For two of the most recognizable brands in the NFL, it may come as a surprise that Sunday’s meeting between the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears at Solider Field will be just the 29th meeting in this series’ history. The Cowboys have the edge with 16 wins to 12 losses, making their first visit to […] For two of the most recognizable brands in the NFL, it may come as a surprise that Sunday’s meeting between the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears at Solider Field will be just the 29th meeting in this series’ history. The Cowboys have the edge with 16 wins to 12 losses, making their first visit to the Windy City since a December 2019 loss. Amazingly, when it comes to meetings between these teams in Chicago, the Cowboys and Bears have alternated wins and losses for nine games in a row. The last Cowboys win at the Bears came in 2014 with a 41-28 victory, and the most recent overall meeting between these sides was also a 49-29 Cowboys win from AT&T Stadium in 2022. The Cowboys are coming into Sunday’s week three matchup off their first 40-point performance of the season and first since week 13 of 2023 vs. the Seahawks. It took overtime for the Cowboys to hit this mark against the Giants, but now going up against a Bears defense that allowed 52 points last week at the Lions, the hope is the Cowboys offense can start finding a consistent stride to put pressure on the Bears. The Cowboys offense coming into this game feels like the much more established unit compared to their defense, which has plenty of reasons to be the center of attention in this matchup. Dallas got new wide receiver George Pickens his first touchdown with the team against the Giants, continued to target CeeDee Lamb, and leaned on Javontae Williams out of the backfield. The players they can trust on this side of the ball have been established quickly this season, with a clear pecking order starting at the top with QB Dak Prescott. Dallas relying on Prescott to be – at times – the best overall player on the field for either team in order to compete is a familiar place to be, but when it comes to this year under a new coaching staff, probably not where they’d ideally like to be. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is one of the most experienced coaches on Brian Schottenheimer’s staff, with previous experience in Dallas, and most recently was head coach of this week’s opponent the Bears. These factors have not led to Eberflus’ defense being able to break the streak of Dallas starting off seasons poorly on this side of the ball, be it under Dan Quinn, Mike Zimmer, or Flus. There were some positive moments for the Cowboys defense in week one against the Eagles, but that was against an offense being called by a first-time coordinator, still in a losing effort, while playing entirely zone coverage. This zone trend continued against the Giants, and Russell Wilson had a career day throwing over the top of it. Will the extra motivation for Eberflus to fix these defensive busts against his old team be a bigger factor than the motivation of Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson to get things going in the right direction for the Bears and earn their first win? Williams has completed 60% of his passes in both Bears losses this season, spread the ball around to a deep list of pass catchers, and made plays with his legs as well. The Cowboys may still have an advantage at the position thanks to Prescott, but Williams and the Bears offense present a real challenge to the Cowboys defense. In his only other home game this season, Williams went six-for-six on the Bears’ opening drive and ran in a touchdown. The Bears appeared in control all night on a Monday versus the Vikings, but let the game slip away late and now find themselves in an 0-2 hole for the second time in three years. Just like the Giants last week in Arlington, the Bears are a desperate opponent the Cowboys will have to match in intensity. Coming out in a passive zone defense against a Ben Johnson offense that put up 47 points against the Cowboys a season ago (with the Lions) feels like a tenuous way to do this, but the Cowboys secondary is still without DaRon Bland, rookie Shavon Revel, or Caelen Carson. No matter what level it comes from, the Cowboys defense needs a playmaker they can rely on to bring a spark right now, and will be searching for that still in the absence of Micah Parsons in their third game at the Bears. The last time these two teams met, Parsons had a 36-yard fumble return touchdown to make it a three-score lead for the Cowboys in the third quarter. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn ImagesDavid Reginek-Imagn Images The leash for Williams to remain the starter in Chicago now in just his second season as the number one overall pick is still a long one, especially under a new offensive-minded coach, but also because this franchise has not known consistently good quarterback play for an awfully long time. Interestingly enough when it comes to meetings against the Cowboys, it hasn’t always mattered. In that 2019 win for the Bears against the Cowboys at home, Mitch Trubisky completed 74.2% of his passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns to win 31-24. The Cowboys asked Prescott to drop back 49 times compared to just 22 runs (three of which were Dak scrambles), and fell behind 17-7 by halftime when Trubisky scored on all three of the Chicago’s possessions in the second quarter. The Cowboys being able to establish the run game early against the Bears would be a very welcome sight to avoid a similar type of script to not only this 2019 loss, but last week against the Giants. The Bears
NFC East update: Cowboys, Commanders in second-place race
While it’s still quite early in this 2025 season, the current NFC East standings feel like they may hold through Week 18. The Eagles are on top, the Giants are on the bottom, and the Cowboys and Commanders are tied for second place. Things could certainly change over time, but this feels like an good […] While it’s still quite early in this 2025 season, the current NFC East standings feel like they may hold through Week 18. The Eagles are on top, the Giants are on the bottom, and the Cowboys and Commanders are tied for second place. Things could certainly change over time, but this feels like an good representation of these teams’ prospects for the season as a whole. After barely fighting off Dallas in Week 1, Philadelphia went into their Super Bowl rematch with the Chiefs and handled their business. The Eagles have a simple, but highly effective, formula for winning, and they don’t appear to have entered a post-championship malaise. Certain metrics may say otherwise, but common football sense says that the defending champs are in a strong position to repeat. One of the major threats to Philly’s goal, the Green Bay Packers, just sent a message in a dominant win over the Commanders. As the upper crust of the NFC takes shape, wins like this one help draw the lines. Washington is still a good team and playoff contender, but they’ll need to bring more than they did last Sunday if they want to join the NFC elite. After earning respect in their season-opening loss to Philly, the Cowboys may have lost some by barely getting past the Giants. New York probably isn’t as bad as their 0-2 record might lead some to believe. They certainly forced Dallas into an all-time lousy defensive performance. But still, we’ve started the season with a difficult gauge of just how competitive the Cowboys can be for the long haul. Ahead of Week 3, here are the NFC East standings: Philadelphia Eagles 2-0 (1-0 in division, 1-0 vs NFC) Washington Commanders 1-1 (1-0, 1-1) Dallas Cowboys 1-1 (1-1, 1-1) New York Giants 0-2 (0-2, 0-2) We get a break from divisional play this week. The Cowboys are traveling to Chicago while the Eagles and Commanders host the Rams and Raiders, respectively. The NFC East teams are all favored going in, but none of their opponents are pushovers. For Dallas and Washington, especially, these are critical games to show where they belong in projections for playoff contenders. Meanwhile, the Giants host a pissed-off Chiefs team. They have potential to build on last week’s fireworks display, given Kansas City’s own defensive struggles. But they have to clean up the mental mistakes and penalties, or else their season may already be near its end. 0 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Scores & Results
Thursday Night Football live discussion: Dolphins at Bills
Week 3 kicks off with the Dolphins visiting the Bills. This is an open thread for game chat. Week 3 kicks off with the Dolphins visiting the Bills. This is an open thread for game chat.
Grading Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer after his first career win
In week two, the Dallas Cowboys had many firsts. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer got his first win as an NFL head coach, and the Cowboys were able to notch their first win of the 2025 season. After an impressive start to his head coaching career in the Cowboys week one loss, Schottenheimer had another […] In week two, the Dallas Cowboys had many firsts. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer got his first win as an NFL head coach, and the Cowboys were able to notch their first win of the 2025 season. After an impressive start to his head coaching career in the Cowboys week one loss, Schottenheimer had another impressive outing as a head coach and play-caller in the team’s week two victory against the New York Giants. Let’s dive into it. Play-Calling There were quite a few complaints about the Cowboys play-calling after the game. One of the major complaints were a few too many first down runs. A criticism often leveled at Mike McCarthy and Jason Garrett was their issues with being too predictable on first down and starting drives in a negative fashion with unsuccessful rush attempts. While there may have a few too many first-down runs on Sunday, the Cowboys early down success rate on the ground was positive, per RBSDM.com. One thing we have to remember in this game is the Cowboys offensive line was overmatched by the New York Giants defensive line in this matchup. The Cowboys offensive line had struggles pass protecting for most of the game and given the weakness at tackle, the running game was an important aspect in keeping them in the game. From a route-design and run blocking standpoint, the design of the offense was impressive. The Cowboys tried to run a lot of bootleg stuff early to stall the Giants’ edge rushers to no avail, but they did a nice job of using play-action and motions to stall some of the upfield pressure from New York edge rushers. For a team that was having trouble blocking the Giants’ defensive front, the Cowboys still put up positive results from a counting number and advanced metric standpoint. In week two, the Cowboys ranked eighth in EPA/play, 12th in success rate, ninth in rush EPA, and 12th in dropback EPA. Despite the struggles to block the Giants defensive line, Schottenheimer did a nice job of staying aggressive with his play-calling while not taking unnecessary risks in a close game. Through two weeks, Dak Prescott is playing at an MVP level and Schottenheimer’s design is opening up a lot of the success in the Cowboys offense early on. Game Management Similar to week one, there were not a ton of major moments where game management came into effect. On the Cowboys first drive of the game, the Cowboys went for it on fourth down and were called for delay of game on a delayed quarterback sneak. While there were some complaints about the way the Cowboys offense went about it, the idea of “lulling” the Giants defense to sleep after attempting to get them to jump offsides with hard counts early in the play-cock was wothwhile. Dak Prescott picked up the first down on the last second sneak attempt, but the officials rule the play clock had hit zero before the ball was snapped. Schottenheimer may get some heat for not using a timeout, but that failed due to poor execution from Prescott and a quick flag from the officials, but the design of the play was a smart one. The only other major moments in this game were the drive before halftime and the last two end of game field goal attempts. The one before half was more on Prescott formaking a poor decision in throwing the out-route to Jake Ferguson eating up the remaining clock, failing to get a field goal attempt off before the end of the first half. The Cowboys played the end of game field goal attempts a bit too conservative in my mind, with rush attempts to pickup needed yardage, but they did work out thanks to some great running from running back Javonte Williams. Grade B+ At the end of the day, Schottenheimer had a better overall day in week one as a play-caller, but with the cards stacked against him with the Giants’ defensive line, he again put his value on display. In recent years, we have seen this offensive coaching staff crumble when they play a team with a dynamic defensive front. In 2023, with Dak Prescott playing at a MVP level, the Cowboys offense put up 10 against the 49ers, 20 against the Chargers, 23 against the Eagles, 10 against the Bills, 20 against the Dolphins, and 20 against the Lions. For one of the better defensive lines in football, scoring 40 points is impressive, and shows that this offensive coaching staff is not scared of the challenge. 0 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Roster
Cowboys vs. Bears: Week 3 matchups to watch
Through two weeks of the 2025 NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys remain a bit of an enigma. They lost a close game to the defending Super Bowl champions in the season opener only to follow it up with a worse performance against an inferior opponent that resulted in an overtime victory. What kind of performance […] Through two weeks of the 2025 NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys remain a bit of an enigma. They lost a close game to the defending Super Bowl champions in the season opener only to follow it up with a worse performance against an inferior opponent that resulted in an overtime victory. What kind of performance they will have in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears is anyone’s guess right now. To put another “W” in the win column though there are a few matchups that could help sway the game in their favor. Today, we share the ones we will be paying practically close attention to. Any one of these key matchups could help the Cowboys walk away with a victory or hang their heads in shame depending on how things go. Cowboys’ secondary vs. QB Caleb Williams After watching Giants QB Russell Wilson drop 450 passing yards and three touchdowns through the air against the Cowboys last week, second-year QB Caleb Williams is probably licking his chops for this matchup. Still searching for their first win of the season, Chicago’s going to take note of Dallas’ surprisingly poor pass defense last week against the Giants and try to replicate the same kind of success. The Bears have some dangerous weapons in the passing game, but Williams is still just averaging a little over 200 passing yards per game this year. It will be interesting if that changes this week with DaRon Bland possibly sidelined once again with a foot injury. RB Javonte Williams vs. Bears’ run defense One of the biggest and most pleasant surprises so far for the Cowboys is how well Javonte Williams has played through the first two weeks of the 2025 NFL season. No one really expected him to perform as well as he has as Dallas’ RB1, let alone be a Top 10 RB in the league right now. And luckily for him, this Week 3 matchup with the Bears is one he’s probably looking forward to. Chicago is currently allowing 148.5 rushing yards per game, which is great news for the Cowboys rushing attack. Both Williams and Miles Sanders could have big games this week and maybe even Jaydon Blue if he’s part of the game day roster for the first time this season. Cowboys’ WRs vs. Bears’ banged up secondary The Bears are expected to be without their Pro Bowl CB Jaylon Johnson in this Week 3 matchup with the Cowboys. That leaves Tyrique Stevenson and former Cowboys draft pick Nahshon Wright as Chicago’s likely starters at CB. This is a matchup that should heavily favor the Cowboys wide receivers. Whether it’s CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, KaVontate Turpin (if he plays) or anyone else, Dallas’ playmakers should be able to take advantage of the Bears thin secondary. QB Dak Prescott should be able to spread the ball around and absolutely shred Chicago’s defense through the air, especially if Javonte Williams does what we expect running the ball. 0 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Roster
BTB Thursday Discussion: What is your biggest Cowboys worry at the moment?
The Dallas Cowboys are coming off of a win, but that game is well in the rearview mirror now. If Dallas wants to put together their first winning streak of the season then they are going to have to get through the Chicago Bears, and it would help their cause if the defense was not […] The Dallas Cowboys are coming off of a win, but that game is well in the rearview mirror now. If Dallas wants to put together their first winning streak of the season then they are going to have to get through the Chicago Bears, and it would help their cause if the defense was not as porous as they were against the New York Giants. That goes without saying. If we were to power rank all of the worries that we have with the Cowboys at the moment then it stands to reason that the secondary might be chief among them, but we are all different people with different opinions. What is your biggest worry about the Cowboys as we get set for Week 3? Maybe you don’t have any. Or perhaps you have a ton. We are focusing on the biggest and most prevalent worry here today. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Cowboys news: George Pickens wants to ‘stay open’ for Dak Prescott
George Pickens on playing with Dak Prescott, expanded route tree – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com George Pickens is focused on building chemistry with Dak Prescott. FRISCO, Texas – Through two games with the Cowboys, wide receiver George Pickens is getting acclimated to Dallas’ offense and playing with Dak Prescott. A large part of that responsibility? Being just […] George Pickens on playing with Dak Prescott, expanded route tree – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com George Pickens is focused on building chemistry with Dak Prescott. FRISCO, Texas – Through two games with the Cowboys, wide receiver George Pickens is getting acclimated to Dallas’ offense and playing with Dak Prescott. A large part of that responsibility? Being just one of the many targets that head coach Brian Schottenheimer and Prescott have to choose from in the passing game, which means full effort even when the ball isn’t going his way. “Running every route hard, just trying to stay open for Dak. The ball is going to come, whether it’s [Jake Ferguson], CeeDee, [Jalen Tolbert], [KaVontae Turpin], me, so just keep running the routes…” “You kind of want to run your route anyways, just to get a good picture for the QB. He expects you to be in certain spots, so just running my route for Dak.” Against the Giants, Pickens felt that they exhibited what they could do as an offensive unit with 478 yards of offense and 30 second half points. “So many guys that we got, and it kind of got put on display in the last game…” Pickens said. “You got so many guys and I feel like that’s how offense is supposed to be. I don’t want to say you can’t stop us, but we’re definitely going to come out and dominate.” For Cowboys OL Brock Hoffman, being thrust into starting role is nothing new – Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News Brock Hoffman is well prepared to take over starting center duties for the foreseeable future. FRISCO – This isn’t a new thing for Brock Hoffman, who has turned into the Cowboys’ most versatile interior lineman off the bench. Hoffman will start at center for the next few weeks with Cooper Beebe out anywhere from six to eight weeks with a severely sprained right ankle. Last season, Hoffman started seven games, six at right guard when Zack Martin suffered an injury and one game at center for Beebe. Overall, Hoffman played 17 games, even playing left guard for a spell when Tyler Smith left with an injury. “I always say, you got to stay ready so you don’t have to get ready,” Hoffman said after Wednesday’s walkthrough practice. “You just treat each and every week like you’re going be the starter or if you’re not. So when the situation arises, it’s no different.” Jadeveon Clowney isn’t replacing Micah Parsons, but feels he gives Cowboys’ D a lift – Jon Machota, The Athletic The veteran will be relied upon pretty heavily with the edge-rushing struggles in Dallas. Clowney, 32, is coming off a season of 5.5 sacks, 46 tackles and 11 quarterback hits last year with the Carolina Panthers. He started all 14 games he played in, averaging 46.5 defensive snaps per game. The Cowboys aren’t looking for that much work from him. They signed him to a one-year deal worth around $4 million to have him help a group of edge rushers who have struggled to get pressure with Micah Parsons now in Green Bay. “You want multiple guys that can come in there and roll,” Clowney said. “That’s when you become a better front. That’s what the great fronts have, multiple guys rolling, eight guys rolling. I feel like that’s when good D-lines (become) great.” Does he look at this opportunity like he’s replacing Parsons? “No, Micah Parsons is Micah Parsons,” he responded. “I’m Jadeveon Clowney. I’m coming in to do me, just do my thing, help in any way I can and play football.” Clowney said he was interested in Dallas even before they traded Parsons. He felt like they could’ve played well together. While his best years are likely behind him, Clowney is only a year removed from a 9.5-sack, 19 QB-hit season with the Baltimore Ravens. He averaged 38.5 defensive snaps per game that season. Dallas would have to be thrilled to get similar production. Clowney said he expects to play Sunday at Chicago. That would be a quick turnaround for a player who hasn’t gone through training camp and only a few days of practice. He said he has “a lot” left in the tank and has been staying ready by training at Fairchild Sports Performance in Houston, his offseason training home the previous eight years. 3 Dallas Cowboys who must improve in Week 3 vs. Chicago Bears – Randy Gurzi, Cowboys on SI These guys didn’t perform well against the Giants in Week 2 and that has to change. The Dallas Cowboys are gearing up for a Week 3 matchup with the Chicago Bears as they look to improve to 2-1. The Bears, meanwhile, are still looking for their first win of the season. This past weekend, the Bears surrendered 52 points to the Detroit Lions, but the Cowboys shouldn’t go into this game thinking that means they’ll have the same success. As we saw when they took on the New York Giants in Week 2, any team can get hot in a hurry. Dallas was fortunate to survive against New York, especially with Russell Wilson calmly throwing for 450 yards. To avoid another frustrating outing, they’re going to need to take Chicago seriously, and will need more from these three players. Tyler Guyton played well in Week 1 against the Eagles, but his performance in Week 2 left a lot to be desired. He went up against Kayvon Thibodeaux and gave up four pressures. Guyton was far from the only offensive lineman who struggled, but this week, he’s the one with the toughest assignment. Guyton will be the one to primarily square off with
Cowboys analytics roundup: Offense soaring, defense boring after Week 2
The Cowboys got themselves in the win column in Week 2, beating the Giants in overtime in a game that was wildly entertaining television for anyone that wasn’t a fan of these two teams. As for Cowboys fans, how should you be feeling after two games? Welcome to the second installment of this year’s analytics […] The Cowboys got themselves in the win column in Week 2, beating the Giants in overtime in a game that was wildly entertaining television for anyone that wasn’t a fan of these two teams. As for Cowboys fans, how should you be feeling after two games? Welcome to the second installment of this year’s analytics roundup, in which we’ll seek to answer that very question with hard, unemotional data. Before we dive in, just a reminder that all DVOA-related grades do not yet account for strength of schedule, since it’s too early in the season for that. Similarly, many of these data points are still susceptible to sample size errors, but there’s still value to be pulled from the data. Let’s dive in! Cowboys Efficiency at a Glance DVOA DVOA Rank DVOA Rank Previous Week DAVE DAVE Rank Offense 21.7% 4th 6th 0.1% 15th Defense 26.7% 29th 28th 2.3% 24th Special Teams 5.8% 8th 14th 0.2% 13th Overall 0.8% 17th 14th -2.0% 16th The Cowboys saw their overall team DVOA grade increase – they were just barely in the negative after Week 1 – but they moved back three spots in the rankings. What does that mean? In short, the Cowboys played more efficiently in Week 2, but other teams made a bigger leap. Notably, special teams made a significant jump despite accounting for half the team’s penalties. Hitting a 64-yard field goal to force overtime, and then kicking the game-winner, will do that. All hail Brandon Aubrey. 2025 NFL Team Tiers Weeks 1-2, courtesy of rbsdm.comLast week’s look at the EPA-based team tiers highlighted the fact that the Cowboys were in the quadrant that denotes “good offense, bad defense” teams, but with room to move into the top right quadrant. Well, they’ve moved further into their current quadrant, and that’s unsurprising after Sunday’s defensive showing. Notably, the Cowboys are nearly even with the Commanders in total team EPA/play, and not too far behind the Eagles either. Their next opponent, the Bears, are currently sitting in the worst quadrant and competing vigorously to be the worst team in the league through two weeks. Offense Cowboys Offensive Efficiency Grade Rank Offensive DVOA 21.7% 4th Pass DVOA 30.8% 10th Run DVOA 20.4% 3rd EPA/Play 0.141 7th EPA/Dropback 0.181 11th EPA/Rush 0.056 9th Here’s the good news: the offense looks to be legit. The only metric in which they don’t currently rank in the top 10 is EPA/dropback, which isn’t too far behind at 11th. The run game had another good performance, and Javonte Williams is looking very, very good. How good? Williams is currently fifth among all running backs in rushing yards over expected (RYOE) per attempt, and he’s second in EPA/rush. He’s outperforming the league’s best backs, including Falcons star Bijan Robinson and top draft pick Ashton Jeanty. Miles Sanders has been decent, too: his +49 RYOE is second in the league, though his per play numbers are just pedestrian. Dak Prescott’s Efficiency Grade Rank QBR 65.2 14th EPA/play 0.171 12th CPOE 1.4 15th EPA+CPOE Composite 0.115 11th Success Rate 45.1% 26th Dak Prescott’s game was once again an interesting one to decipher. Last week, drops and a lack of touchdowns hurt his efficiency, but this week Prescott was playing some legitimately poor football. That is, until the fourth quarter started. To put it into perspective just how Jekyll/Hyde his performance was, Prescott’s EPA/play through the first three quarters was a pedestrian 0.094, good for 17th among quarterbacks. After that, though, he posted an absurd 0.355 EPA/play, fourth-best in that span. Prescott saved his best for the biggest moments. Cowboys Offensive Line Efficiency Grade Rank Pressure Rate 35.9% 16th Adjusted Sack Rate 3.7% 4th Pass Block Win Rate 67% 12th Run Block Win Rate 72% 14th Adjusted Line Yards 4.49 8th The offensive line saw some regression across the board this week. They took a step back in every metric, with a jarring discrepancy between pressure rate and adjusted sack rate that highlights how much work Prescott is doing to stay off his back. The run blocking was good enough, but still not to the level Dallas showed in Week 1. The bigger concern right now is in the middle, as Cooper Beebe is expected to miss 6-8 weeks with an injury. Brock Hoffman nearly gave the ball to the Giants late with a bad snap, and now he’ll make his first start of the season on the road in Chicago. Defense Cowboys Defensive Efficiency Grade Rank Defensive DVOA 26.7% 29th Pass Defense DVOA 50.9% 29th Run Defense DVOA -4.4% 23rd Pressure Rate 37.2% 11th Pass Rush Win Rate 33% 20th Run Stop Win Rate 36% 4th EPA/Play 0.195 30th EPA/Dropback Allowed 0.349 31st EPA/Rush Allowed -0.065 17th The offense is doing so well that shifting gears to talk about the defense feels kind of like taking a drink of something flavorful right after brushing your teeth: it’s disgusting. The silver lining is that Dallas doesn’t rank last in any metric (thank God for the Dolphins), but they’re flirting with the cellar. The run defense is not half bad, though it’s hardly a strength. More than anything, Matt Eberflus needs more pass rush to help out his secondary, which also needs to figure out how to keep receivers in front of them. Jadeveon Clowney is an immediate aid for the former, while the imminent return of DaRon Bland should help with the latter. Cowboys Pass Coverage Targets Completions Completion Rate Passer Rating Allowed ADOT When Targeted Air Yards Allowed Yards After Catch Trevon Diggs 5 4 80.0% 158.3 28.0 97 104 DaRon Bland 2 2 100.0% 89.6 -0.5 -1 12 Kaiir Elam 14 12
3 questions from Cowboys’ Week 2 win over Giants
In a funny twist, many seem more worried about things following Dallas’ narrow win over the Giants than they were after the Week 1 loss to Philadelphia. While the Cowboys did secure their first victory of 2025, New York’s explosive passing performance raised more long-term concerns about the defense. This, and more, make up our […] In a funny twist, many seem more worried about things following Dallas’ narrow win over the Giants than they were after the Week 1 loss to Philadelphia. While the Cowboys did secure their first victory of 2025, New York’s explosive passing performance raised more long-term concerns about the defense. This, and more, make up our three big questions coming out of Week 2. A week after Giants fans were calling for him to be benched, Russell Wilson went off for 450 yards. It wasn’t surgical, but rather a series of deep bombs that made Trevon Diggs and other defensive backs look equal parts hapless and helpless. Now that New York’s exposed this liability in the secondary, are the Cowboys about to start getting torched every week? Obviously, Matt Eberflus has to figure some things out. This zone-heavy, double-high safety scheme is quite different from what some of our DBs were used to under Mike Zimmer and Dan Quinn. Thankfully, Dallas was able to withstand these big plays and escape with a win. But now that what the Giants did is on tape, it’s on our coaches to make mitigating adjustments. Eberflus also needs to get some of his key players back. DaRon Bland’s absence was sorely felt, and hopefully, he’ll be able to suit back up by the Week 4 game against Green Bay. We’re also hoping that the current version of Diggs is still working through rust and has higher levels of play ahead of him. Also, what will guys like Caelen Carson and Shavon Revel Jr. offer when they finally make their 2025 debuts? 2. Can Javonte Williams keep this up? The Cowboys may have pulled off another bargain bin win with Williams. His 151 rushing yards in two games put him at seventh on the current leaderboard, and his three touchdowns have him tied for first place. Williams isn’t only taking what the blocks give him, but he’s breaking tackles and creating extra yards and gash plays just on his own ability. While we’re still anticipating Jaydon Blue’s debut as another potential offensive weapon, Williams has clearly established himself as RB1. Still, it’s a long season ahead. Can Williams maintain this play as all that contact starts to take a toll? He was available for only $3 million because of how much he struggled in Denver following a major 2022 injury. These first two weeks in Dallas are very positive signs, but his style is dependent on maintaining whatever bursts he has and consistently outpowering defenders. Both get harder as the body wears down. 3. What happens when the flags stop flying Dallas’ way? In Week 1, it felt bizarre to see the Eagles penalized nine times to only four for the Cowboys. Even last week, albeit a much narrower margin, the Giants were flagged 14 times to just 12 for Dallas. We’re so used to the Cowboys being among the league leaders in penalties every year, so this has been a welcome respite. It’s also a big part of why they kept things close against Philly and eked out the win over New York. Is this a new era of disciplined football under Brian Schottenheimer, or is it just an anomaly? We hope it’s sustainable, because the razor’s edge that Dallas is currently playing on means it can’t afford anything to swing to the negative. If history holds true and the Cowboys resume their rivalry with the officials, it could have a dramatic impact on outcomes going forward. 0 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Roster
Rookie battleground: Cowboys vs. Bears breakdown of draft picks
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 RoundThis is a communication street fight for Booker. If he and Brock Hoffman pass off every twist like […] 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 This is a communication street fight for Booker. If he and Brock Hoffman pass off every twist like a baton, Chicago’s simulated pressure turns into just four guys running in place. Win first contact against length, keep the pocket square, and Dallas can live in second-and-manageable all afternoon. Do that, and Booker doesn’t just survive, he erases the chaos the Bears need to steal this one. Later in the week on Reading Between the Lines here on BTB we’ll take a deeper dive into Bookers challenges for this week.Grade: 53.0 Donovan Ezeiraku (DE) Second Round Through two games, Ezeiruaku has one solo tackle and zero sacks, a light statistical start while he acclimates to NFL speed and Dallas mixes its sub-packages. The good news for Ezeiruaku is the Bears’ offense has protection problems. Detroit sacked Caleb Williams four times and held Chicago to penalty-soaked drives. That’s fertile ground for a speedy, inside-counter rusher like Ezeiruaku. This sets up like a breakout game for the rookie pass rusher. Chicago’s tackles have been leaking and Ezeiruaku brings fresh legs and a first step that kills. If he keeps his rush lanes tight on Williams so he’s forced to climb into traffic, not out the back door, it can all fall into place for Ezeiruaku. We could be seeing his first sack this weekend.Grade: 72.9 Shavon Revel Jr. (CB) Third RoundCurrently on Non-Football injury list (NFI) Jaydon Blue (RB) Fifth Round Another week inactive and we wait for news on if the coaches feel he can make it to the field this week. With Miles Sanders scoring last week after Javonte Williams had another big game, could see Brian Schottenheimer sticking to what’s working. That means less of our boy Blue. Grade: N/A Shemar James (LB) Fifth Round Watching Jack Sanborn try to cover the seam last week was both frustrating and disappointing. A guy like James might have been golden in that area of the field, but we have to wait for the coaches to feel confident putting him in. So for now, it’s a case of wait and watch for James and whether he gets to see action.Grade: N/A Ajani Cornelius (OT) Sixth RoundInactiveGrade: N/A Jay Toia (DT) Seventh Round The rookie nose is still easing in and has one tackle with zero sacks so far. He’s been used situationally to anchor early downs and absorb double teams while the Cowboys mix sub-fronts, so this will take time for Toia. But this week is a trench bully game for Toia. Win half a yard on first down and Chicago’s shiny playbook shrinks to panic buttons. Dent the pocket, don’t just hold it, and make Caleb Williams climb into traffic. Given the Bears coughed up four sacks and 12 pressures last week, Toia could find a few A-gap wins.Grade: 30.2 Phil Mafah (RB) Seventh RoundInactiveGrade: N/A Chicago Bears Colston Loveland (TE) First Round Usage for Loveland has been modest so far this year, but on-script for a rookie behind a veteran room. He has two receptions for 12 yards so far, after a debut with 57% of offensive snaps and a small target share. Early efficiency indicators are shallow by volume, with an average depth of target of just 2.5 yards, meaning he’s mostly getting quick outlets and underneath throws as Chicago sorts its passing game out. Expect his role to expand as spacing and protection improve, if they improve. Loveland projects as a classic in-line or slot-flex tight end with plus movement skills for his size with loose hips, clean hitch/comeback transitions, and good timing at the catch point. His biggest setback is the Bears offense in general that lacks efficiency.Grade: 48.7 Luther Burden II (WR) Second Round During the draft season a lot of Cowboys fans wanted Burden to be the first of the draft for Dallas, and with good reason. A dynamic slot receiver with running-back balance after the catch, short-area burst and contact strength, Burden adds firepower to an offense and offers great RPO utility options. At Missouri he was a high-volume YAC weapon, and he tested well pre draft. With a compact frame that suits quick separation and screen work he is very exciting to watch. The Bears got to him, however, before Dallas could call his name in the second round, but so far in Chicago it’s been quiet from the dynamic playmaker who has made only two catches for two yards across two games. Early usage has been limited behind Rome Odunze and the veteran rotation, but he’s logged situational snaps and special-teams downs while the Bears’ offense finds its footing. Expect gradual growth in manufactured touches as Chicago stabilizes its offense and expands the rookie’s role. Is that going to happen as early as Week 3? Doubtful.Grade: 46.7 Shemar Turner (DT) Second Round The next two guys on this list are quite a head-scratcher if you’re a Bears fan. Turner adds some real juice to the inside and this Bears defensive line needs it. But the coaching staff over in Chicago are not only opting to stick with the veterans and their guys, they keeping Turner inactive. The second-round pick out of Texas A&M has yet to play a single snap this year, but is a healthy scratch. This has infuriated Bears fans and media personnel are running with the story based on the fact the defense is struggling and the guys they’re playing are doing very
