The Dallas Cowboys were never really competitive on Sunday night at Lambeau Field.
Sure, they technically were close at one point in time. The scoreboard says they “only” lost by 10 points. But anybody who watched that game knows that Dallas was getting beat soundly from start to finish. In a matter of serious frustration, this is the second week in a row where this was the case.
The Cowboys are at a crossroads right now. Are they going to continue to be the lifeless version that we are seeing on a week
to week basis? I suppose that since they keep offering it they are choosing to answer that way.
Whatever the case, here is our Stock Report following Sunday’s loss. It is, shocker here, not fun.
Stock Down: Brian Schottenheimer
What is unique about this moment is that the Cowboys had the mini-bye to prepare for this game. Obviously the goal was to win, but if they had shown fight then at least you could make an argument that they were prepared and simply fell short. That was not the case.
This team looks flat and like it lacks leadership, so the leadership is in serious question.
Stock Down: Dak Prescott
This was certainly one of the worst games of Dak Prescott’s career.
What happened to the version of Dak that excelled against the blitz? Maybe defenses have figured out a way to neutralize what he took advantage of, but right now it has seriously become the quarterback’s kryptonite.
A lot went wrong. But the franchise quarterback being a part of that is never a good thing.
Stock Down: Klayton Adams
It feels like Klayton Adams has seen others around him take more heat given that he is the offensive coordinator who doesn’t call plays.
Well, what does he do then? I ask this respectfully.
Before, Adams was helpful in coordinating the run game and setting things up in that fashion. The run game is a serious problem. So what is it that he is overseeing right now? That question needs answering.
Stock Down: Terence Steele
We are again stating the obvious, but the Cowboys have a serious problem on the right side of their offensive line. Terence Steele is actively limiting the potential of the offense as a whole. This is where it would be nice to see Klayton Adams help out.
Stock Down: Christian Parker
After the game it seemed like a lot of people “felt like” the Cowboys defense did a better job in the second half. The bar is low here, but I kind of agreed with that in the moment.
With some time to reflect it seems this really wasn’t the case. Even if it was, the Cowboys defense hardly had a good night. Look how they were obliterated on money downs specifically.
What’s more is that the Packers kept seeing their star receivers drop what would have been huge gains or touchdowns. The point here is that things could/should have been much worse for the Cowboys defense and that is Christian Parker’s territory.
Parker’s public approval rating is as low as it can get these days. The Cowboys are in a spot where they need consistency on that side of the ball. But this is so bad.
Stock Down: Caleb Downs
Early in this game the Cowboys saw their rookie getting picked on. On one hand it feels unfair to expect Downs to be elite right away, but on the other, that was sort of the expectation based on who he was in college. It can’t be both ways.
Downs has to find a way to catch up to the NFL level. Right now that has yet to fully take.
Stock Down: Jaishawn Barham
Similarly, it is hard to say that a rookie, third-round pick should be tasked with saving the Cowboys defense. This becomes even more true when you remember that Barham had his hand in the ground a lot in college.
But what we are seeing now is so far from the progress that Barham showed against Baltimore. He is another liability out there.
Stock Down: Von Miller
When the Cowboys signed Von Miller it was an awesome story. He is a legend of the state and it seemed like he had enough corporate knowledge to pass down to the young players across the roster.
Has any of that happened? Right now Von Miller just looks like a shell of himself, and it’s not like the rest of the defense is looking incredible in the process.
Stock Down: Donovan Ezeiruaku
So much of this season’s hopes rested on Donovan Ezeiruaku taking a step in his second season. He actually saw his playtime diminished in this game in favor of rookie Malachi Lawrence for any indication on how that process is going.
The Cowboys are in the worst need for pass rush help. Ezeiruaku has to provide it. Some of it. Any kind of it.
Stock Up: Brevyn Spann-Ford
At the very least the Cowboys appeared to get some stable and solid production out of Spann-Ford. This was one of their “we are going to make some changes!” moves that seemed to produce legitimate fruit.
Maybe the others will someday, too.
