Month by Month: What wearned in September
Just like that, the focus changes to next year, with free agency starting in March and the NFL Draft in April.Before we go into the next phases for this club, let’s look back at the 2023 season, with a monthly breakdown of what went right and wrong for the Cowboys.
Let’s start with the month of September.
Employee of the Month: Micah Parsons continued his third season where he left off the prior year: wreaking havoc on the quarterback. Parsons was an animal in all three of the season’s early games, particularly in Week 2 against the Jets, who had no answer for his rush off the edge. Parsons was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month after racking up 15 pressures and four sacks in three games.
They seemed like contenders. When: The opening quarter of the first game. With the entire world watching, the Cowboys entered the Meadowlands and immediately dominated the Giants. A blocked field goal for a touchdown, followed by a Pick 6 by DaRon Bland, put the Cowboys on track for a 40-0 victory. Remember, the Giants were still coming off a playoff berth from the previous year and a trip in the Divisional round. So there was a message from this Cowboys squad, who dominated in all three phases of the game.
Reaching for the panic button. When: James Connor surpassed 200 yards in just one game against them in Week 3. The Cowboys were 2-0 and much favored to defeat the faltering Cardinals. Despite the absence of three starters on the offensive line (Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, and Tyler Biadasz), the offense struggled, particularly in the red zone. The Cowboys’ biggest problem, however, was their failure to stop the Arizona offense, which included Connor, who finished with a career-high 222 rushing yards.
Something to Remember: Three days before the game in Arizona, the Cowboys suffered one of their most devastating losses of the season, and it occurred on a Thursday. However, when cornerback Trevon Diggs sustained a ruptured ACL, the defense suffered a significant blow. Although the injury likely cleared the way for DaRon Bland, who went on to have five pick-sixes among his league-leading nine interceptions, the Cowboys still struggled against high-powered offenses like San Francisco, Miami, Buffalo, and Philadelphia (the first game). Diggs should be able to return to form closer to training camp, with a potential to be ready for Week 1 in 2024.
Before being moved from the Cardinals to Minnesota, quarterback Joshua Dobbs had a 1-7 record in Arizona, with his only victory coming against the Cowboys. Against Dallas that day, Dobbs had a season-high completion % (.816) on 17 of 21 throwing and a 44-yard run, his longest carry from scrimmage in Arizona or Minnesota.