Getty Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
Neither Jerry Jones the showman nor Jerry Jones the general manager could spin the discrepancy involving his 1-2 Dallas Cowboys and the undefeated, reigning Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs.
“Yes. I see a team that is clicking,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday when asked if a “major gap” exists between the franchises. “They’re the Super Bowl champs. Looks like they’ve gotten better.”
The question was posed in the wake of Kansas City’s dominating victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football. The tilt featured Patrick Mahomes’ usual magic, but it also was another showcase for stud rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who tallied 114 yards (64 rushing, 70 receiving) amid the 34-20 beatdown.
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A dual-threat weapon, Edwards-Helaire was drafted with the No. 32 overall pick, 19 spots before the Cowboys took cornerback Trevon Diggs. If Jones had his druthers, he confessed, CEH would be Ezekiel Elliott’s running mate in silver and blue.
“The running back is outstanding, I watched him live last year at LSU,” Jones said, via Pro Football Talk. “I loved him in the draft. I was dreaming that he might get over in the second and be where we could look at him. He’s an exceptional player.”
Through three games, Edwards-Helaire has performed like the better back, with 240 yards on 55 carries (4.4 yards per tote) compared to Elliott’s 58 attempts for 219 yards (3.8 YPC).
Defense is another area where Kansas City bests Dallas, shockingly enough. The former held 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson to a paltry 97 passing yards while the latter, despite all its talent, has surrendered 77 points over the last two weeks, including five TDs to Russell Wilson alone.
But quarterback is common ground for the organizations; in fact, the Cowboys currently own an advantage. Dak Prescott leads the NFL in completions (96) and passing yards (1,188), averaging a ridiculous 396 yards per game. By comparison, Mahomes — he of the half-billion-dollar deal — has 82 completions and ranks fifth in yards with 898, attributed to the instant success of Edwards-Helaire.
In some ways, the Cowboys couldn’t be further from the Chiefs. In other ways, they’re strikingly paralleled.
However, as Jones hit on, the most important measuring stick is the Lombardi Trophy. Until or unless it changes hands, everything else is immaterial.
Odds to win Super Bowl LV at Week 4 (via @betonline_ag):
– Chiefs, 4/1
– Ravens, 13/2
– Seahawks, 15/2
– Packers, 10/1
– Bucs, 14/1
– Saints, 16/1
– 49ers, 16/1
– Bills, 18/1
– Steelers, 18/1
– Cowboys, 20/1
– Cardinals, 25/1
– Colts, 25/1
– Patriots, 25/1
– Titans, 25/1