FRISCO, Texas — Kellen Moore had reiterated the same philosophy after three straight games.
“You’re going to have ups and you’re going to have downs,” the Dallas offensive coordinator said Nov. 25 after the Cowboys’ 36-33 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
“There’s going to be highs,” he added Dec. 6 after the Cowboys’ 27-17 win over the New Orleans Saints didn’t capture an offensive performance more accurately reflected by the offense’s 2-of-13 conversion rate on third down.
Then came Dallas’ latest win at Washington. The defense’s second straight performance with four takeaways somewhat muted concern about a quarterback who threw two uncharacteristic interceptions and an attack that went 1-of-6 from the red zone despite four Washington defensive linemen missing the game.
But it’s clear that the offensive rhythm propelling the Cowboys early in 2021 no longer consistently arrives.
So when Moore again Monday aimed to explain away the deficiencies as “highs and lows,” a reporter pressed back: Surely, Moore didn’t expect a low this prolonged, did he?
“I certainly think a little bit too much of a dip probably,” Moore conceded. “But I think we got a great opportunity ahead of ourselves. … If you’re going to go through a little bit of a bump, you want to go through it with these type of guys.”
The Cowboys’ offensive struggles are multifaceted. No element of their attack has maintained the early-season high caliber of play. But what is Dallas saying about the down performances? Here’s a breakdown:
Quarterback Dak Prescott: Head coach Mike McCarthy was adamant Monday: “I don’t think Dak is in a slump.” Also: “Yeah, Dak is healthy.” His production, however, has fallen off. Prescott posted a 115.0 quarterback rating while completing 73.1% of passes for 16 touchdowns and four interceptions in six games before he strained his calf entering Dallas’ bye. In six games since: Prescott’s rating has fallen to 82.8, his completion percentage 10 points to 63.2% and his ball security in the stretch has hovered at eight touchdowns to six interceptions.
“It’s frustrating,” Prescott said Sunday at Washington. “We’ve created these expectations and high standards and we have them for ourselves. So I mean just as much as the outside world isn’t pleased, we’re not.”
The sixth-year quarterback had drawn praise around the NFL for his mastery of the Dallas offense in September and October. On Sunday, his first interception was thrown higher and deeper than the intended receiver landed. On his second pick, he failed to see Washington’s linebacker, Moore said Monday. The Cowboys seek to reestablish Prescott’s groove through a controlled passing game, with short and intermediate passes enabling Prescott to settle in.
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Cowboys receivers: The Cowboys’ receivers have each missed time this season. Amari Cooper was out two games with COVID-19, CeeDee Lamb a game and a half after suffering a concussion and Michael Gallup seven weeks recovering from a calf strain. Prescott, his receivers and their coaches all suggest that time away has hurt their chemistry. But Prescott returned from an 11-month absence to open this season with 403 yards, including a 28-yard completion to Cooper on the first play. The group has demonstrated cohesiveness before, even against defenses aiming to contain them. What changed?
“Couple misconnections, miscommunications. Small things,” Lamb said last week before catching seven of 10 targets for 61 yards in addition to two carries for 15 yards at Washington. “We got to get our rhythm back, I do agree on that. But I mean you’re not going to put up 400 yards passing every game. I’m sorry that’s just not going to happen in the NFL. It doesn’t happen.
“We’re going to get back to the drawing board doing what we do and hopefully the results will be a lot better.”
Ezekiel Elliott and the run game: The Cowboys rushed for 164.3 yards per game during their first six contests, the second most in the league. The next seven games they’ve compiled 93.7 ground yards per game, good for 21st. Their 5.08 yards per carry average fell to 4.1. Elliott’s health has contributed. Elliott injured his right knee Oct. 3 in a win over Carolina. He has continued to offer versatile production rushing, receiving and pass protecting. But his production has fallen from 86.8 yards per game before Dallas’ bye to 41.3 in seven games since. And though Elliott insists MRIs indicate his knee is both improving and not at risk of further damage by playing, McCarthy admitted he felt the need to be cautious with his running back at Washington after another hit to the knee.
Add in running back Tony Pollard partially tearing his plantar fascia in a 58-yard touchdown run at New Orleans, and the Cowboys’ explosive potential plummets. The backs themselves aren’t the only ones responsible for the decline in running game. The run lanes are less clear and Prescott’s dual-threat ability less emphasized and thus less drawing attention away from the running backs. Packages featuring extra offensive linemen lead-blocking in addition to Pollard bullying on the perimeter have worked well, though Moore says such plays are secondary elements of the rushing game plan. The Cowboys want to return to an attack with a punishing uphill run game.
“I thought our run game had some clean stuff in there,” Moore said Monday after Dallas ran for 122 yards at Washington. “I know it’s 4-, 5-, 6-yard gains, it’s not the fancy stuff that makes highlights. (But) I like the step we took in terms of the run game.”
Offensive line: The Cowboys’ offensive line lineup hearkens to the Abbott and Costello spiel: “Who’s on first?” Dallas’ rotation remains so inconsistent that coaches even intentionally substituted their left guard and right tackle for the third series and only the third series on Thanksgiving. An injury to left tackle Tyron Smith and COVID-19 for All-Pro right guard Zack Martin and right tackle Terence Steele have impacted the lineup. Coaches also faced decisions about how they value veteran experience relative to lineup continuity when right tackle La’el Collins returned from a five-game suspension to find Steele filling in nicely. Instability has undoubtedly contributed to less fluid run blocking and pass protecting. And at center, Tyler Biadasz and Prescott had multiple snaps on the ground at Washington in an operation that has yet to fully solidify.
“Continuity is preferred,” Moore said. Offensive line is “a little bit of a symphony at times. When they’re all aligned and they’re all stepping at the same time, I think that gives us something pretty special up there … There are adjustments that need to be made (but) I think our guys are finding their groove and we’re going to head into this thing the right way.”
Next up: The Cowboys’ offense is still explosive, their 409.1 yards and 29.2 points per game each second-best in the league. So these areas for improvement speak less to production alone and more to shoring up efficiency and reliability in hopes of playoff success. The Cowboys’ defense has drastically improved this season. So the immediate next goal is to rediscover the elusive offensive rhythm, build off the elements of the Cowboys’ attack that have worked and ride each to the end zone. Division contests against struggling Giants and Washington teams await next before Dallas hosts the high-octane Cardinals.
“We started off hot, went through a little bit of a lull,” Prescott said. “It’s growing pains. It’s just getting some kinks out. I feel like we’ve been in a lot of different situations and experienced a lot of different games, whether we’re not getting the ball much or whether we’re playing slow and different things we can learn from. Whether it resulted in a win or a loss.
“I think our best ball is ahead.”
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein.
