Cowboys Top 10 Takeaways: Dallas Blasts Jets for Perfect 2-0 Start
In 64 seasons of football, the Dallas Cowboys have never gotten off to a better, more dominant start.
Micah Parsons caused havoc, CeeDee Lamb caught everything and the Cowboys - for the second consecutive Sunday - played almost flawlessly, this time blasting the Aaron Rodgers-less New York Jets, 30-10, to improve to 2-0.
Coming off last week's historic 40-0 thrashing of the Giants, the Cowboys become only the third team since 1970 to score at least 70 points and allow 10 or fewer in the first two games of the season. The 1970 Detroit Lions finished 10-4 and lost their Wild Card playoff game; same for the New England Patriots in 2019 after going 12-4.
Somewhere on Sunday, you got the feeling Rodgers was secretly happy he wasn't been chased by Parsons all over AT&T Stadium.
10. MESSAGE, DELIVERED - In the copycat NFL these days, the hip strategy is to win the coin toss, "defer" until the second half and then, of course, receive the kick-off. But Mike McCarthy threw a curveball, winning the toss and electing to get the ball on offense first. The tactic worked perfectly, as the Cowboys drove 75 yards in 12 plays to take a 7-0 lead and never look back.
9. TIGHTEN UP - Jake Ferguson caught a touchdown pass. Rookie Luke Schoonmaker grabbed his first NFL catch, which was also a score that pushed Dallas' early lead to 18-7. In other words, the Cowboys' tight ends are doing just fine on a team that scored 70 points through two games. Meanwhile while in Houston, former Cowboy Dalton Schultz has six catches for 38 yards in two weeks for the 0-2 Texans.
8. DOOMSDAY RISING - The Cowboys didn't allow a point in opposing offenses' first 15 drives of the season. Then Jets' speedster Garrett Wilson burned Stephon Gilmore and safety Malik Hooker for a catch over the middle and a 68-yard score. But other than that hiccup ... nada. This season Dallas has given up only 10 points, recorded 10 sacks and created seven takeaways including four against the Jets.
Said McCarthy, "Definitely we're off to an outstanding start. The pressure and takeaways are at another level.”
7. BAKER'S DOZEN - Dak Prescott wasn't perfect. But his start was. The quarterback completed his first 13 passes, first for a Cowboy since Tony Romo did it against the Bills in 2011.
And ... about those interception concerns. The guy who threw 14 in 17 games a year ago so far hasn't been picked off this season in 62 throws.
6. SCARY SIGHT - While we were all watching replays to see if Micah Parsons would be awarded a touchdown after his third-quarter forced fumble, a scary event occurred nearby on the Cowboys' sideline. Defensive line assistant coach Shariff Floyd fainted to the ground. He was taken to the medical tent for evaluation and later to the locker room.
5. STAR POWER - Last week the Cowboys got game-changing plays from unlikely stars such as Noah Igbinoghene and DaRon Bland. Sunday was back to the usual suspects, as Parsons constantly created havoc (and two turnovers) and Lamb grabbed 11 passes for 143 yards.
4. KICKIN' BACK - After yanking his first extra point way wide last week, rookie kicker Brandon Aubrey has been perfect. Like a golfer three-putting the first hole for a bogey, then making birdies on the next couple of holes. He's made every PAT and field goal since, including a booming 55-yarder in the third quarter that hit halfway up the net behind the goal post.
Might have been good from 65. Aubrey's five field goals are the most by a Cowboys' kicker since Dan Bailey in 2013.
3. TEXAS THREE-STEP? - Cowboys are 2-0 for the first time 2019, when it led to an disappointing 8-8 finish that got Jason Garrett fired. They will be heavy favorites next Sunday in Arizona when they face backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs and the Cardinals.
2. TURNOVER TEMPLATE - What's the easiest route to two blowout victories to start a season? A turnover ratio of an eye-popping plus-7. Cowboys have generated seven takeaways and have yet to commit a turnover.
1. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - The city so nice the ... Cowboys whipped it twice. In Weeks 1-2 against the Giants and Jets, Dallas cakewalked to two wins by a combined score of 70-10.