Even with the loss, the Cowboys locked down a spot in the postseason
The only thing that went well for the Dallas Cowboys in Buffalo was their third straight postseason trip, which they completed thanks to Atlanta’s loss, before their 31-10 loss to the Bills.
The last time the Cowboys did that was during a six-year postseason run in the 1990s that included three Super Bowl victories.
Dallas is aware that opponents will target the team’s run defense in an attempt to thwart their greatest postseason run since those times.
James Cook of Buffalo ran for 179 yards, the most by a running back in a game against the Cowboys since Alfred Morris finished with 200 yards in the season finale in 2012.
The Bills’ 266 rushing yards against Dallas were their highest since 2020, the year before defensive coordinator Dan Quinn took over and turned around one of the worst defensive teams in team history.
Despite the progress Quinn’s Cowboys (10-4) have made in terms of sacks and turnovers, stopping the run has proven to be an issue.
The most noticeable problem Quinn has had in his three seasons was back to haunt him against the Bills, with the postseason drawing near.
Cornerback Jourdan Lewis told reporters, “It would be a stupid football team not to exploit some of the stuff you see that we have a problem with. I am confident that we will receive that in the future. However, I’m confident that we can resolve the issue.”
The most obvious reason for the absence is that defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins was absent due to a sprained ankle that may require several weeks to heal.
rookie selected in the first round In comparison to Hankins, who was added in a midseason trade last year specifically for that role, Mazi Smith hasn’t done much to demonstrate that he’s ready to be a run-stuffer.
The Cowboys knew they would need Hankins again, so they re-signed him even after selecting Smith. Runs in between the tackles, however, are not the only issue. Another problem has been perimeter carries.
Miami on Sunday and Detroit on December 30 are Dallas’ next two opponents, and both teams rank in the top four in the NFL in terms of rushing offense.
San Francisco, who has defeated the Cowboys in the playoffs the last two seasons, is ranked third.
Coach Mike McCarthy declared, “We have to be better, no question about it. They used the ball far too well.”
WHAT’S WORKING
With three playoff seasons under his belt, McCarthy’s Cowboys are 11-1 following a loss. In order to have any chance of making it to the playoffs, Dallas, who have won 15 straight games at home, needs to defeat the Dolphins, who are currently leading the AFC East, 12-1.
WHAT NEEDS HELP
Zack Martin, a six-time All-Pro right guard, left the game against the Bills in the first half due to a quadriceps injury. McCarthy stated the Cowboys were hopeful Martin wouldn’t miss any more time.
Without him, Dallas’ offense stagnated until the game was lost. When the Cowboys were trailing 31-3 in the fourth quarter, they used their lone touchdown drive to gain 80 of their 195 total yards.
STOCK UP
Again in Buffalo, Prescott’s scrambling ability has been strong for the majority of the season. After a first-quarter scramble that resulted in an unwarranted roughness call against Taylor Rapp, he finished with 24 yards on seven carries.
Prescott had obviously begun to slide when Rapp dove at and went over the top of him. A matching roughness call against Martin, who flattened Rapp to convey a message about taking a shot at the Dallas quarterback, negated that penalty.
STOCK DOWN
The Cowboys have a serious problem with the striking disparity between their performances at home and away from home, especially since the defeat to the Bills raised the probability that they will begin — and remain — on the road during the playoffs.
The Cowboys lead the league in points, total yards, and passing yards while on their home field, where they are riding a 15-game winning streak—the longest in 42 years for the team. Dallas ranks 15th, 21st, and 20th in those three categories when traveling.
At home, the Cowboys have a 171-point advantage (24.4 points per game) over their last seven opponents. They had a negative point differential traveling after the loss in Buffalo (156–152).
INJURIES
Martin was hit close to his left knee on the play that caused a quad bruise, but he was fortunate to avoid a serious injury. The Cowboys are worried about other ankle issues besides Hankins’s. Due to an ankle injury, safety Malik Hooker was also unable to play against Buffalo. As the playoffs draw near, a close eye will be on the health of both Hankins and Hooker.
KEY NUMBER
94 — The Cowboys were so poor against the run, Buffalo needed just 94 yards passing from QB Josh Allen. It was only the fifth game of his career with fewer than 100 yards through the air, and the first in what amounted to a full game since his rookie year in 2018. Allen’s attempts (15) were his fewest in a game in which he was the only one to throw a pass for Buffalo.
NEXT ACTIONS
Philadelphia has no more games against teams with winning records in the final three weeks of the NFC East title race. It is two for the Cowboys.