The Dallas Cowboys defense could look like an entirely different unit when they re-take the field in Week 11 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Due to the additions they made at the trade deadline and players returning from injuries, there’s a spark of hope we could see a much improved defense for the rest of […] The Dallas Cowboys defense could look like an entirely different unit when they re-take the field in Week 11 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Due to the additions they made at the trade deadline and players returning from injuries, there’s a spark of hope we could see a much improved defense for the rest of the season. Through the midway point of the 2025 NFL season, the Cowboys defense is ranked in the bottom of the league in nearly every category. They are currently ranked dead last in yards per game (397.4) and points per game (30.8), 28th in the league in rushing yards per game (143.0), and 29th in the league in passing yards per game (254.4). There is hope the new additions will improve things for the second half of the season. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and linebacker Logan Wilson will be immediate impact players, even though they just arrived recently via trade. It shouldn’t take either of them long to get up to speed considering Matt Eberflus’ scheme isn’t all that complicated or complex. They aren’t the only new faces who could make their season debut with the Cowboys this week. The Cowboys recently activated LB DeMarvion Overshown and rookie CB Shavon Revel to the active roster after both spent the first half of the season on injured reserve recovering from season-ending knee injuries. If 100% healthy, both Overshown and Revel could help upgrade their given positions and in turn improve the overall defense moving forward. But, it may be wise to bring them along slowly as a precaution. Overshown’s return to the field is particularly intriguing considering he was playing like a superstar prior to his season-ending knee injury last year. The Cowboys now know what they have in him and are probably hoping he can pick up where he left off last season as one of their best defensive players prior to injury. His sideline-to-sideline speed and playmaking ability could provide a much-needed spark to Eberflus’ defense. This year’s third-round draft pick, CB Shavon Revel, is a bit more of a mystery. He was considered a first-round pick before a season-ending injury ended his season prematurely last year, which is why there are those who believe he was a draft day steal for the Cowboys. Expectations for him should be tempered, even though Dallas’ secondary desperately needs a shot in the arm. So, with of DT Quinnen Williams, LB Logan Wilson, LB DeMarvion Overshown, and rookie CB Shavon Revel all potentially making their season debut in Week 11, Dallas’ new-look defense as a chance to be much improved from what we seen of them in the first half of the season. If nothing else, all of these new additions provide some more entertainment value for the remainder of the regular season. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

The second half of the 2025 season starts with the Eagles soaring above their rivals in the NFC East. The next eight weeks may be little more than a formality for the presumptive division champions, but they haven’t clinched anything yet. And at this point, the Cowboys seem to be the only team with a […] The second half of the 2025 season starts with the Eagles soaring above their rivals in the NFC East. The next eight weeks may be little more than a formality for the presumptive division champions, but they haven’t clinched anything yet. And at this point, the Cowboys seem to be the only team with a chance of thwarting them. Philly snuck out of Lambeau Field with a victory last Monday night, being the less ugly team in a game neither deserved to win. They’re now the number-one seed in the NFC and just knocked off arguably their toughest remaining opponent, so the next two months could be a gravy train toward the playoffs. Still, with eight games to go and one of them a head-to-head, the Cowboys aren’t out of this thing. They need to make up four wins to move past Philadelphia, so long as one of those is against the Eagles in Week 12. The odds are certainly against us, but the outcome is far from certain. Here are the NFC East standings going into Week 11: Philadelphia Eagles 7-2 (2-1 in division, 6-1 vs NFC) Dallas Cowboys 3-5-1 (2-1, 2-4-1) Washington Commanders 3-7 (1-1, 1-6) New York Giants 2-8 (1-3, 1-6) Obviously, games like Dallas’ next one against the Raiders are must-wins if this miracle can be performed. With the Eagles, Chiefs, and Lions coming up, the Cowboys have to use this Vegas game to work off any bye week rust, put last week’s tragedy behind them, and work their new faces into the defensive mix. Thankfully, the Raiders are struggling enough that you can do all that and still have a good shot at winning. The Eagles got out of Green Bay like bandits, but they probably won’t be able to survive another poor offensive showing against the Lions. For the Cowboys’ purposes, this is probably a must-lose game for Philly. Again, we’re looking at this solely in the context of Dallas still winning the NFC East. One could argue that a Detroit loss is better, as a potential wild card team, for the Cowboys’ actual chances of making the playoffs. The Commanders and Giants are barely relevant at this point, but there may be times they can indirectly help Dallas. That’s certainly true of New York this week as they host the Packers. Dallas could use a Green Bay loss both for the wild card race and to improve the Packers’ 2026 first-round pick. Washington is less helpful, facing the AFC’s Dolphins. See More: Dallas Cowboys General

Cowboys move forward, ‘carrying on light’ of Marshawn Kneeland – Todd Archer, ESPN For Marshawn. Last week, the Cowboys held a virtual team meeting while on their bye, then on Monday, they came together as a group for the first time. On Tuesday night, a candlelight vigil was held for Kneeland’s family, friends and those inside the […] Cowboys move forward, ‘carrying on light’ of Marshawn Kneeland – Todd Archer, ESPN For Marshawn. Last week, the Cowboys held a virtual team meeting while on their bye, then on Monday, they came together as a group for the first time. On Tuesday night, a candlelight vigil was held for Kneeland’s family, friends and those inside the Cowboys organization. After a day off Wednesday, the Cowboys got back to work. “Having dealt with loss, that is the best medicine for me,” quarterback Dak Prescott said. “So getting back out there, handing the ball off and sprinting an extra 10 yards and making sure I’m doing it hard, Marshawn went through my mind a few times at practice today. I just countered that with running harder after a play or trying to do something to better this team to show that. It felt good. I know it was a great practice. A lot of guys were out there, good energy, beautiful weather. As I said, we’re not forgetting, but we’re moving forward carrying on the light.” Prescott and defensive lineman Solomon Thomas carry a different burden to Kneeland’s loss. Prescott’s brother, Jace, died by suicide in 2020. Thomas’ sister, Ella, died by suicide in 2018. Through their foundations, both players have pledged help for mental health awareness and aiding families touched by tragedy. The Cowboys will have two more practices before traveling to Las Vegas on Sunday ahead of the Raiders game. Thomas said the grieving process does not end. “If we all play like Marshawn, we’ll play like a better team,” Thomas said. “I’m not saying Marshawn was a perfect player, but that way he would go out there and play is the way football is supposed to be played. He would run to the ball. No matter how tired he was, he would play with intensity and tenacity. He went out there because he loved the game. He played with love. He played every play like it was his last and didn’t take reps for granted. … If we do that, we’ll honor him — win, loss or draw — if we play like Marshawn. We’ll be a better team. We’ll come out of this better.” Mailbag: Putting defensive pieces together? – Tommy Yarish, DallasCowboys.com Will the Cowboys new look defense look that much different on Monday Night Football? With new faces and players returning from injury, how long do you think it will take to put all the pieces together and really see what this defense is capable of? – Les Hoffman/Pell City, AL Tommy: That’s a difficult question to answer because all athletes recover from injuries differently as each situation is unique. Obviously, the Cowboys are hoping that all the injured pieces they’re getting back as early as this week can come together and mesh with the defense to improve it immediately. Unfortunately for them, I don’t think that’s a realistic expectation given that two of your players in DeMarvion Overshown and Shavon Revel are coming off of major knee injuries. Does that mean they won’t contribute from the jump? Not at all, they very well could. I just don’t think you’re going to see them both at 100% from the jump because on one hand, they need to get their legs under them again and a game setting is completely different than practice. On the other hand, specifically in Revel’s case, he hasn’t played a single snap of NFL football yet. Those two can certainly help Dallas defensively, but it may take some time for them to fully get to that point. Cowboys’ Record Shock: 10-6-1 Finish Still Possible? – Cody Warren, Inside the Star Are the Cowboys capable of making a run at the playoffs? The Dallas Cowboys enter Week 11 with a 3–5–1 record, a discouraging set of ESPN playoff odds, and a defense ranked near the bottom of the NFL in yards, points allowed, and about every other category. A tie against the Green Bay Packers sits awkwardly on their record, shaping the mathematical path the rest of the way. With eight games remaining, Dallas has only two realistic final outcomes: 10–6–1 or 9–7–1, depending on how quickly their revamped defense gels. Despite long odds — just 5.3% to make the playoffs and 0.4% to reach the Super Bowl — the Cowboys still have a chance to rewrite the second half of their season. The return of DeMarvion Overshown, the acquisition of Logan Wilson, the late addition of Quinnen Williams, and the debut of rookie corner Shavon Revel Jr. give Dallas a defensive foundation it simply did not have in September or October. Now the question becomes whether this roster can turn potential into wins. Dallas Faces One of the Most Challenging Finishing Stretches in the NFC The Cowboys’ final eight opponents combine explosive offenses, physical fronts, and unfavorable road environments. Four of the last eight games are outdoors — something the Cowboys have struggled with. They also face three current playoff-caliber teams in a row: the Eagles, the Chiefs, and the Lions. The margin for error is razor-thin. Because of the tie on their record, every expected loss eliminates the possibility of reaching 10–6–1. The Cowboys must stack wins, particularly in the four home games at AT&T Stadium. Mock Draft season may (unfortunately) be upon us. At 3-5-1, I don’t blame any Dallas Cowboys fans willing to take their eyes off the fall and winter days of the 2025 NFL season and instead turn them to the spring and the 2026 NFL Draft. It should be a fun one as the Cowboys are set to make two first-round picks when the time comes. To those

Coming out of their bye, the Dallas Cowboys have little room for error. The team activated linebacker DeMarvion Overshown from the PUP list, along with rookie cornerback Shavon Revel from NFI. Both could play on Monday against the Las Vegas Raiders. After Thursday, here’s the status regarding the health of the Cowboys.  After being limited […] Coming out of their bye, the Dallas Cowboys have little room for error. The team activated linebacker DeMarvion Overshown from the PUP list, along with rookie cornerback Shavon Revel from NFI. Both could play on Monday against the Las Vegas Raiders. After Thursday, here’s the status regarding the health of the Cowboys. After being limited in practice before the bye, Overshown (knee) was listed as a full participant- further confirming that he is on track to play Monday. Revel (knee) was also limited the last time Dallas released an injury report, and he, too, was a full participant. Malik Hooker (toe) was seen on the practice field and was limited today. There is optimism that he could return from injured reserve this week, and it couldn’t come at a better time. Juanyeh Thomas (migraines) was placed on injured reserve. Donovan Wilson (elbow/shoulder) was limited, he has also missed time with injuries. Offensive tackle Terence Steele was playing through a migraine against the Arizona Cardinals and was not listed on today’s injury report. Finally, Solomon Thomas (calf) was listed as DNP. See More: Dallas Cowboys Injuries

The Dallas Cowboys are readying for a Week 11 Monday Night Football affair with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Cowboys are on the road for this one, but are still betting favorites over a Raiders team that is really struggling this season. At 3-5-1 on the season, the Cowboys are on life-support as far as […] The Dallas Cowboys are readying for a Week 11 Monday Night Football affair with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Cowboys are on the road for this one, but are still betting favorites over a Raiders team that is really struggling this season. At 3-5-1 on the season, the Cowboys are on life-support as far as the playoff chase, but the front office wasn’t ready to throw in the towel just yet. At the trade deadline they added two players to a horrible defense that has been ruining any chance of a decent season. DT Quinnen Williams and LB Logan Wilson are now Cowboys. While Wilson has a chance to stabilize the linebacker group, it’s Williams that has a chance to help transform the defense. Williams is a top-tier defensive tackle that is a run-stuffer with some pass-rush ability thrown in. He’s the kind of guy other teams bring up in their scouting reports and preparations each week. His profile would be a lot higher if he was ever on a decent team instead of the constantly floundering Jets. The Cowboys have Williams under contract through 2027, when he turns 30 years old. The contract is pricy but not insane (roughly a $22 million cap hit in 2026, $25 million in 2027). He’s an aging player, but still under 30. Dallas did give up a lot to get him. A second-round pick in 2026, and the better of their two first-round picks in 2027 (plus throw-in Mazi Smith). That is at a position that generally doesn’t command top draft resources and contracts, although when you get the right player that calculus can change. The Cowboys have also splurged resources at defensive tackle recently. They gave a substantial contract to Osa Odighizuwa, insisted on Kenny Clark in the Micah parsons trade, and now Williams. That’s a lot at one of the “lesser” positions on the value chart. Given all that, and without having seen Williams play a down in a Cowboys uniform, how would you grade the trade? That’s part of our survey this week, along with the standard confidence level question. Vote in the polls them hit the comments below to give us your take. Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cowboys fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster

We’re back with another installment of the Cowboys fan rooting guide for this week’s games. Stubborn fools that we are, we’re still holding out hope for a playoff spot. But as those chances get slimmer, our focus will shift ever more to what most helps Dallas improve its 2026 draft picks. NFC East Lions @ […] We’re back with another installment of the Cowboys fan rooting guide for this week’s games. Stubborn fools that we are, we’re still holding out hope for a playoff spot. But as those chances get slimmer, our focus will shift ever more to what most helps Dallas improve its 2026 draft picks. NFC East Lions @ Eagles PLAYOFFS: PhiladelphiaDRAFT: Detroit Dallas has better odds of catching the 6-3 Lions in the wild card race than they do catching 7-2 Philly in the NFC East, so you have to root for the Eagles from a purely playoff perspective. But at least if Detroit wins, it’s a boon for the Cowboys in the division. Draft-wise, Detroit is only a hair above Green Bay as the current NFC North leader, so we’d like them to stay in that role and push the Packers further up the draft order. Commanders @ Dolphins PLAYOFFS: MiamiDRAFT: Washington Two 3-7 teams, with one of them in the AFC, makes this one barely relevant. At the very least, a Commanders win hurts their draft pick. We’ll settle for that. Packers @ Giants PLAYOFFS: New YorkDRAFT: New York No doubts on this one. A Giants win hurts the Packers in the wild card race and also strengthens that Green Bay draft pick. While it does help New York’s position in the draft as well, Dallas would almost have to lose out to get past them in the order. NFC vs NFC Panthers @ Falcons PLAYOFFS: AtlantaDRAFT: Atlanta Dallas needs to move past 5-5 Carolina in the NFC standings for a playoff spot, so that’s an easy pick. It could also benefit the Cowboys in the draft order as Atlanta is only just ahead of them at 3-6. Bears @ Vikings PLAYOFFS: MinnesotaDRAFT: Minnesota Chicago’s currently in a wild card spot, so we need them to take a hit. And the Vikings are only slightly below Dallas in draft order at 4-5, so a win helps doubly. Seahawks @ Rams PLAYOFFS: SeattleDRAFT: Los Angeles This one is almost a push with both teams enjoying 7-2 records. The Rams’ position feels a little more tenuous, though, given Matt Stafford’s age. So we’ll lean that way, ever so slightly, on the chance that Los Angeles could end up losing more games down the stretch than Seattle. 49ers @ Cardinals PLAYOFFS: ArizonaDRAFT: Arizona Even with their win over Dallas, Arizona is still slightly behind in the NFC standings. The 49ers are 6-4 and in the Cowboys’ way of making the tournament. From the draft perspective, an Arizona win could pull them below Dallas in the draft order. On the other hand, a 49ers victory could have the same effect with the Packers’ pick. So that’s almost a wash, with the tie broken by Dallas’ first-rounder having more value. NFC vs AFC Buccaneers @ Bills PLAYOFFS: BuffaloDRAFT: Tampa Bay The Bills are irrelevant playoffs-wise for Dallas, so at least a Bucs loss does something for us there. The draft is a little more interesting as both teams are 6-3, just ahead of Green Bay in the overall standings. Buffalo feels more likely to go on a late-season run in the weak AFC, so we’ll take a Tampa win now to hurt them in the draft order. AFC vs AFC Jets d. Patriots Texans d. Titans Bengals d. Steelers Jaguars d. Chargers Ravens d. Browns Chiefs d. Broncos The all-AFC outcomes are designed to help Dallas’ draft positioning, either with their own pick or the one from the Packers. Take New England over New York, for example. The Cowboys probably aren’t moving up far enough to touch New York in the draft order, but they’re only one win behind the 2-7 Jets. Meanwhile, New England has three more wins than the Packers. So the odds are even slimmer of the Patriots hurting that Green Bay pick. See More: Dallas Cowboys General