Brett's Cowboys Corner

Heading to MetLife Stadium. Facing a winless Jets team. Oh yeah I remember this…A 3-2 Cowboys team in 2019, starting the year 3-0 and losing 3 straight. They just came off a loss to Green Bay (almost scary) and they were hoping to beat up on Sam Darnold and the Jets. Cowboys couldn’t get anything right and fell 22-24.

Here we are again coming off a Packers game at 1-2-1 and facing a winless Jets team. This Jets team led by Justin Fields, has played in three really close games. Both teams in my opinion are desperate for a win.

This game can go either way. But from a Cowboys perspective, Dallas needs to start stacking some wins early as their schedule only gets tougher from here. They will have two games against the Jets and Panthers that may be the lest of their “gimmies” if those ever existed.

DALLAS	NEW YORK
Javonte Williams: With Sanders out, Williams will have to take a bulk of the carries. Also without oline starters, needs to still perform.	Quinnen Williams: Can dominate a beaten up Cowboy oline, has the opportunity to wreck the game.
Juanyeh Thomas: Taking over for injured Malik Hooker, Thomas has a chance to submit himself as a starter and help a struggling Dallas group.	Sauce Gardener: Looking to have a lockdown matchup against George Pickens.
Jalen Tolbert: No Lamb or Turpin. Tolbert has been needing to create a true position for himself, a big day could do that.	Breece Hall: Taken a step back, needs a get right game and can take some of the weight off Fields if the Jets get ahead.

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The Keys to Victory-

1 – Force A Turnover.

A Cowboys defense that is dead last in the NFL. They can’t stop anybody and they make every QB have their get right game. If you are going to give up a lot of yards, you might as well get turnovers?

There was a time where corners DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs were well renowned for getting turnovers, the Cowboys need to make that a reality again. This week they play a team that loves turning the ball over, 5th most in the NFL.

2 – Survive on the Line.

The Cowboys could face 4 of the 5 starters to be inactive on Sunday. Brock Hoffman will continue to start at center, he is experienced and played well against Green Bay, as the Cowboys wait for Cooper Beebe to return.

The right guard, rookie Tyler Booker will miss some more time with a high ankle sprain, TJ Bass stepped in and filled the role last week as well.

Tyler Guyton, the starting left tackle, had a concussion late in the game and was replaced by 7th round pick in 2024, Nate Thomas. Thomas will likely get his 1st career start as Guyton hasn’t practiced all week, though he could technically still pass concussion protocol.

The main story, all-pro left guard Tyler Smith is dealing with some knee tendinitis and hasn’t practiced all week. He will be marked as a game time decision. But if he can’t go it will be Hakeem Adeniji to make his Cowboys debut. Backing him up would be Trevor Keegan, who the Cowboys took from Philadelphia’s practice squad.

3 – Contain Fields.

Fields has rushed for 178 yards and leads the team in rushing touchdowns with 3 this season. Justin Fields is the only quarterback in the NFL to have carried the ball at least 10 times on designed runs and when scrambling this season (11 apiece). He has scrambled to run on a league-high 14.5% of his dropbacks this season,

The Cowboys defense has allowed the 6th-most rushing yards (122) along with 2 touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks across 6 designed runs (19 yards) and 12 scrambles (107 yards, 2 TD) faced.

This has been an ongoing problem for the Cowboys defense, linebacker containment and spies have been slow. Edge rushers need to fill holes instead of just running down the middle of the line.

4 – Let Dak Cook.

No quarterback has attempted more passes (166) than Dak Prescott this season, while there has been success in the run game. The offense has relied on the shoulders of QB1.

Prescott is the only qualified quarterback to have been sacked just one time when facing zone coverage, resulting in the lowest sack rate in the NFL (0.9%). His favorite target has been Jake Ferguson, as he has completed 11 more passes when targeting him (26) than any other receiver (170 yards, TD).

The Jets defense has played zone coverage at the 7th-lowest rate (62.4%) but have allowed the 6th-highest explosive play rate when doing so this season (17.9%).

Games always end up in the quarterbacks hands. And missing two starting receivers, Dak will need to find a way.

I think this is a game where we will put a lot of weight on Dak Prescott to be the 10-year, $60 million dollar vet. These are always unfair standards but if the Cowboys want to see the post season, they need to beat some teams and the Jets are one that should be easier.