As we get closer to the end of the 2025 season, the surging Cowboys have suddenly moved into the NFC playoff conversation. One big wrinkle for Dallas, and the also-contending Green Bay Packers, is their tie result from Week 4. What does this standings anomaly mean for Dallas and the rest of the conference in […] As we get closer to the end of the 2025 season, the surging Cowboys have suddenly moved into the NFC playoff conversation. One big wrinkle for Dallas, and the also-contending Green Bay Packers, is their tie result from Week 4. What does this standings anomaly mean for Dallas and the rest of the conference in the ever-developing playoff picture? Cowboys fans can be forgiven if they’re not sure how to feel about or understand the impact of a tie. They don’t happen often: Dallas and Green Bay’s is the only one so far this year and the first since 2022. From 2002 to 2014, there were only 12 total ties over 13 seasons. And for Dallas, amazingly, this was the first tie for the franchise since 1969. What’s funny about ties is that, for as rare as they are and as inexperienced as we may be with them, they actually make things simpler. If you want complexity, go through the NFL’s tiebreaking scenarios for things like division winners, playoff seeding, and draft order. Especially once you get into levels like common opponents and strength of schedule, things get really tedious and unappealingly mathy. When one team has a tie in its record and another team doesn’t, all of that other stuff goes out the window. It comes down to the basic comparison of overall records, and particularly each team’s winning percentage. Let’s say Dallas finishes the year with a 9-7-1 record: nine wins, seven losses, and one tie. That is a better record with a higher winning percentage (.559) than a 9-8 (.529) record. It’s also a worse record than 10-7 (58.8), still keeping things simple. Basically, if the Cowboys and another NFC team (other than Green Bay) finish the year with the same number of wins, the tie immediately lifts Dallas above them in the standings. Any team that’s won more games than Dallas this year will automatically be above them, no different than if the Cowboys didn’t have the tie at all. This is especially relevant given how close Dallas and the Carolina Panthers are right now in the NFC. Carolina beat the Cowboys in Week 6, which would generally grant them an important head-to-head tiebreaker if needed. But now, if the Panthers and Cowboys have the same number of wins after Week 18, Dallas’ loss to Carolina simply won’t matter. The Cowboys would have the better overall record, thanks to the tie. If you already understood all that, sorry for the lecture. But we’ve seen a lot of posts and other writings that indicate there’s still a lot of confusion about how this works: Cowboys fans anxious over tiebreaking scenarios that have a very low chance of actually coming into play. The mission going forward is simple, with Dallas just needing to at least match the win totals of most other NFC contenders to move ahead of them in the playoff race. This is also true in the NFC East, where the Cowboys could still steal the division if they can gain two more wins than the Eagles over the next five weeks. If we get through Week 18 and Dallas falls short of the playoffs, especially if it’s only by one win, many are going to point to the tie as the culprit. Because it’s unusual and a little more intriguing, it makes for good fodder. But the truth is that the tie has as much chance of helping the Cowboys as hurting them. It’s a 50-50 variable, dependent on the win total of that other team vying for that same playoff spot. If we wind up needing to blame results for costing the Cowboys a postseason bid, there are far more egregious sins than tying one of the top teams in the NFC. How about the atrocious loss to the now 3-9 Arizona Cardinals? Or maybe no-showing against the Bears and Broncos? Or allowing Rico Dowdle to run for 183 yards in the loss to Carolina? Focusing on a game we didn’t actually lose, and against a tough Packers team, would be silly by comparison. Hopefully, after January 7th, the Cowboys’ tie with Green Bay will be something that boosts their standing in the NFC rather than diminishes it. It will also play a part in determining the 2026 NFL Draft order, but we’re focused on the playoffs right now as the team has found momentum. We’ll see where we finally end up, and the role that Dallas’ first tie in over 50 years has on the future. See More: Dallas Cowboys analysis

We are officially in the time of year when you are calculating wins and losses. The Dallas Cowboys have hopes for the postseason but need to keep stacking wins and get some help along the way to make the math work in their favor. After today’s final injury report, the Cowboys are going to see […] We are officially in the time of year when you are calculating wins and losses. The Dallas Cowboys have hopes for the postseason but need to keep stacking wins and get some help along the way to make the math work in their favor. After today’s final injury report, the Cowboys are going to see a far different Lions team than they would have expected to square off against earlier this season. Here’s the latest on injuries before tomorrow’s big game. Having not practiced all week, Tyler Guyton was ruled out with a high-ankle sprain. Trevon Diggs (knee) has been at practice all this week in limited sessions. Diggs was hoping to play, but he ultimately was ruled out as well. As for everyone else, the Cowboys seem to be in pretty good health. Jadeveon Clowney (hamstring) was upgraded to limited today and is questionable to play versus Detroit. Malik Hooker (back) is the only other player listed as questionable. George Pickens (calf/knee) and DaRon Bland (foot/wrist) were full participants again on Wednesday and will be on the field in Detroit. We’re still awaiting final word from Detroit but they continue to be devastated by injuries. Head coach Dan Campbell said yesterday receiver that Khalif Raymond (ankle) will not play against Dallas. Also highly questionable that he’ll be playing tomorrow is Amon-Ra St Brown (ankle). St. Brown is a significant part of the Lions’ offense due to his versatility and productivity. He has recorded over 100 receptions from 2022 to 2024. His absence on Thursday would leave a big void in Detroit’s offense. Safety Kerby Joseph was downgraded on Tuesday and did not practice yesterday, also leaving his status as murky to take the field against Dallas. See More: Dallas Cowboys Injuries

The Dallas Cowboys are America’s Team. We all know this to be true, not just in a nickname sense but one of captivation as the Cowboys are the biggest draw in the NFL. No one around here is offering this as some point of success, we are simply stating the facts of life. This particular […] The Dallas Cowboys are America’s Team. We all know this to be true, not just in a nickname sense but one of captivation as the Cowboys are the biggest draw in the NFL. No one around here is offering this as some point of success, we are simply stating the facts of life. This particular fact was proven out on Thanksgiving Day by the viewership numbers. Last week’s Cowboys win over the Kansas City Chiefs was the most-watched regular season game of all time in NFL history. Over 57 million people tuned in. A whopping 57.2 million viewers watched Dallas’ 31-28 Thanksgiving Day victory over Kansas City on CBS, per a source with knowledge of the data. The late-afternoon game’s average viewership shattered the previous regular-season record set three Thanksgivings ago, when the Cowboys and Giants drew 42 million viewers in 2022 on FOX. The record was not accidental. The NFL made a strategic decision this year to pit its two most-watched teams against each other on its most-watched day of regular-season football. Viewership is the engine that drives the NFL, and setting a new regular-season viewership record, especially by this much, is news that will cross over from the “inside baseball” world of sports media and sports business writers into the broader sports-fan ecosystem. It is noted here that the Cowboys took over a top spot that they themselves previously held. It was their Thanksgiving Day win against the New York Giants that was the most recent record holder. “Only” 47 million people tuned in for that drubbing. You can see here how it is noted that it was no accident that this game did the numbers it did. The NFL knows what it has in the Cowboys (and the Chiefs to be clear) and they strategically set this up. Consider their strategy that we are in the middle of where every one of the league’s major network partners are all getting a primetime or big window game from Dallas. They are the proverbial cash cow for all points of television which is where the highest source of revenue comes from in the NFL. 57 million! See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

The Dallas Cowboys will visit the Detroit Lions on Thursday night and look for their fourth win in a row. If they get it then all of this positive momentum that the team has had relative to a potential playoff push is going to be absolutely out of this world. It goes without saying that […] The Dallas Cowboys will visit the Detroit Lions on Thursday night and look for their fourth win in a row. If they get it then all of this positive momentum that the team has had relative to a potential playoff push is going to be absolutely out of this world. It goes without saying that this is what we most want to see this week. The last few weeks have been a ton of fun for the Cowboys and everybody around here wants to keep the party going. What has to happen for this to be the case, though? If we gave you the magic power to assure one thing will absolutely happen so as to most help Dallas win, what is that one thing? Your answer can (obviously) be anything you want. The only requirement here is that it is given with the express purpose of most maximizing the team’s chances of winning on Thursday night. Let us know what you think in the comments down below. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

Jerry Jones on Cowboys’ best road to playoffs, his defensive line, injuries and more – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com Jerry Jones invested a lot in his defensive tackles, and it sounds like there’s no plan to split up the super group. Keeping Dallas’ interior defensive line trio together Speaking of Williams, Jones was also complimentary of […] Jerry Jones invested a lot in his defensive tackles, and it sounds like there’s no plan to split up the super group. Keeping Dallas’ interior defensive line trio together Speaking of Williams, Jones was also complimentary of how he has fit in with, and opened things up for his teammates like Osa Odighizuwa and Kenny Clark. The three of them are paving the way up front for Dallas’ defensive turnaround the last three games. After this season though, it’ll cost around $60 million in cap space to keep the three of them together as things stand right now, which brought up some doubt about whether the Cowboys would be willing to navigate that situation. Jones made it no secret that he’s willing to find a way. “All three of those players have, again, tremendous football character. We knew that when we extended Osa this year…” Jones said. “When you line those three up in there, and you’ve got them either in rotation or you’ve got them in there together, you really create a dominant feature to our team. A combination of all of them, someone asked ‘Well, you’re not going to be able to keep them all three.’ That’s not right. We can, and we can build from that.” Injury updates on Jadeveon Clowney and Trevon Diggs Defensively, the Cowboys have dealt with injuries all season and are continuing to do so heading into their Thursday night game against Detroit. Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (hamstring) was limited in practice on Monday, but Jones is optimistic that he’ll have a chance to play, although it’ll likely be a game-time decision. “I look to him to be available this [week], but we don’t have many days left for him to be out there,” Jones said. “Planning on him playing, but that’s not a given. This truly is warm him up out there before the game on Thursday, and if they can play, then you’ll make them active… He has had two games back-to-back that are very noteworthy.” In learning key aspect of new role, Shavon Revel Jr. continues to amaze the Dallas Cowboys – Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News So far, it looks like the Dallas Cowboys have another star in the making with Shavon Revel. Shavon Revel Jr. received his first pair of cowboy boots, fittingly, when he became a Cowboy. All the rookie draft picks for the Dallas Cowboys were gifted boots when they first joined the team this offseason. Revel’s were distinctive: all black, made with ostrich leather, designed by Lucchese. And, perhaps most important, they were brand new. Boot-wearers know there’s an adjustment period to a new pair. You have to break them in before they feel comfortable. For Revel, the same can be said about learning his new role in the Cowboys’ defense. The Cowboys considered Revel one of the best corner prospects in the 2025 NFL draft, if not the best. If not for a torn ACL early in his final collegiate season, Revel would’ve likely been taken earlier than the third round, where the Cowboys eventually selected him. In Revel, the Cowboys saw a talented corner who could use his 6-foot-1 height and nearly 80-inch wingspan to excel in press-man coverage. Revel showcased that during his NFL debut in Las Vegas three games ago, but if he was going to carve out a consistent role with the Dallas defense, he had to be more. Instead of the defense adapting to him, he had to adapt to it, which meant learning how to play zone coverage at a high level for the first time in his career. Revel’s commitment to that might be the most impressive thing he’s done in his early career, according to coaches. “He continues to amaze me, man,” Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said earlier this week. “It’s so fun to watch him grow.” Revel has been a willing learner, too. When he visited the Cowboys prior to the draft he recalled telling them that he wanted to learn more about zone coverage. He wanted to learn all the little details, especially because it was so unfamiliar to him. His build is perfectly designed for the man coverage he mostly played his entire life. He estimated that 90% of his college career at East Carolina was spent in man coverage. There were only a few situational exceptions that called for running zone. One NFL draft expert fittingly described Revel as a boundary bully. He wasn’t known as a zone savant. Cowboys at Lions: 3 players Dallas needs to step up in Week 14 – Matthew Holleran If Dallas wants to keep their playoff hopes alive, here are a few players that could be key to a victory Thursday night. Fresh off a huge win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving Day, the Dallas Cowboys wrap up their three-game gauntlet this Thursday as they take on the Detroit Lions. Both the Cowboys and Lions desperately need to win this game to stay in the playoff hunt, so this figures to be a very competitive matchup. With that thought in mind, today, we take a look at three players Dallas will need to step up if they want to defeat the Lions. 1) RB Javonte Williams Coming into their bye week back in Week 9, the Detroit Lions were riding high. Detroit had a 5-2 record, winning five of its last six games, and a defense that allowed just 21 points per game. However, since the bye week, things have looked a lot different for the team from Michigan. As a team, they’ve posted a 2-3 record over their last five games, and much of their

Dallas fans, start your engines. In two days, the Dallas Cowboys roll into the Motor City in hopes of extending their three-game win streak and slowing down a speedy Detroit Lions offense. The Lions (7-5) are one game ahead of the Cowboys in the NFC East playoff picture, but have been ravaged by injuries lately.  […] Dallas fans, start your engines. In two days, the Dallas Cowboys roll into the Motor City in hopes of extending their three-game win streak and slowing down a speedy Detroit Lions offense. The Lions (7-5) are one game ahead of the Cowboys in the NFC East playoff picture, but have been ravaged by injuries lately. This past week, Detroit attempted to sign Frank Ragnow out of retirement but ultimately failed his physical. Tight end Sam LaPorta is on injured reserve, and it is hopeful at best that he returns before the end of the regular season. The Lions are wounded but also very unpredictable with Dan Campbell at the helm. Expect them to pull out all the stops, especially if they are shorthanded as today’s injury report may suggest. For Dallas, Jadeveon Clowney (hamstring) was a DNP again on Tuesday. Tyler Guyton (ankle) did not practice and may miss his second consecutive game this week. Meanwhile, Trevon Diggs (knee) was limited again today and George Pickens (calf/knee) was upgraded to a full participant. There has not been any concern about either player’s availability for Thursday’s game. As mentioned, the Lions are dealing with numerous injuries. Receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) did not practice again today. St. Brown himself stated that he is unsure he will able to play this week. With another DNP on Tuesday, it becomes very likely that he will miss Thursday’s game. Also not practicing was Khalif Raymond, who was sidelined by an ankle injury. Two members of the Lions’ starting offensive line, Penei Sewell (shoulder) and Taylor Decker (shoulder) were cited as DNP today. Finally, cornerback Terrion Arnold (shoulder) was moved to injured reserve. See More: Dallas Cowboys Injuries

The Dallas Cowboys are rolling with a three-game win streak, two of those games coming against last season’s Super Bowl participants. Now they have to travel to Detroit to face the Lions, a team that is trending in the other direction. The Lions have lost two of their last three leading to a 7-5 record. […] The Dallas Cowboys are rolling with a three-game win streak, two of those games coming against last season’s Super Bowl participants. Now they have to travel to Detroit to face the Lions, a team that is trending in the other direction. The Lions have lost two of their last three leading to a 7-5 record. Suffice it to say, both teams desperately need this game to stay in the playoff hunt. But the subject of our survey today is not the playoffs in particular. It is more around the belief that the Cowboys organization has things going in the right direction. Even if they don’t make the tournament in 2025, how well are they set up for the future? We want to know if you are confident that the Cowboys are headed in the right direction. Vote in the survey then hit the comments with your reasons. Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cowboys fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. See More:

The Dallas Cowboys have made some noise over the last few weeks, leading to a three-game winning streak. In the midst of reaching a winning record for the first time this season, the NFL has opened its fan voting window to determine who will make it to the annual Pro Bowl game. Last season, the […] The Dallas Cowboys have made some noise over the last few weeks, leading to a three-game winning streak. In the midst of reaching a winning record for the first time this season, the NFL has opened its fan voting window to determine who will make it to the annual Pro Bowl game. Last season, the Cowboys had an average year by their usual standards, with just five players nominated. Brandon Aubrey, CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons, Tyler Smith, and KaVontae Turpin were sent to represent Dallas. Fans have a few weeks (December 15) until the voting window closes. If the Cowboys continue their winning streak, many of the players named to the initial top ten list at their positions could find their names skyrocketing towards the top. Here are the players currently in the top ten at their positions: Offense: Quarterbacks: Dak Prescott (4th) Running Back: Javonte Williams (9th) Fullback: Hunter Luepke (2nd) Wide Receiver: George Pickens (2nd) Tight End: Jake Ferguson (6th) Center: Cooper Beebe (6th) Guard: Tyler Smith (9th), Tyler Booker (10th) Special Teams: Kicker: Brandon Aubrey (2nd) Long Snapper: Trent Sieg (2nd) Return Specialist: KaVontae Turpin (1st) Special Teams Player: C.J. Goodwin (7th) A few takeaways It shouldn’t come as a complete shock that there are zero defensive players named for the Cowboys across any position listed on that side of the ball. Dallas had a historically bad defense for the first half of the season, with enough blame to go around all 11 players. Since then, the defense has really turned a corner with the addition of Quinnen Williams and getting DeMarvion Overshown back in the lineup. Before the fan voting period wraps up, Dallas will be in two prime-time games. The first one will be against the Detroit Lions on Thursday night, and then the following week will be on Sunday Night Football, unless the NFL decides to flex Dallas out of that spot. With how entertaining the team has become, and their playoff hopes hanging in the balance, there’s enough drama on Dallas’ side to warrant them staying in the SNF window. That means there will be more opportunities for players like Williams, Overshown, Osa Odighizuwa, Kenny Clark, and others to showcase their skills, potentially boosting their vote totals. On the offensive side of the ball, there’s not much to argue with other than wanting to see CeeDee Lamb’s name on the list of wide receivers as well. Lamb missed four games due to a high ankle sprain, so his shine has dulled compared to where he usually is at this point in the season. After a bounce-back game on Thanksgiving, there’s a chance he can get his name back in the running. However, there are a ton of talented names he’d have to leapfrog. The Cowboys’ special teams mentions are led by Brandon Aubrey. The man they call “Butter” continues to reset the record books. This season, Aubrey set the record for most successful 50-plus-yard field goal attempts with 30. He sits in fourth place among all players with 104 points scored through Week 13. When a player of his caliber carries that much gravity, the players around him are going to get some credit, too. The rest of Dallas’ core special teams players crack the top ten list, except for punter Bryan Anger. If Aubrey and Trent Sieg are going to punch their tickets to the Pro Bowl, then the entire kicking operation should go. Fans have a lot of work to do over the course of two weeks to make it happen. Look at it this way—it’s what Aubrey would want you to do. See More: Dallas Cowboys News

The intrigue is ramping up by the week with the 2025 Dallas Cowboys, who’ve clawed their way out of the NFL basement and into an increasingly rational playoff discussion. They still have a lot of work to do and may need some luck along with it to actually make the tournament. But no matter how […] The intrigue is ramping up by the week with the 2025 Dallas Cowboys, who’ve clawed their way out of the NFL basement and into an increasingly rational playoff discussion. They still have a lot of work to do and may need some luck along with it to actually make the tournament. But no matter how things wind up for Dallas, one question that’s already been answered is whether or not Brian Schottenheimer deserves to return as head coach in 2026. There have always been, and still are, differing opinions about Schottenheimer’s fitness for the job. Some have supported him from the start, especially after early press conferences showcased his character and personality. On the road to 3-5-1 before the bye, there were split opinions about Schottenheimer’s culpability in the losses. Dallas’ all-time atrocious defense helped deflect much of the blame from its offensively-focused head coach. Even now, after the three-game win streak, beating both 2024 Super Bowl teams, and getting back above .500, there are still doubters. With Dallas making the postseason still a long shot, the belief that they won’t makes this season feel like an inevitable failure. Many who adamantly wanted another coach, and especially after seeing the effects that Ben Johnson and Mike Vrabel have had at their new jobs, probably haven’t been swayed. We’ll never know just how hot Schotty’s seat was going into this season. It’s an odd thing to say about a first-year coach, especially given Jerry Jones’ history with head coaches. Even Dave Campo got three years. But as the window is ever closing for the Cowboys to return to glory during his lifetime, Jerry’s patience must be shrinking with it. If Schottenheimer had been an unmitigated disaster, who knows if he’d have seen a second year? At this point, we’re far from anything disastrous. If anything, now that the defense is back to solvency and things seem to have gelled across the board, things are looking up. The team’s resilience since the bye has been inspiring, especially in the wake of Marshawn Kneeland’s death. And while there’s no lack of leadership on the roster, players consistently give credit to Schottenheimer for his role in keeping things together. Just look at how CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens responded to being benched for the first series in Las Vegas. No weird social media posts, no acting out on the sideline; not even a smirk when the offense struggled without them on the field. They took their discipline and responded like leaders, and have every week since. That just doesn’t happen if there’s any simmering disrespect of the man laying down the law. There are too many mics, cameras, and other ways to catch players’ discontent these days. Instead, all we saw was Schottenheimer’s influence on improving the team’s culture. Dallas has struggled for so long to find a coach who could consistently elevate talent, while also giving him enough talent to work with. Even when they’ve had good leaders, at least one side of the ball was under renovation. If the 2014 or 2016 teams had had top defenses, who knows what Jason Garrett might have accomplished? Or what if the offensive line wasn’t falling apart in the early years of Mike McCarthy’s run? Because of how bad the 2025 defense was early, Schottenheimer’s first season may have never been given a fair shake. Even as hope is rising among fans about the postseason, and even the national media is starting to take Dallas seriously, the odds still aren’t great. The Cowboys dug themselves into a big hole in a very tough NFC, where the currently seventh-seeded 49ers have a 9-4 record. Not making the playoffs this year would be an organizational failure. How much blame you want to lay at Schottenheimer’s feet over others is a personal choice. But with many questionable choices we can point to by the front office, not to mention a lot of injuries, we run the risk of scapegoating Schottenheimer out of frustration over things that were outside of his control. If you want a head coach like Ben Johnson, Sean McVay, or Kyle Shanahan, who are arguably more famous for their offensive strategy than their leadership, then Schottenheimer’s not your guy. That’s not a knock on his offensive acumen, but he’s hardly a young innovator. Dallas will need to keep him supported by quality coordinators on both sides of the ball, but that’s no insult. That formula has worked for a long time in Pittsburgh, where Mike Tomlin’s leadership is the key to his head coaching success. Andy Reid has been bolstered by top coordinators in Kansas City throughout their championship run. These guys still have influence, particularly on the sides of the ball they came up through as coaches. But first and foremost, you think of them for how they handle the primary duties of the big chair. Brian Schottenheimer is proving that he belongs in that chair. Is he the right guy for the Cowboys for the next decade? That remains to be seen. The pressure and noise that come with this franchise have been too much for some. But at least so far, this Cowboys team feels more united and motivated under his leadership than in recent memory. He’s earned the right to keep installing his system and culture in 2026, no matter how this season ultimately ends. See More: Dallas Cowboys coaching staff