FRISCO –Time for some midweek tidbits with overreaction to Broncos 42, Cowboys 17, swirling harder and faster than on-coming Maria in the Caribbean. What are the 1-1 Cowboys ever to do?
Over the past nine seasons the Cowboys have started out 1-1. The only two times they haven't: The Cowboys went 0-2 in 2010 on the way to 6-10 after losing Tony Romo; and they began 2015 at 2-0 before again losing Romo for all but four games.
In the infamous words of Aaron Rodgers when the Packers began the 2014 season 1-2: "Five letters here just for everybody out there in Packer-land: R-E-L-A-X."
- Not sure if TV captured this moment at the conclusion of Sunday's game – you'll have to take my word that it really happened – when Broncos running back C.J. Anderson sprinted toward the tunnel leading to the Cowboys locker room to catch up with Jason Witten and say a few words to the 15-year veteran, then pat him on the back. Classy move by the 26-year-old showing a sign of respect for the guy playing in his franchise-record 225th game and moving into fourth all-time in NFL receptions with 1,106. Think about that now. Only Jerry Rice, Tony Gonzalez and the Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald have more career receptions. That means Witten has more career receptions than Hall of Famers Michael Irvin, Tim Brown, Cris Carter, Steve Largent and Lynn Swann, and ahead of the likes of Randy Moss and Terrell Owens. Folks, he's a tight end.
- Only one division in the NFL after two weeks has more than two teams standing 2-0. The AFC West, with Oakland, Kansas City and Denver. Nice year for the Cowboys having to play the AFC West, huh? And only two divisions have two 2-0 teams, the NFC South (Atlanta and Carolina) and the AFC North (Pittsburgh and Baltimore). Fourteen other teams join the Cowboys at 1-1, including New England, Green Bay, Seattle and everyone else in the NFC East except the Giants.
- Keep hearing Denver has handed everyone the blueprint to stop the Cowboys offense. So what is that blueprint so many are referring to? Just curious how Denver has been the only team able to crack open this mysterious secret? Like, better play a 3-4 defense against the Cowboys? Stop the run? Pressure Dak Prescott? Novel stuff like that few figured out over 17 games last year, but in this the 19th since the arrival of Dak and Ezekiel Elliott the cat is now out of the bag? Seriously?
- Might need a new nickname for DeMarcus Lawrence. "Tank" doesn't seem to hit the mark anymore, especially after starting off the season with four sacks in the first two games that on Wednesday was reduced by the NFL to 3.5. Had Lawrence not been docked a half-sack in the Giants game – the other half going to Maliek Collins – and still had four, then only Charles Haley's 5.5 to open the 1994 season would have been more for the Cowboys in the first two games since sacks became an official stat in 1982. Several players have opened with four. Also, had his sack total remained at four, Lawrence would have been tied for the NFL lead with Jacksonville's Calais Campbell, which would have been the first time since DeMarcus Ware had 14 sacks 11 games into the 2011 season that a Cowboys player led the league in sacks. Oh well, Lawrence now is officially second. There is always next week.
- And for the Cowboys, thanks goodness there are 14 more next weeks.
