A sudden competition for a starting job? This could be bad news for a Cowboys Nation hoping Week 11 is the “get-right” game many expect it to be.
LAS VEGAS - With the 3-5-1 Dallas Cowboys fully rested (albeit emotionally drained from the death of beloved teammate Marshawn Kneeland) and heading to Las Vegas for a primetime battle against the 2-7 Raiders, some are hoping this is a spot where Brian Schottenheimer’s team can begin a turnaround.
Vegas has lost three in a row, but Dallas’ two-game skid - marked by a blowout in Denver and a frustrating handling by Arizona - isn’t prospecting much favor. Nonetheless, Dallas opens as a -3.5 road favorites here in Las Vegas - some big time reinforcements from the IR are making a return to jumpstart the sluggish defense.
But …
Schottenheimer has expressed interest this week in opening a competition along the offensive line, where current starting right tackle Terence Steele has left a lot of meat on the bone and promising second-year man Nate Thomas is itching for an opportunity after solidly subbing in for an injured Tyler Guyton earlier in the year.
This could be bad news for a Cowboys Nation hoping Week 11 is the “get-right” game many expect it to be.
The reason? Vegas’ best player is Maxx Crosby, the punishing defensive end who feasts on opposing tackles in the pass rush.
Regardless of whether he lines up against right tackle Steele or left tackle Guyton, Crosby is expected to have the advantage.
So, why add to the disadvantage by bringing in a backup?
With center Cooper Beebe just returning from IR, why mess up the continuity that had just begun reforming?
There’s always the health benefit of rotating fresh bodies in to face the relentless motor of Mad Maxx, but in an O-line group where cohesive timing is critical, that can be a challenge. ...
Especially when coming off a bye where in-game reps haven’t been felt in a while.
As suspect as it sounds, the Cowboys may feel like they are the better team all-around and more likely to get a win over the Raiders, even if Crosby has an above-average day while the Dallas offensive line tests things out.
Our initial thoughts? This is a decision that comes out of necessity. Steele has greatly underperformed after his $82 million extension with a 56.4 Pro Football Focus grade to this point, and his struggles date back to last season as well. It’s all but foreshadowed an eventual divorce between Dallas and the earnest former UDFA from Texas Tech.
But that need for a change doesn’t make things any less daunting with Crosby on the other side.
Say, you could always push this position competition to another week … but you’ll be met with a “gauntlet” of a three-game slate against Philadelphia, Kansas City and Detroit. Those teams may not have a pass rusher of Crosby’s tier, but they are more complete - and flat-out better - teams than Dallas and will be favored to win.
Las Vegas cannot say that, so maybe it’s worth the Cowboys gamble in Sin City, because they could still win this game amid personnel adjustments.
Will it pay off? That’s up to how Steele responds to the challenge and how Thomas capitalizes on however many snaps he gets.
One thing’s for certain: Maxx Crosby is poised to make things difficult for all parties involved.