Taking Stock of Dallas Cowboys at Halfway Point of Season
After a dominant 2016 season in which the Dallas Cowboys went 13-3, the 2017 campaign has been quite the roller coaster in many different ways.
From Ezekiel Elliott's legal battles to heartbreaking losses to the Los Angeles Rams and the Green Bay Packers to a suddenly elite offense, it's been hard to keep up with the never-ending storylines in Dallas. But after their first eight games of the season, the Cowboys have managed to keep themselves in the thick of things with a 5-3 record.
What is more encouraging for the Cowboys is how well they have played as of late. The team is 3-0 in its past three games, outscoring opponents 101 to 46. After a rough start to the season, the Cowboys finally look like the team we saw last season. Heading into the second half of the campaign, Dallas seems poised to make a run despite an incredibly difficult schedule.
With half of the season over, here is a list of the biggest storylines for the Cowboys and what to expect from them in the second half of the year.
Ezekiel Elliott's Ongoing Suspension
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The biggest storyline of the season for the Cowboys is Elliott's legal battle. Seemingly every other day, the status of Elliott's eligibility changes. Elliott is scheduled to have a hearing before the Second Circuit on Tuesday in regard to a possible injunction that would likely keep him on the field for the rest of the 2017 season.
Before the Second Circuit, Elliott and his legal team will need to prove to the three judges that there is "irreparable harm" if Elliott were to serve his six-game suspension before his case can be heard. Elliott's legal team will also need to prove there is merit to the suggestion Elliott was treated "fundamentally unfairly" throughout his appeal of his suspension. If he can do that, he should be granted the injunction. If not, Elliott's six-game suspension will likely start in Week 10, as he's exhausted nearly every possible legal option.
Despite the constant legal fights and his suspension being on and off depending on the week, Elliott's play on the field has picked up recently. In the team's past four games, Elliott has totaled 598 yards to go along with six touchdowns. He's back to being his typically dominant self.
The Cowboys' playoff fate will likely depend on what happens with Elliott in court. If he can find a way to stay on the field, Dallas will be one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL. But without him, they are probably just an average team in the NFC.
Dak Prescott's Sophomore Season
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After one of the best rookie seasons of all time by a quarterback, many were expecting Dak Prescott to take a major step backward and suffer through a sophomore slump. But through eight games, that hasn't been the case.
First and foremost, the Prescott-led Cowboys are one of the best offenses in the entire NFL. Dallas is averaging over 28 points per game this season, and it is doing so despite a slow start by the offense. But over the past six games, the offense averaged almost 32 points per game.
As for Prescott, he's playing at a high level once again. Midway through the season, Prescott has scored 20 touchdowns and has thrown just four interceptions. Prescott's passer rating is at 97.9, and that would be much higher if it weren't for two interceptions that were deflected off of his receivers' hands and into the arms of defenders.
Prescott has been hot as of late. He has a passer rating of more than 108 in the team's past six games. Each week, his play seems to increase as the pressure and importance of the games grow. The more he plays, the better he gets. And that's all you can ask for from a young quarterback.
With a potential Elliott suspension looming, Cowboys fans should rest easy knowing they have a franchise quarterback who should be able to carry them without their star running back. Prescott is not a product of Dallas' system, and every week he is showing he can lead an elite offense. There is no sophomore slump in Dallas this year.
Sean Lee's Importance
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Linebacker Sean Lee is the heart and soul of the Cowboys defense. But even his biggest fans might have underestimated his importance this season. In the six games he has played in this season, the defense has allowed just 16.8 points per game (not including the pick-six Prescott threw against the Denver Broncos). But in the two games he missed, the defense surrendered 35 points, twice.
Individually, Lee's stats don't look spectacular. He doesn't have a turnover or a sack this season. But it's his ability to make key stops in the run game and get the defense into the right play that makes him so valuable to Dallas' defense. He doesn't make a ton of big plays any longer, but rarely do you see him make the wrong play. And in Rod Marinelli's "bend but don't break" defense, that's far more important.
While the Cowboys pass rush is much improved this season, their success on defense is still tied into the health of Lee. As long as he's on the field, Dallas will not only have an average defense but will also have the potential to be one of the best in the NFL. At 31, Lee is playing the best football of his career. The Cowboys need him to continue that if they want to have any hope of making it to the playoffs.
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DeMarcus Lawrence's Dominance
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Heading into the 2017 season, the biggest question mark for the Dallas defense related to how they were going to get pressure on the quarterback. But after the first half of the season, that's no longer a question. In fact, it's a strength.
Who is the biggest reason for the Cowboys' defensive resurgence? DeMarcus Lawrence. Through eight games, Lawrence has 10.5 sacks. Before 2017, Lawrence had a combined nine sacks in the first three years of his NFL career. To say he has been a surprise might be the biggest understatement of the season.
Lawrence didn't record a sack on Sunday, but he made his presence known. All game, the Kansas City Chiefs chipped and doubled Lawrence to ensure he didn't wreak havoc on their offense. But because of his presence, the rest of the defense was able to get pressure on quarterback Alex Smith.
The Cowboys have been searching for their "war daddy" since DeMarcus Ware left in 2013. And for the first time in four seasons, Dallas finally has an elite pass-rusher.
David Irving's Rise to Superstardom
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For the first time in a while in Dallas, the Cowboys have a pass rush. Not only are they getting to the quarterback much more frequently than they have been in the past several years, but they finally have two rushers the team can rely on.
After serving a four-game suspension, David Irving has arrived in a big way. In his first four games of the season, Irving has six sacks and numerous other splash plays. With him and Lawrence in the lineup, the defense has given up an average of just 19.3 points per game.
As long as Irving is healthy, Dallas will be able to get to the quarterback. His performance this year (and at the end of 2016) has given the Cowboys hope they can compete with the elite teams. Dallas' defense, especially its pass rush, is no longer a weakness; it's one of the team's biggest strengths.
Taco Charlton's Disappointing Rookie Season
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The Cowboys have had a ton of success drafting in the first round over the past decade. They've hit on their past seven first-round picks (yes—that includes Morris Claiborne). Almost all of their first-round picks have had immediate success in Dallas, and five of their past seven have made the Pro Bowl at least once. They have been one of the best drafting teams over the past decade.
But Taco Charlton, the Cowboys' first-round pick in 2017, has not had that same success in his rookie year. After eight weeks, Charlton has just one sack, which came on Sunday against Kansas. For most of the season, he has been shut out. He's totaled just six tackles in eight games.
It's been a slow start for Charlton, but with Marinelli as his defensive coordinator, expect him to improve each week. Charlton has been close to making a few big plays as of late, and that his first splash play of his career came in Week 9 should be encouraging to Cowboys fans.
How Charlton plays in the second half of the season will be a major storyline. He's not likely to break out and become a dominant edge player in the team's final eight games, but any improvement will help ease fans' nerves about their team's 2017 first-round pick.
Jaylon Smith's Return to the Field
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When the Cowboys selected Jaylon Smith in the second round of the 2016 draft, there was an understanding within the team he likely wouldn't play at all in his rookie season. The expectation was he would not only play in 2017 but would likely be the team's starting middle linebacker at some point during the season.
And that's exactly what has happened. When the team opened up the season at home against the New York Giants, Smith was the team's starter next to Lee. However, the more Smith played, the more he was exposed. His worst game came against the Los Angeles Rams because he was forced to play too many snaps. According to Pro Football Focus, Smith played a total of 69 snaps in that game and earned a grade of just 26.4.
But Smith's play has improved recently, and that has a lot to do with his limited snaps because the team finally has all of its linebackers healthy. With Lee and Anthony Hitchens back in the lineup, Dallas can rotate in Smith in certain packages and in specific situations.
Hopefully the Cowboys can continue to limit Smith's snaps in the second half of the season like they have in the previous four weeks. Dallas clearly still believes in Smith, but it knows he's not physically ready to handle a full workload yet. This season is just about getting him some experience and keeping him healthy.
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