Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images Mike McCarthy gave a press conference this week and had great positivity for the future. But was it just a front? Despite the resounding 47-9 loss, Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy remains unwaveringly optimistic. He refuses to let his team’s defeat against the Detroit Lions deter their spirits. McCarthy is determined to bounce back from the blowout and instill a sense of resilience within his players. McCarthy’s Monday news conference commenced nearly two hours behind schedule due to unexpectedly extended meetings – take away what you will from that. However, amidst this delay, he gave an insight in his belief regarding the season and the Cowboys’ outlook. “When you have a chance to step back and really look at everything, I think it’s important for all of us, it’s part of the message to the team, I gave them a number of questions today as far as things to think about and make sure that they are reflecting, make sure they are looking in the mirror and just make sure you’re filling in the blanks.” McCarthy also went on to say: “At the end of the day if we totally don’t believe it’s about us, it’ll always be about us and play to who we are, what we do, how we do it, then we’re not going to get to where we want to go. And I believe we will. I think this is an opportunity that we relish. I know I relish it. And I think they do too” Despite Dallas maintaining a 3-3 record and still having a chance in the NFC playoff race, their early performances have been quite unimpressive and optimism at this stage is hard for fans to find. These comments from McCarthy are standard, but some fans feel it’s time to move on from McCarthy after the performance against the Lions that felt more like an execution than a contest. The Cowboys faced an overwhelming Detroit Lions offense in which McCarthy had little answer. His defense allowed Jared Goff to deliver a masterclass, torpedoing the Cowboys’ hopes with a staggering 315 yards through the air. Goff also managed three touchdowns, went unscathed by interceptions, showcased his precision and confidence, and was left all the time in the world behind an offensive line that stalled the Cowboys pass rush with ease. On top of that, David Montgomery plunged through Dallas’ defense, finding the end zone twice and solidifying his role as a pivotal force in the Lions’ ruthless game plan. Conversely, McCarthy orchestrated the Cowboys offense that stuttered and sputtered the entire day. Their performance was reminiscent of a team trapped in a quagmire of doubts and frustrations. Not a single touchdown to show for their efforts, merely three futile field goals that felt more like consolation prizes than victories. The Lions pounced on every opportunity, asserting their dominance and leaving their Cowboys fans empty-hearted. This loss marks yet another in a season peppered with similar blowouts. Why, then, does head coach Mike McCarthy remain steadfast in his optimistic outlook? Is he crafting a façade to protect a faltering team, or does he peek through cracks of potential lying just under the surface? As the Cowboys grapple with their stark realities, one can only hope that amidst the wreckage lies the beginning of a resurgence, a hint of resilience that sparks an ember of hope. For now, optimism stands as a fragile house of cards waiting for its next gust of wind.
Cowboys sign little-known DT with injury history to practice squad
Cowboys sign little-known DT with injury history to practice squad Todd Brock The Cowboys are trying to patch the holes in an injury-riddled defense by bringing in more depth, this time a player who is already quite familiar with pro football trainers’ rooms. The team signed defensive tackle Jalen Dalton to their practice squad on Wednesday following an earlier workout. Dalton is a 27-year-old North Carolina native who has seen time with four NFL teams, an XFL squad, and a UFL club, but has very limited game experience. After going undrafted in 2019, the 6-foot-6-inch Dalton signed with the Bears but did not survive final cuts. Late in the 2019 NFL season, the Saints brought him aboard their practice squad. Two separate season-ending injuries cost him both the 2020 and 2021 campaigns; he was released without ever seeing the field for New Orleans. Dalton got a new chance with the Falcons in 2022, but another injury in the preseason saw him released before Week 1. Atlanta brought him back midseason, and he finally turned a practice squad stint into seven game appearances that season. He had 13 career tackles, playing 145 defensive snaps. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] A 2023 waiver claim by Carolina never worked out; Dalton was released with a failed physical designation after four days. He looked to the XFL next; he was signed by the Seattle Sea Dragons in late 2023 but never played for them before the team folded in the XFL/USFL merge. He was picked up by the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas in 2024’s dispersal draft and logged 12 tackles and two sacks over seven games… before being moved to injured reserve in May. Osa Odishizuwa led the Cowboys defensive tackles with 40 snaps in Sunday’s 47-9 loss to Detroit. Mazi Smith played 32 snaps; nose tackle Linval Joseph had 29. Defensive tackle Phil Hoskins was released from the Dallas practice squad on Wednesday to make room for Dalton. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Cowboys Reacts Survey: Are the playoffs even a possibility?
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images This is a rough time for the Dallas Cowboys. Just when things were starting to get a little better. The Dallas Cowboys were on a mini-win streak beating the New York Giants and the Pittsburgh Steelers. It wasn’t pretty but they managed to win, which is what counts in the NFL. Then the Detroit Lions came to town. The 47-9 destruction of the team by the Lions, coupled with Jerry Jones having a moment on a radio interview Tuesday morning has led to a feeling that the team might be imploding. Questions about Mike McCarthy’s job security came to the surface, and the storm clouds are getting heavier instead of lifting. Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, the two stars on offense, have underperformed in 2024. The defense has been obliterated on the field, and by injuries. Is there even a chance this thing can get turned around over the bye? That’s what we are asking you today. Two questions. One, what is your confidence that the team is headed in the right direction? And secondly, the more direct question of will this team make the playoffs this season? Vote in the poll then hit the comments and let us know. Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Dallas Cowboys fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. Please take our survey
For a team relying heavily on young players, the Cowboys need more from star veterans
Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images The Cowboys made it a point to rely on young players this season, but they also need the veterans they do have to step up their play. It is clear that the Cowboys’ plan this season was to put a lot of responsibility on the young players and rookies on the team to make up for the players lost in the offseason. There are flaws and holes to this strategy on its own as it is a lot to expect young players to play consistently up to par. However, in order for this strategy to even have a chance at success, the Cowboys need better performances from their star players and veterans. Sunday’s beat down from the Detroit Lions was a terrible day at the office for most of the team (outside of maybe Brandon Aubrey and KaVontae Turpin). And while not ideal, that may have been expected out of the young guys and backups when facing an opponent as well-rounded as the Lions. However, a few veterans had some of the worst games of their careers on Sunday, erasing any chance the Cowboys had. The QB and WR1 have had much better performances than what they had against the Lions, to say the least. And while there are multiple variables that contribute to the success (or lack thereof) of this offense, the responsibility is going to fall on the shoulders of those two players. Dak Prescott was pressured all night long, and while he is usually one of the best passers in the NFL when pressured, he was quite the opposite on Sunday; finishing the game 17/33 for 178 yards, two INTs and zero TDs. One of the larger concerns coming out of the game is the connection between Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. Lamb missed all of training camp and while it may have been the cause for some of the miscommunications early on in the season, this was Week 6. Those excuses have now expired. Continuing on the offensive side of the ball, guard Zack Martin had quite possibly his worst game in his career on Sunday. The future Hall of Famer struggled all day long allowing three pressures and a sack, his second this season after only allowing two sacks in all of 2023 and none in 2022. According to PFF, it was the lowest grading of his career at 28.3 and a pass blocking grade of 0.0. While Martin was dealing with some back issues earlier in the week, it was still a very uncharacteristic game for him. Lions DT Alim McNeill had four pressures in 8 one-on-one pass rushes against Cowboys RG Zack Martin, per NFL Pro. That was the first time Martin has allowed 3+ pressures to an individual pass rusher in a game since 2021. He was clearly frustrated after allowing this sack. pic.twitter.com/MORK8RF4bh — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) October 14, 2024 The other side of the ball was decimated with injuries, requiring backups on all three levels of the defense. In desperate times like these, the remaining starters need to be reliable. Trevon Diggs was supposed to be that reliable player on Sunday and unfortunately, it turned out to be one of his worst games of his career. Tackling has been a bit of a recurring issue with Diggs while he usually makes up for it in pass coverage. Against the Lions, however, both tackling and coverage were glaring issues for him. Diggs was targeted four times allowing all four completions for 80 total yards and allowed a touchdown for the first time all season. Jameson Williams had his way with Diggs accounting for 57 of those yards allowed, 37 on the touchdown. According to PFF, his passer rating when targeted was 158.3. It was a performance that did not meet the standards for the former All-Pro and NFL interception leader. The Cowboys are now heading into a bye week. The rest will be needed in order to get some players back from injury, and the time will be needed to try to fix all of the issues that surround this team. Unfortunately, the team they will be facing next is the biggest boogeyman that has haunted the Cowboys for years. In order for the Cowboys to have a shot at finally defeating the 49ers, the stars and veterans on this team have to step up to the plate, play to their standards, and help make these young players better.
Ed Werder: Cowboys’ Jerry Jones ‘alienated the fanbase’ with inactive offseason, personnel decisions, radio rant
Headline-grabbing radio rant ‘on-brand’ for Jones, Cowboys Jul 26, 2022; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones at training camp press conference at the River Ridge Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports “It’s on-brand for Jerry Jones, who everybody believes wants attention, good or bad. I know he prefers good,” said Werder. “But when you’re coming off the worst home loss in your 35-year history as the owner,” he continued, “I think there’s some expectation Jerry’s probably not going to be in a very good mood for quite some time. And he wasn’t. He was mad, as he probably should be.” The team’s 47-9 mauling at the hands of the Lions was a shocker in every way, but Jones’s public clapback live over the airwaves quickly became the bigger story, even, as Werder noted, on a day that was plenty newsworthy around the rest of the league. “Here we are: the Jets make a trade for Davante Adams and reunite him with Aaron Rodgers. And on the same day, the Buffalo Bills get Amari Cooper. And Tom Brady becomes a part-owner of the Raiders. And we’re all talking about the Cowboys and Jerry Jones.” Flagship station factor muddies the waters Aug 24, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones talks to the media before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports Jones has gotten testy and bristled at a reporter’s question here or there many times over the years. But Werder points out that 105.3 The Fan being the Cowboys’ own flagship station adds an extra wrinkle to this current narrative. It certainly changed how Jones apparently thought Tuesday’s interview should have gone. “Jerry made it clear he had a certain expectation that he’s talking to a partner. And he does it, and he expects to be treated a certain way,” Werder said. “‘But I don’t see you as an independent journalist’- this is Jerry- ‘I see you as somebody who represents our brand as a partner.’ “People want him to take responsibility as the general manager, and maybe he didn’t quite do that, and maybe he shouldn’t have threatened the jobs of the people who were asking the questions… but that’s part of the job [of the media]. People get mad at your questions.” Cowboys fans’ frustration at fever pitch since January Sep 22, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys fans react during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images There’s lots of anger to go around in Cowboys Nation these days. Werder has been there for some of the darkest days: the 1-15 season, the barren wasteland of quarterbacks between Troy Aikman and Tony Romo, the careers of many a Cowboys star who came and went with no tangible success to show for it. But he acknowledges that the frustration is at a fever pitch these days. And as stinging as the team’s three losses this year have been, Werder believes the organization still hasn’t recovered from the playoff beatdown they received in January. “What happened to them in the first round, at home, in the loss to Green Bay, really caused a lot of people in the fanbase to stop believing in this franchise. It set up Jerry trying to demonstrate, through player acquisition, that he was determined to improve the roster… I think people wanted a commitment from Jerry that he was going to make significant personnel upgrades, and instead, he did just the opposite,” explained Werder. “People are outraged that Jerry as a general manager didn’t honor his obligation in the way they they thought was necessary, to go out and build a better roster, and that what’s happening now was going to be the obvious outcome of that failure. He’s alienated the fanbase, and now they feel more justified than ever in publicly criticizing him, and that criticism now comes from everywhere.” Breaking different kinds of stories with ‘Table of Honor’ initiative It’s never a dull moment covering the Cowboys, not even for Werder, who’s pretty much seen it all. But even the 64-year-old is still getting new opportunities. Werder has partnered with Rockin’ Protein to announce a $100,000 donation to Folds of Honor, to help the organization provide scholarships to the families of America’s fallen or disabled military and first responders. As part of that initiative, Werder moderated a discussion titled “Table of Honor,” where he shares the extraordinarily moving stories of three of those families. One of the heroes Werder met was Brodie, a 20-year Navy SEAL (now retired) who was injured in a firefight in Afghanistan when a he kicked a live grenade away from his team and sustained shrapnel damage that remains in his leg to this day. “He never even went home!” Werder told Cowboys Wire. “And he’s so full of humility, which is really striking to someone like me, who goes to NFL games every week and watches these athletes celebrate themselves for every small achievement- a first down requires a personalized dance that’s well-rehearsed and choreographed- and these people take incredible risks on behalf of the country and suffer unimaginably and yet don’t talk about it.” The “Never Settle Stories” that Werder helps the families share are touching and inspiring, but they go even beyond tales of great sacrifice. Thanks to the scholarships made possible by the outreach effort, these are lessons about perseverance and making sure those acts of bravery and courage are paid forward to the next generation. Consider Allie, whose father died from a spinal cord injury he suffered during a parachute jump while he was an Army Specialist. Her scholarship allowed her to get a Master’s degree in music therapy, a calling she discovered during her dad’s rehab journey. Allie put it best, Werder said, when summing up how life-changing the Folds of Honor scholarships can be for recipients: “You’re not just giving them college scholarships, you’re making better people, who
Cowboys 2024 rookie report: Rookies provide very little in upsetting loss
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images Cowboys rookies really struggled against the Lions, although to be clear so did the rest of the team. The Dallas Cowboys took another huge loss at home. In 2023, AT&T stadium was a fortress and registered zero regular-season losses for Dallas while playing at home. This year things keep going from bad to worse and the whole roster is to blame, even the rookies. Here’s a break down of each rookie from last week’s defeat against the Lions. OT Tyler GuytonInactive/Did not play for this game. DE Marshawn Kneeland Inactive/Did not play for this game. C Cooper Beebe The start of the rookie report takes a while to get going this week since Marshawn Kneeland was placed on injured reserve and Tyler Guyton, the team’s first-round draft pick, sat out the Detroit game. He suffered a knee injury early on during Dallas’ win against the Pittsburgh Steelers two weeks ago, so there is that to add for some context. Cooper Beebe did suit up, however, and was part of an offensive line that offered very little protection for Dak Prescott and had zero push in the run game. Dak was pressured on nearly 50% of his snaps last week, and that’s one of the most abysmal stats of the day. Beebe managed to stay clear of allowing any sacks, but he did allow three pressures. His run blocking though, was maybe as bad as Zack Martin’s last week. LB Marist Liufau Marist Liufau was in rotation and probably got some extra work after Eric Kendricks was ruled out. Run defense was an issue, more specifically missed tackles while trying to stop the run. Liufau managed to make one stop, but was no stranger last week in falling off the Lions running backs. A tough day again for the young linebacker and a lot of blame has to go to the defensive line for allowing the Cowboys linebackers very little room to play. CB Caelen Carson Inactive/Did not play for this game WR Ryan Flournoy Flournoy came in and played a grand total of two snaps against Detroit. Unfortunately, the negativity doesn’t end there. Flournoy managed to get one reception on those two plays, but he fumbled the ball which was recovered by the Lions. The fumble added to Dallas’ huge turnover count in last week’s game. TE Brevyn Spann-Ford Ford played 13 snaps on offense, six of those snaps came in as an extra blocker on running plays. He was never targeted once during the game, but his run blocking was adequate on the day. S Emany Johnson Inactive/Did not play for this game. LB Brock Mogensen Inactive/Did not play for this game. DT Denzel Daxon Inactive/Did not play for this game
Cowboys news: Jerry Jones explains himself after fired up radio appearance
Tim Heitman-Imagn Images The latest headline surrounding the Dallas Cowboys. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones explains himself to The Athletic after fired up radio comments Tuesday – Jon Machota and Diana Russini, The Athletic Jerry Jones spoke for the first time after his contentious appearance on 105.3 The Fan. While attending NFL meetings Tuesday afternoon in Atlanta, Jones explained in an exclusive interview with The Athletic’s Dianna Russini why he reacted the way he did. “I don’t know that I would go as far as (calling) the volume connotation as yelling,” Jones said. “OK? But the facts are that if I’m going to be grilled by the tribunal, I don’t need it to be by the guys I’m paying. I can take it from fans and take it from other people. I take a lot of pride in how fair and how much I try to work with the media, we’re brothers and sisters. But I was a little frustrated there today. “We got in there as of accounting for decisions made in the offseason. OK? They might as well gone back to decisions made in 2010. My point is, and that’s from my perspective, there’s no question, I’m sure, that they would have liked to have grilled me like the fans are thinking, what are you going to do about that? I get it. I get all of that. And really will go along with it. Jones went on to further explain how his frustration stemmed from the individuals asking the questions, not necessarily the topic itself. “The wrong ones were doing the questioning. Now, if those had been real fans sitting there or if there had been people that knew what they were talking about, football people, I might have had a different answer.” Jones also made it clear that he has no plans of making significant changes to his coaching staff. The majority of Dallas’ coaches are on either one-year deals or are in the final year of their contracts. Coach Mike McCarthy is in the final year of his five-year deal. The Big Thing: The Cowboys can’t seem to get up from the mat – Ben Solak, ESPN Solak offers a micro and a macro view of what’s wrong with the Cowboys. Hard to say which is more concerning. The micro view is crystal clear and highly troubling. The Cowboys can’t stop any offense with a pulse. The departure of longtime defensive coordinator Dan Quinn this offseason took the bite out of the defense. Quinn’s commitment to a deep stable of dedicated pass rushers kept the Cowboys among the league’s leaders in pressure rate every season. When he left to become the Commanders’ coach, depth rushers Dante Fowler Jr. and Dorance Armstrong followed him to Washington. The injury bug bit at the wrong time, taking Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence and rookie Marshawn Kneeland out for this game against the Lions, though the Dallas pass rush was already dropping to fine-but-unspectacular levels before the absences accumulated. As new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has tried to transition this depth chart to his style, gaps have become apparent. Diggs looks nothing like the ball-hawking star he was under Quinn. Undersized linebackers DeMarvion Overshown and Damone Clark, drafted for Quinn’s defensive approach, lack the staunchness against the run to survive in Zimmer’s defense. Defensive tackles Mazi Smith and Osa Odighizuwa are struggling in the trenches. There is no defender playing better ball now than he did under Quinn, nor is there a surprising contributor pulling beyond their usual weight. The Cowboys are giving up 0.17 EPA per run on defense. That’s not only the worst number among defenses in 2024, it would also be the worst single-season figure since 2006. The story on defense is one of a schematic change and accordingly misfit personnel — nothing new in the NFL. The story on offense is a familiar one, too. Just plain old talent attrition. […] And that brings us to our macro view, which is still one of attrition — but attrition of a different sort. There is a great and unique pain in that concoction of regular-season success and postseason failure that the Cowboys have endured in recent years. The consistent winning performances in the regular season create high expectations, from which the postseason falls are all the more crushing. Over and over and over again, the McCarthy-era Cowboys climbed the mountain to do only one thing: fall from it. Now, this team finally looks like it can’t get up from the mat. It doesn’t have the energy to climb the mountain again, not when so many players and coaches have left. And the players and coaches who remain are a year older, a year more banged up and a year more jaded. Whatever sharp edge Dallas had as a contending team, full of belief, has been dulled. Mike Zimmer admits to hitting ‘panic’ button too early vs. Lions – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer could have played things differently on Sunday. “I probably panicked on some calls early because [Detroit] hit us with some things early,” Zimmer said. “And so I changed up a little bit, probably a little too soon.” The way the game went, it felt like no matter what Zimmer and the Cowboys defense tried to do wouldn’t have worked. Detroit had a field day on offense, scoring 47 points and 492 yards of total offense. When things have gone downhill for Dallas’ defense, it feels like an avalanche and that was the case again on Sunday. “When we’ve been bad, it’s like it just steamrolls,” Zimmer said. “It goes bad, bad, bad, bad… a lot of it comes down to eye discipline, guys running to get somewhere, trying to get somewhere fast when they don’t need to be.” Among the many things the defense will have to work on during the bye week and the rest of the season is tackling, as the Cowboys are one of the worst teams in the NFL
Cowboys Headlines: Jerry offers context on radio rant, Zimmer admits to panicking, Dak’s message for Hutchinson
Amari Cooper trade history: Where does Cowboys’ deal stack up vs. Browns’ recent move? :: Dallas Morning News Link The ex-Cowboy has been traded again, for the third time in six years. The Bills sent a 2025 third-round draft pick and a 2026 seventh-rounder for Cooper (plus a sixth-rounder next spring). He cost Dallas a first-rounder in 2018; the Cowboys then dealt him to Cleveland in early 2022 for a fifth-rounder and a swap of sixth-round selections. Jerry Jones threatens radio hosts: ‘I’ll get someone else to ask these questions’ :: Cowboys Wire Link Jones’s weekly call-in stirred up quite a storm of controversy after he got testy with 105.3 hosts Shan and RJ for asking him about his inaction during the offseason resulting in team showings like Sunday’s. The owner then cut off a follow-up question before it was even finished being asked. The flagship station has come under fire before for going easy on the front office for fear of losing their broadcast rights and exclusive access. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones explains himself to The Athletic after fired up radio comments Tuesday :: The Athletic Link Jones tried to offer context to his snippy comments from earlier in the day, explaining that the team’s business relationship with the radio station was indeed a factor in how he responded. “The facts are that if I’m going to be grilled by the tribunal, I don’t need it to be by the guys I’m paying,” he said. “If those had been real fans sitting there or if there had been people that knew what they were talking about, football people, I might have had a different answer.” Radio host shocked by Jerry’s explanation :: Shan Shariff Mike Zimmer admits to hitting ‘panic’ button too early vs. Lions :: The Mothership Link The DC said he “changed up a little bit, probably a little too soon” after the Lions’ quick offensive start Sunday. “When we’ve been bad, it’s like it just steamrolls. It goes bad, bad, bad, bad… a lot of it comes down to eye discipline, guys running to get somewhere, trying to get somewhere fast when they don’t need to be.” From missed tackles to getting off blocks, converging on the ball, and stopping the run, there’s plenty for his unit to work on in the bye week. Why Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will not make an in-season coaching change :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram Link Jones was adamant that he will not make an in-season coaching change, despite having done it before. “We were one-and-seven at that time, one-and-seven … At that particular time, I did think it was the thing to do,” Jones said of his 2010 dismissal of Wade Phillips. “I think it did produce a positive effect, but we’ll never know… It was one of the few times in my 35 years in the NFL that I heard throughout the league that the one coach was responsible for them having the team, and that was Wade Phillips running the defense for Denver when they won the Super Bowl. Now, that was the coach I’d let go out of here just a few years earlier. So, so much for knee jerking on one-and-seven.” Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy: ‘We relish’ chance to bounce back from blowout loss to Lions :: NFL.com Link For McCarthy and the Cowboys, there’s nowhere to go but up after their Week 6 whipping. “This is a place that a lot of good can come out of it. Been here before,” the coach said. “And I think this is a really good opportunity for our leadership. I think it’s an excellent opportunity for our young guys to continue to play. It’s an excellent opportunity for those guys to build off some of the things they have done well. Because this will pay forward. In my experience it always has. When you play young players this much and play this many different players this much, I think the long game definitely has a chance to be very bright.” Cowboys-Lions postgame analysis :: Cowboys Wire Cowboys’ Dak Prescott plans to reach out to Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson after injury :: MLive Link Prescott remembers all too well the difficult journey that comes after suffering a season-ending injury. “I just told him to keep his head up. It is part of the story, I promise,” he said of the Lions star who broke a tibia sacking Prescott in the third quarter. “Wishing him the best in his recovery. I know it’s going to be a mental challenge just as much as it is physical, but the way that he started his career and the player that he seems to be, I imagine he’ll be just fine and recover from it.” Prescott offered Hutchinson a few words as he being carted away Sunday, and he added that he plans to get the lineman’s phone number and reach out again. NFL Power Rankings Week 7: Cowboys in bottom 10? Texans, Lions chase No. 1 spot :: Cowboys Wire Link It was quite a fall for Dallas, dropping 11 spots after the mauling from Detroit. Sitting just outside the top 10 after last week’s win, the Cowboys now find themselves at No. 22, just barely outside the league’s worst ten teams. 2024 NFL playoff picture: AFC, NFC seed projections, chances :: ESPN Link Despite sitting at .500, the Cowboys currently have just a 20% chance of making the postseason. Their chances of winning the NFC East? 11%. They’re being given only a 1% chance of earning a Super Bowl berth. Lainey Wilson suiting up for Dallas Cowboys halftime show on Thanksgiving :: Billboard Link The country singer is expected to perform songs from her new album, which debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, as well as some seasonal favorites. Wilson will also reportedly be joined by a surprise guest. The Cowboys/Giants halftime show will serve as this year’s kickoff to The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign.
2024 NFL Week 7 Power Rankings: Dallas Cowboys are a below average team
Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images The latest batch of power rankings are not too kind to the Dallas Cowboys. Another NFL week has come and gone and while it is starting to feel like we have an idea on who the serious players are across the league, much about what we wanted to know about the Dallas Cowboys remains a mystery. Are they contending? Are they close? Are they trying? These are all fair questions. Dallas has reached their bye week with a .500 record to show for their work which is not as horrible as we all feel, but it sort of feels like dark clouds are on the horizon as winter approaches. Perhaps an off week will lead to things cooling down a bit, but there is never off time relative to the league as a whole. We are here once again for the latest round of power rankings here at Blogging The Boys where we have put together a list ranking all 32 squads across the NFL. As always we have also curated where outlets across the internet have the Cowboys ranked. You can view last week’s power rankings right here. 1 – Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 1) Sorry about the Royals. 2 – Baltimore Ravens (LW: 2) It is wild to recall that they were 0-2. They look like a machine. 3 – Detroit Lions (LW: 6) Speaking of! This team is full of deceptacons and no one can convince me otherwise. I admire greatly how petty they were and hellbent their team was on sending a message. That is elite stuff. 4 – Minnesota Vikings (LW: 3) It is going to be fun to watch them out of the bye. 5 – Houston Texans (LW: 4) Detroit’s jump pushed them down a spot, but they are still a very good team. 6 – Buffalo Bills (LW: 7) Adding Amari Cooper (they paid more to do so than the Browns did to originally acquire him from the Cowboys) is going to make them all sorts of fun. 7 – Washington Commanders (LW: 5) It really does feel like their year in the NFC East. Look at Dan Quinn go. Even with a loss, their momentum is building. 8 – Green Bay Packers (LW: 10) What a performance. Everything felt so lost when Jordan Love looked gone for the season. They are here and they are for real. 9 – San Francisco 49ers (LW: 8) They will play the Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch before hosting the Cowboys next Sunday night. Gulp. 10 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 15) It appears that this is a real thing and not just a project. Good for them. They have really turned the franchise around. The Tom Brady effect is real. 11 – Chicago Bears (LW: 13) On the subject of “good for them” type of stuff, I have a soft spot for the Bears. It is great to see them thriving and with an actual franchise quarterback at the command of it all. 12 – Atlanta Falcons (LW: 11) The Thursday night win feels forever ago. They can be players in the NFC South, but the season is long and we need to see them make it through. 13 – Arizona Cardinals (LW: 12) I’m not ready to sell my Cardinals stock quite yet, but it would be nice if they could be the same team week to week. 14 – Seattle Seahawks (LW: 14) Their losses have been so close and interesting. It would also be foolish to count them out. 15 – Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 16) One of the most frustrating parts about this Cowboys season is that its funkiness is inhibiting us from enjoying the mess in Philadelphia. What are you doing, Nick Sirianni?! 16 – Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 20) A win is a win, but it would be nice to see them look prettier here. 17 – Dallas Cowboys (LW: 9) I had them where I did last week out of optimism that they had shown us they could stand tall through two tough road games. That optimism was… misplaced. 18 – Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 25) Why turn to Russell Wilson now? 19 – Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 27) Another team that is just sort of existing at the moment. 20 – New Orleans Saints (LW: 17) Like with the Eagles it is tough to enjoy this given the state of things, but New Orleans has lost every single game since trouncing the Cowboys. 21 – Indianapolis Colts (LW: 23) Give us more Joe Flacco! 22 – New York Jets (LW: 29) The Aaron Rodgers of it all is very annoying, especially for us, but I’d be lying if I said I was not somewhat excited to see if he and Davante Adams can really do this together again. 23 – Los Angeles Rams (LW: 18) Floating in the wind. 24 – Denver Broncos (LW: 19) Sean Payton remains very fortunate that he did not take over the Cowboys. His team is so underwhelming and unimaginative. 25 – New York Giants (LW: 21) They have so many almost wins. 26 – Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 22) This Sunday feels rather important for Doug Pederson. 27 – Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 24) Yet another lost season. Please let Maxx Crosby find success elsewhere. 28 – Tennessee Titans (LW: 26) They are an NFL team. That’s all I got. 29 – Carolina Panthers (LW: 28) Same song and dance. 30 – Miami Dolphins (LW: 30) Maybe the bye helped them out? Doubtful. 31 – New England Patriots (LW: 31) Drake Maye looked good. Let’s let him continue to grow and learn. 32 – Cleveland Browns (LW: 32) Thank you for letting Amari Cooper go find success elsewhere. NFL.com: 19 (LW: 13) So it begins. After two straight wins, including the last-minute thriller in Pittsburgh, everything came crashing down harder than anyone thought possible Sunday against the Lions. AT&T Stadium hosted 16 straight Cowboys wins through the
Jerry Jones: Dallas Cowboys will not be active at NFL trade deadline
Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Jerry Jones noted that the Dallas Cowboys will NOT be active at the NFL trade deadline. Tuesday was a surreal day for the Dallas Cowboys. It all started with Jerry Jones taking to the radio airwaves of 105.3 The Fan and taking exception to questions about how he and his front office built this year’s version of the team. When pressed along the lines of why were not more active, Jerry told hosts Shan Shariff, RJ Choppy and Bobby Belt that it was not their job to question him and that their job was to let him openly pontificate on various news items. He then threatened to have them removed from being the people who get to question him. Seriously. This all really happened. As the football world collectively (think about how hard it is to unite people over anything, let alone something football-related) noted how out of line this was across the day, the Cleveland Browns traded Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills and received more in return for him than they originally gave to the Cowboys to acquire him back in 2022. Again. Really. If you thought things would die down there, you clearly have underestimated the Cowboys. While at NFL owners meetings, Jerry spoke to Dianna Russini of The Athletic and actually doubled (tripled?) down on his criticism of the hosts from The Fan. He noted that they are not football people and that because of that he did not feel the need to be tolerant of their questioning. Again, once more. This really did happen. As transcribed by The Athletic’s Jon Machota: “I don’t know that I would go as far as (calling) the volume connotation as yelling. OK? But the facts are that if I’m going to be grilled by the tribunal, I don’t need it to be by the guys I’m paying. I can take it from fans and take it from other people. I take a lot of pride in how fair and how much I try to work with the media, we’re brothers and sisters. But I was a little frustrated there today. … The wrong ones were doing the questioning. Now, if those had been real fans sitting there or if there had been people that knew what they were talking about, football people, I might have had a different answer.” This was not the end of Russini’s reporting though as she offered a note out herself. With Cooper getting traded, Davante Adams was sent from the Las Vegas Raiders to the New York Jets while the original radio saga was going on, many have wondered also whether or not Dallas may get involved for a desperate move to save their season, similar to what Cooper was himself for the team six years ago. According to Russini, that is not to be the case. She noted that Jerry said that the Cowboys will not be active before the trade deadline. He also apparently reiterated to her that the Cowboys will not be making any changes at head coach or any coordinator spot. As for the upcoming November 5th NFL trade deadline, #Cowboys Jerry Jones says they will not be active. He also says they will not be making any changes at head coach or coordinators. He points to a lot of details that need to improve during practice. — Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) October 15, 2024 It is possible that this is just posturing or gamesmanship from Jerry so as not to show the team’s cards, but given the events of the entire day it is difficult to make any assumption one way or the other. This is the team’s bye week and one that is supposed to be headline-free. Who would have thought?
