FRISCO, Texas – OK, get it, 1-2 is 1-2, no two ways about it.
Not a desirable record three games into a season. But come on, as some seem to be suggesting, this is no time to throw in the towel. No time to declare a season on life support.
But there sure are those who love to be first to jump to conclusions, to give mathematical reasons why there is already no way the Cowboys can pull out of losing two of the first three games to recover in time to produce a winning season, a playoff season.
So out come the stats. Like, the Cowboys got off to consecutive 1-2 starts over the previous two years that turned into losing seasons. One problem with that stat: Didn't point out that the 1-2 start in 2024 turning into 7-10 had more to do with losing Cowboys starting quarterback Dak Prescott in the eighth game of the schedule. That Dallas started the COVID-affected 2020 season 1-2 was no precursor to the 6-10 record, but had everything to do with losing Dak again for the season, this time in the fifth game.
And for sure, no one wants to point out the 1-2 start in 2018 turning into 10-6, an NFC East title and a first-round playoff win over Seattle. For sure, if going back to the next losing season (4-12) in 2015, that one had everything to do with losing Tony Romo four games into that year.
Oh, if you just need to know, in 1993 the Cowboys began the season 0-2, and the doomsayers were out. Why, no team starting a season 0-2, and not even if this team is the defending Super Bowl champions, has ever won a Super Bowl. Until the Cowboys did, finishing that year 12-4, and winning the NFC East, NFC and the Super Bowl in back-to-back seasons.
Let's not get all stuck up on numbers.
Furthermore, make sure to take a glance at the three-game NFL standings. Like, 22 of the 32 teams in the NFL are either 2-1 or 1-2. And in the NFC, 13 of the 16 teams are either 2-1 or 1-2. Oh, and even more encouraging, the entire NFC East is either 2-1 or 1-2. The Cowboys and Washington are the two 1-2 teams, but one game out of a first-place tie with the 2-1 Eagles and Giants.
My suggestion is to let the season breathe a bit, and as Bill Parcells used to say, "Check with me at Thanksgiving." The record usually 12 weeks into a season is a much better barometer of what a team really is.
Plus, 2-1 for the Cowboys might have been just two yards away. Or as 16-year veteran Von Miller had to say, and he's certainly seen a lot, "We close."
- Wait A Second: Now maybe the officiating crew was right to put one second back on the clock at the end of the Cowboys' 34-31 walk-off loss Sunday to the Ravens. But still have a bone to pick with the one second being put back on the clock without any explanation or actual review. Come on, the NFL just about reviews everything else – they should start on pass interference, too – so why not review the officiating crew's judgment of exactly how much time was really left in that game after Lamar Jackson's 27-yard completion to Zay Flowers put the Ravens in position to kick the game-winning 56-yard field goal. The crew's eyesight can't be on two things at once, like exactly when Flowers went all the way to the ground to complete the catch, then seeing exactly who is calling timeout and then looking at the exact time. Was this crew guessing, or did the instant replay booth review lend a helping hand? No one said.
- Rained In: This whole area sure welcomes the start of potentially three days of rain after going nearly two months without. My lawn can attest. Well, mid-afternoon rain Wednesday chased the Cowboys indoors for the second half of practice, and the forecast for heavy rain overnight and all day tomorrow and potentially Friday will probably chase the Cowboys indoors for the rest of the week. At least the noon start Sunday at Houston will be indoors at NRG.
- Hooking Up: When Cowboys starting safety Malik Hooker had surgery to repair his fractured left forearm, closer to the wrist, he was thought to be out two to three weeks. Well, the fourth week is upon us and Hooker participated in the non-padded Wednesday practice on a limited basis. Said all went well so far. Even saw him in one of those individual drills using his left hand to punch one of those hand-held blocking pads as if to get off a block with power. Says he's close, and how close will become more revealing of his potential availability on Sunday after Thursday's padded practice. But as Hooker said encouragingly, "The cavalry is on the way." With the secondary injuries mounting, sound that bugle.
- Oh, So Close: We are going to start saying football is a game of feet. Like Brandon Aubrey's "dirty" kickoff that rolled out barely before the goal-line pylon, the penalty resulting in the ball being placed at the 40. Or Von Miller, like a half-step from sacking Lamar Jackson on that final completion to Flowers. And then, going back to look at it, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams with one arm raised high in the air, his hand nearly blocking Tyler Loops game-winning field goal.
- Shorties: Good to see cornerback Shavon Revel at least moving around in individual drills after suffering a sprained knee, but says the ankle is really what's bothering him, though listed as not practicing in the team portion … While placing starting safety Jalen Thompson (hamstring) and defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard (calf) on IR-Return, the Cowboys did promote defensive tackle Elijah Garcia off the practice squad onto the 53-man roster, the 17-game veteran having at least played 281 defensive snaps over four seasons … And welcome back Juanyeh Thomas, the Cowboys having moved on from the four-year safety at the end of last season when suffering from season-ending chronic migraine headaches that affected his vision, allowing him to sign a one-year free agent deal with the Colts, only to be released on the last cut in August … Thomas and cornerbacks Tyrek Funderburk and Alex Austin all were signed to the practice squad, though remember once they get up to speed those guys at least can be elevated to the game-day 48-man roster if needed … Thought this an interesting note: CeeDee Lamb has caught at least five first-down passes in all three games to start the season, the longest streak by any Cowboys receiver to begin a season since Hall of Famer Michael Irvin did so in the first nine games in 1995.
For this week's last word, going to do a few things differently. After listening to Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer's Tuesday press conference, he did something don't think I've ever heard coming out of any of the Cowboys' previous head coaches' mouths: apologizing to the team for his self-described mistakes in the 34-31 loss to the Ravens in Rio on Sunday. So encouraging all to go to DallasCowboys.com to listen to his entire press conference, especially about the last 28 seconds of the game when he provided a thorough explanation of the Cowboys' final possession, the kickoff and the ensuing defensive alignment.
And now this: Choosing several of Jaishawn Barham's responses to questions posed during Wednesday's locker room session at the makeshift podium, wanting to give some insight into the desirable attitude you want from your middle linebacker.
Q: How do you think you have played so far this season?
JB: "I think it was decent, but we didn't get wins, so it could be better."
Q: How do you think you are progressing as a young player?
JB: "I think it's week by week. I'm getting better every week, learning from the older guys, learning from the coaches, trying to find a way to get better."
Q: How do you guys get better against the run?
JB: "Better against the run … you have to be more physical, have to want to do it."
Q: What do you like about wearing the Green Dot?
JB: "What do I like about it? I don't know, it's just football."
Q: What was it like to stop Derrick Henry, to bring him down?
JB: "It's football."
Q: Does it mean a lot that you might be the starter at the middle linebacker position for the rest of the season?
JB: "Nah. I mean, that's what I came here to do, play football, to find a role on this team, help this team. So now that I'm doing that, I feel like I've got to keep doing that, helping this team."
Gotta love that. All of that. The kind of no-nonsense attitude at least I want from my middle linebacker, and while friendly the whole five minutes, no smiles. And while I wasn't covering the team then, can't imagine Cowboys Ring of Honor middle linebacker Lee Roy Jordan ever did a whole lot of smiling during interviews.
Their eyes have it.
