Getty Ben DiNucci
Dallas Cowboys rookie quarterback Ben DiNucci lamented his performance as the leading factor in Sunday night’s 23-9 defeat at Philadelphia.
“We had a few good drives, got past the 50 and then one thing or another stalled us out,” DiNucci said after the game, via ESPN. “I had two fumbles, had some penalties, some presnap penalties. That stuff is on me. I’ve got to clean that up. This NFL thing, it’s hard. These teams are good. It’s a battle every single week. When you do get across the 50, you’ve got to get 7 instead of 3.”
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DiNucci looked every bit like the 231st overall pick in April’s draft, completing 21-of-40 passes for 180 scoreless yards, an anemic 4.5 yards per attempt. He had little feel for how to navigate pressure, often throwing inaccurately — and sidearmed — when he wasn’t retreating out of bounds. And for all his dual-threat ability, the James Madison product logged just 22 ground yards on five scampers.
But DiNucci can’t be held entirely accountable. The Cowboys did him no favors with their patchwork offensive line, which allowed four sacks and seven QB hits, resulting in two lost fumbles. Undrafted rookie right tackle Terence Steele remains a major liability; he was bulldozed against the Eagles.
The game plan devised by offensive coordinator Kellen Moore also was largely vanilla, calling for consistent checkdowns and leaning heavily on an Ezekiel Elliott-led rushing attack (19 carries, 63 yards) that went nowhere.
“I thought he did some good things. It was a tough contest for the young man. A division game, Sunday Night Football,” head coach Mike McCarthy said of DiNucci in his post-game remarks on 105.3 The Fan.
Cause and Effect
Predictably, Dallas’ skill-position players felt the absence of second-string QB Andy Dalton, who was out with a concussion, and even more so the absence of franchise cornerstone Dak Prescott. Michael Gallup led the wide receiver corps with 61 yards on seven catches. Four receptions and 27 yards for CeeDee Lamb. WR1 Amari Cooper was held to just one grab for five yards.
The 2-6 Cowboys, losers of three straight, failed to reach the end zone for the second consecutive game. They’ve scored only one (1) TD since Prescott’s season-ending ankle injury in Week 5.
“I think like anything in life, the game of football will teach you humility,” McCarthy told reporters, via The Athletic. “It’s part of the course of the season. It’s part of our challenge. I clearly believe we’ll be better off in the future because of these hard times.”
Seeking a silver lining? DiNucci wasn’t the worst player to ever step foot on a football field, especially for a seventh-round pick. He showed poise despite relentlessly eating turf and demonstrated athleticism and stronger-than-believed arm strength. This was invaluable experience for the 24-year-old, whose NFL ceiling is likely that of a backup. Which is where he’ll return for the time being.
Cowboys VP Stephen Jones affirmed that Dalton, assuming he clears concussion protocol, will start the team’s Week 9 home showdown with the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers.
“Well, Andy is our guy. It will be his job when he gets back,” Jones said last Friday on 105.3 The Fan.
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL