Life is often plagued by mysterious questions. If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Similarly, if a football game ends in a tie, but the Cowboys looked good during it, is it really a reason for optimism? That’s exactly the question that […] Life is often plagued by mysterious questions. If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Similarly, if a football game ends in a tie, but the Cowboys looked good during it, is it really a reason for optimism? That’s exactly the question that our own Tom Ryle and David Howman are attempting to dissect right now. Dallas showed some good things in Sunday night’s tie with the Packers, but does it mean anything? Tom: I have tried to be realistic about the Cowboys this season, especially after the extremely narrow win over the Giants and the embarrassing loss to the Bears. But it is hard to not see some bright spots in the Packers game. Yes, there were some real issues, mostly in the repeated inability to keep Green Bay from hanging 40 on the scoreboard and salvaging a tie. But another way to look at things is that they were sooooo close. On the final drive of overtime, the defense stiffened at just the right moment in denying the winning touchdown. And had they batted that final pass back into the end zone, the questionable clock management by the Pack would have seen time expire before they could kick the field goal. Look, if Matt Eberflus can just figure out a way to cobble together a pass rush, the defense can manage to slow opponents down just enough. Because this year’s offense is cooking. David: Cooking may be an understatement, Tom. Raise your hand if you had this offense hanging 40 on Micah Parsons and the Packers defense without CeeDee Lamb? Okay, now put your hands back down and be honest. Brian Schottenheimer called an absolute masterclass of a game offensively, and Dak Prescott was on one from the very start. Javonte Williams continues to prove the doubters wrong, too. The offense wasn’t perfect, but they came pretty darn close to it. The play-calling was superb, and the players made plays drive after drive. Doing that in a vacuum is impressive. Doing it without Lamb, and with two backups on the offensive line, against one of the league’s best defenses? That’s downright special. Which brings me back to the point I was making last week: this team is a playoff contender so long as Prescott is on that field. Tom: While we are talking about the makeshift offensive line, did you notice that Parsons had very little impact until he snuffed out what would have likely been the winning touchdown in overtime? I’ll just leave that for people to consider. Clearly, in a next up league as injuries take their inevitable toll, the next guys up were ready. George Pickens had his second best day catching the ball, the rest of the receiving corps all pitched in, and as you mentioned, Dak had a nearly perfect game. We didn’t see as much from the running game, but given the situation, that is understandable. They had to march down the field and score to catch up, then keep up. Don’t forget the special teams, which came up with a truly special play on the blocked PAT. That turned into a three point swing that was crucial in this not turning into a defeat. And I can’t remember when the sports pundits talked about how a tie game was one of the best of the entire weekend. It’s shaping up to be a bit of a crazy season, and despite their 1-2-1 record, Dallas is not out of it yet. That itself sounds kind of nuts, but with a very winnable couple of games coming up, they have a real chance to get back in the thick of things. David: And as you alluded to, the defense maybe showed some promise too. To be clear, I’m not ready to start appreciating Matt Eberflus, but there weren’t nearly as many coverage busts and – hey! – we even saw a takeaway! I forgot that was allowed. The offense is playing at such a high level, and clicking on all cylinders, that it would really only take some baseline competent defensive play to start stacking up wins. Consider the fact that there are only seven teams in the NFC right now with a winning record, and two of them have already faced Dallas. Of course, one of those teams is the Eagles, and we felt similarly positive about the Cowboys after that season opener before being brutally brought back down to earth. Tom: And there, as someone once said, is the rub. They should have beaten Chicago, but didn’t even come close. If they lay another egg against the Jets or Panthers, or both, then this could easily spiral out of control. They haven’t proven anything yet. But going into the Packers game, there seemed to be little to no hope at all for avoiding a wasted season. Now we can have at least a measure of hope. All we can do now is wait to see if they are dashed. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

Diggs explains Schotty decision vs. Packers, outlook for Jets – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com Diggs totally understands why he didn’t start in Week 4. FRISCO, Texas — One week ago, Trevon Diggs was only a couple days ahead of being notified by head coach Brian Schottenheimer that, for the first time since his rookie season, the Dallas […] Diggs explains Schotty decision vs. Packers, outlook for Jets – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com Diggs totally understands why he didn’t start in Week 4. FRISCO, Texas — One week ago, Trevon Diggs was only a couple days ahead of being notified by head coach Brian Schottenheimer that, for the first time since his rookie season, the Dallas Cowboys’ franchise cornerback would not take the field as a starter when the team hosted the Green Bay Packers in primetime. The return of DaRon Bland saw him moved from nickel corner back to the outside, opposite Kaiir Elam, the latter getting the nod over Diggs for the first two defensive series, but why? Granted, Diggs nursed a couple of injuries the past two weeks, but that’s not the reason for Schottenheimer’s decision — as it turns out. “A rough week,” said the All-Pro cornerback. Diggs took full accountability and credited Schottenheimer for sitting him down, both before and to begin the game, going on to make it clear he’s as focused now as he’s ever been. “I guess coach was holding me accountable, and I accept it,” Diggs explained. “It’s cool. [I’m] back on track this week and ready to work. Just a rough week.” Does that mean he’ll return to his starting role when the Cowboys visit the New York Jets? “Yeah,” he said, and definitively. George Pickens keeps impressing Cowboys on, off the field – Todd Archer, ESPN Pickens is making a strong case to be in Dallas long-term. FRISCO, Texas — Dak Prescott’s pass almost seemed to scrape the AT&T Stadium roof, it was so high. George Pickens’ eyes never left the football, but he could sense Green Bay Packers cornerback Nate Hobbs nearby and safety Evan Williams sprinting from the middle of the field. Pickens jumped, got his hands around the pass, outdueling both defenders, and somehow managed to get his feet down for a 29-yard completion to the 1-yard line. Two plays later the Dallas Cowboys had their first touchdown in Sunday night’s 40-40 tie. It was a play Pickens had made many times before, either at Georgia or in his first three years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it carried added significance because Sunday was the first time he was the Cowboys’ No. 1 receiver. CeeDee Lamb was a spectator because of a high left ankle sprain, but he was giddy on the sideline when Pickens made the catch. “Trying to make plays for Dak with CeeDee out,” Pickens said simply after the game. Lamb’s absence elevates not only Pickens’ status in the Cowboys’ offense, but also his chances to show the rest of the league what he can be, should he become an unrestricted free agent in March. But Pickens said that doesn’t mean anything to him. “You got to remember this is a team game,” Pickens said. “This is not like one-on-one basketball where it’s just me and another player. This is a team game.” The All-Pro special teamer could be out in Week 5. FRISCO, Texas – Cowboys wide receiver and All-Pro kick returner KaVontae Turpin could miss Sunday’s game against the Jets with a foot injury suffered in Dallas’ Week 4 tie against the Green Bay Packers. During Wednesday’s media viewing period in practice, Turpin was not present. As it stands, the Cowboys do not believe Turpin’s injury will land him on injured reserve, which would sideline him for four games. Turpin was coming off the best performance on kickoff returns this season, with six returns for 175 yards, averaging out at 29.2 yards per return. His final kickoff return, a 45-yarder to set Dallas up at their own 46-yard line, helped the Cowboys be in position to score the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Over the offseason, the Cowboys signed Turpin to a three-year, $18 million extension, showing their confidence in Turpin’s ability to help contrubite more in Brian Schottenheimer’s offense as a receiver in addition to his role on special teams. Dallas Cowboys to open 21-day practice windows for WR Jonathan Mingo, CB Caelen Carson – Dallas Morning News The Cowboys could be getting more reinforcements soon. Brian Schottenheimer delivered a crucial update Wednesday as two Cowboys players work their way back from injuries. According to the Cowboys head coach, the team is opening the 21-day practice windows for wide receiver Jonathan Mingo and cornerback Caelen Carson. The practice windows are crucial parts of the process for players returning from injured reserve. Cowboys defense has struggled with what Jets QB Justin Fields does best – Todd Brock, Cowboys Wire Dallas has to find a way to neutralize mobile quarterbacks. The Cowboys defense has been, on the whole, atrocious through the first four games of Matt Eberflus’s stint as coordinator. Most points allowed in the NFC. Most yards allowed in the league. Second-worst in yards allowed per play. Only two more takeaways than your grandma’s Friday-morning coffee club. But stopping the run, which had been the team’s previous undoing to the point of becoming an offseason-long mantra, has actually been happening… except for one consistent trouble spot. The Cowboys have shown themselves to be particularly susceptible to getting gashed by mobile quarterbacks. And that could become a major problem in Week 5 when they take on the Jets and Justin Fields. Overall, Dallas has done much to shore up their run defense. Through four games, they’re allowing just 4.0 yards per carry, which is actually below the league average of 4.3. But of the 493 total rushing yards they’ve given up, 125 of them- over 25%– have come from opposing quarterbacks. See More: Dallas Cowboys News

Each week we dive into each team’s rookie class and compare how they stack up against each other. (Grades for each player are the overall offensive or defensive grade handed out by PFF.com) Dallas Cowboys Tyler Booker (OG) First Round On injured reserve for the next monthGrade: 65.0 Donovan Ezeiraku (DE) Second Round For Donovan Ezeiruaku, the […] Each week we dive into each team’s rookie class and compare how they stack up against each other. (Grades for each player are the overall offensive or defensive grade handed out by PFF.com) Dallas Cowboys Tyler Booker (OG) First Round On injured reserve for the next monthGrade: 65.0 Donovan Ezeiraku (DE) Second Round For Donovan Ezeiruaku, the plan this week is to take the next step. The open door against the Jets is the left edge. Olu Fashanu has sprung leaks this year and allowed 15 pressures in three games, fourth-most amount all offensive linemen. This is where you throw the kitchen sink when it comes to Ezeiruaku and give Fashanu some inside counters, and twist games that force him to sort fast. Give Ezeiruaku 20 or more true pass snaps on Fashanu’s side and he bags his first NFL sack. For Ezeiruaku, the usage has been climbing since Week 1. The arrow is pointing up for him as each week continues, and with more trust from the coaches comes more chances, that means more likelihood of that first sack. His biggest issue comes from Justin Fields. He’ll extend, he’ll improvise, he’ll also hold the ball for too long. The coaching point for Ezeiruaku will be don’t be a bull in a china shop here, it’s stay aggressive and then squeeze late when the chance comes. Close the exits and those off-schedule scrambles turn into long third-downs where he can then deliver the final blow.Grade: 56.4 Shavon Revel Jr. (CB) Third Round Currently on Non-Football injury list (NFI) Jaydon Blue (RB) Fifth Round With Miles Sanders’ injury from the Green Bay game, there’s a real chance we get to see Blue get called to action this week. Keep an eye on the injury report here at BTB and any updates that follow this week.Grade: N/A Shemar James (LB) Fifth Round In his debut, James came off the bench and logged five tackles against Green Bay. He was fairly assignment-clean with 26 defensive snaps that didn’t look too big for him. That’s the tape that gets a rookie more work the following Sunday, so here we are. The Jets are a top-10 rushing team, so beating split-zone and fitting inside-out matters more than the blitz for James this week (although this Cowboys defense could do with some blitz packages to help). Next, spy work, and James has the speed and agility to fit the role. That would mean James not looking to sprint to nine yards and create lanes, stay patient and let Fields’ long clock work against him. With James there spying and mirroring Fields movement that will make him hesitate a little more and allowing more time for the pass rush to get where. Finally, find Breece Hall and chase him down quickly, he has the tackle radius to match any stretch plays or screens that go Hall’s way. This is not the game to be playing Jack Sanborn with his lack of speed, this linebacker needs juice, something James has plenty in the bag.Grade: 49.8 Ajani Cornelius (OT) Sixth Round InactiveGrade: N/A Jay Toia (DT) Seventh Round InactiveGrade: 30.2 Phil Mafah (RB) Seventh Round Inactive Grade: N/A Green Bay Packers Armand Membou (OT) First Round Rookie right tackle Armand Membou has come flying out of the tunnel. He’s living in the elite category for pass protection, checking in with a 96.7% pass block win rate which ranks 14th among all tackles, while keeping his sheet tidy with only one sack allowed and no penalties so far this season. For a first-month rookie, that’s not hype, that’s craftsmanship. His power travels, too. Membou isn’t just a wall, he’s a snowplow. PFF grades slots him at sixth-best among tackles in run blocking with a 79.0 grade. For a Jets offense that wants to stay on schedule for Justin Fields and Breece Hall, pointing the run behind him is a perfectly good plan. He creates early-down creases, manageable thirds, and helps put play-action on the board for the offense. Membou’s counter is technically sound and he’s put that on tape all month. He’s shown patient sets, heavy inside hands, and has rarely had to panic. If he holds up again this week, the Jets get to play their version of on-schedule football, and a first-year right tackle stays one of the safest bets on the field.Grade: 76.6 Mason Taylor (TE) Second Round The Jets didn’t draft Mason Taylor to be used lightly. They took a second round swing on the 21-year-old seam-stretcher with NFL bloodlines and look for him to stress safeties, not stand around. He’s answered by muscling his way into a real slice of the passing game on a thin depth chart last week, and the usage arrow is pointing north. Taylor had a career-best five receptions for 65 yards against Miami, showing soft hands on the quick stuff and enough stride to tug the safeties inside. What that means this week for Dallas is if Taylor blocks with a hint of last week’s form and keeps finding those soft-zone perches, he can be the metronome this Jets offense needs. And if the Cowboys lose him near the pylon? Don’t be shocked when the rookie’s first score shows up in next week’s highlight reel.Grade: 54.0 Azareye’h Thomas (CB) Third Round Azareye’h Thomas showed up from Florida State looking like he was built in a lab for press coverage. He’s long, smooth, and unbothered. As a third-rounder he’s slid neatly into the Jets’ rotation behind Sauce Gardner and Brandon Stephens, mostly outside with a side gig in the nickel. The staff trusts the trajectory even if the stat line hasn’t caught a flight

After a late-night shootout that resulted in an anticlimactic tie, the Dallas Cowboys are hoping to get a win as they travel on the road to face the New York Jets and hopefully draw to .500. For Dallas, it appears that help is on the way, and it couldn’t come at a better time. Caelen […] After a late-night shootout that resulted in an anticlimactic tie, the Dallas Cowboys are hoping to get a win as they travel on the road to face the New York Jets and hopefully draw to .500. For Dallas, it appears that help is on the way, and it couldn’t come at a better time. Caelen Carson and Jonathan Mingo returned to practice after sustaining respective knee injuries earlier in the offseason. The team has opened their 21-day practice window, but they have a way to go before returning to full team activities. In the full report, CeeDee Lamb was also on the practice field in rehab work, a sign of his improvement, but officially not participating in the team drills, hence a DNP designation. Malik Hooker (toe) did not practice today, and the injury he sustained could sideline him for some time. Tyler Guyton did not practice either; he is in the league’s concussion protocol. Kavontae Turpin did not practice today with a foot injury that occurred during last week’s game against the Green Bay Packers. He, too, could miss some time. Miles Sanders (knee/ankle) also did not practice today along with Tyler Booker who sat out with an ankle injury. Tyler Smith also sat out with a knee issue, but it is unclear how serious that is right now. As for the Jets, backup running back Braelon Allen (knee) did not practice on Wednesday. Allen suffered a knee injury on Monday versus the Miami Dolphins, and playing this week seems unlikely. Edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II (ankle) was also cited as DNP today, and cornerback Michael Carter II (concussion) was also cited as a non-participant. See More: Dallas Cowboys Injuries

Remember a week ago, when things felt over and done for in Dallas? What a difference a week makes, especially without even winning a game. The Cowboys tied against the Packers on Sunday night, which is largely meaningless when it comes to propelling the team forward in the playoff hunt. But the nature in which […] Remember a week ago, when things felt over and done for in Dallas? What a difference a week makes, especially without even winning a game. The Cowboys tied against the Packers on Sunday night, which is largely meaningless when it comes to propelling the team forward in the playoff hunt. But the nature in which they tied is what offers so much optimism for the Cowboys, at least on one side of the ball. A week ago, this offense was reeling from a dreadful performance in Chicago. Dak Prescott threw two picks, Javonte Williams fumbled on the opening drive, and CeeDee Lamb was lost for several games with a high ankle sprain. To make matters worse, Tyler Booker was also lost to an injury, adding to the offensive line woes with Cooper Beebe already injured. That meant Dallas would return home to play without their best receiver and two backups starting on the offensive line, and they were only going up against a Packers defense that had been performing like one of the league’s best defenses, anchored by Micah Parsons. Naturally, a 40 burger was served up for dinner. I said last week that it would take a masterclass in offensive scheming from Brian Schottenheimer to score with any consistency against this defense. That’s exactly what happened, with Schottenheimer dialing up some brilliant play calls to free up running room for Williams and get Prescott in a rhythm despite the issues at wide receiver. It resulted in their second 40-point game in four weeks under Schottenheimer. Prescott finished with 319 yards and three touchdowns while completing 77.5% of his passes. He also ran one in, as did Williams. Both Ryan Flournoy and KaVontae Turpin got carries in the game, too, with Schottenheimer at one point using a Flournoy motion to fake the end around and create space for Williams up the middle. Schottenheimer also made it a point to get George Pickens going early, seeking to weaponize his big receiver on more than just 50/50 balls. To give you an idea of just how good this offense is playing right now, here’s a quick rundown of where the Cowboys rank in a handful of important offensive metrics. 1st in total yards 5th in points scored 6th in yards per play 4th in yards per carry 4th in EPA/play 5th in offensive DVOA 5th in percent of drives that end in a score 1st in first downs gained by penalty To put it simply, this offense is cooking right now, and Schottenheimer is the man calling the shots. It’s no real surprise, given that his first year as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator saw Prescott finish second in MVP voting. And, to that point, Prescott is playing so well that he’s making an early case to be in the mix for that award again. Unlike that 2023 season, though, Schottenheimer has also built a dominant run game. Not only does Dallas rank fifth in EPA/rush, they’re second in yards after contact per carry, behind only Derrick Henry and the Ravens. They also lead the league in rush success rate. That’s the impact of offensive coordinator Klayton Adams, whose varied run schemes have introduced entirely new ways to run the ball for the famously run-heavy Schottenheimer. Not only is it making the Cowboys a more balanced offense, but it’s opening up things in the passing game, too: Prescott is currently using play-action on nearly 27% of his dropbacks, a significant uptick from the 17% he ran last year. And, on play-action, Prescott is fourth in EPA/dropback and second in completion percentage over expected (CPOE). To put it in further perspective, in just Week 4, the Cowboys were third in EPA/play and second in success rate. That’s how good they were without Lamb while facing a defense that came into the game ranked third in EPA/play allowed. Schottenheimer is dialed in with his offense right now. Prescott is off to a hot start, the run game is actually strong and reliable, and reinforcements are on the way. The defense remains an obvious question mark, and Schottenheimer undoubtedly wants to fix that too, but it’s worth admiring just how great the offense has been through one quarter of the season. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

The Dallas Cowboys have allowed three straight quarterbacks to throw for three touchdowns against them. Russell Wilson, Caleb Williams, and Jordan Love each had a hat trick. Caleb had four, technically. Statistics like this one follow a poor defense and it stands to reason the Cowboys will have plenty more of them as we make […] The Dallas Cowboys have allowed three straight quarterbacks to throw for three touchdowns against them. Russell Wilson, Caleb Williams, and Jordan Love each had a hat trick. Caleb had four, technically. Statistics like this one follow a poor defense and it stands to reason the Cowboys will have plenty more of them as we make our way through the fall and winter. Up next for the team is a road date with the New York Jets and they have had one of the worst offenses in the league. In a battle of stoppable force meeting highly-movable object something is going to have to give here. Will the Cowboys make Justin Fields and the Jets offense soar? Or will their unfortunate ways continue? If there were ever a “get right” opportunity for Matt Eberflus’ group then it would make sense that this would be it. Let us know if you think it is possible in the comments below. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

Jerry Jones on George Pickens’ future, Cowboys’ defense, more – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com The Cowboys’ owner sounds a lot more optimistic about his defense than most on the outside believe. George Pickens’ future with the Cowboys The Cowboys traded a third-round pick to the Steelers for Pickens, who they knew was heading into the final […] Jerry Jones on George Pickens’ future, Cowboys’ defense, more – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com The Cowboys’ owner sounds a lot more optimistic about his defense than most on the outside believe. George Pickens’ future with the Cowboys The Cowboys traded a third-round pick to the Steelers for Pickens, who they knew was heading into the final year of his contract. Pickens said that he would focus on his future after the season, setting up a “prove it” year. He proved himself last Sunday, and Jones took notice, pointing out that the Cowboys do have the cap space to be able to look at a future with Pickens if things continue to trend positively. “He’s an exemplary teammate. He is exemplary in his work preparation, and you can see the results of that out there on Sundays, obviously. Reminds me a little of his weight has different contortions as he’s catching a ball. He can just catch the ball in any set of circumstance…” Jones said. “I’m proud to tell you that we’ve got some outstanding structure in our cap space that will allow us to do a lot of things that I didn’t think when we finished this time last year that we might have the room to do some of these things we’re talking about doing. We got it.” Help is on the way on the defensive side of the ball The Cowboys currently rank 32nd in the NFL in yards allowed per game, and know that there’s things that need to be fixed on the defensive side of the ball. Still, Jones saw growth over the course of the game from Dallas on Sunday night despite the final score. “If you felt it, even though they scored 40 points, our defense improved as that game went along right before your eyes,” Jones said. “And we did make some stops that were out there that were key stops against a fine offensive football team in Green Bay. So, I think your eyes didn’t betray you, and that we got better as that game went along. That’s what you’re looking for.” Some of that help could be coming from the IR, NFI and PUP lists as early as this week. Now that Week 4 has passed by, players that were place on those lists at the start of the season are eligible to have their 21-day practice windows opened. Jones said the team will look at those possibilities this week. Cowboys’ rookie Jaydon Blue ‘very close’ to making NFL debut – Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram The Dallas Cowboys rookie running back could debut this weekend if Miles Sanders can’t go. Through four weeks, Blue has been on the inactive list, as starter Javonte Williams and backup Miles Sanders have been the active players at the position group instead. Williams has shined as one of the top running backs in the NFL through four games and Sanders, aside from a crucial week one fumble in Philadelphia, has been productive in a backup role. When asked about the decision to not make the 2025 fifth-round pick active, head coach Brian Schottenheimer has mentioned multiple times wanting to see more consistency out of him in practices. His role has become important on the practice field, as he has offered the Cowboys defense the scout look at each opponent’s running backs early in the year. “He’s extremely talented,” Schottenheimer said after he was on the inactive list in week one. “He really is talented, but there is a way you have to perform, especially with a mantra of ‘compete every day.’ If you’re not putting it out there and doing right every day and if you take a step back on a Thursday — maybe you did great on Wednesday but on Thursday, not saying he did — that’s going to get noticed.” Well, the tone is beginning to change on Blue heading into week five, as Schottenheimer offered more optimism in his Monday presser toward Blue’s potential availability. “[He’s] very close,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s practicing really, really well. I challenged him a few weeks ago on being consistent. He’s done that. He’s becoming one of our best offensive practice squad players. He gives the defensive an incredible look with the speed and playmaking ability, so [he’s] very close.” Dallas had some of their depth at linebacker poached from the Indianapolis Colts. There was some movement on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad Tuesday. Linebacker Buddy Johnson, a local Kimball High School product, was signed off the Cowboys’ practice squad by the Indianapolis Colts. The former Texas A&M Aggie was selected by Pittsburgh in the 2021 NFL draft and spent time with San Francisco, Houston and Chicago before landing in Dallas in 2023. The Cowboys also brought back wide receiver Parris Campbell and added him to the practice squad Tuesday. He has been released last month after the team reached an injury settlement with the veteran wideout. Campbell, 28, had originally signed with Dallas in March after spending the 2024 season with the Philadelphia Eagles. He started his NFL career with the Colts and spent four seasons with the franchise, posting the most productive season of his professional career in 2022 with 63 catches for 623 yards and three touchdowns. 5 plays that led to the tie between Cowboys and Packers – David Howman, Blogging the Boys After Sunday night’s game, if a few plays had gone differently, the Cowboys could have walked away with a win instead of a tie. Trevon Diggs pick wiped out by penalty The Cowboys made a statement by opting to keep Trevon Diggs on the bench to start the game. They eventually

Every week, we gather to discuss the latest news about the Dallas Cowboys and seek our writer’s perspective on each headline. Welcome back to the roundtable. This week we have David Howman, Tom Ryle, RJ Ochoa, Jess Haynie, and Sean Martin.  What did you make of Dak Prescott’s decision-making and leadership of the offense against Green Bay? Mike: If […] Every week, we gather to discuss the latest news about the Dallas Cowboys and seek our writer’s perspective on each headline. Welcome back to the roundtable. This week we have David Howman, Tom Ryle, RJ Ochoa, Jess Haynie, and Sean Martin. What did you make of Dak Prescott’s decision-making and leadership of the offense against Green Bay? Mike: If you were searching for evidence that Dak Prescott still has complete command of the Dallas offense, the Green Bay game delivered it in high definition. This wasn’t empty-calorie production or a dink-and-dunk stat pad. It was a quarterback running the show with pace, intention, and restraint, then punctuating it with a few throws that only a handful of guys will even try. The first thing that jumped off the screen was how quickly Prescott got from decision to delivery. He played on time, layered the ball between levels, and refused to feed Green Bay free possessions. He elevated the entire operation. George Pickens became a featured weapon, Jake Ferguson’s chain-moving routes mattered, and ancillary touches were purposeful, not forced. That’s leadership you can feel: the huddle trusts the call, the ball goes where the read says, and the offense retains its shape instead of shrinking around a single target. Prescott’s signature moment came on a sideline laser to Jalen Tolbert, threaded where only Tolbert could touch it. The window was microscopic, the timing unforgiving, and the placement pristine. This was A-grade quarterbacking. Decisive, turnover-averse, situationally sharp, and emotionally steady. The scoreboard will invite debate, the tape won’t. Howman: It proved the point I’ve been making the past week: The Cowboys are a playoff-caliber team as long as Dak Prescott is on the field. No CeeDee? No problem. Prescott is good enough to make plays without him, and it’s about time the rest of the league takes note of that. Tom: Really, how can you fault a QB who gives you 40 points and no turnovers? Like Howman, I’m impressed about how the chemistry has developed with George Pickens. There is also a bit of an emergence for Jalen Tolbert, who had 61 yards. Give Dak some defense, and this team is dangerous. RJ: Dak was easily the highest point of stability for the Cowboys on Sunday night. It is incredibly unfortunate that they were unable to come out with the win as those types of performances are not promised. Jess: It’s the best we’ve ever seen him, and as good as anything we’ve seen since this team was winning Super Bowls. But unless this defense finds some level of solvency, there’s just no way Dak and the offense can do enough to keep this season afloat. Hard to enjoy it too much until it starts resulting in wins. Sean: Prescott was nothing short of dominant against the Packers, but the fact the game called for him to be this close to perfect to merely squeak out a tie is a heartbreak. Every third down attempt or passing situation in general felt like the opportunity for the Packers to make a play and completely take over the game was inevitable, but even down multiple offensive linemen and CeeDee Lamb, this moment never came. Prescott was clutch and so too were George Pickens, Jalen Tolbert, and Ryan Flournoy all at different times. Mike: The useless and short answer here is both, but to aim an answer one way or the other it leans toward resilience. Dallas showed the kind of spine you can build on after Thanksgiving. But the same film that praises their fight also underlines a repeatable, finishing issue. The Cowboys proved they can take a punch and keep creating chances. That means if they clean up the controllables, they’re not hunting for an identity, they’re optimizing one. The tie showcased heart, but it also spotlighted the gap between being hard to beat and being the team that actually wins it. Fix the defensive sloppiness, and the resilience everyone admires becomes wins everyone remembers. Howman: Resilience, for sure. The Cowboys were not supposed to have a chance in this one, and early on they were fixing to get blown out. The fact that they not only took it to overtime but didn’t lose is a testament to their ability to rise to the occasion, even without their best skill player. Tom: They came so close. Had that final pass from Jordan Love been deflected back into the end zone, the game would have ended with a win no one saw coming. The tie itself exceeded expectations. I didn’t think a tie game could be labeled as wildly entertaining, but up until the end, it was. RJ: I hate to ride the fence, but I am going to go with both. That is the main issue. They have one side of the ball that can go toe to toe with anyone, but the other side is so impossible to trust. Those things cannot function simultaneously. Jess: I agree with R.J. that it’s resilience on offense and dysfunction on defense. Sean: Easily resilience, because this game shared some similarities with the Cowboys other primetime loss this season at the Eagles. Backs against the wall, nobody in the world picking your team to even be in the game, and Brian Schottenheimer had his group focused and ready to execute a “camel through the eye of a needle” type game plan on the fly to match the Packers and nearly upset them. It’s been a while since we could say a Cowboys coach had his team the most prepared for the toughest games with the most noise around them, but so far it feels like that’s what the