DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys improved their home record to 3-0 after a 40-7 drubbing of the 3rd ranked defense of the Jacksonville Jaguars. This season the Cowboys have played much better at home with an average of 28.7 points per game versus their 12.3 points per game on the road where they remain winless. Their seven points given up at home was the first time since the open against New York in 2017 allowing less than 10 points.
The Cowboys need to get better on the road and they need to do it with some urgency. The team will play three of their next four on the road with trips to Washington and Philadelphia. Dallas is currently only a half game behind Washington in a bunched up division due to them having a bye week in Week 4. The Cowboys haven’t score more than 16 points in a road contest since they scored 20 against the Oakland Raiders in mid-December of last season.
Dallas can determine their own fate against Washington and the Philadelphia Eagles in the hotly contested NFC East. Getting out to a 3-0 division lead with seven games remaining after the Eagles game would do wonders. At that point they would finish with four of those games coming at home where they have performed much better this season.
One thing that needs to happen is someone outside of Ezekiel Elliott and Cole Beasley needs to step up to help Dak Prescott out. Elliott has averaged 148 total yards at home and 102.6 on the road. Beasley is averaging 55.7 yards at home and 42.3 on the road.
For Beasley, that's not exactly world beating numbers but he's coming off a game where he picked up 101 yards against a stingy set of Jacksonville DBs. Regardless, this offense doesn’t put up big numbers outside of running the ball. The NFL's second leading rusher and Dak's security blanket need more help from others on the offense.
Geoff Swaim is currently third in terms of catching the ball with 16 receptions for 180 yards. He would be a good fourth or fifth option behind Elliott, Beasley and another receiver or two. There hasn't been consistency from the rest of the group. Tavon Austin has shown good flashes but he has durability concerns dating back to when he joined the league with the Rams and will likely miss Sunday's contest in Washington due to a groin injury.
Allen Hurns was brought in to help this passing attack but he has only caught 36% of the passes thrown his way. The Cowboys need more from Hurns. Rookie Michael Gallup likewise needs to become a more consistent option as he currently only hauls in 41% of the passes thrown his way. Hurns averages just under four targets per game (3.7) and Gallup (2.8).
The Cowboys' top two outside receivers haven’t been able to find that rhythm with Dak to translate chances into conversions. What Gallup has shown, however, is that he can be a downfield threat with a 15.6 yards per catch and he very nearly scored his first touchdown last Sunday.
Should the Dallas Cowboys find ways to get more people involved in the passing game, that should set up Ezekiel Elliott to have more success on the ground and when Ezekiel Elliott has success on the ground, the Cowboys win.
One thing is for sure, despite all odds and all of their offensive deficiencies on the road, the Cowboys are in the thick of the NFC East division chase.
Who do you think can be the weapon to step forward and help Dak Prescott and the Cowboys' offense maintain their momentum? Share your thoughts with Patrick on Twitter @DraftCowboys.
