Jets Grounded in Big D

The Dallas Cowboys proved on Sunday that their Week 1 whipping of the Giants was no fluke.

The Cowboys backed it up with a second-straight dominating performance in a 30-10 win over the New York Jets on Sunday at AT&T stadium in Arlington.

The offense came to life, while the defense continued to rough up their opponent and the special teams made no mistakes. Here are my takeaways from the Cowboys’ win. Let’s get to it.

LAMB WAS NO SHEEP

CeeDee Lamb was the go-to-guy on Sunday afternoon for Dak Prescott.

Lamb, who led the Cowboys with just four catches in Week 1, only because they didn’t need him to be the guy, had a career day on Sunday afternoon against the Jets. He finished with a career high in catches and yards, pulling in 11 balls for 143 yards in the win.

It surpasses his best home game performance, the 10 catches he made at home in win over Philadelphia on Christmas Eve last season and ties the 11 grabs he made in a win at Tennessee and loss at Green Bay last season.

His 143 yards is the best day he has had at AT&T Stadium, passing his 124-yard performance during a 37-34 win over the Giants in October of 2020, and the third-best receiving day of his career.

The only thing he didn’t do on Sunday was find the end zone. I am sure that will be a must next week at Arizona.

But against the Jets, it was his day.

The Cowboys called his number from the start. After a couple plays called for Tony Pollard, head coach Mike McCarthy began feeding Lamb the ball. He matched his Giants’ game output in the first quarter against the Jets, when the Cowboys raced out to a 10-0 lead.

He finished the first half with seven catches on nine targets for 106 yards.

For the Cowboys to be good, the need Lamb to be consistent with big games, week in and week out. It is the 11th 100-yard game of his career.

OFFENSE ROARS TO LIFE

The Cowboys offense was, kind of, left out of the fun last week.

Not this week. They made their presence felt early.

After winning the toss, the Cowboys immediately stuffed the football right down the Jets throats. They looked like the offense the coaches have been talking about all offseason – fast in and out of the play.

The drive had it all. Dak Prescott was the general, going five for five through the air and scrambling for 15 yards on a third and six. Tony Pollard showed his toughness on several inside runs, as well as his speed on an outside run and catch. CeeDee Lamb had a big third down catch and run, as well as the grab on the first deep shot of the game. After getting stuffed on first and second down inside the New York 5, Prescott found Jake Ferguson for his first TD pass of the season. Finally, after all that, the Cowboys had no penalties.

With the pedal to the metal, the Cowboys put up 382 yards against the Jets. Prescott had 255 yards passing, completing passes to nine different receivers and backs, with two going for touchdowns.

Tony Pollard led the ground attack with 72 yards of the Cowboys 134 yards they accumulated on the ground. Pollard also had 37 yards on seven catches in the passing game.

It is the offense that head coach Mike McCarthy has been promising all offseason, it just took two weeks to get to it.

DEFENSE SLOWS DOWN NYJ

It’s a modern-day version of the Dooms Day Defense!

On the Jets first drive of the game, the defense looked to pick up right where they left off last Sunday. Three-and-out!

DeMarcus Lawrence blew up the first down run, stopping Breece Hall for a four-yard loss. After a quick completed pass on second down for nine yards, Micah Parsons got his first sack of the game. Parsons started at the end, but stunted and came through the A gap, smothering Zach Wilson for a seven-yard loss.

It set the tone for what the Jets would face all day long.

The Cowboys allowed just 215 total yards and 12 first downs in the win. They sacked Zach Wilson three times, allowed him to complete just 12 passes and rushed him into throwing three interceptions in the loss.

The Jets running game, which features two of the top backs in the league, was stuffed and rendered ineffective by the Dallas defense – 64 yards on 16 carries. Breece Hall had nine yards on four carries, while Dalvin Cook contributed seven yards on four carries.

1, 2, 3 TIGHT ENDS SHINE

The Cowboys have a trio of tight ends – Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker and Peyton Hendershot, that can do it all.

They are young, they can block, they can run, they can tackle (when needed) and they can catch.

Ferguson caught his first touchdown of the season, on the Cowboys first score of the game. It was also Prescott’s first touchdown pass of the season, a 4-yarder on third down on the opening drive.

Ferguson finished with four catches for 11 yards.

Prescott’s second TD toss of the afternoon also went to a tight end. This time it was rookie Luke Schoonmaker who was able to haul in the 1-yard pass. It was the first catch of Schoonmaker’s NFL career. Schoonmaker finished with the one catch for one yard, but it was a big yard.

McCarthy tried to get Peyton Hendershot his first touchdown of the season, but the second-year tight end was stuffed on an end-around run from the Jets 2. The Cowboys settled for a field goal on the drive.

They all contributed with big blocks in a running game that racked up 136 yards on 41 runs.

A HUNGRY YOUNG LION EATS

Micah Parsons can do almost whatever he wants, against whoever lines up across from him.

Sunday was no different.

The Lion, as he likes to be known as, was feasting from the opening possession. On third and five of the Jets opening sequence to start the game, Parsons used and inside stunt to smother quarterback Zach Wilson for a 7-yard loss.

Then on the Jets first possession of the second half, he looked to score his first touchdown of the season.

The Lion chased down Jets running back Dalvin Cook, after a 14-yard run, to strip the ball, recover it himself and race for 37 yards for the touchdown. The TD was taken off the board after an official review, but the strip and fumble recovery stood.

He ended his game-wrecking performance chasing Zach Wilson and forcing him to throw a pass right to Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse, the second of the game.

Parson finished the game with three tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and a forced pass into an interception (which I know is not a real stat, but it should be).

BONUS: NEW YORK JETS

The Jets are a good team, even without Aaron Rodgers. Lots of talent on both sides of the ball.

With Dalvin Cook and Breece Hall at running back, ,they are going to be problems for teams on their schedule. They had to abandon the run after falling behind by multiple scores early in the second half on Sunday. If they can get a lead into the second half, they are going to be able to ground out victories on the legs of those two guys.

Their jobs will be made easier if Zach Wilson can find completions in the passing game, and most importantly completions to Garrett Wilson. GW is special and the AFC East teams are going to get tired of seeing him twice every year.

On defense, they are as good up front as almost any team in the NFL. DT Quinnen Williams and DB Sauce Gardner are two of the very best at their positions. The Cowboys were just too good for them today.

The Jets are a playoff team.

QUICK HITS …

Cowboys have found a kicker in Brandon Aubrey. After missing his first kick, an extra point in the rain in New Jersey, he has made 13 straight kicks – including his five field goals and two extra points today. Most impressive was his 55-yarder in the third quarter against the Jets. It would have been good from 65. … The Cowboys are utilizing the little guys in some fun ways. Duece McAllister got six touches for 32 yards, including a long run of 13 yards. … Cowboys DT Osa Odighizuwa is going to be the team’s most improved player of the year. He had two tackles and a sack against the Jets, to go along with his four tackles and two sacks against the Giants in Week 1. He stuffed the middle of the line all game long on Sunday.