WATCH: Netflix drops first trailer for series focusing on Jerry Jones, Cowboys ‘soap opera’ Todd Brock The Cowboys’ current chances of making this postseason are roughly the same as being struck by lightning while being attacked by a shark, but there’s something else being offered up to fans as a timely diversion. Come to think of it, it’s probably just as much for the franchise’s many haters, too… and it’s coming to small screens everywhere in the coming year. Netflix has dropped the first official trailer for America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys, the new docuseries focusing on billionaire Jerry Jones and his ownership of the most-recognized and highest-valued franchise in sports. News of the project was announced in May, but there is no premiere date yet established for what was conceived to be a 10-part series of 45-minute episodes. The short preview posted to social media on Thursday gives glimpses of just some of the notable figures who sat down to be interviewed. Former Cowboys stars Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders, Troy Aikman, Herschel Walker, and Michael Irvin can be seen, as can former President of the United States George W. Bush. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] But no moment in the 30-second clip will get more mileage on the sports-talk circuit- not to mention eye-rolls from Cowboys fans- than a pair of very telling quotes from Jones himself, shown during a montage of historic Cowboys moments. “It’s bigger than winning football games,” Jones says at one point. “Keep ’em talking,” he says in a later voiceover. “It’s a soap opera 365 days a year.” Cowboys fans know that all too well. And though they’d certainly prefer a little less melodrama and a lot more postseason success, they’ll likely be tuning in nevertheless once the Netflix docuseries goes live. America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders was a massive hit for the streaming service in 2024 and has been greenlit for a second season in 2025, continuing the brand’s seemingly never-ending media presence. Follow all of your favorite Texas teams at Cowboys Wire, Longhorns Wire, Texans Wire, Rockets Wire and Aggies Wire!
Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons stresses he doesn’t need to be highest-paid defensive player in NFL
Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Micah Parsons reiterated that he does not need to be the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. They are on the way. They are inevitable. Soon enough, at long last, this Dallas Cowboys season will end, and while the rest of the NFL moves on to the playoffs and crowing a Super Bowl champion, the Cowboys will be focused on 2025. It would make sense for the Cowboys to prioritize something very obvious when it comes to their priorities in the offseason, that obvious thing being an extension for Micah Parsons. Last offseason saw the Cowboys notoriously delay extensions that they wound up handing out to both CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott. That they got those extensions done in the eleventh hour, and not as soon as possible, made them as inefficient deals as they possibly could have been. The time to get these kinds of things done is as soon as you can. Unfortunately the Cowboys squandered that specific opportunity with Parsons as they did not get an extension done during his first offseason eligible (last year). This is why the Cowboys must ensure that they get a Parsons deal done as soon as possible in 2025 and according to Parsons himself, they don’t need to entirely break the bank to do it. Cowboys DE Micah Parsons made it clear that he doesn’t need to be the highest-paid defensive player. He said that would be nice, but added: “It would be nice to be surrounded by good players. Players are going to help you win championships. I want to keep as many guys as… — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 19, 2024 Parsons spoke on Thursday and stressed that he does not need to be the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. He joked (although it seemed serious, but in a playful way) about only needing as much to have a lake house, so there is some subjectivity involved as to what the bare minimum amount for that would be. To be frank, it is quite rare to see athletes turn down an opportunity to leverage their position into the most lucrative deals possible. Everything that Parsons said there is a dream of a statement from the front office, a group that would unlikely be as malleable on things as he appears to be. But maybe Parsons is genuine and really just wants to be a Cowboy and have certain players around him, and wants to do whatever he can to make that possible. To be clear, it is not his job to build a team around him, but if that is going to be his approach then so be it. On a different note, Parsons was asked about his rooting interests this coming weekend. Parsons is a Penn State alum and they will host SMU in the inaugural round of the College Football Playoff. Obviously SMU is geographically close to him which makes things a bit awkward. Parsons was also asked if he would be rooting for his hometown (so to speak) team in the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys need the Eagles to beat the Washington Commanders to keep their faint playoff hopes alive, but Parsons had an all-time response when pressed on the matter. (1/2) Asked Micah Parsons if he’s rooting for both his home state teams, Penn State in CFP vs SMU, Eagles vs Commanders (Dallas eliminated if WASH win): “Nah, at this point, it’s fuck Philly, now. Even if we got eliminated, like, I gotta crush Philly. Fuck them. I hate them now. — Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) December 19, 2024 Make this man a Cowboy for life!
Cowboys vs Buccaneers: Week 16 matchups to watch for the Dallas Cowboys
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images There are some very interesting matchups that we will be paying attention to on Sunday night. With just three games remaining on the 2024 regular-season schedule, the roller coaster ride the Dallas Cowboys have taken us on this year is finally about to come to a stop. There’s no doubt it’s been a maddening and frustrating year as far as expectations go, but it’s something we should be pretty accustomed to as Cowboys fans. With little to play for, we can do now is sit back and enjoy the ride is much as possible. Today, we’re going to look at a few intriguing matchups to keep an eye on in this Week 16 meeting between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cowboys. Generally we try to focus some more of the matchups that will potentially sway the game one way or another, but today we chose to go with the ones on purely based on entertainment value. RB Rico Dowdle vs. Buccaneers’ run defense Rico Dowdle has a chance to hit a couple of milestones in Week 16 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Not only is he 120 yards shy of rushing for 1,000 yards on the season, but if he has another 100-yard rushing game he will be the first Cowboys RB to have four consecutive 100-yard rushing games since Ezekiel Elliott (2016). It won’t be easy though considering Tampa Bay is only allowing 109.2 rushing yards per game this year. It’s going to be really interesting to see if No. 23 can continue to produce like he has recently. DT Osa Odighizuwa vs. Buccaneers’ C Graham Barton Over the past seven weeks there hasn’t been a better pass rushing DT in the league than Osa Odighizuwa. During that time span he has generated 32 QB pressures, the most for DTs in the league. He also currently has a total of four QB sacks this season and with one more he will set a career-high for himself. Graham Barton presents an interesting matchup for No. 97. He has only allowed one QB sack this year, but is the most penalized player at his position with 12 total penalties this season. It will be fun watching these to battle it out. CB DaRon Bland vs. Buccaneers’ WR Mike Evans Mike Evans presents an interesting matchup problem for the Cowboys. Although he has struggled with injuries throughout the season, he is coming off a game in which he caught nine passes for 159 receiving yards and two touchdowns against the Chargers. Considering the Cowboys secondary is currently banged up and decimated by injuries, there’s a chance Evans could have a field day this week. It may be wise for Mike Zimmer to try to shadow him with DaRon Bland to hopefully limit his impact on the game.
Mike Zimmer proving his worth in Cowboys pseudo “prove-it” season
Mike Zimmer proving his worth in Cowboys pseudo “prove-it” season reidhanson Signed to a one-year deal over the offseason, 2024 has been a prove-it season of sorts for Mike Zimmer. With a lifetime of experience and plenty of skins on the wall in Dallas, Zimmer didn’t need to prove his value to the Cowboys organization, he had to prove his value to the current roster and to whomever takes the head coaching reins in 2025. Since Mike McCarthy was entering the last year on his deal this season it’s understandable the Cowboys wanted the other coaching contracts to synch up. Not many coaches would except a one-year offer since schemes, personnel, and strategies take time to implement. But Zimmer did and he likely did so with an eye on something else down the road. He’s really proving he can work with the Cowboys’ main pieces they have on defense. He’s proving he can effectively follow a player-friendly coach like Dan Quinn. He’s proving he has a good thing going if and when a new head coach comes in over the offseason. Based on Jerry Jones’ familiarity, he may even be proving he’s a candidate for head coach. Whatever he happens to be trying to prove this season, he appears to finally be getting some traction. The Cowboys defense started the season horrifically. The defense’s talent, discipline and depth were exposed. Through the first 11 weeks of the season, Zimmer’s defense ranked 30th in EPA allowed and dead last in run defense. Zimmer’s defense was always supposed to take time to implement, and growing pains were expected, but not to the degree that unfolded. The injuries and front office malfeasance provided cover, but if 2024 was an audition, Zimmer looked like a one-and-done coach early on. Then things started to click. As the schedule softened and the running game on offense started to pick up, the defense hit its stride. Over the last four games the Dallas defense has shockingly played like a top five unit (based on EPA/play). With Micah Parsons back in the fold, the Dallas pass rush has led the league in sacks and pressures. They’ve done so with smart play design and well-timed blitzing. Every layer of the defense has suffered significant injuries, yet Zimmer’s group is getting better by the week. For the first time in years discipline and accountability appear to be a thing on defense and it’s beginning to produce results, even if the talent is less than ideal. Zimmer deserves to be in the conversation for 2025. That’s a statement that would have been laughed at just one month ago. It’s a statement that speaks to what a coach with a fairly complicated playbook has accomplished with a revolving door of players and undeniable roster holes to overcome. It doesn’t demand his return in 2025 or warrant a promotion, but it keeps him in the conversation. Whoever takes over next season will see a pretty compelling case to keep the veteran coach around. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Cowboys analytics roundup: Mike Zimmer’s defense rounding into form
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images The Cowboys defense has been great as of late. The vibes are good in Dallas right now, whether you like it or not. Many fans had come around to the idea of this season being lost and getting rewarded with a premium draft pick – and a new head coach – as a result. Now, though, the Cowboys have won three games in four tries and all the momentum seems to be pointing to continuity with the staff. Apologies to those who were hoping for a prized player in this year’s draft, but the Cowboys have found their winning ways lately with some plain ol’ good football. The defense has been especially good, and the recent surge offers legitimate promise in running things back with this coaching staff. Let’s dive into the analytics to get a better sense of it all. First, a dose of reality: the Cowboys are still not a good team. They are technically still in the hunt – Dallas currently has a 0.6% chance of making the playoffs, but they can only do so as the seventh seed – but it’s highly probable they get eliminated this week or next week. That said, the team is playing better lately. Both the offense and defense have better weighted DVOA grades than their season-long DVOA grades, a reflection of the improvements the Cowboys have made. It’s still not enough to make them a true dark horse contender, but it’s something to feel positive about. 2024 NFL Team Tiers, Weeks 1-15, courtesy of rbsdm.com The EPA-based team tiers paint a similar picture. Two weeks ago, they were in the bottom three in the league but have now climbed all the way up to 27th, and they’re likely to pull ahead of both the Patriots and Jaguars with the way those two teams are playing right now. Furthermore, if we look just at the last four weeks – during which the Cowboys have started to find their footing – the Cowboys are actually dead even with the Bengals for 10th in total team EPA/play. Granted, all three of their remaining opponents are well ahead of them even in this last stretch, but that offers an idea of just how much better the Cowboys are right now. Offense The offense has been notably better in these last four weeks, especially. They still perform about as you’d expect for an offense that’s starting Cooper Rush, but things have gotten better. McCarthy has settled into a groove in his first time calling plays for Rush on a consistent basis. Over the last four weeks, Dallas is 14th in both EPA/play and success rate. Even better: they’re fourth in rushing success rate. Rico Dowdle has emerged as a serious threat, with three straight 100+ yard rushing games. That’s a heck of a turnaround from where this run game was just a couple months ago. Of course, the run game has been such an emphasis lately because Rush is, well, Rush. Without throwing any disrespect his way, Rush is still just a backup quarterback. He’s not someone you want to be starting, but Rush is now showing why the Cowboys trust him to play when he has to. Outside of a very curious but consistent fumbling issue, Rush has been solid. His efficiency metrics all put him right where you want a backup to be: just on the fringe of the Top 32 in the league. He also seems to be getting more confident in his supporting cast, but Rush offers a sufficient starting level of talent to win with if other things can go right. And lately, they’ve been going very right. The Cowboys have had so many injuries along the offensive line this year that it’s become difficult to keep track of who’s actually playing these days. Chuma Edoga played two different spots this past week, for example, and Brock Hoffman has done the same at other points. Despite all the changes, the Cowboys line is playing its best football of the year. Aside from pass block win rate, they’re comfortably in the top 10 in every metric here. And the improvements in run blocking have played a huge factor in Dowdle’s emergence. Defense Here’s the fun part: this defense is balling out right now. Players are looking comfortable in Mike Zimmer’s defense, and Micah Parsons’ return has taken things to a new level. In the six weeks since Parsons came back from injury, Dallas is eighth in EPA/play and third (!) in EPA/dropback. Zimmer’s creative simulated pressure scheme has made it impossible to throw the ball against the Cowboys. The most impressive thing is how he’s doing it: Dallas is just 11th in blitz rate on the whole, but they’re third in blitzing on third downs. Not coincidentally, Dallas is fourth in pressure rate and sacks. Zimmer has been forcing opponents into third and long and then unleashing hell (read: Micah Parsons) on the quarterback, and it’s going gangbusters. Not to renew the debate about pass rush vs pass coverage, but the numbers for the Cowboys secondary kind of suggests that pass rush rules all. Or at least it does when your pass rush is this good. By most metrics, the Cowboys have not been great in coverage; Trevon Diggs, whose season is now done, has the best passer rating among Cowboys corners with a mere 89.3 rating. The pass rush has freed things up, though, particularly for Donovan Wilson. The safety struggled mightily early on in the year, but Zimmer has started to deploy him as more of a roaming monster near the line of scrimmage thanks to the great pass rush. Three of his last four games have yielded a 72.0+ grade from Pro Football Focus; prior to this stretch, Wilson’s single-game high for the year was 70.7 in Week 1. The numbers don’t look good for the secondary, but they’re playing better ball now that the pass rush is hitting its stride.
WATCH: Netflix releases trailer for Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys documentary premiering in 2025
Peter Casey-Imagn Images Netflix has released the trailer for their documentary chronicling Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys. It was about a year and a half ago when word first broke that Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys were serving as the subject matter for an upcoming documentary series from Netflix. These sort of things take time though and at long last we have gotten something substantial and legitimate relating to the documentary. Netflix released the official trailer for “America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys” on Thursday afternoon. You can watch it below. AMERICA’S TEAM: THE GAMBLER AND HIS COWBOYS — the definitive story of Jerry Jones, his Dallas Cowboys, and the twists and turns on the road to becoming the most valuable sports franchise in the world. Coming to Netflix in 2025. pic.twitter.com/usmOiUE2uJ — Netflix (@netflix) December 19, 2024 If is not obvious, the documentary seemingly covers the Jerry Jones era of the Dallas Cowboys specifically. Interestingly the trailer sort of presents things as if the Cowboys became America’s Team under him when that is obviously not true. Nevertheless, there are clips shown with various members of the Cowboys’ glory days: Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders, Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin. The trailer is short, but the final words are overlayed from Jerry Jones himself. “Keep ‘em talking.” “It’s a soap opera 365 days a year.” It stands to reason that the documentary will lean into the Cowboys nature of everything as projects like this often do. As far as release dates are concerned the only thing noted was that it is coming in 2025. Generally things like this are paired with something notable on the NFL calendar so maybe we get it around the NFL Draft or potentially the beginning of next season. Who is going to watch?
Cowboys bring back former 7th-round draft pick at DT
Cowboys bring back former 7th-round draft pick at DT Todd Brock The Cowboys are bolstering their defensive line depth for the regular season’s final stretch of games by bringing back a familiar face. Defensive tackle Justin Rogers has been signed off Cincinnati’s practice squad, according to the team. He takes the roster spot of linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who has officially been placed on season-ending injured reserve after suffering a devastating knee injury versus the Bengals on Dec. 9. Rogers was drafted by the Cowboys in the seventh round of 2024’s draft, selected 244th overall. After spending training camp with the team, he was released on Aug. 26 and signed by the Bengals three days later. Rogers has not yet made it into a game at the NFL level. The 6-foot-2-inch, 340-pounder caught the eye of several observers in Oxnard this summer with not only his size but the run-stop skills he showed at Auburn as a college senior and prior to that at Kentucky. “Been keeping an eye on him,” head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Thursday. “Fortunate to have the opportunity to bring him back. We still consider him one of ours. … Obviously, we thought enough of him to draft him, so it’ll be great to get him back into the mix.” [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Rogers will join a DT group that currently includes Osa Odighizuwa, Mazi Smith, and Linval Joseph. Denzel Daxon and Phil Hoskins are also listed at the position on the Dallas practice squad. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Despite all the shuffling, the Cowboys offensive line appears to be getting better
Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images The Cowboys offensive line has been figuring things out amid all sorts of chaos. The Dallas Cowboys took a big leap of faith this offseason when they let Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz leave in free agency. With the foresight of a deep offensive line draft class, the team made a concerted effort to get younger, ultimately using a first-round pick on Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton and Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe after a trade down. The Cowboys also loved what they have in some of their young depth guys like Brock Hoffman, T.J. Bass, and Asim Richards. Collectively, they felt good about what had with their savvy veterans and young players. After a good showing in training camp, both the rookies had secured starting jobs, and the Cowboys’ offensive line overhaul plan was in full swing. The season started with the following offensive line arrangement: LT Tyler Guyton (rookie) LG Tyler Smith (third-year, All-Pro 2023) C Cooper Beebe (rookie) RG Zack Martin (11th-year, All-Pro 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014) RT Terence Steele (fifth-year) The team was prepared to accept the expected growing pains with two rookies with both of them playing different positions than they played in college. It was bumpy, but a necessary evil that hopefully would pay dividends later. This unit stayed consistent in the beginning part of the year, but when things started to turn, it got messy in a hurry. On the season, the Cowboys have endured several injuries along the offensive line. Martin was lost for the year in Week 11 when he required season-ending ankle surgery. Smith hurt his knee against Houston and missed the following game against Washington. Beebe suffered a concussion against the Bengals 14 and has missed last week’s game against Carolina. Injuries have hit the reserves as well. Asim Richards went on injured reserve with an ankle injury and T.J. Bass left Sunday’s game with a thigh injury. Veteran Chuma Edoga finally returned to the field in Week 13 after starting the year on IR with a toe injur, but finds himself on the injury report again. All of these injuries have impacted the Cowboys’ offensive line, but the one that has caused the most dominos to fall is the re-occurring unavailability of rookie Tyler Guyton. His rap sheet for the year is not pleasing to the eye. Week 5 – exited the Pittsburgh game with a knee injury, missed the following game against Detroit Week 9 – exited the Atlanta game with a neck/shoulder injury, missed the following game against Philadelphia Week 11 – exited the Houston game when he aggravated his shoulder (when he picked up a fumble and tried to run) Week 12 – benched during the Washington game Week 13 – exited the New York game with a high ankle sprain, missed the following game against Cincinnati All the injuries have shaken things up, but Guyton’s absence has created a lot of shuffling along the offensive line. Here are the 11 different offensive line arrangements the Cowboys have had so far this season… That’s a lot of movement. There is good and bad in all of this. For starters, it’s rough to see Martin go out this way as this could be the last time we see him in a Cowboys uniform (or any uniform for that matter). It’s also unsettling that rookie Guyton is having fits, both in health and performance. Penalties, whiffs, and constantly being nicked up don’t inspire a lot of confidence for what the Cowboys hope is their future left tackle. There are some good things too. Steele has played 100% of the offensive snaps this season after leading the team with 99% of the offensive snaps played last season. His availability is a pleasant surprise considering the bad knee injury he suffered in 2022. He’s been looking better recently after getting past that wave of Defensive Player of the Year opponents he faced in the first part of the season. The transition to center is no problem for Beebe as he’s looked good all season. And the jump in progress for Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass makes people feel better about what life will be like without Martin as the interior offensive line has shockingly played well without him. The Cowboys played with fire by relying on so many young undeveloped pieces to make up the bulk of their offensive line and they have certainly been burned a time or two, but this young group is taking some promising steps forward. There is still work to be done, but when you consider all the moving around that the line has endured, it’s surprising things haven’t completely fallen apart. Thanks to the talent and versatility of this squad, the Cowboys offensive line keeps on truckin’. Don’t look now, but the Cowboys now have the fourth-best run-block win rate in the NFL. I would not have predicted that outcome after losing Zack Martin for the year, but here we are. pic.twitter.com/Oick7jiWf7 — Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) December 18, 2024
Cowboys news: DeMarcus Lawrence reportedly not coming back this season
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys. Broaddus: Cowboys to shut down DeMarcus Lawrence for rest of 2024 season – 105.3 The Fan The Cowboys are not going to get DeMarcus Lawrence back this season. Now the question is will he be back at all? The Dallas Cowboys are shutting down defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence for the rest of the 2024 season, Bryan Broaddus reported Wednesday on the GBag Nation on 105.3 The Fan. “They tried their best to get him back. There was a couple times where I was passing by the field, watching him, and I felt like [he was working hard with Cowboys trainer Britt Brown). … But they just couldn’t get that (foot) where it needed to be, and it wasn’t worth the risk for them going forward,” The Fan’s Brian Broaddus said. Lawrence has been out since sustaining a foot injury in the Week 4 win over the New York Giants in September. Shortly after that Lawrence was moved to IR. {…] Lawrence has played his entire 11-year career with the Cowboys but will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He has previously stated that he plans on playing next season. But will that be in Dallas? “We may have seen Tank Lawrence for the last time in a Cowboys uniform,” Broaddus said. Mailbag: Where has Osa improved this year? – Mickey Spagnola, Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com The defensive lineman is becoming one of the brightest stars on Dallas’ defense. (Editor’s Note: Time to check the mail! The DallasCowboys.com staff writers answer your questions here in ‘Mailbag’ presented by Miller Lite.) It seems like Osa Odighizuwa is finally getting some recognition with Greg Olsen calling him one of the best defensive tackles in the game during last Sunday’s broadcast. In what areas has he improved this season? Since he’s in a contract year, is he playing himself out of what the Cowboys’ can afford? – Roland Williams/Denver, CO Mickey: Well, it’s getting close, right? But if he keeps this up the rest of the way I would think he would become a Cowboys priority to re-sign since there isn’t really anyone waiting in the wings to replace what he does. Mazi is a one-tech, and there is not another young defensive tackle playing the 3 that I see on this roster. You know, like last year at defensive end when the Cowboys passed on the expensive Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler Jr., they had Sam Williams ready to emerge. Unfortunately, he suffered the torn ACL in training camp. Now the cap will be tight again, maybe even tighter than it has been this year. But I’d imagine the Cowboys must look at Osa as playing a position of value. He is playing nearly 80 percent of the snaps this season, and at least 78 percent in the past five games and as much as 90 percent against the Giants. To me, he’s a keeper unless some teams just money whips him. Tommy: I think his ability to get after the passer and apply pressure has been his biggest improvement this season. That’s not to say he wasn’t good at that last season – he had 47 pressures and three sacks – but with three games left in the 2024 season, he’s generated 44 pressures and four sacks, with the fourth coming on Sunday against the Panthers. Add that to the fact that he’s equally as effective stopping the run (40 tackles and 8 run stuffs this season) and he’s certainly going to demand a pretty pay check heading into this offseason. Greg Olsen is absolutely right that he’s playing like one of the best defensive tackles in the league right now, and the Cowboys front office will definitely have a tough decision to make after these last three games. My two cents? If you’ve got one of the best in the league at their position, find a way to keep them around. Dallas Cowboys Stock Watch: Week 15 risers & fallers – Koby Skillern, Sports Illustrated Some stock continues to rise as the season comes to a close. The Dallas Cowboys on Sunday did their best impression of their glory days with hard-nosed football, dominating the run game alongside a stifling defense. The Cowboys convincingly defeated the Carolina Panthers 30-14, showcasing multiple standout performances on both offense and defense. Risers Rico Dowdle, RB Rico Dowdle has improved each week this season, which is exactly what the Cowboys need from their starting running back. Since Dowdle took over as the full-time running back, the Cowboys have had their best run-game since Ezekiel Elliott’s early seasons in the league. On Sunday, Dowdle had a career day with 25 carries for a career-high 149 yards, averaging six yards per carry. His performance helped the Cowboys surpass their previous season-high team rushing yards by 55 yards. Osa Odighizuwa, DT Osa Odighizuwa is having a career year in the final season of his rookie contract, adding to the list of star players the Cowboys will need to re-sign. On Sunday, Odighizuwa recorded four total tackles, three solo tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss, and four quarterback hits. He has been one of the league’s best interior pass rushers and has continually increased his value as the season has progressed. CeeDee Lamb, WR Outside of Rico Dowdle, CeeDee Lamb was the only Cowboys’ weapon to make a significant impact on Sunday. Lamb surpassed 100 yards receiving for just the second time this season, finishing with nine catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. Lamb became just the second player in Cowboys history, alongside Michael Irvin, to achieve four straight seasons of 1,000 receiving yards. It is still early, but Lamb is currently well on pace for a Hall of Fame career. Cowboys Learn ‘Good News’ Prediction After DeMarvion Overshown Surgery – Mike Fisher, AthlonSports.com Dallas got some good news regarding their up-and-coming linebacker’s recent injury. FRISCO – The Dallas Cowboys, when it comes to
Week 16 Mike McCarthy Replacement Rankings: Would Jerry Jones hire a young, innovative mind?
This is going to be a very interesting offseason for the Dallas Cowboys in a few weeks. The assumption is that Dallas will need to move pretty quickly after the final whistle on Week 18. Back in 2019 and under similar circumstances, owner and GM Jerry Jones waited almost an entire week from the final day of the regular season (December 29) to moving on from Jason Garrett (January 5) whose contract expired. Garrett was replaced by Mike McCarthy, a veteran coach who had convinced the Joneses that he was hip to the new NFL after spending a year away from the game. Will they look for similar things if and when they let McCarthy go this coming offseason? There are a slew of really good candidates this go round. Time may be of the essence this cycle, as there could be upwards of seven or eight openings come early January. The Jets, Saints and Bears have already fired their head coaches. The Cowboys, Giants, Jaguars, and Raiders could all be in that boat. There’s even an outside chance the Bengals and 49ers are looking for new leaders for their sidelines. The searches are going to be diverse, depending on what each ownership group prefers, and that question is no more pertinent than in Dallas. The Cowboys have been on an experience roller coaster for 30-plus years of coaching. Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer were established college leaders with no NFL coaching experience. Switzer was replaced by Chan Gailey, who had over 10 years experience as an NFL assistant and pro head coaching experience from the WLAF. Dave Campo was similar, a decade-long assistant who was bumped up to replace Gailey. When those didn’t work, Jones turned to two-time Lombardi hoister Bill Parcells and his lengthy resume as a team fixer. Parcells was replaced four years later by another veteran of the head coaching pipeline, Wade Phillips. Garrett was hired before Phillips to be a coach in waiting with just two years experience as an assistant, which grew to six by the time he ascended. His departure saw Jones go back to the proven winner ranks with Super Bowl champ McCarthy. So where do things go this cycle? There’s a ton of guys with various amounts of experience as coordinators, though it’s hard to envision Jones hiring a Liam Coen of Tampa, whose called plays in the NFL just for one season, or Frank Smith of Miami who hasn’t done it at all. There are assistants who have been head coaches before, like Kliff Kingsbury and Brian Flores. There are former head coaches like Mike Vrabel, collegiate coaches like Deion Sanders and Kirby Smart, former Cowboys assistants like Kellen Moore and Wes Phillips, and that’s before the young guns like Ben Johnson, Bobby Slowik, Joe Brady and others are even mentioned. It’s going to be a crazy upheaval in the NFL coaching ranks and if Dallas throws their hats in the ring, they will be the biggest tent at the circus. Here’s a look at our Week 16 replacement rankings. Honorable Mentions: Liam Coen, OC, Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Last Week: Honorable Mention Ryan Grubb, Seattle Seahawks OC | Last Week: Honorable Mention Ejiro Evero, Carolina Panthers, DC | Last Week: Honorable Mention Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers, DC | Last Week: Honorable Mention Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos, DC | Last Week: Honorable Mention Lincoln Riley, USC, HC | Last Week: Honorable Mention Adam Stenovich, Green Bay Packers OC | Last Week: Honorable Mention University of Georgia head coach Kirby Smart | Last Week: Honorable Mention Vikings OC Wes Phillips | Last Week: 13 Dec 10, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Minnesota Vikings Offensive Coordinator Wes Phillips walks on the field before a game between the Vikings and the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports OK wak with us for a second. Phillips has been instrumental in the improvement of Sam Darnold this season, and while Kevin O’Connell calls the plays, the biggest impediment to Phillips becoming a head coach is that he’s in the booth on gamedays and not down on the sideline. At 45, Wade Phillips son who was an assistant in Dallas for seven years to start his NFL coaching career (staying on with Jason Garrett after his dad was fired) has spent three years in Minnesota. If he were to make the jump, he’d need a defensive coordinator with head coaching experience by his side, but the idea shouldn’t be outright dismissed. Former NFL head coach Mike Vrabel | Last Week: 12 Tennessee Titans Head Coach Mike Vrabel reacts to a Titans penalty against the Seattle Seahawks during their game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023. Vrabel was fired by owner Amy Adams Strunk Monday after having two losing seasons back-to-back. Vrabel is a defensive-minded head coach who was able to achieve strong levels of success in Tennessee with a veteran QB who wasn’t well regarded (Ryan Tannehill) prior to their time together. Known as a disciplinarian, pairing him with Dak Prescott would require finding the next big thing as offensive coordinator. Brian Daboll (NY Giants) and Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals) would make ridiculously good fits as OCs for Vrabel. Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith | Last Week: 7 Nov 2, 2023; Frankfurt, Germany; Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith at press conference at the PSD Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Grabbing from a fruitful tree is always a wise idea, and snatching Smith from under Mike McDaniel as part of the Kyle Shanahan limb system seems like a wise call. Dallas rarely uses motion at the snap and isn’t particularly good at it; and that’s literally the forte of Smith. Doesn’t currently have play-calling duties though, which could be seen as a knock. Miami’s rough year continued with the loss of Jaylen Waddle in a disappointing Week 15 loss where they only managed 12 points. Lions DC Aaron Glenn | Last
