a Wilson pass to himself and intercepting it for the first Cowboys takeaway since Week 2.  

Linebackers: The duo of Sean Lee and Rolando McClain combined for 15 total tackles, including two tackles for a loss from Lee. The Cowboys held Marshawn Lynch to 71 yards on 21 carries, which can be attributed to the linebacking corps. Kyle Wilber, Anthony Hitchens, and Andrew Gachkar each showed up as well.

Defensive Backs: The Cowboys probably played more base defense in this game than in any other all year, leaving only four defensive backs on the field. Byron Jones’ flexibility allowed the team to play with two corners and two safeties while still giving Rod Marinelli three players capable of playing solid man coverage. The rookie continues to show well, making several very good plays to defend some passes from multiple positions. Barry Church finished second on the team with nine tackles, although he did have some struggles in coverage, one of which resulted in the Seahawks' only touchdown of the game.

Special Teams: The Cowboys got a big play from their special teams unit in the game when David Irving blocked a 47-yard field-goal attempt, which kept Dallas in front 12-10 at the time.   

Coaching: The most questionable coaching decision from the Cowboys staff in the game was to kick four field goals rather than attempting to give their offense a shot at a touchdown. The Cowboys kicked field goals on 4th-and-1 and two 4th-and-3s, along with a 4th-and-15. If the coaches could have been aggressive on one of those fourth downs, especially the 4th-and-1 at the 15-yard line on their first drive when they had run the ball all the way down the field on the Seahawks, it could have changed the tone of the game from the start.

Important Note No. 1: Dez Returns

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

The Cowboys got a much-needed infusion of talent at the wide receiver position when Dez Bryant suited up for this one. He had a tough task in taking on Richard Sherman and wasn’t able to make many plays, but it was good to see him get through the game.

If he is able to come back to practice this week without experiencing a great deal of soreness, he should face a much different situation in the Week 9 matchup with the Eagles.

Important Note No. 2: The Defense Performs… Again

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The Cowboys again held their opponent's offense largely in check, giving up only 323 total yards of offense to the Seahawks. The defensive line harassed Wilson all day and worked with the linebackers to control Lynch and the running game.

Morris Claiborne and the secondary played well and routinely kept their men locked down long enough for the defensive line to generate additional pressure, although Wilson was often able to scramble out of the pocket and either throw down the field or gain yards rushing (he had 32).

Quote No. 1: Greg Hardy on What Comes Next

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

"This is a resilient bunch. We're going to come back, go to work on Tuesday and keep fighting."– Greg Hardy, per the Dallas Morning News.

The Cowboys have developed a "never say die"-type of personality under head coach Jason Garrett, and Greg Hardy expresses that personality with perfection in this quote.

Hardy’s emphasis on resiliency and focus on getting back to work at their next opportunity mirrors the message delivered by Garrett at just about every turn and points to the belief within the Cowboys locker room.

Quote No. 2: Dez Bryant on the State of the Cowboys' Season

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

"

"I'm going to continue to say it's not over, because I honestly believe in our team. We're a great (expletive) team. We just got to continue to keep fighting and just know that if we keep on fighting and keep on believing we can pull this thing together, man, and do something special." – Dez Bryant, per the Dallas Morning News

"

Dez Bryant knows that he is capable of much more than what he showed in this game, and he also knows that this team has been very close to winning almost every game it's lost this year, and all of that without having put its full product on the field.

This quote exhibits Dez’s belief, not only in himself, but in the team as a whole, and in his quarterback who is still waiting in the wings for two more weeks.