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Dallas got their franchise passer back last week against the Lions, but it didn't take long for a few other keystone Cowboys to get hit with an injury. With some new faces on the field and new storylines playing out on Sunday, here are a few predictions for the Cowboys' Week 8 showdown with the Bears.
Tony Pollard will be solid, but his weaknesses will show
Most notable out of a flurry of developments this past week is the increasing unlikelihood of Ezekiel Elliott getting on the field Sunday afternoon. Elliott left the field against Detroit after a rather gruesome-looking blow to his right knee, but he didn't stay out long. Elliott felt good enough to return to the field, hurdle a guy, and score a pair of touchdowns in the second half of Dallas' win over the Lions. Apparently, things have taken a turn for the worse as far as Elliott's immediate health is concerned. Elliott had not logged an appearance at practice as of Thursday and was reportedly working with the rehab team all week long. Elliott's absence at practice has created rumblings that Sunday afternoon might finally be the day Dallas lets Tony Pollard take full control of the backfield as a starting running back.
There's no reason to doubt Pollard's ability to keep the running game warm for Dallas in Elliott's absence. So far in 2022, the Memphis product is averaging a career-high 5.6 yards per carry, and he has been responsible for more explosive plays than just about anybody else in the offense. No one should be that concerned about the Cowboys' ability to run the ball with Pollard as RB1. One area that might be some cause for concern is Pollard's pass protection ability. It's not that Pollard is such a terrible pass blocker. It's just that Dak Prescott is used to playing behind one of the best in the league in Elliott. In 514 pass blocking snaps throughout his Cowboys career, Elliott is responsible for allowing only five sacks. Pollard has given up six since 2019.
Tyler Smith has been good at left tackle so far, but he benefitted from having Cooper Rush in the backfield for most of the season. Rush got the ball out a lot quicker than Prescott does, which means Smith will need to stay on his blocks longer with Prescott back in the game. He struggled to do that against Aiden Hutchinson and the Lions last week. Not having Elliott in the backfield to help with those growing pains could hurt the Cowboys against the Bears.
The Johnathan Hankins trade will look good
The Cowboys may have the best defense in football this year, yet it still appears possible to run all over them. The front office took a step towards rectifying that problem this week by bringing in veteran run-stuffer Johnathan Hankins from the Raiders for a seventh-round pick in the 2023 draft. That isn't the blockbuster that a lot of Cowboys fans are looking for as the trade deadline approaches, but it's a step in the right direction for a defense that has allowed multiple teams to run the ball right down their throat so far this season.
Hankins might not be the player he once was, but the veteran still has a chance to make an impact on this defense. The Cowboys' young, fast linebacking corps should benefit from playing behind a player that can gobble up double teams in the trenches as Hankins can. The Bears are as good a test as any for Dan Quinn to see what he can do with Hankins. Chicago is running for a league-high 181 yards per game so far this year.
Cowboys' performance will make or break their trade deadline
In Week 7 of 2018, the Cowboys suffered a 20-17 loss to a toothless Washington squad that went on to go 7-9 on the season. That year the Cowboys' wide receivers were headlined by a promising but young Michael Gallup, Allen Hurns, and Cole Beasley. One day after losing to Washington, Jerry Jones shipped a first round pick off to Oakland for Amari Cooper. The next time Dallas and Washington met a few weeks later, Cooper went for 180 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a Cowboys win.
2018 was a season much like this one. The Cowboys were solid, but whether they were actually contenders was up for debate. It's hard to nail down exactly what this offense can do since they'll play their third game with the regular starter under center this Sunday, but it's safe to say they could use another piece. Whether or not the Cowboys go get that piece might hinge on Dallas' performance against the Bears. If Prescott shreds the Bears and Dallas wins handily, it seems more likely the front office stands pat at the deadline. If Dallas gets embarrassed at home by a lesser team, Jones might see red and take a big swing.
