Going into this season, the Dallas Cowboys knew they would have a problem with their receiving core. With minimal and young talent, along with a quarterback that never has high volume, there were a lot of questions about their ability to get big passing plays.
So far this season, there has been very little to ease that worry. They still do not have a legitimate deep threat, and the passing game is no where near enough to carry the offense.
That being said, you cannot ignore the drastic improvements. More players are getting involved in space, and Dak Prescott is taking more shots downfield. With the protection he has been getting, these receivers are starting to show that they are still talented.
The one that has stood out the most is easily Cole Beasley. Going into this season, they expected him to be his most trusted option. Beasley is great in short yardage and has the sure hands you want in tough situations.
Early on, however, he was never involved enough. Beasley was not the factor they needed him to be, and no other options were picking up the slack.
Now that things have settled, however, and the running game is on track behind a stellar offensive line, he is showcasing a lot more.
Beasley may never be ta vertical threat, but that is not how he could help Prescott the most. What Beasley is starting to do, is bring the reliability with more play making.
He is taking advantage of more time and more space and he is breaking down defenses because of it. He can always be a threat after the catch and he continually has easy matchups to abuse.
Beasley will never do it on his own, but he had brought another dimension to his game this season. The Cowboys are not going to get their big plays from vertical threats. Those will be infrequent, and there has to be other options.
Along with what Prescott is showing he can do with his feet, Beasley should continue to find ways to make big plays happen. Beasley is there to make sure the offense maintain rhythm and makes sure no mistake will go unpunished for the opponent.
The Cowboys need more than Beasley for a strong passing attack, but he can work phenomenally in his situation with the Cowboys. The Cowboys clearly do not want Prescott throwing too deep too often, and the passing game is developing in a way to help that.
With the damage Ezekiel Elliot is doing and the prominence of Beasley in the passing game, this offense will be far from a pushover, even against some of the stronger defenses in the league.
Right now, it is clear Beasley has to be the number one options. He needs to be there to bail out Prescott and break open bigger plays. With Tavon Austin missing the next game, they will need even more from him.
The Cowboys want to make sure Beasley gets his opportunities, because those short reliable plays that can break out make sure they control the pace of the game and keeps the defense on edge and as tired as possible.
The cowboys still have a lot of work to do when it comes to finishing, and blowing the top off a defense. That being said, combining the best running attack in the NFL, with a passing game that can make decent plays and make sure they have the short yardage downs that will keep the ball in Elliot’s hands.
Consistency will continue to be the biggest question for the Cowboys, but they cannot go backwards. After a dominant performance against the Jaguars, there is no reason for them to struggle against Washington.
The Cowboys know that Elliot will always get involved and he will get his touches. After him, it is time for the Cowboys to make sure Beasley gets the touches he needs to move the chains and break open a few big plays.
We have seen Beasley struggle this year, so there are no guarantees. With the offensive line starting to dominate again, however, everyone has started to improve and Beasley is making sure Prescott will be looking his way every single chance he can get.
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