Advertisement

sportsCowboys

The Cowboy not named DeMarcus Lawrence who joined Ezekiel Elliott cracking NFL top-10 lists 

Kristi Scales, the sideline reporter for the Dallas Cowboys radio network, answered your questions about the team in a live chat recently. Here are some highlights:

Zeke Elliott and this Cowboy finished among top 10 league leaders in 2017

Scales: Even though he missed six games due to suspension and failed to reach 1,000 rushing yards, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott still managed to finish among the top-10 league leaders in 2017.

Advertisement

Zeke's 983 rushing yards were 10th place behind Kareem Hunt (1,327), Todd Gurley (1,305), Le'Veon Bell (1,291), LeSean McCoy (1,138), Mark Ingram (1,124), Jordan Howard (1,122), Melvin Gordan (1,105), Leonard Fournette (1,040), and CJ Anderson (1,007).

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Switzer (10) dives into the end zone after returning a...
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Switzer (10) dives into the end zone after returning a Washington Redskins punt in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Thursday, November 30, 2017. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

The other Dallas Cowboy to finish 2017 with a Top 10 place among league leaders was rookie return specialist Ryan Switzer.

Switzer totaled 600 yards on kickoff returns in 2017, the 7th highest in the NFL behind Tyler Lockett (SEA, 949), Pharoh Cooper (LAR, 932), Andre Roberts (ATL, 860), Trevor Davis (GB, 707), Alex Erickson (CIN, 663), and Akeem Hunt (KC, 611).

Cowboys

Be the smartest Cowboys fan. Get the latest news.

Or with:

Cooper was elected to the Pro Bowl as the NFC's return specialist. Tyreek Hill was the AFC's Pro Bowl specialist; he finished #16 on the list with 204 punt return yards.

Switzer's totals came on only 24 returns, fewer than any of the Top 10 leaders in the NFL.

Advertisement

Switzer's stat line: 16 games, 24 returns, 600 yards, 25.0 average, long of 61, 0 TDs.

When it came to punt returns, Switzer's total of 256 return yards was good for #12 overall. He averaged 8.8 yards on 29 punt returns with a long of 83 (which went for a touchdown). The leading punt returner in the NFL in 2017 was Jamal Agnew of the Lions who gained 447 yards, averaged 15.4 yards-per-return, and scored two touchdowns.

Cowboys receivers and Dak Prescott were second-to-last in this key stat

Advertisement

Scales: In reviewing Dak Prescott's passing statistics for the 2017, Dak was spectacularly average in almost every key category. He finished 17th in passer rating (86.6), 15th in completions (308), 16th in attempts (490), 16th in passing yards (3,324), and 20th in yards per gain (6.78). But where his numbers really fall short of the mark is average YAC (yards-after-catch). Dak and the Cowboys' receivers averaged a paltry 4.38 yards-after-catch in 2017. That ranked 31st in the league. 

The only QB/team with a lower YAC was Joe Flacco and the Ravens who averaged a putrid 4.18 yards-after-catch.

It's not that Dak was dumping the ball off; he was making more downfield throws in 2017. His average pass length per completion was overall No. 9 (6.34 yards). That's much higher than the likes of Drew Brees (#32, 5.12) and Aaron Rodgers (No. 29, 5.23), but Dak and the Cowboys receivers didn't turn those completions into longer gains through yards-after-catch.

Part of the blame is on the receivers, but Dak has to share his load of blame, too, because it's incumbent on the QB to hit targets in stride. The offensive coaches can also do a better job of getting receivers open in space to better utilize their run-after-catch abilities.

Click here to view the full chat transcript.