QUICK HIT WEDNESDAY: Cowboys Nuggets

Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is having an All-Pro season, recording double-digit catches in five games and eclipsing 100 yards receiving in six games, while also continuing to put his name into the franchise’s records book. Here are some quick hits (1,600+ words worth) on another record for CeeDee, dominating play from Osa Odighizuwa, winning in December, this week’s opponent and more. Let’s get to it.

HIT NO. 1: Lamb hits 100, Again

For the second straight season, Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has hauled in more than 100 receptions. Through 14 games this season, he already has 103. Combine that with the 107 balls he caught last season and Lamb is the first player in franchise history to record 100-plus catches in multiple seasons. Michael Irvin (111 catches in 1995) and Jason Witten (110 catches in 2012) are the only other payers in Cowboys history with more than 100 catches in a season.

HIT NO. 2: Parsons Climbing Record Books

If Cowboys edge Micah Parsons can record 1.0 sacks over the next three games, he will hit 40.0 career sacks and become just the fifth player since 1982 with at least 40 sacks in their first three seasons. He will join Reggie White (52.0), Derrick Thomas (43.5) Aldon Smith (42.0) and Dwight Freeney (40.0). Parsons is currently 13th all time on the Cowboys sacks list, behind DeMarcus Lawrence (58.5, 2014-present) and ahead of Charles Haley (39.0, 1992-96) on that list. DeMarcus Ware holds the team record with 117.0 record sacks from 2005 to 2013.

HIT NO. 3: December Wins

Since Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy arrived in Dallas for the 2020 season, the team has an .800 winning percentage in the month of December, going 12-3 so far. That is third best in the NFL, behind only Buffalo (.857) and Green Bay (.846). A win over the Dolphins on Christmas Eve afternoon and that will climb to .817.

HIT NO. 4: Prescott Finding End Zone

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is lighting up opponents through the air this season, racking up 28 touchdowns in the teams 14 games so far. With just two more passing touchdowns this season, it would give Prescott 30 passing touchdowns in a season for the third time in his career. He did it in 2019 and 2021. Tony Romo is the only other quarterback in franchise history to hit this mark, and he did it four times – 36 passing touchdowns in 2007, 34 passing touchdowns in 2014 and 31 passing touchdowns in 2011 and 2013.

HIT NO. 5: Ferguson Showing Up

Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson is already having his name mentioned with franchise greats at his position, but with another 71 yards receiving this season he will cement his name in the records book. Ferguson has 788 yards receiving in 2023, and with just over 70 more yards he will pass Billy Joe Dupree (858) for the second-most receiving yards by a Cowboys tight end in his first two seasons. He would only trail Jason Witten, who had 1,327 in his first two seasons in Dallas.

HIT NO. 6: Halftime Leads Important

When the Cowboys get out to a fast start, they are almost uncatchable. They are averaging a league-high 18.6 points in the first half this season and are 9-1 when leading at halftime and just 1-3 when trailing at the same point. They have yet to go into the locker room at halftime tied this season.

HIT NO. 7: A Dominating Osa

Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa is having a career season, disrupting offenses in both the run and pass game. In 2023, Odighizuwa has 3.0 sacks, but ranks second in Pass Rush Win Rate among interior defensive linemen at 19.2-percent. A pass rush win occurs when a defender beats his block in less than 2.5 seconds, and Odighizuwa has 28 wins in 146 plays. That is second to the Rams Aaron Donald (53 wins, 248 snaps, 21.4% PRWR), and just in front of the Giants Dexter Lawrence (39, 213, 18.3%), the Eagles Jalen Carter (35, 200, 17.5%) and the Colts DeForest Buckner (36, 212, 17%).

HIT NO. 8: Negative Plays

After ranking 24th in negative plays for their opponent in 2020, Dallas has flipped the script on that since defensive coordinator Dan Quinn’s arrival for the 2021 season. In 2023, the Cowboys defense has been on the field for 834 snaps and caused a negative play on 295 of those, for a 35.4-percent negative play rate. Good enough for fifth in the NFL this season behind only Cleveland (807 snaps, 344 neg. plays, 42.6%), Baltimore (913, 342, 37.5%), New Orleans (877, 314, 35.8%) and Atlanta (884, 314, 35.5%). 

HIT NO. 9: Bland On Blanket Coverage

Along with his NFL leading eight interceptions, including five that he returned for touchdowns, Cowboys defensive back DaRon Bland has 14 pass break ups which is good enough for seventh in the NFL this season. He trails on San Francisco’s Charvarious Ward (22), Jacksonville’s Darious Williams (19), Seattle’s Devon Witherspoon (16), Washington’s Benjamin St-Juste (16), Philadelphia’s Darius Slay (15) and New Orleans’ Paulson Adebo (15).

HIT NO. 10: AT&T Is Where Dak’s Heart Is

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is one of the top QBs in the league when playing at home. Since entering the NFL in 2016, Prescott has accounted for 134 touchdowns – 116 passing and 18 rushing, in 57 games at AT&T Stadium. That is best in the league over that time span, ahead of Denver’s Russell Wilson (59 games, 122 passing and 7 rushing), retired Tom Brady (54 games, 118 passing and 6 rushing), Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins (60 games, 115 passing and 7 rushing) and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers (53 games, 114 passing and 7 rushing).

HIT NO. 11: Punishing Pollard

Cowboys running back Tony Pollard is not just headed towards another 1,000-yard rushing season, he is punishing opposing defenses along the way. Pollard has 593 yards after contact this season, which is good enough for eighth in the NFL by Pro Football Focus. He is behind the 49ers Christian McCaffrey (847), the Titans Derrick Henry (698), the Dolphins Raheem Mostert (669), the Rams Kyren Williams (652), the Jaguars Travis Etienne Jr. (640), the Buccaneers Rachaad White (696) and the Giants Saquon Barkley (593).

HIT NO. 12: Big Plays All Around

The Cowboys have been one of the most productive offenses in the NFL this season, due in large part to their ability to produce big plays. Constituted as any play that goes for more than 10 yards, the Cowboys have racked up 195 of them – 41 rushing, 154 passing, in 2023, which is good enough for fifth. The trail only Miami (53 rush, 162 pass, 215 total), San Francisco (61, 149, 210 total), Detroit (50, 149, 199 total) and Houston (44, 152, 196 total).

HIT NO. 13: Third Down Success

The Cowboys have been one of the best teams in the NFL on third downs this season, converting on 94 of 194 attempts for a second-best 48.5-percent success rate in 14 games. They are only behind Buffalo (88 conversions, 179 attempts, 49.2%). The Cowboys are just 16th when facing third and short (under four yards), but are second in the league on third and medium (4-6 yards) and third and long (more than six yards) and tied for sixth on third and more than 10 yards needed with a 20.5-percent success rate.

HIT NO. 14: Aubrey Still Rolling Along

Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey is having an All-Pro season. He leads the NFL in kicking points with 133, which is only five points away from passing Brett Maher (137 in 2022) for the most kicking points in team history. He has also made 31 field goals this season fifth most by any Cowboys kicker in a season. With four more made field goals this season, he will pass Richie Cunningham and Greg Zuerlein, who are tied for the top spot with 34. Finally, Aubrey has made eight field goals on 50 yards or more this season. He needs just one more to tie Maher (9 in 2022) for the single-season franchise lead.

HIT NO. 15: Cowboys Best After Losses

Since the start of the 2021 season, the second under head coach Mike McCarthy, the Cowboys are 11-1 at home in games following a loss. That is a .917 winning percentage, which leads the NFL during that span of 48 games.

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NEXT OPPONENT: WHAT’S UP WITH THE DOLPHINS?

The Miami Dolphins have finally forced their way out of the NFL’s basement dwellers and have vaulted to the top of the AFC East this season, and are second overall in the AFC, with a 10-4 record. In their wins, the Dolphins are averaging 36.3 points per game, while in their losses it drops to just 19.5. At home, the Dolphins are 6-2 at home and are beating teams by an average of 20.3 points, on the road that drops to 2.5 points while going 4-2. Under quirky head coach Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins offense leads the NFL in yards per game (414.1), passing yards per game (274.4) and points per game (31.5). Behind quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who leads the NFL in total passing yards with 3,921, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who leads the NFL in receiving yards with 1,542, and running back Raheem Mostert, third in the NFL in total rushing yards with 966, the Dolphins offense is hard to stop. On defense, they are almost just as good as their offense, ranking fifth overall by allowing just 293.4 yards per game to opponents. They are allowing 203.1 yards through the air (10th in the league) and another 90.4 on the ground, which is fourth best this season. They are led defensively by linebackers David Long (92), Jerome Baker (69) and Bradley Chubb (64), who are three of the top four on the team in tackles. Chubb leads the team in sacks with 9.5, while defensive tackle Christian Wilkins as the most tackles for loss with 10. Xavien Howard, who has 11 pass break ups, and Jalen Ramsey (3 interceptions) leads the Miami secondary.