Wrong: Run defense hasn’t been fixed…
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The Cowboys went into the offseason with a few glaring weaknesses and one area that was supposed to be prioritized hasn’t been fixed; run defense. They are giving up over 143 yards a game on the ground, which is over 30 yards more than they allowed last year.
Sadly, it’s been at home where Dallas’ defense has been even worse.
Mike Zimmer’s unit has gotten run over to the tune of 648 rushing yards, and nine of the 10 scores they’ve given up have come at AT&T Stadium. That’s an average of 216 yards allowed a game when they’ve played at home.
The organization knew this was a problem, and they did little to solve their woes. Trading for one past-his-prime defensive tackle (Jordan Phillips) and signing another of the same ilk (Linval Joseph) has not helped. Second-year DT Mazi Smith also hasn’t taken the next step in his development, which has exasperated the issue. Smith’s played well in spurts, but he hasn’t been consistent enough to be the difference maker the interior of the defensive line needs.
There’s still a long way to go to improve the rushing defense in Dallas.
Wrong: … And neither has the rushing attack
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As bad as the Cowboys have been at stopping the run, they’re just as bad at running the ball. This was another place the team knew they had to get better in the offseason, and they addressed their lack of running back talent by bringing back Ezekiel Elliott, who is about done, signing Dalvin Cook to the practice squad, and re-signing Rico Dowdle to go along with Deuce Vaughn. Through six games, the trio hasn’t produced much except for one solid outing from Dowdle, when he was given most of the work.
The rushing attack has yet to have a 100-yard rusher, while surpassing 100 yards on the ground just twice as a team, topping out at 109 yards in the Week 1 win. The Cowboys rank last in rushing yards a game at 77.2, a sad commentary for a franchise that prides itself on running the ball and being physical. Going back to the merger, the Cowboys have never been last in the league in rushing, and they have 11 weeks to keep that streak alive.
Working in two rookies on the offensive line probably hasn’t helped their cause, nor has the deterioration of veteran right guard Zack Martin’s play. It also doesn’t help that the team has been down double-digits early in games, forcing them to abandon the rushing attack.
The Cowboys need to find their ground game and figure out who their lead RB is going to be if they want to improve as a running team. With a lack of high-end talent at the position, this isn’t an easy fix.
Right: Jalen Tolbert stepping up
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Before the season began, no one knew who the third wide receiver was going to be in the offense. WRs CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks were set as the top two options, but there were a host of others vying for the next spot. As it turns out, it’s been the WR who was supposed to be the guy all along.
Jalen Tolbert has taken his game to the next level as the WR has become a valuable contributor in the passing game. In just six weeks, Tolbert has already surpassed his reception and yardage totals from his first two seasons. Tolbert ranks second on the Cowboys in yards (290) and targets (34), while also being third in catches with 24.
Tolbert’s biggest play came on the game-winning catch against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5, and he backed that up with one of the best catches of the season against the Detroit Lions last week. The third-year WRs emergence has been one of the best things going for the passing game and he’s heading in the right direction for an offense that needs play makers.
Wrong: Coaching staff
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Through six weeks, there hasn’t been much to celebrate for the Cowboys, and the coaching staff is a big part of the disappointment. On offense, McCarthy’s scheme looks like one of the worst in the NFL, it’s stale, stagnant and predictable. There’s not enough motion or creativity, and what has been one of the top units in the league since McCarthy arrived (with a healthy Prescott) has become extremely boring to watch.
The running game is non-existent, the passing game hasn’t found their rhythm, and red-zone efficiency is 30th in the league at 37.5%. Six weeks in, and the Cowboys are averaging just 336.5 ypg, and only 21 ppg. That’s not nearly good enough.
Sadly, the results are worse on the defensive side of the ball.
The rushing defense is getting gashed, the entire unit is 24th league allowing over 356 ypg, and they’re 30th in points allowed at 28 per game. The defense lacks physicality and the change to Zimmer’s scheme hasn’t worked out as hoped. This group has looked nothing like the defense from the past few years, even before the injuries zapped their depth.
The adjustments, or lack thereof, haven’t worked and the coaching staff needs to figure it out in a short period of time because they aren’t getting the job done. The bye week is good time to find some answers.
Right: Special teams
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One of the real bright spots for the Cowboys this season has been their special teams. Kicker Brandon Aubrey continues to be a weapon, going 17-19 on his field goal attempts, which includes being 8-9 from 50+ yards, including approaching the NFL distance record on several occasions. The team is in scoring range as soon as they cross midfield, which is key for a struggling offense.
Return man KaVontae Turpin has been one of the best return men in the league through six weeks as well. Turpin has a punt return for a score, and his 43 yards per kickoff return leads the league, while his 301 total yards on returns is fourth in the NFL only because the lack of attempts.
Turpin has put the Cowboys in scoring position on a few of his returns, including last week’s matchup against the Lions, where he returned the kickoff 79 yards to set up a field goal.
John Fassel’s special teams unit has been just that, special. The group has performed well and is one of the few things the Cowboys have done right this season.
Wrong: Injuries
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The Cowboys haven’t played up to their potential in 2024, but injuries are a part of the equation. It’s tough to win games when you’re down to starting the fourth and fifth options at defensive end, or when the depth chart is depleted at cornerback.
Missing DEs Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence for multiple weeks isn’t easy to overcome, while losing an All-Pro CB DaRon Bland and promising rookie corner Caelen Carson doesn’t help. Last week, the defense also played without their best linebacker and prized free agent pickup Eric Kendricks, along with second-round pick DE Marshawn Kneeland.
On offense Cooks has missed two games at WR, tight end Jake Ferguson was out for one, and rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton missed last week as well.
It hasn’t been pretty for the Cowboys on the injury front, where the losses have come at places where the team couldn’t afford them.
Wrong: Offseason plan
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Part of the reason the injuries have cost the Cowboys in 2024 is because the offseason plan to remain asleep during free agency has backfired. Jerry and Stephen Jones’ strategy has left the team with little depth and by waiting on extensions for quarterback Dak Prescott and Lamb, they left little wiggle room under the cap.
While other teams were maneuvering the salary cap and finding ways to improve the team in the offseason, like normal teams do, the Cowboys were dormant. The front office didn’t even address their needs with bargain basement players, as is their custom. They just stayed out of free agency almost entirely.
That was an odd decision for a team that had won double-digit games in three straight years and has a roster that should be competing for a Super Bowl, only needing a few semi-aggressive moves in the offseason to help keep them on top. Instead, the lack of urgency has helped to put the Cowboys in a position to be embarrassed every other week and facing a crisis during their bye week with a 3-3 record.
The Joneses have proven to be very, very wrong on their offseason strategy. A shock to only them.
