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When Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer turned on the tape this week, one thing was constantly showing up.
“Whenever there’s a minor altercation, Fergy’s always in there,” Schottenheimer said of tight end Jake Ferguson. “He’s like the big brother.”
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Ferguson’s development is a discussion that has been getting louder and louder by the week and the focus of that talk is usually on his production. That obviously means catches and yards but often includes his blocking and physicality in the run game and pass protection, too. As much as Ferguson has improved in all those areas, what Schottenheimer saw on tape is the first thing that stands out to those around Ferguson.
“His mentality is why he is the guy that he is and having the success that he is,” quarterback Dak Prescott said last week after the Cowboys beat the Seattle Seahawks.
Ferguson had a strong game against Seattle, catching six passes for 77 yards and the game-winning touchdown. It’s not a gaudy stat line, especially when the Cowboys have CeeDee Lamb lighting up the receiver boards.
What Ferguson brings to the passing game for Prescott is different than what Lamb does. And whatever the statistics end up being, the overall impact Ferguson is capable of having on the game is hard for others to replicate. Against the Seahawks, Prescott had a smooth 299 yards passing with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Lamb racked up another 12 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown.
But when Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones walked out of the locker room after the game, he didn’t even come to a full stop for the hoard of cameras and reporters before he started talking, unprompted.
“No. 87 fires me up,” Jones said. “He was inspirational out there, Ferguson, just to name someone that was special to me. I thought No. 87 was just determined and basically out-physicaled. Of course, his catch for the touchdown was outstanding but can’t say enough about how he played and how everybody played that fourth quarter.”
Ferguson’s game-winning touchdown catch is a great example of what Ferguson means to the Cowboys’ success. The touchdown itself was sublime, coming with less than five minutes left in the game and the Cowboys trailing 35-30. Prescott threw a ball to the left side in the end zone, where Ferguson fully extended to snag the pass.
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Ferguson gave a strong stare to the defender who was in coverage, locking eyes on him for a solid two seconds. Then, he turned the other way and spiked the ball emphatically. The defender on the play was Jamal Adams, the highly-paid Seahawks safety who was a top-10 selection in the NFL draft just seven years ago. In the third quarter, Adams went out of his way to find Ferguson after a play and lock helmets. Ferguson, a fourth-round pick last season, didn’t back down. Adams ended the extracurricular interaction with a quick swipe at Ferguson’s chin. Ferguson ended the game with his touchdown catch over Adams.
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“It’s tremendous,” Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse said. “He’s lighting it up, he’s ripping it up. Dak trusts him, for the right reasons. He’s going out there and making plays every single Sunday.”
The Cowboys — Prescott in particular — have remained ardent supporters of Ferguson, even as he went through some growing pains after being thrust into the No. 1 tight end role. Prescott had great trust and chemistry with his predecessor, Dalton Schultz, so Ferguson had big shoes to fill. The way Prescott, an eighth-year starter who thinks the game at a supremely high level, is comfortable throwing to Ferguson is proof alone of how far Ferguson has come.
Against the Commanders, Prescott threw a deep pass down the seam to Ferguson in triple coverage and Ferguson came down with the ball, even when absorbing contact.
“It was Jake on a backer,” Prescott said. “He did a great job of running and taking the middle, doing it with speed. It goes into just the preparation, the footwork, trusting in it, believing in it. Confidence in that guy. Confidence in that guy to go make plays across the middle.”
That confidence isn’t new. Last month it was Prescott and the Cowboys’ offense on the other side of the field, in the red zone, when the quarterback threw a dart to Ferguson on a similar route for a touchdown.
Dak dart for six! 🎯
📺: #LARvsDAL on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/Quwvdzpx7G pic.twitter.com/SKURqg14re— NFL (@NFL) October 29, 2023
“He’s a warrior,” Lamb said. “He’s taken a lot of shots. He’s done a lot of dirty work as far as blocking the end, blocking backers and then going out and running routes. Tip my hat off to him.”
Ferguson’s value to the Cowboys’ offense is unique because his position is unique. Ferguson isn’t just a receiving threat, he’s a safety valve. He isn’t just a route runner, he’s a mismatch for linebackers and safeties. He’s the one typically working the middle of the field and in the intermediate areas, somewhere Prescott can go as an outlet if things break down in the backfield.
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“I think when you have (a tight end) that has athleticism and can extend away from the formation and run routes like a receiver? Now that’s a real advantage because now you’re not just defending three receivers but four,” Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said. “When the guy is in the core, most of the really good ones have the ability to be run blockers and pass catchers.”
Ferguson has shown that ability and he’s only growing in his role. As defenses start to key more on Lamb in the passing game, Ferguson’s opportunities should increase. This season, Ferguson is only second to Lamb in receiving yards and touchdowns.
His game against the Seahawks was a strong one. His 77 yards receiving were the second-most he’s had in his young career. Ferguson’s career-best game came in Week 9, when he hauled in a career-high seven passes for a career-high 91 yards and a touchdown in Philadelphia.
With the Eagles back in town Sunday for a huge NFC East matchup, Ferguson will under the spotlight once again. The stats he ends up with are a mystery but one thing the Cowboys have come to expect and rely on is the tone Ferguson sets. Everything else is a product of that energy.
(Photo of Jake Ferguson: Cooper Neill / Getty Images)
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