Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images Our latest mailbag features plenty of questions about the Dallas Cowboys Every week, we take questions on X (Twitter) and Facebook about Dallas Cowboys players and other issues surrounding the team. So let’s get right into it. “What’s your thoughts on the next defensive coordinator being Robert Saleh?” (@Androvian70 on Twitter) Mike: Saleh was a very good defensive coordinator when he was back at San Francisco, he had that defense as one the top defenses in the league and did that while team was still rebuilding the roster back up. Some coaches are better coordinators than they are head coaches. We’ve seen that plenty of times in league history, and by the looks of it that’s the case for Saleh. You go back at look at the defenses he’s had at each period, Houston, Seattle, they’ve all been productive defenses while he’s been part of those teams. With Mike Zimmer attached to Mike McCarthy and the way it’s going this year, more than likely we see Zimmer out the door next year which leave the vacancy open, why not bring in a proven defensive coach like Saleh. Dana: I wouldn’t be opposed to it. He is a very good defensive coach and did a great job on that side of the ball with the New York Jets. He took one of the worst defenses in the league in 2021 to one of the best in 2023. Last season the Jets defense was top three in yards allowed per game and their defense took the ball away 27 times. Saleh could be a real option if the Cowboys decide to let Mike Zimmer’s contract expire. “What is with Dak’s inability or not wanting to even attempt to run? He isn’t that old, what happened?” (@MikeHawkelovesu on Twitter) Mike: It’s a fair comment with no real answer. We can speculate the reasons why but what we do know is when Dak gets those wheels rolling it adds an extra layer to the offense that opposing defenses really struggle to contain. Mobile quarterbacks are cheat-codes in todays NFL (college football even more so), so if Dak would let that safety catch off it would do wonders for this offense. The top three reasons Dak isn’t getting mobile and rushing for downs – play-calling is the most obvious one, Dak’s mental capacity to want to rush after his horrific injury to his ankle, and lastly pressure from the front office to deny Dak to do it. The last one may seem crazy, but when you lose such an expensive player and you’re the man writing the checks then you have quite a bit of pull in that regard. But as fans, every single one would get energized when Dak got rushing up field and collected first downs with his legs, just a shame we don’t see it nowadays. Dana: Although it is not fun to admit it, his ankle injury seems to be a big factor in Prescott’s decisions when it comes to running. Whether it is his own confidence in running or the front office wanting to protect their investment, there is no doubt that the Mississippi State Dak is no longer on the field. Earlier this week, Jerry Jones mentioned that he would prefer that Prescott remain a pocket passer. However, Prescott countered those comments saying that he understands that he should be taking advantage when the opportunities are there. Dak Prescott acknowledged that he could run more when the opportunities are there. He was also asked if he still has the capability to do it. “1,000%,” he said. Prescott has just 24 rushing yards this season. pic.twitter.com/5IDwN0qDPw — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) October 31, 2024 “So what’s up with the Cowboys and their Jekyll and Hyde consistency issues this season?” (@MrEd315 on Twitter) Mike: This is a team that struggles with adversity on the field. If the team gets behind then it’s not a team set up to claw its way back. Sure, occasionally we see the team fight it out, but generally this team really has a hard time getting back in games when they play from behind. The opposite can be said when they get ahead. If Dallas starts off strong, score early and stay ahead they’re a tough team to get a win from. This season we’ve seen plenty of chasing the score and that’s ended up being their downfall. On another note this is also a team that likes to bully or beat up on lesser opponents which really elevates the team through the season, but when they face better opponents it’s becomes more of a challenge for them to find a win. Dana: Consistency is the big issue for the Cowboys this season. Every time it seems like they’ve got a handle on one aspect of the game (defense stopping the run, receivers creating separation, etc.), they seem to lose it in the next play, quarter or game. There are a lot of factors that could be contributing there, but the biggest one would be the fact that there are so many young players in key roles on this Cowboys roster; a lot of inexperience with the rookies and a lot of back up players starting due to injury. Hopefully as these young guys gain more and more experience, the consistency will come with it.

Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images It is just about impossible to remain positive in the Dallas Cowboys right now. Things are not great in Dallas, to say the least. Yet another loss to the 49ers have brought the team to arguably its lowest point of the Mike McCarthy era, and their next opportunity to right the ship comes on the road against a Falcons team that’s won four of their last five and seems to be rounding into form. As far as things go in Dallas, the odds of a dramatic turnaround are pretty low. Their next four opponents have a combined record of 24-9, with two of them being divisional foes. The Cowboys are on a path where they may very well be effectively out of the NFC East race by Thanksgiving, and it already feels like morale can’t go any lower. Are they really approaching the point of no return, or are we being a little too dramatic? Our own Tom Ryle and David Howman have some differing views on the doomsday machine that is America’s Team. David: To quote Hudson himself, “That’s it, man! Game over, man! Game over!” I have zero confidence that this team can turn it around. The 49ers game proved that to me. They came out with some admirable energy, but it faded fast. Even so, the energy was not accompanied by a new focus, as Mike McCarthy later admitted that there were several miscommunications on the opening drive. Miscommunication happens, but it cannot happen on scripted drives like the ones teams start games with. If the Trevon Diggs incident wasn’t proof enough, this team is soft and they’re tuning out their head coach. That’s not a recipe for a big turnaround on the year, and in fact it’s quite the opposite. I think this team is cooked, and it’s time to break out the mock drafts. Tom: Woof. I think it’s fair to say you are out of optimism. It’s OK. I don’t think you could slip a 3X5 card between our takes this week. We could dive into the dismal stats or how poorly the roster stacks up according to things like PFF, but to me, the miasma of failure is almost visible. The players seem lost. The coaches seem out of ideas. And Jerry Jones continues to display unparalleled levels of cluelessness. For years this team has insisted on doing things their way despite a lack of success. Now the pig-headed approach is finally blowing up in their faces. The only question about this being a lost season is whether they are still approaching that point, or have already crossed the line. David: I think things would be more salvageable if not for the state of the division around them. The Commanders are one of the best teams in the NFL right now, with Jayden Daniels looking like a legitimate phenom and Kliff Kingsbury rediscovering his mojo as a coordinator. Washington has great odds to at least make the postseason, if not outright win the division. And hot on their heels are the Eagles, who have continued their trend from last year of trying to lose every game before ultimately coming out victorious. Both teams have just two losses on the year, which has created a steep hole to climb out of for the Cowboys. Not only does Dallas need to suddenly start winning, but they need either Philadelphia or Washington to start losing. That’s not impossible, but it does seem improbable with the way each team is trending right now. Oh, and then there’s the rest of the NFC. There’s only three Wild Card spots available, and it’s very possible the NFC East runner-up claims one of them. The NFC South looks to be a tight two-man race between the Falcons and Buccaneers, both of whom play the Cowboys this year. And the entire NFC North has a winning record right now and is probably a safe bet to make up at least two Wild Card teams. In other words, a lot of things have to suddenly start going the Cowboys’ way for them to even make the playoffs. Which, of course, is only half the battle for the sky high expectations that always exist in Dallas. Tom: Those are the external things, which of course the Cowboys can do little to change. They are also a bit transient, as this year’s playoff contenders illustrate. There is always about a 50% turnover year to year, and Dallas is a bit overdue to miss. The problem is how they are likely to miss. After three 12 win seasons in a row, they may well be eliminated from the postseason before December. It is harder than ever to argue against Jerry Jones setting Mike McCarthy up to fail. If anything, the decision to change head coaches was made shortly after the most recent playoff debacle. It’s mystifying why McCarthy was brought back. That shouldn’t necessarily affect the roster, but it certainly appears it has. The team is rudderless, likely because they understand they were not really given a chance to excel. This may have felt like a good plan to the ownership, but the cost of doing it this way may extend well beyond one season. David: I’m not so sure it’s mystifying why McCarthy was brought back if ownership was already prepared to move on. Jerry Jones has only officially fired his head coach twice this century, as he prefers to let the contract lapse instead of paying buyout money. It’s the same mentality that’s led to the team’s overly cautious approach in free agency. Which ultimately amounts to a business approach rather than a football approach. That’s the underlying problem right now, as you hint at. McCarthy is a pure football guy, while Jones really only cares about making money and minimizing financial losses. The path to success in Dallas is finding a coach who can tune out the noise that Jones so frequently invites into the building,

Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys is here. Jerry Jones on Cowboys’ 3-4 start: ‘Rougher go than I anticipated’ – Todd Archer, ESPN Dallas didn’t do anything significant to upgrade their roster in the offseason, yet Jerry Jones is surprised how things have gone. Speaking on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Friday, Jones was asked about the play of right guard Zack Martin and right tackle Terence Steele but took a broader view of the roster. “I think we’re having a rougher go than I anticipated. Let’s put it like that. Let’s don’t couple that with just those two,” Jones said. “But having me in the loop has to be there. It is rougher and I did not anticipate the challenges that we’re having with this team, but I am reminded of teams that I’ve seen that have had a lot of success and put themselves in position to take a shot and they were 3-4.” Jones does not have to search far to explain the team’s under-.500 start. “When I look at the whys that we’re here, I really have a tough time getting past just sheer youth, sheer inexperience in the offensive line and I have a tough time getting past that turnover [ratio]. I’m telling you when you look at that and knowing what turnovers will do for you, we’ve had through seven games, we, the Cowboys, have turned the ball over 13 times. The entire year last year we didn’t turn it over but 16 times. Thirteen times we turned it over. … It’s really a plus that we’ve won three games.” The trade deadline is Tuesday. The Cowboys have ample cap space to make a major move, but Jones said the Cowboys would not make a trade for the sake of doing so. “We’re looking for meat on the bone that can improve our team,” he said. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on @1053thefan: “I think we’re having a rougher go than I anticipated. … It is rougher, and I did not anticipate the challenges that we’re having with this team.” Jones said he has a “tough time” getting past their minus-8 turnover ratio, pointing out… — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 1, 2024 Cowboys injury news: DaRon Bland, Micah Parsons out, Trevon Diggs questionable – LP Cruz, Blogging The Boys Dallas will go into battle against Atlanta shorthanded again. Heading into the weekend as underdogs versus the Atlanta Falcons, the Dallas Cowboys injury report isn’t the best of news. The Cowboys will be without a couple of stars and maybe down a couple of others. Here’s one last look at Dallas’ injuries before the big versus the Falcons. Cowboys DE Micah Parsons and CB DaRon Bland have officially been ruled out for Sunday’s game at Atlanta CB Trevon Diggs, RG Zack Martin, LB Eric Kendricks are questionable — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 1, 2024 Officially questionable on the #Cowboys’ injury report despite not practicing all week. Also questionable: G Zack Martin, LB Eric Kendricks, DT Linval Joseph and LB Nick Vigil. DE Micah Parsons, CB DaRon Bland and DT Jordan Phillips are out. https://t.co/EuzU6F72BJ — Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) November 1, 2024 The Cowboys are looking like they could be thin once again at cornerback this weekend. DaRon Bland (foot) has not practiced this week, and Friday the team announced that he is out this Sunday. Trevon Diggs, who sustained an injury against the 49ers, is also questionable. Speaking with reporters this morning, team owner Jerry Jones said Diggs has a calf tear. The extent of the injury is unknown, but for the very least, it’s murky if he will play this week. This is an added blow since the team sent Amani Oruwariye to injured reserve this week. To no one’s surprise, Micah Parsons was also ruled out with an ankle injury after not being able to return to practice this week. On the positive side, Dallas will likely have Caelen Carson back, who practiced this week. Meanwhile, Zack Martin (shoulder), Eric Kendricks (shoulder), and Linval Joseph (back) were limited at practice and cited as questionable to play against Atlanta. Tyler Guyton is his own ‘biggest critic’, showing improvement in rookie season – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com The first-round pick is using his shortcomings to keep him motivated. It’s been a roller coaster for Tyler Guyton in his first season in the NFL and with the Dallas Cowboys. As the 2024 first-round pick, there was no shortage of pressure and expectations heaped onto him by a team that waved goodbye to Tyron Smith, a future first-ballot Hall of Fame left tackle, needing Guyton to step in immediately and fill those shoes. It’s likely none of that rival the pressure he applies to himself. Through the first seven games, having missed one due to a knee injury, Guyton’s transition to left tackle at the professional level has been a mixed bag of great showings, e.g., his Week 1 battle against Myles Garrett, and instances he’d like to have back — including penalties. When asked what he’s keying in on most heading into Week 9, his answer was yes. “I’m trying to get better at everything, you know?” said the highly-accountable 23-year-old. To his credit, he’s progressing — evident in both his numbers and in what he’s putting on film most recently. Dak Prescott’s contributions won’t save Cowboys’ running game. So what is the solution? – Saad Yousuf, The Athletic The Cowboys have the worst rushing attack in the NFL, and they need to figure things out quickly. For weeks, the Dallas Cowboys’ running game struggled so much that the activation of 29-year-old Dalvin Cook — on his third team in two years — was looked upon as a ray of hope. One game may be too soon to issue a verdict, but Cook’s season debut of six carries for 12 yards on Sunday in San Francisco didn’t inspire a ton of optimism. So what now? A lot of attention

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images The Cowboys can’t afford to have special teams blunders with how limited they are offensively. The Dallas Cowboys were going to have a hard enough time against the San Francisco 49ers last week, even with San Francisco’s injury issues. So, they certainly didn’t need anything making their task harder. This made playing as mistake free as possible a key component for the Cowboys to pull out a victory. However, the way the game started was a clear indication of how things were going to go for the Cowboys. On the opening kickoff, Dallas was flagged for an illegal formation penalty, and they ended up punting the ball after five plays. The Cowboys later drove down the field just before halftime and kicked a field goal to take a 10-3 lead. Unfortunately, they picked up another illegal formation penalty on the ensuing kickoff. The 49ers took advantage of the field position and would kick a field goal to cut it to 10-6 at halftime. Then, to start the third quarter, kicker Brandon Aubrey’s kickoff didn’t fall in the landing zone, and the 49ers ended up scoring a touchdown after starting from the 40-yard line. Dallas is challenged offensively as they have they worst rushing attack in the NFL (74.1 yards per game), an offensive line that doesn’t have any continuity, and a wide receiver group that doesn’t get separation and aren’t designed to run complex route combinations. They only average 21.4 points per game, and they allow 28.3 on defense. So, allowing the 49ers 10 points right before halftime and right as the second half began was costly, and special teams’ errors sparked both scoring drives. When the Cowboys take on the Falcons, they’ll be facing an offense that is averaging just under 30 points per game over the last month, which means these types of mistakes could lead to easy points and a deficit for the Cowboys that will be tough to come back from. Aubrey is having another great year for the Cowboys as he’s made 90% of his field goal attempts, and with the offense not being a strong suit, he’s a huge weapon for the team. So, that part is a positive. However, special teams coordinator John Fassel has got to get his guys dialed back in and not give opposing teams good field position. The Cowboys’ defense can’t stop a nose bleed. They’re ranked 32nd against the run and in touchdown percentage in the redzone (73.9). Mistakes on special teams are never good, but when you have an offense that’s comprised and a defense that can’t get stops regularly, it can make things extremely difficult.

Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images If this season is going to get any better for the Cowboys, it has to start now. Another week, another loss for the Dallas Cowboys and a further slide down both the division and conference standings. As bad as things feel right now, Dallas is still just a few games out of a wild card spot and with over half of their schedule still to be played. What needs to go right in Week 9 for the team’s fortunes to improve? The biggest surprise since last week’s rooting guide was the rise of the Cardinals to number one in the NFC West. With three teams tied at 4-4 and the Rams just behind them at 3-4, the eventual division winner is impossible to call right now. At the very least, it’s not looking like they’ll put more than one team in the playoffs. The Eagles slid into the wild card picture thanks to their own win over Cincinnati and some help from a rival with Washington beating Chicago. Even without the Bears, the NFC North now still has three playoff spots but Minnesota is suddenly tottering after two straight losses. Detroit Lions (6-1 overall, 5-1 vs NFC) Washington Commanders (6-2 overall, 4-1 vs NFC) Atlanta Falcons (5-3 overall, 5-1 vs NFC) Arizona Cardinals (4-4 overall, 2-3 vs NFC) Green Bay Packers (6-2 overall, 2-2 vs NFC) Minnesota Vikings (5-2 overall, 3-2 vs NFC) Philadelphia Eagles (5-2 overall, 3-2 vs NFC) ————————————————————————————— Chicago Bears (4-3 overall, 2-1 vs NFC) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4 overall, 4-2 vs NFC) San Francisco 49ers (4-4 overall, 2-3 vs NFC) Seattle Seahawks (4-4 overall, 1-3 vs NFC) Los Angeles Rams (3-4 overall, 2-4 vs NFC) Dallas Cowboys (3-4 overall, 1-3 vs NFC) We’re not used to seeing our Cowboys so low on this list. At this rate, they could be mathematically eliminated on the early side. With a tough four-game stretch of the Falcons, Eagles, Texans, and Commanders ahead, a 3-8 record going into Thanksgiving is not hard to imagine. You may think it’s silly for us to even be talking about playoff chances, but as long as it’s technically on the table we’re still going to look at it. But even now, it’s probably time to start factoring in Dallas’ draft positioning as well. From that perspective, Thursday’s win by the Jets was good for the Cowboys. New York improved to 3-6, bringing them just one win away from jumping above Dallas in the race to the bottom. The Cowboys would be just outside of the 2025 Draft’s top 10 right now based on current standings. Let’s get into the rest of the Week 9 games and see how Dallas can benefit, either in terms of this year’s playoffs or next year’s draft. Giants over CommandersJaguars over Eagles These would be win-wins for the Cowboys, hurting New York and Jacksonville’s draft positions while holding Washington and Philadelphia back on the playoffs side. Both the Giants and Jaguars are 2-6 and would currently be in the top five of the draft, so that shows how fast the Cowboys could end up with a great pick if things keep going south. Lions over Packers Detroit feels like the eventual NFC North winner, so more losses for potential wild-card teams like Green Bay are good. Of course, it’s unlikely that the Cowboys will be in sniffing range of either of these teams by January. Cardinals over BearsRams over Seahawks Both of these help if the Cowboys do end up making a surge toward a playoff spot, hanging losses on the better teams in Chicago and Seattle. Colts over VikingsChiefs over Buccaneers These AFC wins over NFC teams would help Dallas if they can get into the wild card race. Both Indy and KC already have better records than the Cowboys, so there’s no harm on the draft side either. Dolphins over BillsRaiders over BengalsBrowns over ChargersTitans over PatriotsPanthers over Saints These are all about next year’s draft; lesser teams getting wins that improve their records and hurt their claims on higher draft spots. Carolina and Tennessee are the only one-win teams left, so this would help the Cowboys’ shot at potentially getting into the top five or higher.

Photo by Chris Chambers/Getty Images The Cowboys fanbase seems ready for the next draft It’s bleak out there. Dallas Cowboys fans are no longer even thinking about the Cowboys being a playoff contender in 2024 and have cast their eyes towards the 2025 draft. With a 3-4 record on the year, the Cowboys are still sitting within striking distance of an NFC playoff spot. The NFL tends to be a week-to-week league so an upset over the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday could move the needle. But as of right now, as we start the month of November, there is no belief that the Cowboys will turn things around. Getting back some injured players down the line isn’t enough to raise any hopes. The first question we asked Cowboys fans earlier this week was about confidence that the Cowboys franchise is headed in the right direction. We got back the lowest number we’ve ever gotten since we’ve been tracking this kind of thing. Only 2% of fans are confident in the direction of the team. We then asked Cowboys fans to look forward and force a choice between getting a Top 10 draft pick or making the playoffs. 94% of fans think a high draft pick is more likely than making the playoffs. The Cowboys are 2.5 point underdogs to the Falcons (FanDuel), and only 21% of NFL fans think they will cover. Times are bleak, We will see what happens on Sunday.