The upcoming home games for the Cowboys are going to be difficult to say the least.
Protecting your home field is paramount in the game of football. The Dallas Cowboys had been a dominant home team since their season-opening loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022. From that point until the end of last season, the Cowboys won 15 consecutive games at AT&T Stadium. This set up a clear path to the NFC Championship Game when they established themselves as the second seed in the playoffs. However, their old postseason nemesis, the Green Bay Packers, steamrolled them and put up 48 points in the process.
After their win against the Cleveland Browns to start the 2024 campaign, the Cowboys had two straight home games against the New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens. Needless to say, it was a disaster in both contests. The Saints put up 35 points in the first half by using a strong run game and Derek Carr’s arm en route to a 44-19 victory. When the Ravens came to town, Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry spearheaded an effort of 274 rushing yards, and they held on to a 28-25 win and completely destroyed whatever mystique the Cowboys had at home.
This Sunday, the Cowboys take on the Detroit Lions at home. From the Lions perspective, this is a revenge game considering they feel they should have won in Dallas a season ago (loss 20-19), and they’re looking to end a six-game losing streak to the Cowboys. With one of the league’s best offensive lines and a two-headed monster at running back with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, they are a tough out. It doesn’t get any easier in November as the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans will come to town. All three of these teams rank in the top 10 offensively, which will test a Cowboys defense that has shown some very positive signs as of late, and the Texans are also ranked fourth in total defense. The New York Giants will visit on Thanksgiving, and although they aren’t a good offensive team, their defense ranks 10th at the moment.
Dallas is depleted when it comes to edge rushers after the injury the rookie Marshawn Kneeland, and that will hurt going up against quarterbacks such as Jared Goff, Jalen Hurts, and CJ Stroud. Also, the Cowboys are still trying to establish an identity in their run game despite a good performance against the Giants. It will be difficult, but if they want any shot at making the playoffs, Dallas needs to find a way to get through this upcoming gauntlet of home games.
