Kristi Scales, the sideline reporter for the Dallas Cowboys radio network, answered questions and shared notes about the team in a live chat recently. Here are some highlights.
Question: Has Taco Charlton becomes the Cowboys' most underrated defensive player?
Scales: The most underrated player on the Cowboys defense is a team captain whose production is valued and appreciated by teammates and coaches, but often overlooked and underappreciated by fans. Tyrone Crawford, the versatile 7-year veteran from Boise State, does the dirty work inside at defensive tackle.
Crawford has played the 3-technique for the Cowboys this season. He's already played 189 snaps through 4 games, just 6 fewer snaps than defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (189) who has been on the field more than any other defensive lineman through the first month of the season.
D-Law would be the first to tell you that Crawford has pushed the pocket and created enough havoc to help Lawrence accumulate a league-leading 5 ½ sacks.
Crawford is playing along the interior of the line, so it's harder to accumulate stats. But he already has 1 sack, 7 QB pressures, 2 pass breakups, and 14 tackles.
Crawford is also one of the most unselfish players in the league. He is willing to play anywhere the coaches need him. By moving inside, young defensive ends Taco Charlton and Randy Gregory can get their reps and continue to develop. Rod Marinelli can keep all the d-linemen fresher throughout the game with a rotation. Crawford at the "3" also allows David Irving (who also plays the "3") to work his way back into game shape as Irving returns from his 4-game suspension. But if Marinelli needs to move Crawford to the end within the game to get some reps, that's doable. In a pinch, Crawford could also play the nose, although I expect Antwaun Woods, Maliek Collins, and Caraun Reid to carry the load at the "1" (nosetackle).
All of the above does not include Crawford's intangibles. He's a leader and team captain. He sets a standard. And he plays through aches and pains. He's the ultimate "team" guy.
As for your question regarding Taco, he is certainly playing much better this year. His sack and one of his two tackles-for-loss came when he was unblocked, but Taco is growing before our eyes. Yes, he's still got a long way to go, but he's a much bigger part of the line this year. In fact, Taco has the same amount of sacks (1) and tackles (14) as Crawford. Charlton has already played 179 snaps this year (69% of defensive plays).
On Ezekiel Elliott's career day against the Lions
Scales: Ezekiel Elliott's 240 yards from scrimmage in Sunday's win over the Lions was a career-high, but it's not just the yardage total that was impressive. Against the Lions, Zeke picked up a career-high 12 first downs, which ties him with Emmitt Smith for most first downs in a single game in team history. Emmitt reach 12 first downs twice in his career: January 1, 1994 versus the Giants; and November 15, 1998 against the Cardinals.
As for Zeke's 12 first downs versus the Lions, he reached that total on 29 touches. That's a first down conversion rate of 41.4%, tied for the second highest rate in Cowboys history behind Emmitt Smith's 42.9% against the Cardinals (11/15/98).
Zeke moved the chains versus the Lions on both the ground (8 first downs rushing) and through the air (4 first downs on receptions). Zeke, Emmitt, Marion Barber, and Julius Jones are the only players in Cowboys history to reach double-digits in first downs in a single game. Barber had 11 against the Packers (9/21/08) and Jones totaled 11 in a game against the Seahawks (12/6/04).
On the first time the Cowboys played the Texans
September 8, 2002: a date that will live in Cowboys' infamy.
Any time the Cowboys return to Houston to play the Texans, the bad memories of the loss to the expansion Texans in the 2002 regular season opener come from the depths of repressed memories. This coming Sunday night, when the Cowboys play the Texans, get ready to see highlights (make that "lowlights") from arguably the worst loss in team history.
Don't take my word for it. Jerry Jones is the first to tell you that losing to the Texans was among the lowest points in his time as an NFL owner.
The Texans came out, led by rookie quarterback David Carr, and punched the Cowboys in the mouth. Houston scored on their third offensive play, a pass from Carr to Billy Miller from 19 yards out.
Reliant Stadium was going bonkers. The fans in Houston were not only so happy to have an NFL team back in town, they were thrilled to humiliate the Cowboys which still had star players like Emmitt Smith, Darren Woodson, Joey Galloway, and guys like Dexter Coakley and Dat Nguyen and Greg Ellis.
The hapless Cowboys, led by Quincy Carter...yeah, Quincy...could manage only 3 points in the first half courtesy of a Billy Cundiff field goal. Dallas trailed 10-3 at halftime.
In the 3rd quarter, Cowboys RB Michael Wiley (when's the last time you though of Michael Wiley???) scored on a 46-yard touchdown run. But the Texans scored in the 4th quarter on a Carr to Corey Bradford 64 yard touchdown pass.
The Cowboys had a chance to rally, but any hopes were thwarted when Quincy Carter was taken down in his own end zone by Seth Payne for a safety.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock, it was pandemonium for Texans fans. And the lowest of lows for Dave Campo and his Cowboys. Jerry Jones looked like he had been kicked in the gut.
The Cowboys have lost Super Bowls, they've lost NFC Championship Games. They've suffered blowout losses. But the worst of the worst was that game in Houston when an expansion team humiliated America's Team in front of a national audience.