The Dallas Cowboys have a multitude of issues.
They’re struggling with execution, their game plans and play-calling are questionable, the roster has limitations, and the quarterback is turning the ball over.
But the deeper you look, the more baffling problems emerge.
Just ask Super Bowl-winning quarterback Kurt Warner, who recently shared a specific play on Twitter/X that doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Warner focused on a pre-snap sequence where the Cowboys were using a silent count to handle crowd noise at Levi’s Stadium during last Sunday’s 30-24 loss in Santa Clara.
As Warner explains, there are different ways to execute the silent count, which is an alternative to using the quarterback’s cadence in noisy settings.
Last weekend, the noise ramped up as the 49ers worked to hold off the Cowboys’ final comeback attempt.
One common approach has the center look back through his legs at the quarterback, who lifts his leg or signals readiness.
The center then refocuses forward, does a mental count, and snaps the ball.
The offensive line knows the timing and reacts to the center’s motion. Variations can be made to the count and visual cues.
In some systems, guards look back instead of the center, and they tap the center when the QB is ready.
However, in a strange moment on Sunday, both Cowboys center Cooper Beebe and right guard Zack Martin look back at Dak simultaneously.
Martin doesn’t tap Beebe, suggesting he’s not responsible for alerting the center.
Because Martin looks back, he’s late getting into position when the ball is snapped, leaving him vulnerable to the 49ers DT, who then pressures Prescott.
“The offensive guard has put his head down and is looking between his legs at the quarterback lifting his leg, and in doing so, he’s late because the center’s already seen it and snapped,” Warner explains in his video.
“The right guard is late off the ball because his head is down. There’s all kinds of issues up front with who they’re blocking. I’ve never seen this before.”
It’s hard to determine exactly what happened on this play without insight from the meeting room, but it highlights how out of sync the Cowboys’ offense is.
The blame often falls on Prescott and CeeDee Lamb for a lack of chemistry, but the issue is evident in the trenches as well.
There’s no clear reason for Beebe and Martin to both duck their heads beneath their legs at the same time.
As players have said, they need to be sharper on details, and this is a prime example.
It’s just one play, but it’s concerning that such issues are happening after a full bye week.
The Cowboys are running out of time and need to resolve these problems quickly.
