The Dallas Cowboys inexplicably lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night. It remains impossible to believe. Unfortunately we have to wait a little bit before the Cowboys have a chance at redemption. Such is the issue with losing on a Thursday.
We have a lot of time to sit and think about what we were all subjected to during the only home game at AT&T Stadium throughout the month of October. As we do, let’s check out our stock report following the Buccaneers loss.
Stock Down: Brian Schottenheimer
It is often said that short
weeks either highlight or expose a head coach for what he does to have his team ready to go. Brian Schottenheimer in no way had the Dallas Cowboys ready to go. You can make an argument that he has rarely had the team ready to go in any given week this season.
We are approaching mid-October of his second season at the helm and the Cowboys have only been above .500 once under his leadership. The defense is and has been bad and all of that jazz, but the head coach has to find a way. He has not.
Stock Down: Christian Parker
Have we, at any point, felt like we got what we thought we did with Parker? There is an argument to be made that Christian Parker is the most disappointing person across the entire NFL so far this season, at least relative to expectations. Consider the level of impossibility that he would be so similar to Matt Eberflus in results.
Stock Down: Dak Prescott
The end of the game was interesting, but the burying on the way there was a big issue. To be clear, Dak doesn’t deserve stock down for his interceptions. Tipped balls are not the quarterback’s fault.
But not being able to move the Greatest Offense There Is repeatedly and allowing the hole to be dug is. Prescott took way too long to get going and the team as a whole suffered as a result.
Stock Down: DaRon Bland
There isn’t much to say that hasn’t been said right now. It is bad. It is historically bad. It is unbelievably bad.
Sigh.
Stock Down: Nick Sorensen
It is possible that they didn’t let Brandon Aubrey attempt a 64-yard field goal out of fear given blocks in the last two weeks. If that is the case then the failures of Nick Sorensen’s special teams group have officially handicapped the team at large.
Stock Down: Jake Ferguson
I’ve been slower to jump at the idea that Ferguson is really limiting the team, but this game was a really bad look for him. Clearly the tipped pass at the end was a breaking point. It may legitimately be time to let Brevyn Spann-Ford have more opportunities.
Stock Down: Quinnen Williams
The Cowboys paid to have a war daddy on their defensive line and Quinnen Williams has had barely a handful of legitimate moments this season. Against a rookie, undrafted free agent quarterback? Getting no real pressure in his face? This simply cannot happen.
Stock Down: KaVontae Turpin
It was remarkable that it was his first fumble on a return, but the fumble did happen and it came at a critical time. In a similar way to Quinnen Williams, Turpin hasn’t really provided a real advantage in some time.
Stock Up: Ryan Flournoy
Good for him. This was a great game in a vacuum. But empty calories.
Stock Up: Malachi Lawrence
The rookie deserves kudos for playing hard. It came in a loss, but perhaps he is a promising point for the future.
