Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images The Dallas Cowboys have no one to blame but themselves for what is going on right now. Heading into the 2024 season the Dallas Cowboys were considered one of the top four teams to win the NFC, along with the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Detroit Lions. Now, currently sitting at 3-4, that seems highly unlikely with the way their season has already gone. The Cowboys’ tumble from the top isn’t all that surprising considering their approach to the offseason this year. They made few moves in free agency despite losing several key contributors, instead deciding to lean on young and unproven players. This approach was a gamble and it looks as if it’s blown up in their face. As things stand right now, the Cowboys are ranked dead last in the league running the ball. They are only averaging a measly 74.1 rushing yards per game and only have eight running plays of 10 yards or more this season. Whether it’s Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Hunter Luepke, or Dalvin Cook, nothing is working for them. Anybody really surprised Ezekiel Elliott or Dalvin Cook haven’t worked out? Zeke hasn’t had a 100-yard rushing game since Week 5 in 2021 and Cook hasn’t hit the 100-yard mark since Week 9 in 2022. At least they were proven commodities, even though their best days are behind them. Rico Dowdle and the rest of Dallas’ RBs didn’t even have that going for them. The Cowboys gambled that a RB-by-committee would somehow be productive with a group of players that would be backups on just about any other team around the league. That gamble has come nowhere near to paying off and doesn’t look as if it will get any better unless Dallas surprisingly trades for a genuine RB1 prior to the November 5 deadline, which is unlikely. Sadly, things aren’t any better on the other side of the ball in regards to the running game. The Cowboys defense is currently ranked 31st in the league, allowing 154.6 yards per game. They recently surrendered 233 rushing yards to the 49ers, with Christian McCaffrey missing the contest and Jordan Mason exiting early due to an injury. The Cowboys porous run defense once again directly correlates to their approach to the offseason and free agency. Not only did they gamble DT Mazi Smith would take a significant Year 2 jump and prove himself a quality starter, but they believed they could shop the “bargain bin” for potential starters as well. Again, the gamble blew up in their face. With the November 5 NFL trade deadline mere days away, and the unlikeliness the Cowboys make any moves, it’s not looking as if things will improve with these two problem areas this season. And if that is indeed the case, we can probably expect the losses to continue to pile up the rest of the year. It doesn’t really matter how good a team is. If you can’t run the ball with some semblance of success or stop the run on defense, you’re not going to win very many games in the NFL. This is sadly the world we live in with the Cowboys right now and the team doesn’t have anybody to blame but themselves about these glaring problems.

Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images If there is anything the Cowboys have done consistently this season it is make things harder than they have to be. The Dallas Cowboys have already had a full season’s worth of ups and downs in 2024 from inconsistent play on the field to having to deal with a ton of injuries. Of course, there’s the Jerry Jones factor as well, which brings much outside attention, as if the Cowboys need any more of that. Entering Week 9, the Cowboys are 3-4 and are in the midst of a two-game losing streak. Next up is the Atlanta Falcons as the Cowboys shaky defense will have to stop an offense that’s been clicking as of late. However, there are some ways offensively the Cowboys could be effective to keep the game close. Before that takes place, let’s look at three things that we know about Dallas going into Week 9. Not adding quality talent continues to be a mistake It’s bad enough that the Cowboys have to deal with injuries. On top of that, they have to deal with the fact that they didn’t add any players that could legitimately make a difference and get them over the hump, which would also help as they wait for guys like Micah Parsons, DaRon Bland, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Marshawn Kneeland to get back from injury. They brought in defensive linemen Jordan Phillips and Linval Joseph, but neither move has produced anything substantial. The Cowboys have needed help in the interior and the edge for quite some time, and they could use another wide receiver before the trade deadline. Team owner Jerry Jones says the team isn’t going to make any moves, and the organization has said that they don’t see any players making an impact. However, they could have signed a guy like edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue off of the Baltimore Ravens practice squad before he was added to their active roster. Also, veteran receivers like Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, and DeAndre Hopkins have all found new teams, and the draft capital given up wasn’t steep. Other teams continue to work to get better while the Cowboys remain complacent. The Cowboys refuse to do what works consistently Dallas had their best performance of the season when it came to pay-calling and adding stuff like motion as well as running the football with a purpose versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. Running back Rico Dowdle and wide receiver Jalen Tolbert had their best games of the year, and even the offensive line looked pretty decent for the most part. Then, the Cowboys played the Detroit Lions, and Mike McCarthy went back to the same vanilla and predictable play calls, and the game got out of hand quickly. The frustrating thing about the loss to the San Francisco 49ers was that the Cowboys woke up and started using pre-snap motion once the score was 27-10, and that forced the defense to think more and they stormed back to make it 30-24 after back-to-back touchdown drives in the fourth quarter. On the final drive, however, the Cowboys didn’t run many routes to the middle of the field despite the 49ers showing single-high safety looks, and all the pre-snap motion left, which led to a turnover on downs without a single yard gained. The reasoning for McCarthy to abandon what worked is unknown, and it’s head scratching. Chauncey Golston is finding his way As mentioned earlier, the Cowboys have needed defensive line help for a minute now. However, one of their in-house guys, Chauncey Golston, had his best game of the season against the 49ers. He showed the ability to set the edge, get off blocks, and play with speed and power. When he first came into the league while playing under Dan Quinn, Golston played on the interior and the edge. Now, it’s clear that the edge is where he can be a more productive player for the Cowboys. It will be important for Golston to continue to elevate his game, because if so, it’s just another body that the Cowboys will have on the edge to get after the quarterback with Parsons, Lawrence, and Kneeland.

Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images It would be great to see some improvement from Cowboys rookies this week. Previously we broke down both team’s offense and defense for the upcoming game between the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons. Now we dive back into the position battleground, this time looking at how some of each team’s rookie class stack up against each other. (Grades for each player are the overall offensive or defensive grade handed out by PFF.com) Dallas Cowboys Tyler Guyton First RoundGuyton looked improved overall last week and moving much more comfortably. This week he faces a much easier task against a Falcons defensive line that’s producing very little pressure and ranks last in sacks. On top of that, the majority of the Falcons pass rush comes from the inside as apposed to around the edge. Let’s see if Guyton can stack some positive games and help grow his confidence.Grade: 54.8 Marshawn Kneeland Second RoundOn injured reserveGrade: 54.7 Cooper Beebe Third RoundBeebe is playing with good technique and he’s slowly emerging as one of the better offensive linemen for Dallas this year. He has some work to do this week, however, as the Falcons pressure (although minimal) comes through the A and B gaps. Given Beebe’s form in the past few weeks he should handle what’s thrown at him.Grade: 60.4 Marist Liufau Third RoundIt wasn’t his worse game last week against San Francisco, but Liufau did have some issues in coverage which has been his bread-and-butter for the Cowboys defense. With the threat of Kyle Pitts at the tight end position having a quick and intelligent coverage linebacker would help dramatically. Let’s hope Liufau can find that form this week.Grade: 51.5 Caelen Carson Fifth RoundInactive/Did not playGrade: 57.9 Ryan Flournoy Sixth RoundFlournoy has taken four offensive snaps in the last two games, but he’s been a key player on special teams. Expect this trend to continue for now.Grade: 76.4 (ST Grade) Brevyn Spann-Ford UDFATwo vital misconnections last week will have Spann-Ford frustrated but he wasn’t the only one who missed some plays in San Francisco. His role is mostly used an extra blocker in the run game, and with the lack of use of the run game because of being behind, he’s not getting to show his full skills. Grade: 52.7 Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images Atlanta Falcons Michael Penix Jr. First RoundThis is still one of the most mind-boggling draft moments. So far this year, Penix has played seven snaps. This may end up being a smart pick if we squint really hard, perhaps. But you have to wonder what this team could have done with this draft pick at the position they were in, after acquiring Kirk Cousins in the offseason.Grade: 73.0 Ruke Orhorhoro Second RoundThe Clemson defensive linemen was a sneaky talent in this year’s draft and some had him peaking into the first round. He didn’t take the field until Week 5 for Atlanta and has yet to register a sack. He has two total pressures and five tackles this season and used in rotation on the Falcons odd-front. Injury may impact his availability this week.Grade: 53.4 Bralen Trice Third RoundOn injured reserveGrade: N/A Brandon Dorlus Fourth RoundInactive/Has not playedGrade: N/A JD Bertrand Fifth RoundThe young Fighting Irish linebacker got an opportunity in Week 5 and had trouble making tackles and missed a few during the game. Since then he’s been used in rotation and has made three tackles the last two weeks. If the Falcons linebacker corps keeps taking injuries they may be looking to play Bertrand a little more, but he also has an injury issue this week.Grade: 51.3 Jase McClellan Sixth RoundMcClellan has taken five handoffs this year which all came in Week 7 and averaged 3.4 yards per carry. Last week against Tampa Bay he was made inactive and unless anything changes, it’s more than likely this is the future for him this season. Grade: 64.4 Casey Washington Sixth RoundWashington is used on special teams on coverage duties. He’s made one reception this year, and with the the Falcons offense sticking to its triple-header of pass catchers, as well as Robinson sprinkled in, it looks tough this year for the zippy Illinois receiver to make much of mark on offense.Grade: 58.0 (ST Grade) Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The latest headlines surrounding the Dallas Cowboys as we head into the weekend. 3 Dallas Cowboys keys to victory vs. Atlanta Falcons: Time for some wild creativity? – Abraham Nudelstejer, Dallas Morning News The Cowboys must have success in these areas if they wish to beat the Atlanta Falcons this weekend. Containing Cousins Mike Zimmer knows Kirk Cousins well, but that may not be enough to slow down one of the league’s best quarterbacks. The two met when the current Cowboys defensive coordinator served as head coach of the Vikings. Zimmer will need a solid game plan for Dallas to come out of Atlanta with a win. The mission is complicated as Cousins, in his first season with the Falcons, is living up to the high expectations placed upon him after signing in free agency. With 2,106 passing yards, the Atlanta quarterback is third in the NFL. He has connected for 14 touchdowns and has seven interceptions. Cousins is averaging 263.3 yards per game. The Cowboy’s defense has allowed an average of 218 passing yards per game. On the defensive side of the ball, the Cowboys have been missing All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons (ankle), defensive back DaRon Bland (foot) and defensive tackle DeMarcus Lawrence (foot), but there’s an outside chance Bland could return this week. Take care of the football Turnovers are killing the Cowboys, among other things. Dallas is the third-worst in the NFL with a minus-8 turnover differential. Only Las Vegas and Tennessee have worse marks at minus-13. Dallas has given up nine interceptions and four fumbles. Against the Falcons, Prescott will have to avoid putting the ball in the opposing team’s hands. The Cowboys quarterback has thrown two interceptions in each of his last three games. Prescott, who has eight of the Cowboys’ interceptions, had nine during the entire regular season in 2023. “Dak is as fierce a competitor as there is,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said in a recent appearance on “K&C Masterpiece” on 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM). “And of course, when you’re having a season like we’re having right now, where we’re not playing to the level that we felt like we can play … I think all competitors push, and he’s pushing to make plays.” Atlanta is in the league’s bottom half for passing yards allowed per game, representing a good opportunity for Prescott to bounce back. Science Lab: Dak needs to run more; here’s why – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com Patrik Walker makes the case for Dak Prescott to use his legs more instead of staying a pocket-passer. Flash forward to the present and it’s as if something is handcuffing Prescott to the pocket, with head coach and offensive playcaller Mike McCarthy identifying that Something as the flow of each game. And then there’s owner and general manager Jerry Jones, who would prefer Prescott to stay put and not risk injury by scrambling as he once did; and there is some credence to that take, yes. I, however, land wildly on the opposite side of it… …Additionally, until he creates the threat of running past the line of scrimmage, his rollouts will continue to be less than effective in forcing linebackers and cornerbacks to abandon coverage for fear of Prescott running. At this point, they know he won’t run and so they’re not even remotely considering crashing down to try and stop him; and that fuels another issue entirely: Interceptions. Cowboys Today: Here’s why Dallas might not be getting as many takeaways – Jon Machota, The Athletic Trevon Diggs gives an explanation for the decline in turnovers this season. “Our defensive scheme now doesn’t really allow us to get a lot of turnovers,” Diggs said. “It’s more so just playing good football. Playing 11-man football.” Is it because there is less vision on the ball? “Yeah, a lot less vision on the ball,” Diggs said. “Just us being able to read our man, a lot less man (coverage). … Definitely a very unique defense, a lot of calls, we got a lot of formations, shifting, different calls. It requires you to play a little bit slower, got to think more, instead of knowing what you have. Like knowing, ‘OK, I have this man. I can play faster. I can be on my man, I know what I have,’ instead of reading stuff and reading players. It’s a little bit more effort. “But it’s still a good defense at the end of the day. We just have to all buy into it and put our best foot forward. … Definitely just learning how to play fast in that system.” 2024 NFL trade deadline: Which teams should add, subtract? – Bill Barnwell, ESPN Will the Cowboys participate in a trade before the deadline on November 5th? It has been an ugly start to the season for the Cowboys. They can’t run the ball. Dak Prescott’s interception variance has veered the wrong way, as the $60 million quarterbackhas thrown eight picks in seven games. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is coming off his best game of the season, but wideout Brandin Cooks is on injured reserve and rookie first-round pick Tyler Guyton has struggled at left tackle. Oh, and that’s comfortably the positive side of the ledger in Big D. This defense is a disaster. Dallas ranks 30th in EPA per play allowed, 29th in QBR allowed and 29th in success rate against the run. It has been without cornerback DaRon Bland all season and hasn’t had star pass rushers Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence for the past three games. The unit wasn’t any good before they got injured, either. Could the defense turn things around in the second half? Potentially. Getting Parsons back will obviously help. A unit that thrived in creating takeaways under Dan Quinn the past few seasons has forced only five turnovers in seven games, which should improve in the second half. Coordinator Mike Zimmer’s defense has recovered one of the six fumbles that have hit

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images Both defense’s have their struggles, but which one is better, Dallas or Atlanta Previously we broke down the offense for this week’s upcoming game for the Dallas Cowboys. Now we dive back into the position battleground, this time looking at how the defensive positions and special teams stack up against each other. DEFENSIVE LINE The Cowboys are facing an uphill battle with their defensive line’s glaring shortcomings. There’s no sugarcoating it: ranking dead last in rush yards allowed is a troubling statistic. This inability to contain opposing backs not only undermines the front seven, but is a significant catalyst for the Cowboys’ dismal ranking as the second-worst team in points allowed this season. To make matters worse, the Cowboys have managed a mere 16 sacks, placing them at sixth-fewest in the league. This lack of pressure on quarterbacks does little to alleviate the burden on a beleaguered secondary, leaving them exposed to big plays and scoring opportunities. Veteran lineman Linval Joseph is on the injury report. Meanwhile, Micah Parsons is listed as day-to-day, creating a nagging uncertainty surrounding the unit’s ability to generate any semblance of a pass rush without hiim. They face a solid offensive line, but Falcons guard Chris Lindstrom has missed practice with an ankle issue. If you think the Cowboys’ defensive line has stumbled in their quest to put pressure on the opposing quarterback, you might want to take a closer look at the Falcons this season. With a staggering ranking of dead last in sacks, Atlanta has struggled to generate any meaningful pressure up front, making them a welcome mat for quarterbacks this year. Their pass rush woes are palpable, reminiscent of a gray day with no silver lining in sight. To add fuel to the fire, the Falcons are also becoming increasingly vulnerable in run defense, allowing an alarming average of 133 rushing yards per game, landing them in a less-than-glorious eleventh place in that category. Opponents have found success on the ground through Atlanta’s shaky defensive front. Yet, amidst the torrent of yellow flags and missed tackles, there exists a glimmer of hope for the Falcons as they prepare to face the Cowboys’ rushing attack, which is currently anchored at the bottom of the league in rush yards. The stage is set for a battle on the field, where each team’s weaknesses could be tested in dramatic fashion. Win: Push LINEBACKER DeMarvion Overshown was a speed demon last week and was out to tackle anyone coming out the San Francisco backfield. That did lead to one important play where Overshown was caught on the back foot and allowed a big running play to develop. Eric Kendricks had his moments of misses last week with some tackling technique looking shaky. He is on the practice report to is week with a shoulder issue so keep an eye on that. Talking of injuries, for the Falcons their linebacker corps is seriously beaten up. Mathew Judon is taking vet-days so he can be ignored here, but that’s for good reason. Tory Anderson and Kaden Ellis are both dealing with knee injures and are both limited this week. JD Bethard is in concussion protocol so his ability to start this week is up in the air and Lorenzo Carter has shifted to injured reserve. For a team that plays a 3-4 defense, they have issues at linebacker. Conclusion:If you check the tackle numbers, tackles for loss, pressures and missed tackles both these linebackers are evenly matched. The deciding factor here is health— and remarkably Dallas is better in that department.Win: Push Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images DEFENSIVE BACKS Last week’s game sparked undeniable concern for the Cowboys’ secondary. As the defensive unit took the field against an increasing barrage, the struggle was palpable. Donovan Wilson, typically a rock in the backfield, seemed off-kilter, while Malik Hooker appeared to be grappling with his performance. It begs the question: Could it be time for a shift in strategy and pivot, potentially giving more playing time to Markquese Bell and Juanyeh Thomas? This might just be the fresh energy needed to reignite the defense. Though Trevon Diggs was heavily criticized for allowing George Kittle to blaze past him and tango dramatically within the Cowboys’ five-yard line, it highlighted the challenges these corners face against elite offensive talents with very little pressure created up front. This week, the stakes are higher as the Cowboys come up against a dangerous trio: Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Darnell Mooney that have the Falcons offense ranked fourth in receiving yards and have scored the fifth-most receiving touchdowns. Keep an eye this week on DaRon Bland, moves were made this week to have him on the active roster and start if all things go right. The Falcons secondary has been hit the injury bug. Two safeties and a cornerback all went to injured reserve and starting strong safety Justin Simmons is dealing with a hamstring issue. On top of that, Antonio Hamilton is limited this week with a back injury. Much like the Cowboys defense, the Falcons secondary has problems due to a lack of pressure from the defensive line. With 216 passing yards allowed per game, the Falcons hover close to the Cowboys, yet it’s their lack of consistent pressure from the defensive line that truly dictates their struggles. Allowing the fifth-most touchdowns through the air, along with a staggering 73% completion rate—a league worst—raises concerns about their effectiveness when thrust into tough situations. When an opposing quarterback feels comfortable in the pocket, it can spell disaster for any defense. Now, with a Cowboys offense that has faced its own challenges—especially with a faltering run game—it becomes evident how crucial this matchup is. Predictably relying on Dak and his arm rather than the ground game, this lack of balance works in the team’s favor. As the Cowboys aim to exploit the Falcons’ soft underbelly, the woes of their secondary could play neatly into the

Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Taking one last look at the Falcons side of things. Falcons Have Several Starters on Injury Report Before Facing Cowboys – Daniel Flick, Sports Illustrated Injuries are also an issue for Atlanta this week. The Atlanta Falcons’ first injury report before their Week 9 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys consists of several key players. Three players did not participate in Atlanta’s practice Wednesday, headlined by All-Pro right guard Chris Lindstrom. The Falcons were also without a pair of rookies in second-round defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro and fifth-round linebacker JD Bertrand. Lindstrom suffered a knee injury in the third quarter of Sunday’s 31-26 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but Falcons coach Raheem Morris said postgame he was cleared to return. Lindstrom said in the locker room afterwards he expected to be fine for the Cowboys. Bertrand (concussion) and Orhorhoro (ankle) also sustained injuries against Tampa Bay. Orhorhoro exited the game in the third quarter and did not return, and his status for Sunday appears bleak, according to Morris. “We’ll have to see a little bit more, see what’s going on in the day,” Morris said Wednesday. “Not looking great.” Atlanta had seven players limited. Some, like safety Justin Simmons (hamstring) and linebacker Troy Andersen (knee) were expected, as they’ve been battling pre-existing injuries for multiple weeks and did not play against Tampa Bay. Others, however, are a touch more interesting to monitor. Linebacker Kaden Elliss injured his knee vs. the Buccaneers, and while he returned the following drive, he was limited Wednesday. Nickel cornerback Antonio Hamilton Sr. has endured a back injury for several weeks — he was active against Tampa Bay and “made it through the game fairly well,” Morris said. The Mailbox: Keeping the faith in Younghoe Koo and finding pass rush help – Will McFadden, AtlantaFalcons.com Atlanta has something Dallas doesn’t have… questions about their kicker. Will S. from Summerville, Ga. Should we be worried about Koo? Will: It’s a fair question to ask after the normally reliable kicker has missed four kicks in the Falcons’ last four games. Having talked to Younghoe Koo several times over the years, I can assure you he is one of the coolest customers I’ve ever met. He is never too high and never too low, and that’s exactly the type of even-keeled nature I’d want in a kicker. Matt Bryant was that way, too. It’s worth pointing out that all four of those misses were from beyond 40 yards, including two from at least 50 yards away. Those are obviously going to be a bit more difficult. It’s also worth noting, though, that this year Koo set a new career-high with his 58-yard, game-winning kick against the Saints. His previous best was 54 yards, a distance he’s connected from twice this year already. Koo has also done a great job articulating different elements of his kicking process and he is a bonafide expert at breaking down the mechanics. That all leads me to believe he knows the corrections to make. Again, I get the question, but at this point I still have plenty of faith. 3 Roster needs the Atlanta Falcons should address ahead of NFL trade deadline – Nick Halden, BloggingDirty.com Taking a look at positions the Falcons could pursue at the trade deadline. 1. Edge rusher The Atlanta Falcons have known they needed an elite edge rusher for the last two years. If the team believed they were true contenders, you needed to add at least one consistent edge rushing option. Instead, the team used their first round picks on two positions already filled and focused their free agent signings on continuing to build the offense. 2. Linebacker The argument against making a move here is the hope a healthy Troy Andersen returns and fixes your problems. However, that is the same logic offered to Nate Landman returning to Atlanta’s lineup. Since his return, it has been clear that something isn’t right with the Atlanta starter. He appears to be a step slow and isn’t finishing plays as well as he was prior to the injury. 3. Receiver depth Atlanta’s starting trio has been great with Drake London, Darnell Mooney, and Ray-Ray McCloud all playing far above expectations. Still, the Falcons should be considering adding depth to a unit that would struggle to deal with an injury. KhaDarel Hodge and rookie Casey Washington are the team’s current depth pieces. Washington is yet to take the field consistently and Hodge is a career special teams player. Though to be fair to Hodge, when the receiver was put in one of the season’s biggest moments, he delivered with a touchdown catch and run to beat Tampa in their first matchup. Still, the Falcons have reason to feel they need to improve the position and add a veteran that could step in and contribute rotating with McCloud. You don’t want to take his speed off the field consistently but having a capable veteran able to step into that role would be a wise move. It protects the Falcons from injuries to the position as well giving much-needed depth. It isn’t going to be high on Atlanta’s priority list but considering the low price of receiver trades around the league it is at least worth serious consideration.