OT La'el Collins, battling a 5-game suspension, has
appealed but currently suspended, OT Terence Steele
took his spot & played great in Chargers game, with
help from returning right guard Zack Martin who com-
plemented Terence for his efforts in the game.

This week, roles flipped, rushing much-improved, pass-
ing switching from being dominant to being far less a
part of the gameplan, Dak relying on some passing in
that critical final drive that used up the the clock & put
Zuerlein in range for a 56-yard game-winning field goal.

Three in top 10:

o Top 10 ranking in rush yards, rush TDs, & giveaways

One middle but in top half:

o Middle but in top half ranking in sacks allowed

One middle but in bottom half:

o Middle but in bottom half ranking in passer rating

Three in bottom 10:

o Bottom 10 ranking in TD passes, passing yards, & points

~~~

Top 10 rankings:

Rushing - Successful, 198 yards on 31 attempts, 6.39 yards per attempt, would rank 1st based on 2020 rush yards stats, Rush TDs, 2, would rank
tied for 3rd based on 2020 rush TDs stats

Giveaways - Successful, 1 giveaway (an interception), would rank tied
for 4th based on 2020 giveaways stats

~~~

Middle but in top half rankings:

Sacks Allowed - Middle but in top half, 2 in game 2, would rank 14th based
on 2020 sacks allowed stats

~~~

Middle but in bottom half rankings:

Passer Rating - 87.8 passer rating, would rank 11th-worst based on 2020
passer rating stats

~~~

Bottom 10 Ranking

Passing - Unsuccessful, 0 TD passes, would rank 32nd based on 2020
passing TDs stats, 237 passing yards, would rank 8th-worst based on
2020 passing yards stats

Points - Unsuccessful, 20 points, would rank 32nd based on 2020 points
stats

--- --- ---

Follow-up correction: I neglected to mention that
Michael Gallup, injured in 4th quarter of game 1,
was out, replaced by Cedrick Wilson who had an
important pass reception & yards after the catch
along with a key reception on the next-to-last play
before Zuerlein's 56 yard field goal to move the ...

.... ball 4 yards closer (to the 41) followed by a 3
yard run by Pollard (to the 38) although Zuerlein's
kick was so straight & long he may have made it
even if it had been a 63 yard attempt (although
his career long is 61 yards), & had he missed,
head coach McCarthy would have been heavily ...

.... criticized for letting about 20 seconds run off
the clock without trying to run one more play to
get Zuerlein closer.

On Monday, September 20, 2021 at 12:38:56 PM UTC-5, observer wrote:

..> OT La'el Collins, battling a 5-game suspension, has
..> appealed but currently suspended, OT Terence Steele
..> took his spot & played great in Chargers game, with
..> help from returning right guard Zack Martin who com-
..> plemented Terence for his efforts in the game.
..>
..> This week, roles flipped, rushing much-improved, pass-
..> ing switching from being dominant to being far less a
..> part of the gameplan, Dak relying on some passing in
..> that critical final drive that used up the the clock & put
..> Zuerlein in range for a 56-yard game-winning field goal.
..>
..> Three in top 10:
..>
..> o Top 10 ranking in rush yards, rush TDs, & giveaways
..>
..> One middle but in top half:
..>
..> o Middle but in top half ranking in sacks allowed
..>
..> One middle but in bottom half:
..>
..> o Middle but in bottom half ranking in passer rating
..>
..> Three in bottom 10:
..>
..> o Bottom 10 ranking in TD passes, passing yards, & points
..>
..> ~~~
..>
..> Top 10 rankings:
..>
..> Rushing - Successful, 198 yards on 31 attempts, 6.39 yards per attempt,
..> would rank 1st based on 2020 rush yards stats, Rush TDs, 2, would rank
..> tied for 3rd based on 2020 rush TDs stats
..>
..> Giveaways - Successful, 1 giveaway (an interception), would rank tied
..> for 4th based on 2020 giveaways stats
..>
..> ~~~
..>
..> Middle but in top half rankings:
..>
..> Sacks Allowed - Middle but in top half, 2 in game 2, would rank 14th based
..> on 2020 sacks allowed stats
..>
..> ~~~
..>
..> Middle but in bottom half rankings:
..>
..> Passer Rating - 87.8 passer rating, would rank 11th-worst based on 2020
..> passer rating stats
..>
..> ~~~
..>
..> Bottom 10 Ranking
..>
..> Passing - Unsuccessful, 0 TD passes, would rank 32nd based on 2020
..> passing TDs stats, 237 passing yards, would rank 8th-worst based on
..> 2020 passing yards stats
..>
..> Points - Unsuccessful, 20 points, would rank 32nd based on 2020 points
..> stats
..>
..> *--- --- ---*