The line for this game was bet up to double digits, but we were concerned that the Cowboys could make this a game so we avoided this one. Tampa Bay is the hot pick to get back to the Super Bowl, and Tom Brady seems to be getting better. But Dallas showed up with a pass-heavy game plan and the Buccaneers gave away turnovers. The result was a very close game that the Cowboys could have won.
It’s easy to overreact to the first week of NFL games, and of course we’ll all be tempted to do that here. But here are some impressions after watching this first game:
First, Dak Prescott looked very good last night. He may have lost some zip on some passes as a result of the shoulder injury, but he played like a top-tier quarterback last night. Dallas is dangerous when he’s throwing the ball.
Ezekiel Elliott was mostly a decoy and a pass blocker last night, and of course many are overreacting to this. There’s plenty to criticize with Mike McCarthy, but using a pass-heavy game plan against a very stout run defense makes total sense. And it worked! As the year goes on we’ll see Elliott carrying the ball more. So you might pick him up cheap in a fantasy trade if you have amateurs in your league.
Still, McCarthy does have a reputation of throwing too much, so for the sake of winning games he’ll need to make sure he uses the running game, but Zeke should get enough carries to be a solid RB1 in fantasy.
The bigger issue with McCarthy is game management. He’s in love with field goals, and going for a long field goal late in the game, giving Brady plenty of time to answer, is typical McCarthy.
Naturally, Brady easily marched the Bucs downfield for the winning field goal. He makes it look so easy, and keeps proving that he’s the best to ever play the QB position. Also, Antonio looked like he was in all pro form with a big night. Those of us who scooped him up in late rounds in our fantasy drafts feel pretty good this morning.
Overall, Tampa still looks like a contender, and Dallas showed they have a shot at the playoffs in a week division, even with McCarthy’s flaws. The defense still has real problems, but let’s see if they can do better against weaker competition.
