The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys is here.
Cooper Rush ‘confident’, doing extra work with CeeDee Lamb ahead of Eagles – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com
With Dak Prescott out, Cooper Rush is the next man up. He talked to the media this week about his approach as the starter heading into Week 10.
The veteran quarterback has drawn plenty of praise from coaching staff and players alike for his consistent ability to step in and help deliver wins in the face of adversity, but it’s also true that, this time around, he’ll be tested like never before.
Forever the definition of even keel, however, Rush isn’t changing his process.
“The time [I put in] is pretty much the same,” he said ahead of his matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, the team that handed him the lone loss on his record. “The week-to-week process is pretty much the same. I mean, in practice, you’re obviously getting more reps, doing more things, but it’s exciting. This is why you work.
“This is why you prepare to go and start. … The more games you play, the more reps you bank, put in your library, you draw on those. So, I feel confident in that. Been around here for a while, and played with a lot of these guys before, which is huge when you’re out there with live bullets.
“Trusting those guys and being out there before with them is big.”
One of those guys is CeeDee Lamb and, for his part, there’s an echoing of the confidence being heaped upon Rush by others.
The two have also begun doing work after work, despite the All-Pro receiver battling a sprained AC joint in his shoulder suffered during the Week 9 battle in Atlanta against the Falcons.
Cowboys predictions at NFL midseason: Brandon Aubrey sets record, Dallas totals 2 home wins – Saad Yousuf, The Athletic
A look at what the rest of the 2024 season could have in store for the Dallas Cowboys.
Brandon Aubrey sets record for longest field goal
Aubrey almost had a chance to set the record in Week 1, when he made a 66-yarder in Cleveland that didn’t count due to a penalty and the ensuing 71-yard attempt was called off by holder Bryan Anger.
The Cowboys are about to be led by backup quarterback Cooper Rush for the foreseeable future. There’s a decent chance the offense will stall around midfield and the Cowboys will get desperate for points. There’s also the fact that of the remaining nine games for the Cowboys, six are in the comfortable confines of AT&T Stadium. Maybe Aubrey won’t get a chance quite from 70-plus yards, but something a hair over 66 would not be surprising.
Cowboys finish season with 2 wins at home
For the better part of the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the Cowboys’ dominance in Arlington got all the love. After losing the home opener in 2022, the Cowboys rattled off 16 consecutive wins at AT&T Stadium. That streak came to a screeching halt with the abomination against the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs. Since then, the Cowboys have not won a home game. Including the Packers loss, they are 0-4 in their last four home games.
Their remaining opponents at home are the Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans, New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Commanders. The Giants on Thanksgiving is one the Cowboys can feel hopeful about, even with Rush leading the offense. Perhaps they can find a way to come out on top in one of the other games. The Commanders matchup is in Week 18, so Washington could have nothing to play for at that point.
Jonathan Mingo trade grades: Did Cowboys get fleeced by Panthers in WR deal? – Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today
The Cowboys were buyers before the trade deadline acquiring a new WR in Jonathan Mingo from the Panthers. Here are each teams grades for the trade from USA Today.
Cowboys: D-
Desperation isn’t a good look for Jones. While the Cowboys are right to want to repair a stale offense that ranks 22nd in yards per play (5.2), it seems unlikely that a receiver who has essentially been leapfrogged by undrafted rookie free agent Jalen Coker is going to make much of a difference in a 3-5 campaign, especially with Dak Prescott likely to miss at least the next four games with his hamstring injury. And the return of a fourth-round draft pick is downright baffling, with little indication that such high bid was required. Though Mingo might have some untapped potential that can be unlocked in a new setting, Jones’ explanation prior to the deal that the Cowboys were bringing on a receiver they liked during the draft process would seem to suggest the team is doubling down on an evaluation miss and focusing on pre-draft perception rather than professional performance.
Panthers: A
After Carolina puzzled many by getting a modest pick swap for Diontae Johnson, general manager Dan Morgan somehow secured even better draft capital for the underperforming Mingo. The second-year receiver is essentially a non-factor in the offense at the moment, not posting a catch in the last three games. As far as cutting bait on a likely misstep from the previous regime goes, this is about as good as it gets. Dealing Adam Thielen is probably a non-starter at this point given the other moves, but Carolina can scrape by for the rest of the season with the 34-year-old and Coker.
With Ezekiel Elliott back in the fold, how will Cowboys handle RB split vs. Eagles? – Colin Capece, Dallas Morning News
Ezekiel Elliott is back practicing with the team this week, however coach Mike McCarthy has not disclosed if it would be him or Rico Dowdle as the starter for Sunday’s game against the Eagles.
Elliott did not play in last week’s game as the Cowboys made him a healthy scratch. The nine-year veteran did not travel with the team after it disciplined him for missing multiple meetings this season. Elliott has rushed for 149 yards on 48 carries this year.
McCarthy indicated Thursday that he and Elliott discussed his situation this week, and that the running back has rejoined team activities.
“We sat down and talked on Tuesday, but yeah, he’s jumped right back in,” McCarthy said. “He’s got a bright light, a lot of personality, so he’s had a good week so far.”
Dowdle has been the better pass-catching back this year, accumulating 163 yards and three touchdowns on 21 receptions. He had five receptions for 32 yards, a season-high, and a touchdown last week.
“I’m definitely feeling comfortable both rushing and receiving, I just want the ball if I can get it,” Dowdle said after practice Thursday.
Jonathan Mingo ready to prove himself in ‘fresh start’ – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com
The newest addition to the Dallas Cowboys, WR Jonathan Mingo, discussed the trade and his new start with the media.
“It kind of blindsided me, because my agent told me he didn’t think anything was going to happen, slim chance,” Mingo said. “So that slim chance happened. I’m happy to be a Cowboy, fresh start for me, new beginnings, God put me here for a reason.”
The Cowboys sent a 2025 fourth-round pick to Carolina in exchange for Mingo and a 2025 seventh-round pick Tuesday morning, minutes after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on 105.3 The Fan that Dallas would be acquiring a wide receiver at the deadline. Now, Mingo gets a fresh start in his young career.
“There are things I felt like I could’ve done better, just trying to be more consistent [in Carolina], trying to prove to them what I can be,” Mingo said. “[The Panthers] got me out of there so it is what it is, I’m here now so I can prove to people what I can do and show them the best version of me.”
Mingo was the 39th overall pick in the 2023 draft out of Ole Miss and caught 55 passes for 539 yards in his 24 games with the Panthers. He now joins an offense that is without their starting quarterback in Dak Prescott and a team with a 3-5 record through nine weeks but is still encouraged by what Mike McCarthy is able to do as a play caller to set him up for success.
