Painful game to watch for those hoping for big numbers out of most players involved. Both defenses have some ability, and both offenses were dealing with injuries/rust/not being very good. When the dust had settled, we were left with a one-sided Cowboys win that didn't deliver nearly as much as it could have.
QUARTERBACKS
Irritating game for those of us starting Dak Prescott. I can't say I was totally surprised, with the Saints having a good defense that came to play and some Cowboys banged up or limited. The depressing reality about the luck involved in fantasy football is that quarterbacks are the highest-scoring position, and it's sometimes a fine line between a top passer finishing with 30 points, or just 10-12. Prescott could have easily had 2-3 TDs, had CeeDee Lamb turned the other way on an early 4th-and-1 play, or maybe if the Cowboys hadn't foolishly sat on a couple of timeouts entering the half for some reason. But he could also have had none, with his lone score a 1-yarder that was a pretty remarkable catch in the corner of the end zone.
Frustratingly, Prescott at some point in the offseason decided he wasn't going to run anymore. Maybe it was the injury rehab, maybe it's a coaching instruction, maybe he just doesn't have the interest anymore. But week after week there are plays where he could pick up a first down by scrambling, like he used to, and instead he forces a pass over the middle to a well-covered receiver that doesn't get completed. I don't know why, but I guess I need to just accept he's not a dual-threat quarterback anymore. Dak Prescott, pocket passer. To his credit, he made several really nice throws to Gallup, Cooper and Lamb along the way. But a little running would sure be nice.
By rushing for over 100 yards and throwing a couple of touchdowns, one where his receiver was left completely uncovered and another where the pass catcher did all the work, Taysom Hill finished with a strong fantasy performance. That's why you pick him up and start him in fantasy leagues. But Hill also showed exactly why all of Sean Payton's positive words about him (and mystifying contract extensions) don't result in him starting at quarterback until the team has no other choice, due to Winston getting hurt and Siemian being Siemian. Hill is not a good quarterback. He cannot throw the ball well. Plain and simple. There is no chance of this team making a playoff run with him in the lineup. There is no chance of him being a Week 1 starter in 2022. It's brutal to watch the guy attempt to play the position, skipping the ball 5 yards away from open receivers and sailing passes high, low, and wide of them. He'll start the rest of this season, and be back to ruin some other quarterback's appeal at times next year, as the NFL's highest-paid gadget player. And that is it.
RUNNING BACKS
As is the case every year of the Jerry Jones era, we need to wonder a little who is coaching this team. Mike McCarthy talked of giving Ezekiel Elliott a rest, since he has knee issue of some kind. Jones dismissed such talk, saying Elliott would have a heavy workload. And since McCarthy couldn't coach the team last night anyway, it's hard to really know who was responsible for Elliott's usage. What we do know is that Elliott played two-thirds of the time and looked slow and beat up, averaging 3.5 yards per attempt. The one time the team was near the goal line, they called a pass play for a touchdown. Tony Pollard, as has been the case lately, ran circles around him, busting a play for a 58-yard touchdown run that made him a nice start and basically put the game away, ruining things for those of us who started other Cowboys. With 10 days until the next game, maybe Elliott will look better in Week 14. But he's facing a Washington defense which like the Saints is best against the run. Hard to see good numbers for Elliott in that one. Seems like Pollard will be better, albeit with fewer chances, in a lot of the remaining games.
Mark Ingram was a disaster, carrying 10 times for 28 yards and catching a pass near the line where he was easily buried in the backfield by 2 or 3 defenders. Starting running backs can be hard to come by this time of year, but rather than being helped by the presence of Taysom Hill, as the ground game was a year ago, Ingram was hurt by the total lack of respect the defense had to give the passing game, routinely stuffed at the line. Worse still, the Saints have become infatuated with throwing passes to Ty Montgomery, even though Montgomery's best ball was about five years ago. I assume a lot of people who started Ingram are annoyed today. Ingram did have a nice, tackle-breaking run in the first half, which unfortunately was erased by a penalty.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Saints wide receivers weren't doing much with Winston or Siemian, so hardly surprising they didn't do much with Hill in the lineup. Yes, Deonte Harris scored a long touchdown, and those plays will happen on occasion. Lil'Jordan Humphrey caught a touchdown on a play where Dallas simply forgot to account for him. TreQuan Smith saw 7 targets, looking like he might be the team's No. 1 the rest of the way (unfortunately, just 2 were completed). Marquez Callaway did nothing with his 4 targets; no separation, and presumably Callaway was dropped in most leagues weeks ago. There's just nothing good here, and it's not going to be good with Hill starting. Now, the Saints play the Jets next week, so we'll need to go a little higher with the passing projection, and maybe Harris or Smith sneaks into the rankings. But there's not really a No. 1 here, and a nonexistent floor, too.
Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb were the main wideouts, and both those guys worked out very well. Gallup made a couple of truly amazing catches, one for a touchdown and another at the sidelines that featured great hands and great footwork. Lamb caught 7 for 89 and nearly had a pair of touchdowns. One was a 4th and 1 play where he got behind the defense and either turned the wrong way or Prescott threw it the wrong way. The other was a 33-yard "run" which was actually a backward pass, and Lamb took it down near the goal line, very close to scoring. With Prescott throwing for just 238 yards, you were fortunate with both players. Amari Cooper played just a third of the snaps; people were warned. He should be back in his full-time role next week.
TIGHT ENDS
For the Saints, Juwan Johnson had a nice catch early, but landed on his head and the defender rolled over him, mashing his neck uncomfortably. I'm pretty sure no one was starting Johnson, but it didn't look like he should be counted on for the next game, either. That left the Saints with Nick Vannett as their main receiver. Vannett caught 3 for 48 in what will probably be his best game the rest of his career.
Dalton Schultz caught 5 passes in the first half and then managed not to be targeted the rest of the game. (He had another grab erased by a penalty.) Nice, reliable part of the offense and usable in PPR and TE-premium leagues. If Dak throws 3 TDs at some point, Schultz will probably catch one of them.
DEFENSE
It was indeed a nice week for the Dallas defense, with Hill throwing 4 interceptions, including a Pick Six. Saints play the Jets next week and that defense has no playmakers, but I guess we'll have to rank them higher than usual. The week after that the Saints play Tampa Bay. Pencil in the Bucs right now for the No. 1 defense in Week 15.
Saints defense had a pick and a sack, and they'll be viable next week against the Jets. After the Bucs, the schedule is favorable (Miami and Carolina), so if you're using this defense I guess they're worth keeping around for a few weeks. But I don't see them playing with a lot of leads and the fact they might still be in playoff contention is just a sad statement about an NFL that never should have expanded the playoff field to let a 7th team in.
MISCELLANEOUS
Nice week for Greg Zuerlein, who had a 55-yard field goal when it was still a game. Brett Maher missed from 56, but he's fine. Might be better than you'd think given the remaining schedule (less the Tampa Bay matchup, of course).
In general, Thursday football can be frustrating. You had to start Prescott and to a lesser extent Ingram and arguably Elliott last night, but the way things went you got less than you hoped for and now need to live with those totals for a few days. In FFPC leagues, this is a playoff week -- there's no tomorrow. All you can do is hope the rest of your team delivers one bigger than expected performance to offset a lesser than expected one. So here's hoping.