Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images The Cowboys special teams unit made a critical mistake against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night… something that has become all too common. The Dallas Cowboys were unable to continue their winning streak on Monday night, losing to the Cincinnati Bengals 27-20. While the Cowboys were considered underdogs by Vegas heading into the game, Dallas found themselves in a real position to win the game. With two minutes remaining in the game, they were set to receive the ball back, forcing a punt on 4th and 27. With it being a tie game, all the Cowboys would need is a field goal to win. It appeared the Cowboys would be in great position for their field goal as linebacker Nick Vigil broke through the middle of the offensive line and blocked Cincy’s punt. All the team had to do was not touch the ball and they would start their offensive possession in great position. Then Amani Oruwariye attempted to pick it up and fumbled it, giving the Bengals the ball back. WILD PLAY: The #Bengals recover the ball on a blocked punt allowing Joe Burrow to lead them on a game-winning drive. The Cowboys always find a way to choke. pic.twitter.com/YTw0nTnzgR — No Warmup The Pod (@nwthepod) December 10, 2024 When considering the Cowboys weaknesses, special teams is typically something fans would think of last. Brandon Aubrey has proven himself as arguably the best kicker in the league, proving himself a real weapon from 50+ yards. KaVontae Turpin is an All-Pro caliber kick and punt returner, with the ability to change field position at any given moment for the Cowboys. Even their punter Bryan Anger has proven himself consistent throughout his time in Dallas. However, this is now the second week in a row the Cowboys had a mental lapse on special teams. In their victory against the Washington Commanders, safety Juanyeh Thomas just had to go down after recovering the onside kick and the game would have been over. Instead, he ran it into the endzone for the touchdown and kept it a one-possession game and giving the ball to the Washington offense. Fortunately for the Cowboys, that mistake didn’t cost them the game the way that their special teams mistake cost them the game on Monday night. The Cowboys special teams has made several questionable fake-punt calls this season. On their own 38-yard line they went for it against the Atlanta Falcons, and it almost led to an interception. The Cowboys fake punt is almost intercepted! : #DALvsATL on FOX : https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/QU2en5vgpe — NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024 Just two short weeks later, the Cowboys tried yet another fake punt. This time on their own 34-yard line against the Houston Texans. This attempt was also an utter failure. Texans snuff out the fake punt! : #HOUvsDAL on ESPN/ABC : Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/gSgeNXYCfP — NFL (@NFL) November 19, 2024 While special teams coach John Fassel deserves credit for the development of Aubrey and Turpin as key special teams contributors, his unit has also been responsible for several mishaps this season. Something that directly reflects on coaching.
Cowboys news: John Fassel explains Monday’s biggest turning point
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images The up to date news around the Dallas Cowboys John Fassel breaks down “unfortunate” sequence after blocked punt – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com On Tuesday, the Dallas Cowboys special teams coach spoke about what went wrong on the blocked punt. Special teams coordinator John “Bones” Fassel explained to the media on Tuesday that the play call was a seven blocks punt return, not a designed attempt to block the punt, but that the Bengals didn’t end up blocking the backside B-gap, allowing Nick Vigil to shoot that gap and get in position to block the punt as he was taught. “They play call is a very basic, elementary call…” Fassel explained. “We blocked it, the deflection didn’t go in our favor, I don’t know what else to say, Nick Vigil’s technique was perfection.” It wasn’t the blocked punt that was the issue, it’s what occurred in the ensuing two seconds that would end up giving the ball back to the Bengals. “[Oruwariye] said that he heard the crowd, which was significant, so he turned back to see what happened and the ball was bouncing at him, he didn’t know that it got blocked,” Fassel said. “He didn’t know if it was a fumble, he didn’t know that the ball was where it was. And so he just reacted like I would, see ball get ball.” Obviously, it was a game changing play that allowed Cincinnati to march 57 yards downfield in 3 plays and 52 seconds, with Ja’Marr Chase landing the knockout punch on a 40-yard touchdown. Fassel didn’t believe that the punt block was a failure, but just an unlucky break for the Cowboys. “I don’t think this was a failed play, it was an unfortunate bounce off a blocked punt…” Fassel said. “I think this how the special teams volatility kind of goes over the course of the season, and it’s an uncomfortable phase of the game for a lot of people because you never know what can happen.” Micah Parsons Explains Emotional Reaction Following Loss to Bengals – Ryan Phillips, Sports Illustrated Micah Parsons was criticized for walking off the field before the game officially ended Monday night. The All-Pro pass rusher explained why. After the Cowboys blew their chance to beat the Bengals due to a brutal special teams gaffe, Parsons was visibly upset on the bench. Then, he left the field as time ticked off the clock rather than shake hands and visit with Cincinnati players after the contest. On Tuesday, he took to his podcast to explain his actions. “I don’t think there’s anyone more competitive than me, man,” Parsons said. “And it’s heartbreaking for me because I promised y’all Cowboys Nation that we would make a run. I was doing everything in my possible manner to make sure we did that. And I wanted to put my teammates in that situation. “The fact that we lost and I felt like we could have won that game, that killed me, man… It just kind of sucked the life out of me,” he continued He then discussed leaving the field before congratulating the Bengals. “Damned if I do, damned if I don’t,” Parson said. “If I went over there and was all laughing with the competition after we lost like that, a lot of people would be mad.” Micah Parsons explains his postgame emotions after loss vs. Bengals: ‘Damned if I do, damned if I don’t… If I went over there and was all laughing with the competition after we lost like that, a lot of people would be mad.’ (via The Edge with Micah Parsons) pic.twitter.com/6E3Fa0Tvmy — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 10, 2024 Rico Dowdle first Cowboys RB with back-to-back 100-yard games since 2022 in loss to Bengals – Matt Lenix, Blogging the Boys There’s no question Rico Dowdle was one of the bright spots on Monday night. Dowdle is now up to 731 yards on the season on 152 carries, which is 4.8 yards per rush. He has played in 12 games this season and has averaged over four yards per rush in 10 of them with four games over five yards per rush. Dowdle is averaging about 61 yards a game. With four games left, he’ll finish just shy of 1,000 yards for the season if he keeps up that pace, but if he continues the tear that he’s on, or close to it, that milestone can be achieved. One talking point during this season, and it’ll continue when the offseason comes, is Dowdle’s future in Dallas. He’s clearly shown that he’s a quality back. However, the price the Cowboys will be willing to pay is the question. Dowdle doesn’t deserve a huge payday or anything, but he’s certainly earned somewhere in that $3-4 million a year range from what he’s done in 2024 (making $1.2 million this season). All of that will be worked out after the season is over. A lot of props have to be given to Dowdle, though. This is the first year he’s escaped the injury bug, and he’s showing that while he’s not elite, he’s a guy that if you pair him with a “dude” as they say in the NFL, that can create quite the formidable rushing attack. If Dallas does bring him back, that’s exactly what they should do. Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown could miss all of 2025 season after suffering knee injury vs. Bengals – Garrett Podell & others, CBS Sports DeMarvion Overshown might not see the field again until 2026. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who has been one of the team’s few bright spots this season, suffered a knee injury early in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys’ “Monday Night Football” loss against the Bengals. That injury will require surgery and put an end to his season, owner Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday. And according to coach Mike McCarthy, there’s a chance Overshown misses the entire 2025 season, too. “DeMarvion is getting ready to have
Cowboys Headlines: Overshown’s timetable, Jerry confronts coordinator over punt block, Prescott’s big news
Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown could miss all of 2025 season after suffering knee injury vs. Bengals :: CBS Sports Link Tests show that Overshown tore his ACL, MCL, and PCL. He’s obviously out for the remainder of 2024, but with how late in the season the injury occurred and the severity of the damage, it’s possible that he’ll spend the entirety of the 2025 season in recovery as well. “I think that’s fair,” McCarthy said. “The time of year: obviously, we’re in December. I think like anything, you have the surgery and the rehab is a long process. I think that’s very realistic.” ‘More severe than an ACL’: Promising young Cowboys LB suffers devastating knee injury :: Cowboys Wire Link The brightest spot in the Cowboys’ gloomy year was snuffed out Monday night when Overshown was rolled up on by a Bengals offensive lineman. Everyone knew it was serious, and McCarthy said as much after the game. An emotional Micah Parsons talked about his “little bro” while fighting back tears, saying, “He’s so talented. The year he was having, I mean, I really just don’t think that’s fair.” Overshown himself took to social media to say, “Wouldn’t want this for anyone else! One of God’s Toughest Soldiers (prayer hands emoji) Keep me in your prayers…” Sources: Upset Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones questioned coach in locker room after botched blocked punt :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram Link The visibly upset owner reportedly confronted John Fassel in the locker room over both an apparent called punt block and why Amani Oruwariye seemingly hadn’t been coached to not touch the loose ball. Jones voiced his frustrations to reporters moments later. “We all would say, ‘Well, why block the [punt]? Just take the [punt] and get within field goal [range] and kick it,’” Jones argued. By Tuesday morning, he had apparently cooled down and backtracked on his assumptions, saying he had “revisited the look on the way the ball hit, and it really kind of bounced up in a way that was almost unavoidable. The players are coached up, they talk it up.” ‘Trying to make a play’: Cowboys come to teammate’s defense after costly blocked punt mistake :: Cowboys Wire Link McCarthy explained that the punt block was a lucky break and that Amani Oruwariye simply grabbed at the loose ball on instinct. C.J. Goodwin was there in 2021 when the same thing happened to Nahshon Wright and shielded him from reporters after Dallas lost that game. He did the same for a heartbroken Oruwariye on Monday. “We don’t want that moment to define him,” Jourdan Lewis added. “We have to stay behind him. That’s just football.” John Fassel breaks down “unfortunate” sequence after blocked punt :: The Mothership Link The special teams coordinator confirmed that there was no designed attempt to block the Bengals’ late punt, but Nick Vigil showed “perfect” technique when he broke through the line. He also defended Oruwariye’s reaction, which would be the correct one in almost any other instance. “I don’t think this was a failed play, it was an unfortunate bounce,” he explained. Had Vigil gotten just a little more of the ball, Marist Liufau would have likely been able to return it for a Cowboys touchdown, and the whole story changes. Fassel said he reached out to Oruwariye late Monday night and again Tuesday morning to further reassure him. Cowboys-Bengals postgame analysis :: Cowboys Wire Updates: Cooper Rush to start vs. Panthers :: The Mothership Link Despite an underwhelming outing versus Cincinnati, Rush will stay under center when the Cowboys travel to Charlotte to face the Panthers in Week 15. “I thought for the most part we did some good things out there,” Jerry Jones said Tuesday. “I still believe [Cooper Rush] gives us our best chance.” Joe Burrow’s home broken into during Monday night’s game :: ESPN Link The quarterback’s Anderson Township home was broken into Monday night, according to a woman employed by Burrow who called the incident in to police. A bedroom window was found shattered and the home ransacked. Some have theorized that the crime is related to a string of break-ins at other pro athletes’ homes. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce had similar robberies occur while they were playing in games. Bengals Kicker Cade York kisses his Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader girlfriend Zoe Dale after winning MNF game :: People Link The “Monday Night Football” crew got plenty of mileage out of the story of the Cowboys cheerleader who was dating the Bengals’ newly-signed kicker. Dale got a closeup after York knocked through his first extra point of the night, and the pair shared a moment on the field after the game went final. Later, Dale posted a TikTok of her gameday, featuring two clips with York. ‘A conversation starter’: Dallas Cowboys cheerleader on performing without a wig :: Dallas Morning News Link Armani Latimer, a five-year DCC veteran, was diagnosed with alopecia as a young girl. She performed Monday night without a wig for the first time to raise awareness for the condition. A video clip from her in the pregame routine has already amassed over three million views on Instagram. “There’s moms who are showing their daughters who have alopecia, their little boys who have alopecia. They’re so excited that they have someone to look up to,” Latimer said. “As scared as I was to step out on that field last night, today I’m grateful that I did.” Dak Prescott, fiancee Sarah Jane Ramos expecting second child, a girl :: NBC DFW Link Prescott and fiancee Sarah Jane Ramos announced that they’ll welcome their second daughter in May. The couple has not revealed a first name, but they have stated that her middle name will be Rayne, the same as her dad’s actual first name. Their first daughter, Margaret Jane (or “MJ”), was born Feb. 22. Cowboys’ number savant invited to NFL accelerator program for front offices :: Cowboys Wire Link John Park was hired last year to
Cowboys vs Bengals: 5 reasons the home team ended up losing
Cara Owsley/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images What would you say were the main reasons the Cowboys lost on Monday? The Dallas Cowboys couldn’t finish. Despite managing to keep up with a high-powered Cincinnati Bengals offense, the Cowboys couldn’t generate enough scoring to stay ahead and seal the win. The loss is deflating because it likely erased all chances the team would have had at making an improbable postseason berth. However, how they lost Monday feels so excruciating this time. Within a split second, jubilation abruptly turned into dread and despair with the Cowboys. It’s a shame because Rico Dowdle played a terrific game and looked like a feature runner for the rest of the season and possibly next year. Losses like this usually come down to a handful of plays. Yet, several factors cost the team the win tonight. Here’s where they went wrong. Special teams blunder This has to be at the top of the list. Amani Oruwariye’s special teams error instantly placed the Bengals in position to win the game. It’s unfortunate because Nick Vigil’s block on the punt was textbook; block the kick off the punter’s foot as coaches teach, and in the moment, you assumed Dallas would steal the victory. From Oruwariye’s perspective, he was trying to recover the blocked punt so that Dallas could take possession well within field goal range for Brandon Aubrey and not allow the ball to bounce further upfield after Vigil’s block. To an extent, you can understand why he took that approach. Yet, it burned the team in the end. Oruwariye left the game and went into the locker room with a towel covering his face; the disappointment and feeling of letting his teammates down was tangible. It hurts all the more when you consider that, for the most part, Dallas played with discipline and didn’t make too many mistakes to beat themselves, such as penalties. Ultimately, Oruwariye’s mistake gave an explosive Bengals offense the break they’ve been looking for and it was the beginning of the end for the Cowboys and likely their playoff aspirations. No answer for Ja’Marr Chase Ja’Marr Chase is the best receiver in football right now. He’s an exceptional talent. Dallas finally got all of their best cornerbacks healthy and playing together for the first time this season, and for Chase, it didn’t matter. He ran away from all of them. He tore into the Cowboys’ secondary and made several defenders grasp for air. Chase posted another incredible Monday night performance with 14 catches, 177 yards, and two touchdowns. Zac Talyor and the Bengals coaching staff unleashed Chase on the Cowboys in various ways, and the diversity of his routes made it hard for Dallas to corral him to minimize the damage. Here’s what the Next Gen Stats looked like regarding his route ran against the Cowboys. Ja’Marr Chase hauled in 9 of 11 targets on out-breaking routes for 122 yards and 2 TDs, the most receiving yards on out-breakers over the last seven seasons. Chase finished with 75 yards after the catch, giving him 626 YAC on the season, most in the NFL. Powered by @awscloud pic.twitter.com/AndL5LhzBo — Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) December 10, 2024 Chase ran for 75 yards after the catch, most of which were gained during his 40-yard game-winning touchdown near the end of the game. Chase’s unique connection with Burrow is nearly impossible to stop, and for Dallas, whenever Burrow needed someone to make a play, it was Chase who he turned to, and there was nothing Dallas could do about it. Not getting CeeDee Lamb involved enough In juxtaposition to how Cincinnati uses Ja’Marr Chase, Dallas inexplicably stopped utilizing CeeDee Lamb. It’s puzzling since Lamb started off the evening red hot with three receptions, 29 yards, and a touchdown on the opening drive. He also had a terrific play on a screen that was well-defended by the Bengals, and Lamb turned it into a 44-yard gain, shaking tackles from Germaine Pratt and Trey Hendrickson. Then suddenly, Lamb stopped being part of the equation. Yes, Lamb is managing a shoulder injury, but his toughness is never in question with how much he’ll tolerate to be on the field. The frustration he sometimes demonstrates seems warranted, and it appears that his vanishing act during games is out of his hands. After being targeted five times in the first quarter, Lamb was targeted zero times in the second, once in the third, and then just once in the fourth. He had six receptions for 93 yards, which feels very underwhelming given the circumstances. Whoever is responsible for this, Mike McCarthy, Rush, or Brian Schottenheimer, it doesn’t matter. As former NFL quarterback Kurt Benkert put it: Idk why the Cowboys are having such a difficult time scheming CeeDee Lamb to get the rock. Dudes all around the league are getting 10+ targets a game — Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) December 10, 2024 The Cowboys staff needs to do better than this, and the Bengals involving Chase as much as they did only illuminates how much work the Cowboys have to do so as not to abandon their most useful offensive commodity. Pass rush didn’t get home enough While the Cowboys sacked Joe Burrow twice, it wasn’t enough. The pass rush for Dallas was often a step slow to get to Burrow, and as a result, he was able to extend plays to find his premier playmaker Chase. Micah Parsons’ footsteps were thundering behind Burrow all night, but he couldn’t reach him. In retrospect, Parsons was the only defender who consistently put pressure on Burrow. Parsons had 15 pressures against the Bengals and drew two penalties. However, the defensive line needed more. Osa Odighizuwa managed three quarterback hits, but outside of that, the defensive line didn’t do enough to disrupt Burrow. By the end of the game, Parsons looked exhausted. He was gassed, and rightfully so. Allowing Burrow to break the pocket as many times as he did ultimately was
Cowboys draft Update: Dallas currently outside of top 10 in NFL Draft order
Photo by John Smolek/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The Cowboys are creeping up closer to a top 10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Dallas Cowboys lost this past week which means that focus has now shifted for many back to the 2025 NFL Draft. Perhaps that has remained your priority all along, but it goes without saying the little winning streak had a few people mildly distracted. If you assign yourself to Team Tank then you are likely particularly pleased with Monday night’s loss as it came to the Cincinnati Bengals who began the game with a worse record than Dallas. Despite beating the Cowboys, the Bengals still currently sit ahead of them in projected NFL Draft order. At the moment the Cowboys hold the 12th overall pick. Tankathon If you are curious, the Cowboys sit behind the Bengals and New Orleans Saints due to the strength of schedule tiebreaker. Obviously it is ironic given that Dallas lost to both of them. There are currently four games remaining for the Cowboys and only one against a team in front of them in the projected draft order. That game happens to be this coming Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, but even if Dallas loses (the Cowboys are the underdog for what it is worth) they will still have one more win than the Panthers due at week’s end. Getting inside of the top 10 would require some luck in addition to losing more games for the Cowboys at this point. This has been the point of people wanting to tank for some time, but it is worth mentioning that Dallas would be at eighth overall if they hadn’t won their games against the Washington Commanders and New York Giants.
Good, Bad, Ugly: Micah Parsons can’t buy a call, among Cowboys’ frustrations in Week 14
No need to re-hash Amani Oruwariye’s muffed attempt at recovering a live-ball blocked punt. And DeMarvion Overshown’s catastrophic knee injury was painful enough to watch the first time. Those moments were both bad and ugly for Cowboys fans watching the 27-20 loss to Cincinnati in Week 14, but they’re a little too obvious and have already been detailed to death. This installment of Good, Bad, and Ugly will dive a little deeper into some of the game’s subplots that may have been overshadowed by the headline-worthy stories but contributed all the same to the disappointing outcome. Like Mike McCarthy’s insistence on force-feeding the least successful part of his offense when the play calls mattered most. Or watching Micah Parsons get put in a high-definition chokehold in the middle of a pass rush while the officials were… um… blinded by the sun, maybe? Or the secondary quietly giving up more passing yards than they have in over three years. But even though Dallas got the L, there were plusses to be taken away. Think back to September and how ridiculous it would have sounded to suggest that Rico Dowdle, Brock Hoffman, and T.J. Bass would be the bright spots in a December primetime matchup. But it’s just par for the course in this wacky season. Here’s the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from Monday night’s nail-biter. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Good: Run game under Rico It’s hard to watch Rico Dowdle over the past few weeks and not wonder what might have been if the organization hadn’t been so hellbent on forcing Ezekiel Elliott early in the season. Dowdle has averaged 19.6 carries and 109.7 yards per game over the past three outings, and he notched a career-high 131 on the ground Monday night. Over the past six weeks, he ranks second in the league in rushing yards and- at his current clip- is on pace to log his first 1,000-yard season. His rise likely won’t be enough to keep the team from bolstering the RB room in the draft (as they should), but Dowdle has proven he can be a lead back and could make up half of a very potent one-two punch at the position in 2025. Bad: Calling for Rush to rip it late The Dallas ground game was working against Cincinnati, to the tune of 6.2 yards per rushing play on the night. The passing attack was far less effective. Yes, Cooper Rush threw a pair of touchdown passes, but coming into the fourth quarter, he had completed just 60.8% of his attempts. Yet with the score tied and six minutes to play- and after a gashing first-down run by Dowdle– Mike McCarthy went to the Rush well three straight times. All three passes- all targeting receivers not named CeeDee Lamb- fell horribly incomplete; the entire drive used one minute of clock and covered just the 14 yards that Dowdle had gained to start it. (Rush ended the night with a completion percentage just barely over 50%.) With loads of time still to play, the Cowboys gave the ball back to the Bengals for the fateful possession that led to the deciding special-teams blunder, but it was this utterly wasted drive and McCarthy stubbornly going away from the highest-probability playmakers on the team that set the table. Ugly: Giving more gifts in the red zone There’s shooting yourself in the foot, and then there’s pointing a cannon at your size 12s Yosemite Sam-style and taking everything below the knee clean off. The Cowboys lead the league in the latter. They scored a touchdown on their opening offensive possession for the first time all season, and then had the chance to follow it up on the next drive. Instead of taking a 14-7 lead on the first play of the second quarter, though, Rush’s pass- in the vicinity of two Cowboys and five Bengals defenders– ended up turning into the quarterback’s third interception of the season. Dallas already has the 31st-ranked red-zone offense, having converted less than 44% of their drives inside the 20 into touchdowns, but their seven red-zone turnovers in 2024 are the most in the NFL. Good: Offensive line depth coming up huge Chuma Edoga started over Tyler Guyton. Brock Hoffman was in at right guard for Zack Martin but had to slide over to center after Cooper Beebe couldn’t continue. Suddenly, Terence Steele was the most experienced O-lineman for Dallas, and it was Hoffman and T.J. Bass anchoring the front five. Not exactly a who’s who, but the kids were alright, allowing just three sacks on the evening and helping plow the road for Dowdle in the run game. Hoffman’s midgame shift to center was seamless. Perhaps even more impressive, the group accounted for only one penalty flag all night, a holding call on Bass that was declined anyway. Hearing that Matt Waletzko was the only lineman left in reserve was scary, but the Cowboys’ motley crew up front more than held their own. Bad: Letting Burrow carve up the secondary The Bengals quarterback is leading the league in attempts, completions, yards, and touchdowns, and he’s second in QB rating. If were playing for a team in playoff contention, he’d be in the MVP conversation. Yes, the Cowboys knew he’d be a problem, but even with four extra days to scheme for him- and the combined trio of Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, and Jourdan Lewis making their first collective start ever- the secondary had zero answers for containing him. Burrow tallied 369 passing yards, his most in any game this season except for Cincinnati’s two shootouts with the Ravens and the most the Dallas defense has allowed in over three calendar years. Ugly: Everybody loves holding Micah Death, taxes, and offensive linemen holding Micah Parsons. It happens every week, and it seems to rarely get called as opponents struggle to contain the Cowboys’ brilliant pass rusher. Two of Cincinnati’s 10 called penalties on the night came as a result of linemen holding Parsons; many more
Cowboys day after thoughts from Bengals loss: The frustration doesn’t end
Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Here are our thoughts in the aftermath of Monday’s Dallas Cowboys loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Seasons like this often yield the same sort of responses from people. “The Dallas Cowboys are Murphy’s Law embodied.” “Don’t worry, the Cowboys will find a way to make it worse.” “If there is anything I trust the Cowboys to do it is to let me down.” You know the type of responses I am talking about. Odds are someone you know or interact with, maybe even you yourself, has offered these to someone at some point this calendar year. It has been a very long time since we felt truly good about this team, although the last two weeks did offer a bit of a reprieve from the doom and gloom with them winning back-to-back games against division rivals and even taking home one on Thanksgiving. Monday night was like the 6 A.M. alarm for the first day following a long and amazing weekend. It snapped us back to reality akin to Cinderella when the clock struck midnight. All we have now is a pumpkin and our collective thoughts. This weekly discussion is a space for those thoughts, 3 of them to be precise. Welcome to our Day After Thoughts following Monday night’s loss to Cincinnati. It really is difficult to contextualize just how bad this season is I’ve asked this before but will do again: What is the best moment you have felt as a Dallas Cowboys fan since the team’s playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers in January? It is a really difficult question to answer. Options include the KaVontae Turpin punt return against Cleveland or his kick return against Washington, or perhaps the Jalen Tolbert game-winner in Pittsburgh. That’s it. The turn of each significant moment in the NFL calendar has been met with overwhelming frustration by this team, something that their two-game winning streak helped mask, which the loss uncovered and revealed to the light once more. Given that the loss also effectively ended their playoff hopes (however faint they were), it has now cast them into the worst place you can be for an entire month of action… meaningless football. The Murphy’s Law proposition certainly feels like it has held true with this team with how they lost on Amani Oruwariye’s blunder. This team has found new and innovative ways to twist the knife of pain that they made sure to bury over the slow course of an entire offseason. What else can go wrong?! Rico Dowdle should have been used this way starting Week 1 Rico Dowdle has 329 rushing yards in his last three games played for the Dallas Cowboys. Given that he has had 18 carries at minimum in each of the last three games (no player since Ezekiel Elliott in 2020 has had such a streak for the Cowboys) it makes a lot of sense. Why is that, you ask? The point here is not that Dowdle is some game-changing running back who the Cowboys have been suppressing for over half of a season, but it is certainly obvious, and was way back when, that he is the best option on the team. Any carries in any other direction were inefficient by definition. Whether you do or don’t buy that the Cowboys wanted to make Zeke a thing again out of some level of loyalty to a favorite player of theirs (this would never happen, no way they would let a player un-retire from a totally different profession like, I don’t know, broadcasting, only to return and command a lion’s share of snaps at their position) they at best completely misevaluated the talent on their own roster by not committing to this path many, many months ago. A huge part of the operation has to be questioned and fixed. The Micah Parsons extension talk is just around the corner from all of this As things stand we have maybe a month separating us from the Dallas Cowboys having a new coach. Things can work fast once the regular season is over. Of course, that proposition still carries an “if” given that we do not know if the team will decide to retain Mike McCarthy after all. They are speaking positively of him in this current moment, but what else can they really say with a month to go as noted? One thing that is for certain is that the moment the dust settles on this disaster of a season the hourglass flips upside down for Micah Parsons and talks surrounding a contract extension for him. The Cowboys already burnt up some time in that hourglass by not getting it done last offseason and in not taking care of CeeDee Lamb or Dak Prescott until the eleventh hour they drew a ton of national attention to themselves (that maybe did not quite exist at the level it does now) for how they go about stalling on these massive deals. If the Cowboys are quick to get an extension done with Parsons, something that seems inevitable and an objective they would want to take care of, then they will prove that on some level they learned from the chaos of last offseason; however, if they delay and stall yet again then we can lower expectations around the head coaching search (assuming there is one) because no one will be able to save the franchise from themselves.
Cowboys vs Bengals stock report: Micah Parsons, Rico Dowdle have strong games
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images Rico Dowdle was one of the bright spots amid the Cowboys loss on Monday night. Monday night was a different kind of frustration for the Dallas Cowboys. Unlike every other loss this season, the Cowboys were very much in the fight against the Cincinnati Bengals. Dare I say they took things almost the entire distance before they ultimately succumbed. Obviously the Amani Oruwariye situation highlights the game and day in a way that makes everything else feel rather insignificant. Close only counts in horseshoes as far as competition is concerned and the Cowboys coming “close” to winning does nothing for actually earning a victory. Thankfully we can have and provide a little bit more context in our assessment of the game. This was the “best” loss of the season for Dallas in that they looked competitive all throughout which means that we have some atta-boys and demerits to hand out. Welcome to our stock report following Monday night’s disaster. Stock Up: Rico Dowdle It was absurd for the Cowboys to approach the running back position the way that they did through the first half of November. That Rico Dowdle is performing the way he is only exacerbated that absurdity. Dowdle looks incredible since being given a legitimate amount of touches which calls into even more question the way that the front office and coaching staff evaluated this thing from the jump. Consider that Dowdle’s performance was just the fifth this season across the league where a player averaged 7.3 yards per carry with at least 18 of them to his name. The Cowboys kept this from us! Stock Up: Micah Parsons We have talked about this a few times since he said it, but that Micah Parsons has done all within his power to try and drag this Cowboys team forward after saying he would not tank, and that he believed in them, is a very impressive thing. Parsons did not totally get home on Monday night, but he was an absolute menace snap in and snap out. He was emotional after the game, partly due to the devastation involving the DeMarivon Overshown injury, and even if you think that he should have done this or that, I’d offer that a player showing that kind of passion is a good thing for this team. Parsons is doing all he can and then some. Stock Up: Trevon Diggs A similar level of endorsement is deserved for Trevon Diggs after Monday night. Returning from injury, Diggs did all he could to try and help the Cowboys slow down Ja’Marr Chase. In an overall sense that effort fell short, but not because of any lack of effort from Diggs specifically. Getting that kind of play from one of the leaders on the defense who is already on his second contract, that is the right stuff. Stock Up: CeeDee Lamb Did you know that CeeDee Lamb is third in receiving yards this season? It is notable that CeeDee Lamb has not given up amid the dysfunction that has surrounded this Cowboys team for some time now. He has kept fighting. Lamb was mysteriously ignored for much of this second half (after being quite productive) which will never be something that makes sense. But he certainly did his part when he was involved. Stock Up: Marist Liufau The Overshown injury was and remains to be devastating, but the Cowboys obviously had to finish the football game after it happened and came close to winning it. Marist Liufau was a big reason for that. We have talked a lot about how the Liufau selection could/should have been a running back for the Cowboys. But his best work came when he was called upon in a moment of need on Monday night. He was spectacular. Stock Up: The makeshift offensive line Our last kudos goes to the Cowboys offensive line at large because they did an incredible job of surviving. Already down Zack Martin, the group lost Cooper Beebe before the game was over. That they were able to make things happen with so many backups playing is a real testament to the discipline from the collective. Stock Down: Amani Oruwariye Nobody wants to pick on the situation, but we have to acknowledge it. Amani Oruwariye committed an error that is coached in the early days of learning to play football. There are certainly some interesting ways to explore what could have been in his mind when he tried to field the ball after Dallas blocked Cincinnati’s punt attempt, but ultimately he was the culprit who touched it and made it live and opened the door for disaster. This cannot happen. Stock Down: John Fassel Some people were fine with Juanyeh Thomas returning Washington’s onside kick attempt when the Cowboys won there a few weeks back. If you feel it was a fine decision for Thomas, you can also acknowledge that him falling down after he recovered the ball was technically the correct decision to make. Understood? Cool. If you can indeed come to terms with the Thomas situation, then the Oruwariye one makes a second common sense flub that the Cowboys special teams group has had in a three-game stretch. How is this possible? We are not talking about some overly-aggressive fake punt attempts which in and of themselves are worthy of debate and potential criticism. What we are discussing here is basic, fundamental stuff that the Cowboys are getting wrong. John Fassel is either not instructing his unit of the literal rules of the game or is not having his messaging totally understood. Whatever the case, that cannot continue. Stock Down: Jalen Tolbert So much has happened to this Cowboys team this season and that has made evaluating the offense a difficult thing. That is fair. But did we not just note up top how CeeDee Lamb is managing to thrive? He is obviously CeeDee Lamb, but why can’t Jalen Tolbert find a similar path to success? We are
Cowboys CB, former 2nd-round pick, projected as great fit for Broncos to poach
Cowboys CB, former 2nd-round pick, projected as great fit for Broncos to poach K.D. Drummond Can the Dallas Cowboys afford to have their cornerback depth poached? Well, yes, because they aren’t going anywhere in 2024 and if a player on their practice squad can help someone else fight for the postseason, so be it. Now, this isn’t necessarily the case when it comes to young talent and potential. But veterans who are on the practice squad thanks to rule changes over the last several years? CB Andrew Booth falls into this category. Booth was a depth addition over the offseason, but was released and added back to the practice squad after he was under duress early this season. He was elevated for Monday night’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, but was made inactive when Trevon Diggs was able to play. If another team sees value in him, it’s unlikely Dallas would look to protect him at this point. The Denver Broncos might be that team, according to Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department, who identified him as a good in-season pickup. Riley Moss missed the game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 13, and it exposed a hole in the Broncos roster. Without the surprise breakout corner, they don’t have a starting option across from Patrick Surtain II. Levi Wallace was torched against the Browns for 164 yards and a touchdown. Signing someone from a practice squad might not actually be an improvement. But it would allow the Broncos to at least get a younger player who might have some untapped potential. Andrew Booth is a former second-round pick who is still just 24 years old. Booth has appeared in three games this season for Dallas. He was a second-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2022.
5 plays that blocked the Cowboys from victory over the Bengals
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images There were a handful of moments that were bigger than others on Monday night… including the one you are thinking. The Cowboys failed to notch their first three-game win streak of the season, falling 27-20 to the Bengals. It was a close game from start to finish, and while there aren’t any individual plays from this entire game that stick out in anyone’s mind, here are five plays that were massive in the final outcome of the game. Cooper Rush’s interception takes away points The Cowboys offense was on fire right out of the gate, moving down the field with ease and scoring a touchdown. The Bengals matched on their next drive to tie things up 7-7, but a huge play from CeeDee Lamb put Dallas right back in scoring range. Then, tragedy struck. Rush looked Lamb’s way on a quick slant, but the receiver never got there. He was knocked down by a defender, a clean play since it occurred within the five yard cushion, but that allowed Geno Stone to pick off the pass. There was really nothing that could be done differently here, as Lamb didn’t have time to evade the defender and Rush got the ball out before it even happened, but the play was huge. The Cowboys needed as many points as they could get, and turning it over in the red zone early on was devastating. Luke Schoonmaker’s penalty backs offense up The Cowboys were hot to start the third quarter too, scoring a touchdown on their opening drive and then picking off Joe Burrow right after that. With the game tied at 17 a piece, the Cowboys were moving the ball with some real potential. After a first-down conversion from Rico Dowdle, Rush got sacked for a loss of one yard. During the scrum, Luke Schoonmaker shoved a Bengals defender, who then put on an award-worthy acting performance and fell to the ground, drawing a flag. Schoonmaker was hit with an unnecessary roughness penalty, and since the foul occurred after the play, it meant the down counted and the 15 yards was then tacked on. Just like that, the Cowboys were looking at second and 26, and they predictably had to settle for a field goal. That’s a bitter pill to swallow after the drive looked destined for more. Joe Burrow finds Mike Gesicki on hot route Still, the field goal from Brandon Aubrey gave the Cowboys a 20-17 lead, and the Bengals needed to respond. The fourth quarter had just begun, and time was ticking away for them to reclaim the lead. A few big plays got them right on the cusp of field goal range. On first down, Burrow dropped back to pass, but was quickly greeted by Micah Parsons screaming down on him, completely unblocked. The quarterback fired a quick pass to Mike Gesicki over the middle of the field, who had beaten Donovan Wilson off his break. Gesicki picked up 13 yards and put the Bengals firmly into field goal range. More importantly, the quick thinking from Burrow prevented a certain sack that likely would have pushed them out of range for kicker Cade York, who tied the game up just four plays later. The whole punt block fiasco Yes, of course we’re going to talk about this play. The most impactful play of the game, without question, came right out of the two minute warning. A string of penalties for the Bengals and a third down sack set up a fourth and 27. Cincinnati came out to punt. The Cowboys did something great. And then something the exact opposite of great. Bro. pic.twitter.com/guErISs6BL — Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 10, 2024 Nick Vigil made a game-changing block of the punt that could have potentially sealed a game-winning field goal try for Aubrey, and Amani Oruwariye literally let it slip through his fingers. It was a mental error of Leon Lett proportions. Not only did it rob them of great starting field position, but it gave the Bengals a fresh set of downs. Three plays later, Burrow hit Ja’Marr Chase for the game-winner. Cooper Rush doesn’t see wide open CeeDee Lamb As catastrophic as the blocked punt fiasco was for the Cowboys, it wasn’t the end. The quick score for Chase was actually a good thing, as it gave Rush and the offense the ball back with 61 seconds to score and all three timeouts. Before long, though, the Cowboys were facing fourth down and needing seven for the first down just on their side of the 50. Rush ended up firing high and incomplete to Jake Ferguson, but Lamb came wide open in the middle of the field right before he threw it. Man, CeeDee Lamb looks to be wide open on the final play of the game. If Cooper Rush just looks to his left, it’s first down and then some.#DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/I0NlSW9s4h — Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) December 10, 2024 Had Rush seen Lamb, the first down would’ve been an easy one, and Lamb probably gains plenty more. The offense would’ve been pressed for time to get up and clock the ball, but they at least would’ve had more of a chance than they did when Rush missed Ferguson, effectively ending the game.
