Picking out positives after a loss like the Dallas Cowboys had in Week 1 isn’t easy. The New York Giants
dominated them at the line of scrimmage and bullied them up and down the field in Week 1. They held the ball for over 36 minutes and ran for 165 yards total. New York used the offseason to build a big, physical team to match new head coach John Harbaugh’s style of play, and it showed against Dallas. Not everything was terrible for the Cowboys, though.Dallas answered some questions, and showed legitimate progression in multiple offensive areas. Whether it was situational or individual play, the Cowboys came up with tape the coaches could praise.
A much-maligned former first-round pick played like a plus starter. A really successful part of
last year's offense looked even better, and a mediocre area of the offense looked massively improved. Here are some areas of the game Dallas will want to move forward with, even in a loss.
Tyler Guyton
Going into the offseason, the Cowboys' biggest worry on offense was left tackle Tyler Guyton. Last season, he had a Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade of 57.4 overall with a pass-blocking grade under 50. His PFF grade for Sunday was 70.2 overall. He allowed two pressures on 36 pass rush reps and allowed zero pressures to Brian Burns on 20 attempts. Guyton also mauled people a few times in the run game. If he is a solid starter and can stay healthy, it’s an incredible positive even in a bad loss.
Red zone offense
Last season, Dallas had one of the best offenses in the NFL, but they had to improve in the red zone. Their red-zone touchdown percentage was 56.9%, in the bottom half of the league, and they were essentially poor in goal-to-go situations. In Week 1 against the Giants, Dallas seemed to turn the corner by scoring touchdowns on all three of their red-zone attempts.
One score was on a swing pass from the 17-yard line to Javonte Williams, but the other two were in goal-to-go situations, and they got in the end zone rushing once and throwing the other. Dallas needs to get in the Top 10 in red zone touchdown rate this season, and Week 1 was a perfect start.
Third-down offense
The Cowboys had a top-10 third-down offense last season, converting on 43% of their third-down plays. That isn’t easily replicated, but Dallas is off to an even better start. They were 8-for-11 on third down in Week 1, a 73% conversion rate. They were second in the league, only behind the Giants, whom they played. One of the failed conversions for Dallas came after a replay showed George Pickens falling inches short on a slant that went for eight yards on 3rd-and-9.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or on YouTube at Across the Cowboys podcast
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 3 positives Cowboys need to carry forward into Wk 2, remainder of '26
