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Coach McCarthy used the bye week to focus on

In the midst of the Cowboys’ positive results, it still cannot be said with full authority that the team is completely perfect. Of course, there is not a single team in the NFL that is without flaws, but it can be said with authority that Dallas is right now one of the best groups in the National Conference and the league.

Now, during the bye week, coach Mike McCarthy took the opportunity to meet with his coaching staff and assess the team’s weaknesses. The objective of course is to avoid mistakes and for the group to arrive stronger than ever against the Vikings and the rest of the duels that they have later.

As the team strives for excellence, Head Coach McCarthy and the rest of his coaching staff participate in “lobby” meetings. This is to evaluate the different areas of team performance. So it’s a great opportunity to gain a general understanding of what can harm them and identify the root causes as they seek to improve.

After six weeks of continuous play in the regular season, there are some areas of concern within the team. One in particular of offense and others related to defense. Which need to be polished as soon as possible. More before the tough test they will have in week 8 against Minnesota.

On the offensive side, the Cowboys have done very well in producing points and yards that they have been winning throughout the championship. However, there is a detail to take into account and it is the little production that they have at the moment of gaining few yards. In short, they are very complicated at the moment of gaining a few inches that can give them a clear score or that they can move the chains to continue advancing clearly in the field.

This situation was clearly seen in the game against the Patriots in the final minutes before halftime. On third and fourth and goal chances, Dallas simply couldn’t score to seek to get ahead on the scoreboard. By that time, the lone star team was trailing 10-14. Instead, they ended up turning the ball over and it was recovered by rival linebacker Kyle Van Noy. There were certain controversies in that offensive series, especially from the refereeing. But the point is that it could not be converted and this must be avoided.

This is something that certainly needs to be improved, because the idea is to distance yourself from your rivals as quickly as possible. If it is something that cannot be achieved, they can get into trouble very easily and without any need.

However, the defensive problems also afflict although there are very good results. The team is having trouble defending deep passes. Despite having 11 interceptions (of which seven are by Trevon Diggs) they are averaging 295 yards per game. This is clearly the third worst record in the league.

There are specific problems in coverage and it has not been something at once, it has been presented on several occasions. The last one was a 75-yard deep pass from rival quarterback Mac Jones to receiver Kendrick Bourne. Which left Dallas in a bind just over two minutes after the game was over against New England. Had it been a different result, perhaps the team would not have had overtime and the need to continue exploiting Prescott and the cowgirl offense to win the game.

Another fundamental aspect is the defense of the rival ground game. Dallas has not been a team that this season has conceded much. However, during the game at Gillette Stadium, it is the first time all season that the Cowboys have allowed more than 100 yards on a specific player. We’re talking about Patriots running back Damien Harris, who finished Week 6 with 101 yards and a touchdown.

In short, despite the improvements, the defense has looked bad in specific situations. This is something that can be improved, and should be avoided at all costs in future presentations. If Dallas aspires to reach a high level, every player on the roster will have to do their part. This includes those who may be able to get through a trade or those who are returning from injured reserve.

What is clear is that it is expected that with these meetings and analysis the team can arrive in much better shape for week 8. Their next rival on the calendar is the Vikings on October 31st. Therefore, as many errors as possible must be avoided. And try to have a good lead on the scoreboard before half time if possible.

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