Dallas Cowboys enthusiasts might find Josh Allen’s comments on the team’s game plan unsettling. Following the Buffalo Bills’ commanding 31-10 win over the Cowboys, Allen openly acknowledged their strategic approach when facing a team reliant on playing indoors. He emphasized that Buffalo recognized opportunities in the running game against the Cowboys.
In a statement to reporters on December 17, 2023, Allen stressed the importance of securing victories regardless of the method employed, considering the team’s current position. He highlighted the Cowboys’ accustomed style of play within a dome, primarily relying on passing, which made them susceptible to run-focused strategies like the one Buffalo executed.
Allen praised his team’s trust in their offensive line and running backs, showcasing their reliance on exploiting the run game, a tactic seldom exploited against the Cowboys. The Bills effectively exploited this strategy, amassing an impressive 266 rushing yards, led by James Cook, who recorded 25 carries for 179 yards along with a touchdown. Although Dallas missed starting defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, the entire defensive unit struggled against Buffalo in Week 15, leading to their defeat.
Cowboys News: Dallas Now Has 3 Blowout Road Losses This Season
The challenge for the Cowboys goes beyond their struggles away from home; it’s accentuated by the harsh reality that their playoff aspirations heavily rely on their performances in away games. Philadelphia still holds the key to securing the NFC East title.
If Dallas secures the second position in their division, it’s likely they’ll encounter the Tampa Bay Buccaneers again in the Wild Card round, repeating their previous meeting. It’s worth noting that the Cowboys have faced substantial defeats on the road this season, enduring sizable losses against Arizona, Buffalo, and San Francisco.
The Cowboys are facing more than just their road game difficulties; they’re confronted with the daunting prospect that their playoff chances might rely heavily on their performances away from home. Philadelphia holds the reins to determine their fate in securing the NFC East title.
In the scenario where Dallas secures the second spot in their division, it’s probable that they’ll once again travel to Tampa to confront the Buccaneers in the Wild Card round. Dallas has notably suffered decisive losses on the road this season against Arizona, Buffalo, and San Francisco.
Dak Prescott Admits There Is a ‘Huge Difference’ With How the Dallas Cowboys Play on the Road
Josh Allen on recipe to beat Cowboys: "A team like that, they’re used to playing in a dome. They throw the ball quite a bit. And I think teams try to throw on their defense quite a bit.
"I don’t know if anyone’s attacked the run as much as we did tonight." https://t.co/MY0BYKw30h
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) December 18, 2023
Following the defeat, the Cowboys seem to be grappling with the perplexing contrast in their performance between home and away games. Dak Prescott openly acknowledges a “significant difference” in the team’s demeanor and gameplay when playing at home versus on the road.
“Yeah, it’s a substantial difference, and truly, the focus for the upcoming week of preparation and the following weeks is to identify that variance and work on narrowing that gap,” Prescott stated during a postgame press conference on December 17. “Undoubtedly, we aspire to commence games away as we do at home and deliver performances akin to our home games, but unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case.”
“We need to unearth the reasons behind these differences and strive to diminish that disparity. It’s challenging to function as two vastly dissimilar teams, you know?” Prescott elaborated. “Achieving victories as we do at home, as we did against a strong opponent last week [Eagles], and then performing poorly today—it’s disheartening.”
“When all aspects, offense, defense, and special teams, underperform, particularly when our offense, including myself, fails to ignite a strong start, it compounds the situation. It allows the opponents to maintain control, run the ball effectively with the lead, and makes it an uphill task for everyone involved,” Prescott explained.
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