Werder: Cowboys’ biggest deficiency isn’t receivers

Win, lose or bye, the Dallas Cowboys are a publicity machine. This season, the bye week came after a 47-9 home loss to the Lions and two ensuing radio interviews went viral. First, owner Jerry Jones bristled at pointed questions on his weekly call. Two days later, Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman went on the same Dallas station, KTCK, with pointed criticism directed at the Cowboys’ wide receivers.

As Dallas (3-3) prepares to visit San Franciso (3-4) on Sunday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, NBC), Aikman’s comments generated questions for head coach Mike McCarthy at his Monday news conference.

“They don’t carry any weight with me, because I watch all the tape,” McCarthy said regarding Aikman’s harsh words. “I get to go to the meetings. I’m at practice. I’m part of the games. So, I have a clear understanding of what and where.

“Troy’s statement in particular, I don’t agree with the word selection. There is definitely need for improvement in every position, not just one position that he commented on.”

One of those positions, according to veteran Cowboys insider Ed Werder, is offensive line. In fact, Werder said the Dallas offensive front is team’s largest liability. Dallas used first- and third-round selections, respectively, on left tackle Tyler Guyton and center Cooper Beebe. Each of those players has started all six games. Specifically, Werder went into detail on character concerns the Cowboys may have overlooked in Guyton before they made him the 29th-overall selection in April’s draft.

“Starting two rookies for the first time since 2011 I think has been a really detrimental thing,” Werder said on The Musers with KTCK’s George Dunham, Craig Miller and Gordon Keith. “I think they’re having real issues right now with Tyler Guyton, the left tackle, and his maturity level and professionalism. I think they benched him last week more for that, and to send a message. I think he’s one of these players who isn’t delivering in practice to the extent that they expect as an NFL player and an NFL starter. That was his reputation when they drafted hm. I talked to two people who scouted players for the draft who made that same point about Tyler Guyton.”

Beebe played every position on the Kansas State line except center. Now the Cowboys’ starter at center, the rookie has had multiple games without allowing a pressure but has also struggled at times. Nonetheless, Werder thinks the Cowboys’ offensive line has been the prime culprit in the league’s worst rushing offense (77.2 yards per game) and second-worst red-zone touchdown percentage (37.5).

“I think they misunderstood or didn’t fully comprehend how poorly this offensive line was going to play in the circumstance where you have two young players at two of the most vital positions, left tackle and center,” Werder said. “And you’re trying to protect both of them. They faced a succession of incredible pass-rushers earlier in the year, which exploited that and further destabilized the whole thing.

“I learned a long time ago, in the early ‘90s when I covered the Cowboys, it didn’t matter how good Troy Aikman was or Emmitt Smith was or Michael Irvin was or Jay Novacek; it didn’t matter how good your perimeter players are. If you can’t win up front, everybody looks bad and I think that’s what has happened here.”

Dallas has lost every home game this year but won every road game. The 49ers, however, have won the last three meetings against the Cowboys, a 42-10 victory at Levi’s Stadium last season and playoff wins in 2021 and ’22. After the trip to San Francisco, Dallas faces a brutal stretch: Atlanta on the road, home games against Philadelphia and Houston, and another road trip to Washington.