Dallas Cowboys vs. Seattle Seahawks: Full Report Card Grades for Dallas
The Dallas Cowboys are for real. If their 4-1 start didn't convince you, their 30-23 win over the Seattle Seahawks did. The Cowboys dominated in two of the three facets of the game against the defending Super Bowl champions.
The Cowboys had 406 total yards on offense, while the Seahawks had only 206 total yards. The story of the game was the efficiency of the Cowboys offense and the stoutness of their defense. The defense did a great job of getting off the field on third down as the Seahawks went 5-of-13 on third-down conversions.
The Cowboys' offensive line did a great job of controlling the line of scrimmage against the vaunted Seahawks defense. It has proven that it is one of the top two offensive lines in the NFL.
On defense, the secondary was incredible throughout the game. It totally shut down Percy Harvin and the rest of the Seahawks weapons.
The defensive line also did a great job of containing Russell Wilson in the pocket, which eliminated a great deal of the Seahawks' big-play opportunities.
For how great the Cowboys offense and defense was, the special teams, outside of Dan Bailey, was just as bad. They had a punt blocked, which was returned for a fumble, and a muffed punt by Dwayne Harris that led to points for Seattle.
If the special teams had played better, the Cowboys would have won going away.
Now, the Cowboys look forward to a game against their division rival, the New York Giants.
Let’s take a look at how each position graded out in this Week 6 matchup.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Tony Romo was terrific throughout the game against the Seattle Seahawks. He went 21-of-32 for 250 yards and two touchdowns.
The best part about his box score was the place where there was a zero—interceptions. He did a great job of attacking downfield when the time presented itself.
He did a great job of spreading the ball out to different receivers and not just challenging certain players to do it. He completed a pass to eight different players and forced the Seahawks to cover the whole field.
Once again, Romo took some big hits, but he responded incredibly well with some great throws. He did a great job of moving in the pocket and creating time for his receivers to get open against the Seahawks secondary.
His mechanics and footwork allowed him to make plays that he wouldn't have made at the beginning of the season. CowboysHQ.com's Jordan Ross highlighted several stats for Romo:
"This was Tony Romo's 22nd 4th quarter comeback & 26th game-winning drive, extending his franchise records.
— Jordan Ross (@TheJordanRoss) October 12, 2014"
Romo has improved in every game thus far, which has Cowboys fans thinking of a Super Bowl.
Grade: A
Running Back
2 of 10
DeMarco Murray has been the best running back in the NFL this season, and he further cemented that with his performance Sunday.
He had 115 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries against the No. 1 rushing defense in the NFL. The Seahawks hadn't given up a 100-yard rusher yet this season until Sunday, courtesy of DeMarco Murray, per SportsCenter:
"DeMarco Murray rushes for 115 yards, scores winning TD for Dallas. He now has 785 yards after 6 games (leads NFL). pic.twitter.com/cIIezzRPri
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 13, 2014"
Murray ran extremely hard and fought for every single yard he had. He consistently broke tackles and made great cuts to put the Cowboys offense in great position.
Not only did he have a great day running the ball but he also did a great job as a receiver as well. He caught all six of the throws that targeted him for a total of 31 yards.
Joseph Randle also did a great job as a change-of-pace back for the Cowboys. He hit the running lanes hard and made some beautiful cuts to make defenders miss.
The Cowboys' rushing game has the Cowboys controlling the clock and in advantageous situations in every game this season.
Grade: A
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
The Cowboys receivers and tight ends faced an uphill battle against the fantastic Seahawks secondary and they did an admirable job.
Dez Bryant was held in check for much of the game, but he did what he needed to do to make plays at some critical moments in the game. Bleacher Report shared an expression of respect between Richard Sherman and Bryant:
"VIDEO: Richard Sherman and Dez Bryant show respect for each other on the field in a close game http://t.co/7ApuyT8f9o pic.twitter.com/dN3wt6gDPR
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 12, 2014"
The play of the game probably came from Terrance Williams on his fantastic sideline catch on third down in the fourth quarter. Williams has been criticized for being a body-catcher, but it was all hands on that play.
Jason Witten once again was fantastic as a run-blocker, while being held mostly in check as a receiver against the Seahawks.
Gavin Escobar was finally featured some in the pass game as he caught a touchdown in the first quarter.
Even though they weren't as great as they had been in recent games, the Cowboys receivers and tight ends did their job and helped the Cowboys get a win.
Grade: B+
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
Another game and another dominating performance from the Cowboys' offensive line. Romo was only sacked once, and the Cowboys ran for 162 yards on the ground. Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram deemed the offensive line the "MVP":
"The MVP for the Cowboys just as it has been all season is the dominant offensive line.
— Clarence Hill (@clarencehilljr) October 12, 2014"
Zack Martin did an incredible job blocking at the second level of the defense throughout the game. The rookie guard's great blocks led to many of the Cowboys' big runs.
Ronald Leary built off his performance against the Houston Texans with another great game against the Seahawks. He did a great job of pulling and creating lanes for DeMarco Murray.
Travis Frederick had a good game, outside of his poor snap to Romo.
Doug Free left the game with an apparent foot injury, but his replacement, Jermey Parnell, did a great job in his short absence.
The Cowboys' offensive line gives the team the opportunity to win every game it's in.
Grade: A
Defensive Line
5 of 10
The Cowboys defense had the incredibly hard task of containing Russell Wilson and slowing down Marshawn Lynch coming into this game. However, it did a fantastic job as it only allowed 80 rushing yards, while getting constant pressure on Wilson throughout the game.
They did a great job maintaining their gap integrity, which didn't allow Wilson to get any of the game-changing plays he's known for.
Football Outsiders' Aaron Schatz highlighted Tyrone Crawford's performance:
"Man, Tyrone Crawford is havin' a game for Dallas.
— Aaron Schatz (@FO_ASchatz) October 12, 2014"
Crawford was the best player on the defensive line once more. He was constantly wreaking havoc in the Seahawks backfield, while doing a great job clogging up Lynch's running lanes.
Another player who played great was Nick Hayden. Last year, Hayden was one of the worst defensive tackles in the NFL, but he was the exact opposite Sunday. He was incredible against the run and even had a couple of pressures.
The Cowboys' defensive line has been one of the most improved units for the Cowboys and is allowing the linebackers to make a ton of plays.
Grade: A
Linebacker
6 of 10
Rolando McClain has been the most valuable player for the defense this year. His physical presence has given the Cowboys a swagger they haven't had in a very long time.
He made a great interception that sealed the game for the Cowboys, which showed how valuable he really is, and Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com agreed:
"Rolando McClain gets a big moment for his Comeback POY campaign. Not a joke.
— gregg rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) October 12, 2014"
Justin Durant continues to impress for the Cowboys as well. Last year, Durant wasn't physical enough, which led to him getting pushed around by opposing offenses. However, Durant was very physical Sunday and was making huge plays throughout the game.
The Cowboys linebackers looked to be one of the biggest weaknesses on the team; however, they have proven to be a real strength.
Grade: A
Secondary
7 of 10
Arguably the best positional unit on the Cowboys defense has been the secondary. Ever since Morris Claiborne went out with a knee injury against the St. Louis Rams, the secondary has been lights-out.
Sterling Moore continues to make numerous plays, while providing blanket coverage on opposing receivers. Rainer Sabin of The Dallas Morning News highlighted Orlando Scandrick's performance:
"Orlando Scandrick is having a great game. He has contested every pass thrown his way.
— Rainer Sabin (@RainerSabinDMN) October 12, 2014"
Scandrick did a terrific job as he was matched up with the dangerous Percy Harvin for much of the game. Scandrick is becoming a top-level cornerback in the NFL.
Barry Church even made some great plays in coverage when he was the single-high safety. He did a great job trusting his eyes and breaking on some of Wilson's tackles.
If the Cowboys secondary continues to play like this, then the defense can be a top-15 defense.
Grade: A
Special Teams
8 of 10
Outside of Dan Bailey, the special teams were awful against the Seahawks. If the special teams played even an average game, then the game would have been a blowout. However, a blocked punt along with a muffed punt allowed the Seahawks to stay in the game. The Dallas Cowboys congratulated Bailey on his kicking accuracy:
".@danbailey95 is now the most accurate kicker in the history of the @NFL. #CongratsDan pic.twitter.com/Mo1iN98zNq
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) October 12, 2014"
Despite the porous play from the other special teams, Bailey was perfect once again. He went 3-of-3 on his field goals, including a fantastic 56-yard attempt.
The Cowboys need their special teams to get better because they have allowed teams to stay in the game the last two weeks, and that will come back to bite them soon or later.
If it weren't for Bailey, they would have had an "F."
Grade: C-
Coaches
9 of 10
The Cowboys coaching staff did a tremendous job against the Seahawks.
Play-caller Scott Linehan called an incredible game that helped the Cowboys offense score 30 points against one of the best defenses in the NFL. Tony Dungy complemented defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli:
"Rod Marinelli has done a fantastic job with the Dallas defense. They are playing fundamentally sound and very fast.
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) October 13, 2014"
Marinelli has the defense playing much better than anyone had thought. He has made some small adjustments that have allowed the Cowboys to improve immensely from last year.
Jason Garrett has the Cowboys playing disciplined and technically sound football.
Garrett's coaching philosophy is finally starting to pay off.
Grade: A
Final Grades
10 of 10
| Positional Unit | Overall Grade |
| QB | A |
| RB | A |
| WR | B+ |
| OL | A |
| DL | A |
| LB | A |
| Secondary | A |
| Special Teams | C- |
| Coaching | A |
| Cumulative Grade | A- |
When you beat the defending Super Bowl champions, you have to put in an "A" type of performance, and that is exactly what the Cowboys did. They played incredibly well in every facet, outside of special teams, and proved that they are one of the best teams in the NFL.
The Cowboys will now look forward to their game against the New York Giants, which will have huge ramifications in the division rankings.
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