Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Rico Dowdle and CeeDee Lamb figure to have big days against the Buccaneers. The Dallas Cowboys took care of the Carolina Panthers last week with relative ease. In many ways it was arguably their most dominant performance of the season. From an offensive standpoint, a big reason for this was how both CeeDee Lamb and Rico Dowdle showed up. Both Lamb and Dowdle had big contributions that helped lift Dallas on top. You will likely not be shocked to learn that both Lamb and Dowdle over-delivered on their projected statistics from NFL Pro that we talked about last week. Projected Cooper Rush at Carolina: 232.3 pass yards, 1.1 pass TD, 0.7 INT, 5.1 rush yards, 0.1 rush TDActual: 214 yards, 3 TDs, 5 rush yards Projected Rico Dowdle at Carolina: 62.5 rush yards, 0.4 rush TD, 2.6 rec, 18.5 rec TD, 0.1 rec TDActual: 149 rush yards Projected CeeDee Lamb at Carolina: 6.4 rec, 69 yards, 0.4 TDActual: 9 rec, 116 yards, 1 TD Projected Jalen Tolbert at Carolina: 2.6 rec, 31 yards, 0.2 TDActual: 1 rec, 11 yards, 1 TD Projected Jake Ferguson at Carolina: 4.2 rec, 43.8 yards, 0.3 TDActual: 2 rec, 23 yards Cooper Rush also delivered well over his projected numbers from a passing touchdown standpoint and in that sense Jalen Tolbert also came up strong. However, there is no question that the strong over-deliveries came by way of Lamb and Dowdle. What is NFL Pro calling for this week from Cowboys players, though? Could it possible be more? Here is how NFL Pro sees Sunday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers going. As noted things have become a bit beefier for both Lamb and Dowdle. Interestingly, Dowdle is even getting some more love as a receiver. On the other side of things the projections for Tampa’s ground game are a bit more modest than we may have initially assumed, but to be fair they are based around Bucky Irving specifically and not account for Rachaad White and the work that he will ultimately do. It stands to reason that Tampa will control things on the ground across the game as a whole. In fact, the NFL Pro model has given the Bucs the advantage in way more ways than not. The Cowboys are underdogs, and even though they have won three out of their last four, the Buccaneers team that they are facing is undefeated in that same stretch. It will hardly be the most difficult game that they have ever played, but it certainly will not be easy.

Madden is calling for the Dallas Cowboys to lose on Sunday night. The Dallas Cowboys are returning home to AT&T Stadium on Sunday night and still looking for their second win in the building this season. At least they have already found the first. If the Cowboys do want to win their fourth overall game in their last five, then they are going to have to go through a rather tough and resilient Tampa Bay Buccaneers team. While the Cowboys have won three of their last four, the Bucs have won all of their last four. Tampa is riding high and looking to win yet another NFC South title while the Cowboys could have their playoff hopes doomed before the game even kicks off. Needless to say there is a lot going into the game and therefore impacting what could come out of it. In an effort to try and figure out what the results could be we did what we always do, we ran a simulation in Madden 25. You can watch the entire simulation below. The simulation is calling for a rather intense ending as the Cowboys drove down the field while trailing 21-13 for the potential game-tying touchdown. Amazingly, they wind up getting it in the final moments, but they are unable to add on the necessary two-point conversion. For what it’s worth, Madden also predicted the Cowboys to lose last week and we saw how that went. Here is the game’s track record to date: Week 1 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Cleveland Browns, 18-17 Week 1 In Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat Cleveland Browns, 33-17 Week 2 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to New Orleans Saints, 36-29 Week 2 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to New Orleans Saints, 44-10 Week 3 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Baltimore Ravens, 21-14 Week 3 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Baltimore Ravens, 28-25 Week 4 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to New York Giants, 28-21 Week 4 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat New York Giants, 20-15 Week 5 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-14 Week 5 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat Pittsburgh Steelers, 20-17 Week 6 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Detroit Lions, 38-31” Week 6 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Detroit Lions, 47-9 Week 8 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat San Francisco 49ers, 22-7 Week 8 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to San Francisco 49ers, 30-24 Week 9 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat Atlanta Falcons, 13-10 Week 9 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Atlanta Falcons, 27-21 Week 10 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Philadelphia Eagles, 21-17 Week 10 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Philadelphia Eagles, 34-6 Week 11 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat Houston Texans, 24-17 Week 11 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Houston Texans, 34-10 Week 12 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat Washington Commanders, 24-21 Week 12 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat Washington Commanders, 34-26 Week 13 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys beat New York Giants, 48-14 Week 13 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat New York Giants, 27-20 Week 14 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Cincinnati Bengals, 36-33 Week 14 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Cincinnati Bengals, 27-20 Week 15 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Carolina Panthers, 31-17 Week 15 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat Carolina Panthers, 30-14 The score from last week’s prediction was pretty close to actually coming true, but obviously the other way around. Madden was not alone in thinking that Dallas would lose as oddsmakers also believed the Panthers would win. Perhaps the Cowboys can shock everyone once again on Sunday night by taking out the Buccaneers. We will see!

Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images What would you say is the biggest thing you have learned about the Cowboys lately? The Dallas Cowboys got back to their winning ways with a 30-14 beatdown of the Carolina Panthers. For the first time with quarterback Cooper Rush at the helm, the Cowboys scored three offensive touchdowns and never let the Panthers in the game. Rico Dowdle continued his hot streak with his third consecutive game over 100 yards. They only had one reception a piece, but Jalen Tolbert and Jalen Brooks both scored touchdowns in Week 15. All-Pro Micah Parsons is simply back in his bag after missing four games with an ankle sprain. He had two sacks against the Panthers, making it his third multi-sack game in the last six weeks. Chauncey Golston stacked yet another impressive performance, and Osa Odighizuwa keeps playing his best football, which could price himself out of the Cowboys range once free agency comes about. Simply put, it was one of the best overall performances by Dallas in 2024 on both sides of the ball. The Cowboys still need a mini-miracle to make the postseason. However, they have won three of their last four games, which is testament to their resolve. As they get set to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, here’s three things we have learned about the Cowboys entering Week 16. Marist Liufau looks comfortable and confident As devastating as the season-ending injury to second-year linebacker DeMarvion Overshown was, it opened up an opportunity for Marist Liufau to put his thumbprint on the Cowboys defense. He got off to a great start in the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals with 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hits. However, he got to start against the Panthers, and he responded by tying a career high with five tackles and he also had a forced fumble. Liufau has no hesitation when he recognizes a play, and he shoots downhill with force every time he sees someone with the ball. It’s all about reps at this point with Liufau, and he still has three more games to go this season. With Overshown likely to miss at least most of 2025, if not more, Liufau will be needed immensely next season. So, these games are great learning experiences for him. CeeDee Lamb is quietly having another All-Pro type season CeeDee Lamb put up nine receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown against that Panthers, and it put him in the Cowboys record books. Lamb became the first player in Dallas to have four 1,000-yard seasons in his first five years, and he also joined Hall of Famer Michael Irvin as the only Cowboys with four consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns. The former first round pick is quietly third in the NFL in receptions (94) and yards (1,089). Keep in mind that he has played without Dak Prescott since Week 9. Putting up great numbers with Prescott is on the field is a given, but to continue to produce at the highest level with a guy who is limited like Cooper Rush just speaks to how good Lamb is. Brock Hoffman is making a case to be Zack Martin’s successor Sadly, the Zack Martin era is likely coming to an end, and the Cowboys have to think about the future of the right guard position. Brock Hoffman, who has taken the reigns there, is playing excellent football. Hoffman has logged 315 snaps in 2024, and he hasn’t allowed a sack yet. Also, he has only given up one quarterback hit and two pressures. It’s not just at guard that Hoffman has shined, though, as he’s played 109 snaps at center and 19 at left guard as well. The Cowboys shouldn’t let Hoffman’s play stop them from upgrading with a new player in the draft. Even if they do, whoever comes in will have to fight for the job because Hoffman is not only skilled, but he plays with a grit and toughness that is needed in the trenches, and he could very be the starting right guard in 2025.

Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images The Cowboys defense is playing really well right now. Previously we broke down the offenses for this week’s upcoming game for the Dallas Cowboys. Now we dive back into the position battleground, this time looking at how the defensive positions and special teams stack up against each other. DEFENSIVE LINE Besides to Rico Dowdle breaking out, the next big thing on this Cowboys roster that has really impressed as the season has progressed is the Cowboys defensive line. Osa Odighizuwa has played so well recently he may have priced himself out of Dallas’ price range to return next season. His 51 total pressures ranks third-most among defensive tackles this year and his pass rush win rate of 15.1% ranks ninth. Micah Parsons, even though missing four games this year, ranks fifth in total pressures among defenders and fourth in sacks. It’s an outstanding performance and it’s been overlooked thanks to talk about him being traded. Chauncey Golston has looked strong these past few weeks and also Marshawn Kneeland picking up the loose ball last week was good to see. The Cowboys in the last three weeks have generated the most sacks and allowed the fifth-fewest rushing yards against them, all showing the arrow is firmly pointed up for this defensive line. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive line has allowed the 11th-fewest rush yards against them this year but in the last three weeks they allowed only 67 rush yards per game, that’s insane efficiency. In terms of pass rush, Tampa ranks 11th in total sacks this year and have totaled 133 pressures, which is less than Dallas but still ranks the sixth-most. But this defensive line in the last three games has generated the sixth-fewest sacks showing it’s slowing down slightly. Defensive tackles Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey both lead the team with six sacks, that ranks 39th among defenders. Logan Hall is the team’s best edge defender with four sacks. With more sacks and pressures this Cowboys defensive line wins against the pass. But they falter in terms of defending run (although it’s looking improved lately). These lines are split. Win: Push Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images LINEBACKER Marist Liufau has become the newest linebacker to make headlines for Dallas. The team lost DeMarvion Overshown (but some good news on his surgery came out this week), but then Liufau stepped up and has really started to breakout. His caused fumble against Bryce Young was great to watch, and the improvement he’s shown at becoming more instinctive at the position has really exploded the last couple of weeks. Eric Kendricks shows he’s still a menace making tackles last week, and even catching a tipped ball for an interception. Kendricks now ranks third among linebackers in total tackles. K.J. Britt may miss this week so keep watch on his practice report. He’s fourth on the team in tackles but that’s nothing compared to Lavonte David’s total. He leads the team with 104 tackles, but his production doesn’t end there. He also has five sacks, seven tackles for loss, one interception and leads the team with three forced fumbles. He’s a great linebacker. Yaya Diaby plays on the weakside and has two sacks and 41 tackles. From the SAM linebacker position the team has Joe Tryon-Shoyinka who has 23 tackles and two sacks. Conclusion:This is an another tight contest here. Both linebacker corps have stepped and played well, the edge could go ever so slightly to Dallas thanks to Kendricks efforts, but that’s balanced out by Lavonte David and his production numbers. Win: Push Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images DEFENSIVE BACKS The Cowboys are lucky to have Jourdan Lewis as he’s been the steady ship on what was a rocky ocean for the Cowboys defense early in the season. The front office, for all its faults when it comes to contract negotiations, actually made a smart move with Lewis and managed to keep him on the cheap. Although Kendricks was credited with the interception, it was Lewis that made the athletic play on the ball for Kendricks to make the catch. He’s a great corner and his veteran presence has been solid this year for the defensive backs. Trevon Diggs’ news before the game stated he would be out for around eight months, that makes him ready to return as training camp looms on the horizon. Last week, DaRon Bland allowed zero catches and had a 39.6 passer rating allowed when targeted. Tampa has a weakness and that’s its secondary. They have been hit at the position by a string of injuries and lost three cornerbacks to injured reserve. But this week both starting safeties, Antoine Winfield Jr. and Mike Edwards, are questionable to play. They have allowed the fifth-most passing touchdowns and the third-most passing yards this season. To add to that, no other team has allowed more receptions on defense than Tampa Bay, and it’s by some margin. As for interceptions, they have made the fourth-fewest. Jamal Dean is the cornerback to watch, he’s one defensive back that can get the job done so targeting away from him would be a good start. Conclusion:The Cowboys secondary has managed to keep going and step up with injuries recently. Many players on this Cowboys roster have been lost this season and the secondary is one position that got the injury bug badly. For the Bucs, the same can be said but their statistics speak for themselves. Cowboys have allowed less passing yards and touchdowns.Win: Cowboys Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images SPECIAL TEAMS Brandon Aubrey once again made pressures kicks at distance look like easy play. He made all three extra points and hit three field goals last week, one from 52-yards. He’s an easy choice for the Pro Bowl this year. Chase McLaughlin is continuing on from his good performance from last year. He’s missed only two field goals from 27 attempts this year. The two misses came from attempts of over 50 yards. There’s

Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images Sunday night feels big. Things have been looking up for the Cowboys lately, winning three of their last four and keeping a razor thin sliver of hope alive for the playoffs. That could all change this week, though, when they take on the Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football. There are two ways the Cowboys could be officially eliminated from postseason contention this week. If the Commanders beat or even tie the Eagles in their 1 PM ET matchup on Sunday, that would do it. Philadelphia is currently a 3.5-point favorite on the road, so it’s going to be close in that regard. Assuming an Eagles win, though, the Cowboys would still need to beat the Buccaneers in order to still be able to realistically say they have something to fight for. That presents its own challenge, as Tampa Bay is hitting its stride right now. The Buccaneers have won four straight to move to 8-6 and a one-game lead over the Falcons in the NFC South race. Head coach Todd Bowles is on the verge of making it three straight division titles in as many years, though his team cannot clinch anything this week. Still, it’s been a triumphant turn for Tampa Bay. They’ve been hit with the injury bug a few times, losing Chris Godwin for the year earlier in the season. They also lost four in a row – to the Ravens, Falcons, Chiefs, and 49ers – all by one score. The loss in Kansas City came down to overtime, an impressive feat in its own right. Since then, the offense – led by Baker Mayfield – has found its rhythm while the defense has returned to form somewhat. They had a close call, needing overtime to beat the Panthers, but logged wins against the Giants, Raiders, and Chargers by a combined margin of 61 points. Their most recent game, a blowout of the Chargers, was easily the most impressive. To hammer home just how good Tampa Bay has been recently, consider this: since Week 12, they’re second in the NFL in team EPA/play, behind only the Bills. They’re getting hot at the right time, but so are the Cowboys. In that same span, Dallas is tied for ninth in team EPA/play. Is that enough to make this a real game? Sportsbooks don’t seem to think so. The Buccaneers are currently 4.5-point favorites as the road team, so Vegas doesn’t have much faith in the Cowboys. That’s fair, as the Cowboys’ last four opponents have a combined record of 20-36. Dallas has objectively played better in recent weeks, but they haven’t been doing it against the cream of the crop. The Buccaneers may not be the cream of the crop either, but they’re up there. Coming into this game, they’re seventh in offensive DVOA, and Mayfield is playing especially well after signing an extension last offseason. The quarterback is ninth in EPA/play and third in completion rate. His gunslinger tendencies are still there, as Mayfield is second in the league in interceptions and fifth in turnover-worthy play rate, but he’s also third in touchdowns and fourth in yards. The defense, run by Bowles himself, has been playing much better in recent weeks but still isn’t the force it usually is. The secondary has been especially susceptible, and only two defenses are giving up more passing yards per game. That should be a concern for Tampa Bay as they now go up against CeeDee Lamb, who’s on a hot streak right now despite catching passes from Cooper Rush. When you look closely, there is a genuine path to victory for the Cowboys. They’ll need to play really efficient football on both sides from start to finish, but the Buccaneers are far from invincible. We’ve seen the Cowboys rise to the occasion in recent weeks, so perhaps we’ll see a similar effort Sunday night in a must-win game.

Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images The latest in Dallas Cowboys news heading into the weekend. Micah Parsons ends all speculation on possible holdout, future with Cowboys – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com Micah Parsons still plans to attend offseason practices with the team, regardless of his contract extension status. “I’ve got to be around the guys,” he said. “There’s going to be rookies, there’s going to be free agents — guys that come here — you don’t know who’s going to be there, so there’s a chemistry part and people know what you can do, but people also got to see it from a leader aspect. So I still gotta be there for that part.” It’s a more evolved side of Parsons that’s emerged over the version that chose to sidestep voluntary workouts (then again, “what do voluntary mean?”) to this point, as the drive to become one of the definitive leaders of the team continues to dig itself deeper into the heart and mindset of the former first-round pick. “I definitely think I need to be here in camp because, honestly, when so much of the defense is surrounded by your play and your presence, and others are getting lined up based off of you, I need to be here so that way I can get these guys accordingly,” said Parsons. “We can rush together, build that chemistry. “So I think it’s of extreme importance that I’m back at OTAs, minicamp [etc.].” […] “It would just be nice to be surrounded by good players, you know what I mean?” he said. “Players that are going to help you win championships. To me, having $40 million and being chipped every play and slid two with three, four people — I don’t think that sounds too fun. So, to me, it’s about people that can keep making a difference and, obviously, we’re going to get Sam [Williams] back; and we’re going get some of [others] back. “We’ll see how it breaks down, but I want to keep as many guys as possible, however they’re going to make the cap work.” Cowboys Today: The growing relationship between Micah Parsons and Mike Zimmer – Jon Machota, The Athletic Micah Parsons has been vocal in his support for Mike Zimmer and is campaigning for him to return in 2025. “We do have a good relationship,” Zimmer said. “He came up to me during the game (Sunday) and said, ‘We need to run this.’ And I said, ‘Dude, it’s the two-minute drill. Can you just relax? It’s starred on the sheet right here. You see it?’ And he was like, ‘OK, OK, OK.’ He means well. And he’s very smart. He’s brilliant.” How has Parsons shown that brilliance? “A lot of different ways,” Zimmer said. “Not just football. It’s the things we talk about. We went to dinner one night over here (by The Star) just me and him. Just talking about life and his background and my background, things like that. He’s very smart. He’ll come up to me, and he’ll say, ‘This would be a good thing to do.’ (A play) where he can get a free shot somewhere.” The Cowboys’ front office has been pleased with the job Zimmer has done taking over a defense that was called by Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn the previous three seasons. Like with Quinn, Zimmer has been finding ways to move Parsons around and maximize his abilities. What does the Cowboys’ 2025 salary cap really look like? – Todd Archer, ESPN The question surrounding the Cowboys and their participation in free agency acquisition isn’t a matter of can they do it, but will they do it. For fans, the fear is that 2025 free agency will be approached the same way as last offseason, when the Cowboys opted against adding key players to a roster in need of help. Will it be another offseason like 2024, when they didn’t consider adding star free agent running back Derrick Henry, opting to bring back an aging veteran Ezekiel Elliott instead? Will they wait to get their highest-priced extension done with Micah Parsons, the way they did with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb last offseason? Will it be another spring of letting key free agents, such as Osa Odighizuwa and Chauncey Golston walk, the way Tony Pollard, Dorance Armstrong and Tyler Biadasz did last offseason? The Cowboys’ offseason plan — whom to keep, whom to extend, whom to let walk — is not finalized by any stretch. The focus remains on the final three regular-season games, but it’s not as if the Cowboys can’t multitask. “We’re always working behind the curtain, thinking about those type of things — everything we’re doing right now, how it affects next year,” Jones said. Some projections expect the 2025 salary cap to be approximately $275 million. Teams aren’t planning for the $30 million jump it took in 2024, but it will still go up. According to Roster Management System, the Cowboys have 40 players signed for 2025 at a cost of $263 million. Cap space is — to steal a term from owner and general manager Jerry Jones — fungible… …But it will remain true that if the Cowboys want to be active in free agency — if not at the top of the market — they can be. So the major question of their approach to the 2025 offseason is: Will they? Cooper Rush on tough Tampa Bay defense, fixing fumble issues – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com Cooper Rush faces another challenge this week going against the Buccaneers’ defense while cleaning up some of his mistakes. The Buccaneers’ defense has turned up the heat against their opponents in the last three game, allowing just 286.3 yards per game over that time span, the fifth best rate in the league. Part of that has come with the success Bowles’ units have with disguising coverage on the backend, something that Rush knows the Cowboys will have to figure out if they want to

Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images Who wins tonight… Denver or Los Angeles? The Denver Broncos play the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football. FanDuel has the Chargers as 2.5-point favorites over the Broncos. Final score prediction: Chargers 23 – Broncos 17. Check out FanDuel for all of your NFL betting needs. This is an open thread for game chat.