In a funny twist, many seem more worried about things following Dallas’ narrow win over the Giants than they were after the Week 1 loss to Philadelphia. While the Cowboys did secure their first victory of 2025, New York’s explosive passing performance raised more long-term concerns about the defense. This, and more, make up our three big questions coming out of Week 2.
A week after Giants fans were calling for him to be benched, Russell Wilson went off for 450 yards. It wasn’t surgical, but rather a series of deep bombs that made Trevon Diggs and other defensive backs look equal parts hapless and helpless. Now that New York’s exposed this liability in the secondary, are the Cowboys about to start getting torched every week?
Obviously, Matt Eberflus has to figure some things out. This zone-heavy, double-high safety scheme is quite different from what some of our DBs were used to under Mike Zimmer and Dan Quinn. Thankfully, Dallas was able to withstand these big plays and escape with a win. But now that what the Giants did is on tape, it’s on our coaches to make mitigating adjustments.
Eberflus also needs to get some of his key players back. DaRon Bland’s absence was sorely felt, and hopefully, he’ll be able to suit back up by the Week 4 game against Green Bay. We’re also hoping that the current version of Diggs is still working through rust and has higher levels of play ahead of him. Also, what will guys like Caelen Carson and Shavon Revel Jr. offer when they finally make their 2025 debuts?
2. Can Javonte Williams keep this up?
The Cowboys may have pulled off another bargain bin win with Williams. His 151 rushing yards in two games put him at seventh on the current leaderboard, and his three touchdowns have him tied for first place. Williams isn’t only taking what the blocks give him, but he’s breaking tackles and creating extra yards and gash plays just on his own ability. While we’re still anticipating Jaydon Blue’s debut as another potential offensive weapon, Williams has clearly established himself as RB1.
Still, it’s a long season ahead. Can Williams maintain this play as all that contact starts to take a toll? He was available for only $3 million because of how much he struggled in Denver following a major 2022 injury. These first two weeks in Dallas are very positive signs, but his style is dependent on maintaining whatever bursts he has and consistently outpowering defenders. Both get harder as the body wears down.
3. What happens when the flags stop flying Dallas’ way?
In Week 1, it felt bizarre to see the Eagles penalized nine times to only four for the Cowboys. Even last week, albeit a much narrower margin, the Giants were flagged 14 times to just 12 for Dallas. We’re so used to the Cowboys being among the league leaders in penalties every year, so this has been a welcome respite. It’s also a big part of why they kept things close against Philly and eked out the win over New York.
Is this a new era of disciplined football under Brian Schottenheimer, or is it just an anomaly? We hope it’s sustainable, because the razor’s edge that Dallas is currently playing on means it can’t afford anything to swing to the negative. If history holds true and the Cowboys resume their rivalry with the officials, it could have a dramatic impact on outcomes going forward.
0 CommentsSee More:
