Cowboys 42-Lions 21

By A. Govea

December 27, 2016

There was a lot of talk about resting your starters for this game and next, after all the Boy’s have clinched the division and home throughout the playoffs. And, after watching the Oakland QB go down with a broken leg over the weekend, that might be the safe to do. After all as in golf,  if you are up by 3 on the last hole you usually just lay up, no need to fly the hazard from midfield. But, this group of Cowboys do not play safe, perheps it is youth, perhaps it is a now or never mode or maybe that just how they play the game.

This team looks like it’s having fun and that was the most evident when in the 2^nd half you had Dak  fake to Zek, that then appeared to be a reverse to Dez that utimately had Dez throwing a TD pass to Witten. That one had me smiling and saying “What! Wow” to no one but myself as I watched the game alone, except when my wife would walk in the room and ask “Who’s winning” That play I think is very representative of this Cowboy season it has for the most part just boys having fun. And Dez became the only other NFL player to catch 2 TDS and throw for one in NFL history. In addition Dez is second only 2^nd  on the Cowboys to the great Bob Hayes in touchdown receptions.

However it was not all fun and games in the first half as the Cowboy defense looked like it was reverting back to the 2015 model. The Lions seemed to be able to run the ball at will and of course when you can do that it sets up for freeway passing. This against the Cowboy defense that is nunber 1 in defending the run and the Lions last in runnung yards. This went on in the first half  but in the 2^nd half Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli had his group throw a shutout. Going in we all wondered how they would perform with DeMarcus Lawrence, Cedric Thorton and Tyrone Crawford out with injuries. Wonder no more this no name Defense continues to get better and may yet earn the nickname Doomsday Junior.

Even though it may seem redondunt, now Dak had another great game and I, and most are really immpressed with his ability to read defenses and audible out of a play for a better fitting one. As for Zek he did not have his usually 25 carries or more but had a huge 55 yard TD run and could have stayed in but what for. McFadden came in relief and did a good job as did the rest of the offense, and they should have improved on their dismal 19% 3^rd down conversation rate. As for Romo he continues to wait on the sidlines perhaps already thinking about next season and what that may bring.