By Geoff Schwartz
FOX Sports NFL Analyst
America’s Team is back. Plus, a surprising squad has emerged to stand alone atop the NFC after the first month.
Here's my review of Week 4 in the NFL:
BACK IN THE SADDLE
I was bullish on the Dallas Cowboys to win the NFC last year, as they entered a new era under coach Mike McCarthy. No need to rehash how that prediction went.
Dak Prescott threw four TD passes to four different receivers as the Cowboys' offense continued to roll in a victory over previously unbeaten Carolina.
But even after Dallas' awful 2020, I was optimistic about the 2021 Cowboys for one reason: Dak Prescott was returning from injury.
I’m not sure whether Prescott is underrated, underappreciated or just unfortunate to play in an era with outstanding peers at his position. But the sixth-year quarterback is not talked about like he's one of the best in the league.
If Prescott returned healthy this season, I was in on the Cowboys. After a throwing arm scare in the preseason, Prescott has started all four games so far this season and played outstanding football. He’s completing 75% of his pass attempts with 10 interceptions and just two turnovers.
Prescott ranks eighth in QB efficiency, and the loaded Cowboys offense continues to improve each week.
Along with the return of its QB1, Dallas also got future Hall of Fame left tackle Tyron Smith and All-Pro right guard Zack Martin back from injury.
As Cowboys running back Zeke Elliott put it, "Zack's our best player on our offense. I mean most runs, they coming back behind him."
Having these two players back has helped the offensive line keep Prescott clean and open up holes in the running game — as seen beautifully in the Cowboys' 36-28 victory over the Panthers on Sunday.
"We stayed resilient with everything we wanted to do" — Dak Prescott on the Cowboys' victory over the Panthers.
The Carolina defense entered Week 4 as the darling unit in the NFL, ranking No. 1 in points allowed and efficiency. Matt Rhule's group was hot. The Panthers left Dallas having allowed 36 points and 7.2 yards per attempt in the rushing game.
There will rightfully be attention paid to the Dallas ground game, but we should not forget the trio of pass catchers the Cowboys have. Their passing attack is sixth in expected points added per dropback. It’s difficult for defenses to key on one player, as Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup can all make a defense pay.
I believe this Cowboys offense is for real and here to stay.
Besides Prescott returning, I argued that the Cowboys could be good this season if their defense were just average. Last season, the Cowboys' defense was offensive, allowing yards and points to the opponent at will. They tightened up a bit toward the end of the season but still needed a new leader.
Enter former Seahawks defensive coordinator and Falcons head coach Dan Quinn. Dallas' new coordinator has simplified the defense and has his unit playing fast. Additions in the draft, including first-rounder Micah Parsons, have helped vault the defense into the top 10 in the league. Also, Trevon Diggs, the second-year cornerback from Alabama, is coming into his own, adding two more interceptions against the Panthers to bring his season total to five.
With the offense playing to its explosive potential and the defense improving, the Cowboys are a threat in the NFC. The NFC East should be theirs for the taking, and I could see Dallas going 5-1 in those games. That would give the Cowboys a home playoff game, and once you’re in the dance, anything can happen.
Nick Wright is forced to admit that he might have been wrong about Ezekiel Elliott being done. Watch as he explains in his reaction to the Dallas Cowboys beating the Carolina Panthers.
IT'S IN THE CARDS
The Arizona Cardinals are 4-0 and in first place in the NFC West, just like we expected, after the first four weeks of the season.
The Cardinals were projected to again finish last in the division, but after their dominant performance in a 37-20 win over the Rams, are they the favorites to take the NFC West?
Kyler Murray on Arizona's 4-0 start: "We're going to continue focusing on us."
Arizona’s offense was up and down last season, finishing 10th in rushing but slumping to 19th in passing as quarterback Kyler Murray had a tough finish to 2020.
The Cardinals' defense finished 10th in defensive DVOA, which is surprising, as most wouldn’t associate the Cardinals with defense. The expectations were low for this team because coach Kliff Kingsbury has no history of winning big games. Not in the NFL and not in college. In fact, Kingsbury spent six seasons at Texas Tech and had just two wins over ranked opponents, with both coming in his first season in Lubbock.
After four weeks of the 2021 season, however, it’s clear that Kingsbury has this team playing at a level we haven’t seen from a Kingsbury-coached team. Murray has been outstanding, leading the second-best offense in the NFL. The third-year QB is completing throws he struggled to make in the past, and it’s putting defenses in a bind.
How does a defense slow down a passing attack that features all these weapons? Kingsbury doesn’t get the credit he deserves for how he uses his personnel, and it allows Arizona to attack defenses in multiple ways, stretching them both vertically and horizontality. The speed on the field is tough for a defense to match.
The Cardinals' offensive line has had injuries, but the addition of center Rodney Hudson has helped tremendously. No matter where Hudson has played, the offensive line has played well, and the quarterback is comfortable in protections.
I need to spend more time studying the Cardinals' defense, but we know the impact pass-rusher Chandler Jones can have on an opposing offense. Entering this weekend, the Cardinals had the second-rated pass-rush unit and the third-graded coverage units, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Cardinals have drafted smartly in the draft in the back end, with players such as Byron Murphy and Budda Baker anchoring their secondary. Getting Robert Alford back from injury also helped that secondary.
Kyler Murray had a stellar performance against the Rams, throwing for 268 yards and two TDs in Arizona's dominant 37-20 win.
Now, do I buy into what the Cardinals are doing? Absolutely.
Do I have hesitation about a team led by Kingsbury as the season gets long? Absolutely.
The third-year NFL coach hasn’t proven that his teams can last the season. Now that he might have the right team, he has to keep the ship going. I’ll be watching.
Geoff Schwartz played eight seasons in the NFL for five different teams. He started at right tackle for the University of Oregon for three seasons and was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection his senior year. He is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him on Twitter @GeoffSchwartz.
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