Dallas Cowboys 2022 season in review: The road games

Feb 1, 2023 - 1:00 AM

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Last time we looked back at the Dallas Cowboys 2022 season home games, now we take on the road games, grading and giving an MVP award for each one.

WEEK 3

Giants 16-23 Cowboys (2-1)

Grade = B+

It’s only Week 3 and the Cowboys season has already been turbulent. In the first road game of the season the Cowboys faced their division rivals, the New York Giants. The defense managed to sack Daniel Jones five times and held him to no touchdowns. Tony Pollard records his first 100-yard rushing game of the season (fourth in his career). But it was CeeDee Lamb that stole the show on offense. Lamb dropped a huge 52-yard pass but then got his redemption when he caught a goal line throw one-handed to get the go-ahead score. Dorance Armstrong had a day with making sack to then follow that up by blocking a field goal attempt. DeMarcus Lawrence was also killer in this game. He sacked Jones three times and added seven pressures with three tackles. The Cowboys defense allowed only one touchdown and were averaging one touchdown per game so far.

MVP- DeMarcus Lawrence

Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

WEEK 5

Rams 10-22 Cowboys (4-1)

Grade = A

The Cowboys had the task of confronting both of last season’s Super Bowl teams in 2022. The Cowboys face the world champions. Cooper Rush was making headlines having won three in a row. The Cowboys defense put on another clinical performance and monopolized the game. The Rams had missing components due to injury which helped Dorance Armstrong’s day, he knocked the ball loose and DeMarcus Lawrence picked up the fumble at his feet and ran for his life to the endzone. Armstrong’s defensive performance so far on the season has been impressive, he recorded a blocked punt and a sack during the game. Micah Parsons created havoc for Matt Stafford. In the secondary, apart from one big play by Cooper Kupp, Trevon Diggs was solid. Tony Pollard was the only player to score on offense with his elite 57-yard touchdown run.

MVP - Dorance Armstrong

WEEK 6

Eagles 26-17 Cowboys (4-2)

Grade = C+

Dak is witnessed before the game throwing. Questions about how soon he can return back under center soon entered peoples thoughts. The Philadelphia Eagles await Dallas at Lincoln Financial Field having not lost a single game so far. Cooper Rush has yet to lose since assuming the starter job as the signal caller. Gardner-Johnson intercepts the ball twice and Jalen Hurts scores twice to help the Eagles take a commanding lead. In the fourth quarter that lead dwindles as the Cowboys rally for a comeback but Brett Maher misses a 59-yard field-goal attempt. Ezekiel Elliott had a good day, he averaged 6.2 yards per carry with 81 rushing yards. This is also the first time Jake Ferguson makes himself known with 40 yards receiving and a touchdown.

MVP - Ezekiel Elliott

WEEK 10

Packers 31-28 Cowboys (6-3)

Grade= D

“The Green Bay Packers are for the taking” is the theme this week for Cowboys fans. The week before saw the Packers losing to the Detroit Lions. What Cowboys fans witnessed was Christian Watson blow up in his breakout game going for over 100 yards receiving and three touchdowns. The Cowboys offense came out after the second half and take the lead, but that’s all wiped away and panic sets in when the Packers get the ball back in the final two minutes. Mason Crosby once again places the final nail in the coffin on the game during overtime with a 28-yard field goal. While Packers get a huge week from their rookie receiver, Dallas has CeeDee Lamb going for a season high 150 yards receiving. On defense, the Cowboys had problems throughout the game and Micah Parsons was relatively quiet.

MVP- CeeDee Lamb

WEEK 11

Vikings 3-40 Cowboys (7-3)

Grade = A+

All of Cowboys nation wrestled with the heartache from the week before and now faced a Minnesota Vikings team that was storming the NFC with a seven-game win streak. Justin Jefferson was on pace for a monumental season and Dalvin Cook licked his chops at the thought of facing a struggling Cowboys run defense. What endured was mastery by the Cowboys in all phases of the game. Dak played his best game this season, some even called it one of the greatest team performances in Cowboys history. Tony Pollard had 189 yards from scrimmage, while the Vikings had 183 total offensive yards. Zeke thundered in for two scores and the defense managed to sack Kirk Cousins seven times. To add to the onslaught, Brett Maher kicked a 60-yard field goal before halftime. Maher was 4/4 on the day on field goal attempts.

MVP- Dak Prescott mostly, but pretty much every player

Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

WEEK 15

Jaguars 40-34 Cowboys (10-4)

Grade = C-

This is may be the game that had the biggest letdown on one play, the Noah Brown fumble in overtime. Talk of Dak Prescott’s interception crisis begins to creep in the national media following this game. It was an unimaginable win for Jacksonville when Dallas was ahead 27-10 with five minutes left in the third quarter. The Jaguars scored 21 unanswered points, the Cowboys then manage to retake the lead, only for the defense to fail in stopping Trevor Lawrence on the Jags final drive. Dak finds Noah Brown for two touchdowns and CeeDee Lamb has his second-largest performance for the season.

MVP - CeeDee Lamb

WEEK 17

Titans 13-27 Cowboys (12-4)

Grade = B-

This was maybe one of the more unique games of the season. The Tennessee Titans had a heavily injured roster and were on a five-game losing streak. Dalton Schultz scored twice, CeeDee Lamb has his third 100-yard game in a row. Dak’s game is far from ideal, he clearly needs to clean some things up as they aim toward the playoffs. Demarcus Lawrence has a good day making defensive stops, adding a forced fumble and gets plenty of pressure up front along with Micah Parsons. The game was a win, but left everyone with more questions than answers.

MVP - Dalton Schultz

WEEK 18

Commanders 26-6 Cowboys (12-5)

Grade = F

This was just a flat game on offense. Very little motion, zero play-action and route concepts that were confusing. Chauncey Golston had been playing well the previous few weeks and at FedEx Field this continued. He led the team in tackles playing multiple positions up and down the line. Malik Hooker made an interception and Micah Parsons spent a lot of time in the Commanders backfield. Zack Martin allowed zero pressures, zero sacks and no penalties against a good defensive line.

MVP- Zack Martin

WILDCARD PLAYOFF

Buccaneers 14-31 Cowboys

Grade = A+

It’s Tom Brady in the playoffs, and based off the previous week’s performance the Dallas Cowboys stand no chance. Brady was 7-0 against Dallas but he’s outplayed by Dak. While Brady struggles against pressure and good run stopping, Dak enjoys an efficient day. The Cowboys offensive play-calling and execution is close to perfect. Dak throws four touchdowns and runs for a touchdown on a trick bootleg play. Pollard puts his injury troubles behind him running for over 70 yards. Leighton Vander Esch and Johnathan Hankins return from injury. Both Dalton Schultz and CeeDee Lamb connect for big plays. One major negative from the game was Brett Maher who misses four extra points.

MVP- Dak Prescott

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF

49ers 19-12 Cowboys

Grade = F

Cowboys laid waste to the goat of football but now face a strong defense at Levi Stadium. Brock Purdy is San Francisco’s version of Cooper Rush and hasn’t lost a game as a starter. The Cowboys get the first touchdown and everything appears to be going to plan. But Pollard is suddenly injured and carted off field. This marks the start of the momentum transition. After Dak throws an interception, the 49ers score a field goal. From there the Cowboys' offense loses the spark that never reignites. The defense tries to keep the game in striking distance, but after so much work the gas in the tank slowly drains away, a valiant effort. Micah Parsons never got a sack, but still made his presence known to the 49ers offensive line. Leighton Vander Esch played well stopping the run game. Trevon Diggs played well against a talented receiver duo. But not much could be done to stop George Kittle. Postgame the same questions from the year prior emerge.

MVP- Micah Parsons/LVE