Photo by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images With a rookie QB trending towards a historic season, the Washington Commanders are staking their claim on the NFC East. So, who had Washington leading the NFC East going into October? Even most Commanders fans would’ve bet against it, but that’s where we are after the first four weeks of the 2024 season. With the Cowboys and Eagles having issues, the first quarter has gone to the red-helmeted stepkids of the division. Can Washington keep this going? As long as QB Jayden Daniels continues to be an efficient dual threat, they can certainly keep their record above .500 and find a place in the playoff picture. Their four games against Dallas and Philadelphia should go a long way to determining just where they’ll stand. For now, here are the NFC East standings ahead of Week 5: Washington Commanders 3-1 (1-0 in division, 2-1 vs NFC) Dallas Cowboys 2-2 (1-0, 1-1) Philadelphia Eagles 2-2 (0-0, 2-2) New York Giants 1-3 (0-2, 0-3) Dallas has the second spot over Philly thanks to their division win over the Giants. The Eagles haven’t had the privilege yet of facing New York, or any other NFC East team, so that will balance out in Week 7 with the first Eagles-Giants meeting. The Commanders’ top spot in the division probably won’t change this week as they’ll be hosting the Cleveland Browns. Even if Washington was to get upset, the Eagles are on a bye and the Cowboys have a tough road game in Pittsburgh. Given the circumstances, it’s far more likely that the Commanders will extend their lead this week than lose it. As for the Giants, things should go from bad to worse with their road game in Seattle. They face a Seahawks team coming off their first loss of the season, and a tough one in a shootout with the Lions. They’ll be looking to take their frustration out on the next opponent and New York is a perfect punching bag. While it’s still early in the 2024 season, things are starting to take shape. With every win, the Washington Commanders are looking less like a fluke and more like a problem. The Cowboys and Eagles will need to right their ships quickly if either expects to overtake them.

Madden believes the Cowboys are coming out on top this week. It feels like forever since we last saw the Dallas Cowboys play. Such is the case when you are coming off of a Thursday night game. Dallas played a primetime affair that the whole world got to see. This week’s contest is no different as the Cowboys will visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football, which means everyone will get a chance to be annoyed at them winning or enjoy the fall into the black hole. With the Cowboys coming off of a win, a win in Pittsburgh would give them their first positive streak of 2024. Given that they are dealing with a litany of injuries right now a win would be welcome news, however the team is ultimately able to get it. Something we like to do around here is figure out what is going to happen and to do that we use the only real simulation method possible… Madden 25. Every week we run a sim of the upcoming Cowboys game to see how it has the game unfolding and this week they’ve got the Cowboys coming out on top 28-14. You can watch the entire simulation below: Incidentally, this is only the first time this season that Madden has predicted the Cowboys to win. With that being the case, the game is obviously 2-2 on the season so far, just like the team. Week 1 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Cleveland Browns, 18-17 Week 1 In Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat Cleveland Browns, 33-17 Week 2 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to New Orleans Saints, 36-29 Week 2 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to New Orleans Saints, 44-10 Week 3 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to Baltimore Ravens, 21-14 Week 3 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys lose to Baltimore Ravens, 28-25 Week 4 Madden Prediction: Dallas Cowboys lose to New York Giants, 28-21 Week 4 in Actuality: Dallas Cowboys beat New York Giants, 20-15 It is actually difficult to simulate so many injuries for the Cowboys. If you do watch the simulation you will see Micah Parsons make an occasional appearance even though he has already been ruled out of the game. Madden is not a perfect product, no video game is, so you can’t completely eliminate somebody no matter how hard you try. Here’s to hoping that Madden gets the first win it predicts for the Cowboys this season correct.

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images With Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence absent, rookie defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland’s importance has sky-rocketed. There’s no way around it, Week 5 is going to be a challenge for the Dallas Cowboys. With a laundry list of injuries, and unproven depth all over the roster, Dallas is heading into a prime time matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a lot of unknowns. A roster that came into the season with question marks already has gotten painfully thinner in a rapid amount of time, and has set the stage for young players needing to step up in a big way. However, none are probably needed more now than rookie second-round pass rusher Marshawn Kneeland. Already called upon once when Sam Williams got injured in training camp, Kneeland is once again the man Mike Zimmer and Co. are looking towards for answers. By now you know that Micah Parsons is out for at least this week and DeMarcus Lawrence is out for at least a month. As far as defensive losses go, there may not be any bigger than that for this Dallas unit. While it’s clear that the Cowboys are now at a disadvantage with both of their starting defensive linemen out, the NFL is a league that does not pity injuries, and the Cowboys are going to just have to find a way to persevere without them. Now, the attention, the opportunity, and perhaps even the hope, rests on Kneeland’s shoulders. The rookie out of Western Michigan was drafted to eventually replace Lawrence down the line, as they have similar body-types, playing-styles, and high motor. But the idea he would need to do so this early in his career is a curveball. Kneeland is set to become the guy for Week 5, and perhaps longer, and Dallas needs him to rise to the occasion. Thus far in limited opportunities Kneeland has tallied eight total tackles, one tackle for loss, and one QB hit. Numbers that aren’t all that inspiring, but something that is expected to change with an increase in chances. #Cowboys rookie DE Marshawn Kneeland had a nice debut yesterday Played mostly off the edge but kicked inside fairly often. Relentless play style; definitely has an edge to him. Length showed up. Power showed up. Bend showed up. They’ll need him w/ turnover they’ve had there. pic.twitter.com/XvTMM1z1B4 — Fran Duffy (@FDuffyNFL) September 9, 2024 The young defensive lineman has shown glimpses of productivity, but it’s now time for a crash course, and how he answers the challenge over the next few weeks could tell the story of the 2024 season. Regardless of the short-term outcome, Kneeland will be better off for the the invaluable experience he is going to gain in the long run, but with only four games in the book for this year, the eye is still on the prize to try and do something productive this season. Easier said than done, but it is something Kneeland will now have a much larger impact on, than perhaps he or the team had originally forecasted.

Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images The Dallas Cowboys are placing Brandin Cooks on injured reserve which means he will miss at least four games. The Dallas Cowboys are dealing with a litany of injuries these days and on Saturday news on that front intensified. While it had been somewhat speculated up until then, things were made official when the team announced among the elevation news for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers that wide receiver Brandin Cooks is headed to injured reserve. The @dallascowboys transactions before Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh: Reserve/Injured:WR Brandin Cooks Signed to 53-man roster from practice squad:LB Nick Vigil Elevated from practice squad:DE Carl LawsonCB Amani Oruwariye — Dallas Cowboys Public Relations (@DallasCowboysPR) October 5, 2024 Word emerged this past week that Cooks would at the very least miss Sunday’s game as a result of an infection that developed following a procedure he had after last week’s Thursday win against the New York Giants. Clearly things evolved a bit from that point to now. Injured reserve rules dictate that players placed on it must miss four games so even though Dallas is on bye in two weeks, Cooks will miss four contests at minimum: at Pittsburgh Steelers Detroit Lions BYE at San Francisco 49ers at Atlanta Falcons The earliest Cooks can return is on November 10th when the Cowboys host the Philadelphia Eagles. Making do without him until then will be challenging to say the least. Dallas obviously has one of the best wide receivers in the game in CeeDee Lamb, but they are relatively unproven beyond him. Jalen Tolbert has had moments this season, as has KaVonate Turpin, but Jalen Brooks is someone we are still waiting to see take the next step. Rookie Ryan Flournoy will be asked to do more, it would also behoove the Cowboys to consider adding external talent. That last point was true when the offseason began but as we have noted many times over the calendar year, the Cowboys did what they wanted to do and those decisions (or lack of them) have consequences. Here they are.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images There are a couple of Steelers players who present greater challenges than others. 2023 Overview Any team that is coached by Mike Tomlin is going to be ready to play on any given Sunday. Such was the case for the 2023 Steelers who finished 10-7 and made it to the playoffs once again. Tomlin has never had a losing season during his tenure in Pittsburgh and the team has built a reputation for being a tough, well-coached football team under his watch. Fast forward to 2024 and this Steelers team looks vastly different but under Mike Tomlin it will still be a disciplined football team who should be respected. 2023 Record: 10-7 Last Meeting: 11/8/2020 Steelers win, 24-19. Dallas Cowboys lead series 17-16-0 Head Coach: Mike Tomlin (176-101-2 as a head coach) Key Additions: QB Justin Fields, QB Russell Wilson, LB Patrick Queen Key Departures: QB Kenny Pickett, WR Diontae Jackson, WR Allen Robinson II Player to watch… T.J. Watt Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images What more can you say about T.J. Watt that hasn’t already been said about the playmaker? Watt may be the most feared pass rusher in the game today and the Cowboys better have a plan for how to stop him on Sunday. With a rookie left tackle in Tyler Guyton, and Terrence Steele at right tackle who has been known to be shaky at times, figuring out how to limit Watt and his impact will be key to the team’s success. Watt has the ability to completely change the momentum of a game and if the Cowboys don’t come prepared, he’s going to be a game-wrecker once again. Whether it’s by keeping a running back in or chipping him with a tight end, the Cowboys are going to have to maneuver their offense around where Watt is in order to limit his impact. Don’t forget about… George Pickens Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images With the shakiness that is the Dallas Cowboys secondary George Pickens has a chance to make a massive impact on Sunday night. The Cowboys are battling injury issues at corner so they will be undermanned even if it is just DaRon Bland who misses the game. Pickens, a dynamic pass catcher out of Georgia, is rounding into form as one of the games best receivers. Trevon Diggs will travel some, but Mike Zimmer doesn’t ask him to do it all the time, setting up a situation where Pickens can find a favorable matchup against other cornerbacks the Cowboys trot out there. Last week he went off for over 100 yards receiving. If the Cowboys aren’t careful and don’t have a plan for it, they could see Pickens do something like that once again.

Tim Heitman-Imagn Images The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys is here. Jerry Jones hypes up Cowboys rookie WR: ‘He’s got Dez Bryant stuff to him’ – SportsDay Staff, Dallas Morning News Jerry Jones, forever the hype man, gave rookie wide receiver Ryan Flournoy some huge kudos. During his weekly radio interview on 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM), Jones compared 2024 sixth-round draft pick Ryan Flournoy to the Cowboys’ all-time leader in touchdown receptions. “Flournoy is somebody that I’m anxious to see him make his first catch with the Dallas Cowboys. He may be something special for us, ” Jones said. “On a personal basis, he’s got Dez Bryant stuff to him. Boy, is he an athlete.” The Cowboys drafted Flournoy — who stands at 6-1, weighing 200 pounds — No. 216 overall from Southeast Missouri State. He has been inactive in each of the Cowboys first four games of the season, but could be making his pro debut on Sunday in Pittsburgh thanks to the absence of Brandin Cooks. High 5: Five players who need big games in Pittsburgh – Kyle Youmans, DallasCowboys.com Here are two of the five players Youmans believes the Cowboys will need to step up to win their second consecutive game. 5) Jalen Tolbert For the first time in his career, Jalen Tolbert will be expected to be a true second wide receiver. He’s had to perform in the shadow of Michael Gallup and Brandin Cooks since being drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Luckily, Prescott and Tolbert had all sorts of extra reps during the CeeDee Lamb holdout in training camp. So far in 2024, he’s been targeted 19 times for 13 catches and 160 yards. He’ll need to produce much more than that if he hopes to continue to elevate and receive more looks as the year goes on. 4) Jake Ferguson In the last two seasons, Jake Ferguson has shown to be a consistent and reliable target for Dak Prescott at the tight end position. This week, he’ll need to become more of the playmaker that we saw at times last season. He’s only two weeks removed from an early-season knee injury himself, but his production could be key to replacing the offensive possibilities without Cooks. What happened to the Cowboys defense? Turning back to the past with Mike Zimmer hasn’t panned out – Jared Dubin, CBS Sports The new era of defense for the Cowboys under Mike Zimmer is off to a slow start. There were initially high hopes that Zimmer could replicate some of the successes of the Quinn era while also making the team more disciplined and sounder against the run. We’re four weeks into the season, and to put it kindly, that has not happened. Zimmer has been out of the league for two years, and it shows. His unit looks not unlike the one he helped coach under Deion Sanders at Colorado last season. The Cowboys have played two of the most inept offenses in the NFL (Browns and Giants) and yet still rank 25th in yards allowed and 27th in points allowed, 25th in yards per play and 26th in points per drive. The Cowboys check in 25th in EPA per play allowed — 18th against the pass and dead last against the run as they prepare to face the Steelers on Sunday night. Very simply, they do not do anything well. They are particularly awful, though, against the run. They are getting absolutely clobbered on the ground allowing 1.87 yards before contact per carry — fourth-worst in the NFL. They’ve stopped the third-smallest share of runs at or behind the line of scrimmage (15%) and have yielded 5-plus yards on 37.8% of carries, which ranked 23rd. Even when stacking the box, they can’t stop the run, allowing a league-worst 4.9 yards per carry. Even their vaunted pass rush has gone by the wayside, as they now rank just 15th in pressure rate and 21st in sack rate. Dak Prescott won’t try to be ‘Superman’ but who knows he ‘can play better’ – Nick Eatman, DallasCowboys.com The Cowboys need Dak Prescott to up his game, but he’ll be smart in doing so. Two seasons ago, the Cowboys lost quarterback Dak Prescott to a broken thumb just one game into the regular season. What happened next was a shock to the entire NFL as the Cowboys leaned on a Micah Parsons-led defense that ignited a five-game winning streak as the team rallied around Cooper Rush to pick up the slack for the offense. Could the roles be reversed now here in 2024? The Cowboys certainly hope so as they get ready to play the Steelers on Sunday night without Parsons, who will miss his first game of his career due to injury. But that’s not all, as DeMarcus Lawrence (foot) this week was moved to IR, where All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland still stands as he nears a return. And then on offense, Brandin Cooks is out this week after suffering an infection in his knee. Just like a team that came together to overcome adversity in 2022, could they perhaps do the same on the opposite end this time around? If so, the Cowboys are going to need to rally around their two offensive stars – Dak and CeeDee Lamb, who both signed mega-deals in the last two months for a combined $94 million in annual contracts. Prescott said he understands the added pressure on the offense and himself, but when asked if he’ll try to be “Superman” and take over, Dak said there’s always that standard to try and make the big play, without getting out of his comfort zone. “I don’t break the huddle and say I’ve got to go be Superman here,” Dak explained. “But I’ve been able to break some tackles. I’ve been able to do some things that have helped us out. As I said, use my feet more, make the throws and so I don’t think it’s

Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images The Cowboys have counted on young players to step up all season long and Sunday night will be no different. Heading into the 2024 season, the Cowboys were very upfront with their plan to rely on rookies and young players to fill holes in their roster left by free agency exits. Five of their 2024 draft picks have already had significant playing time in the first four games. Week 5 may bring that number up to six. The Cowboys suffered some major setbacks in the victory over the New York Giants last Thursday when it comes to injuries. Brandin Cooks, Micah Parsons, and DeMarcus Lawrence will all miss playing time in the next few weeks. If you’re wondering how the Cowboys plan to address these different positions, look no further than their original plan: the rookies and young players. It is currently uncertain how much time Cooks will need to recover from an infection from some injections he received after the Giants game, but he is currently ruled out for this week’s matchup against the Steelers. Mike McCarthy and Dak Prescott have both mentioned that it is time for the young receivers to step up. The majority of the work will fall on the shoulders of Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, and Jalen Brooks to carry the load in Cooks’ absence. However, it will also bring a big opportunity for rookie WR Ryan Flournoy as he looks to be activated for his first NFL game. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott on the loss of Brandin Cooks: “He damn sure will be missed.“ Added that it’s time for Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, and Ryan Flournoy to step up. pic.twitter.com/gGPJluACrc — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) October 3, 2024 Many fans on X (Twitter) have been calling for Flournoy to get his chance long before the injury to Cooks. And during the first four games, he was anxiously waiting with them. Now that it looks like his time has come, he is ready to step up and help the offense be successful. Cowboys WR Ryan Flournoy ahead of NFL debut on Sunday: “Super confident. I’ve built that hunger. It’s week five and I haven’t played since that last preseason game. I’ve been hungry ever since. I’m thankful that I’m able to show what I got and prove to the world that I belong.” — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) October 2, 2024 In a recent article by Patrik Walker on DallasCowboys.com, Flournoy talked about the inspiration and wisdom he has gained from Cooks’ leadership in the WR room. “Just respecting the game, the game of football,” he said. “You win, you lose but the next play, you respect it again by going out and playing your hardest. Brandin Cooks is an amazing football player, and an even more amazing person. What he’s taught me over the past few months that I’ve been here, man, I feel like I could play 11 years in the league just as he [is].” After he was drafted, Flournoy mentioned he compares to Dez Bryant in the type of WR he is. If Flournoy is able to showcase that and bring something different to this WR corps in Cooks’ absence, hopefully he will earn his permanent spot on the active roster. Great touchdown connection here between Trey Lance and Ryan Flournoy (via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/0dR5Nkr3Ys — RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) August 24, 2024 On the other side of the ball, there is a massive hole in the defensive line left by the injuries to Lawrence and Parsons. In order to help add bodies to the defensive line room, the Cowboys’ front office went out and added a pass rusher in K.J. Henry from the Bengals practice squad. However, their plan for these next few games without their star pass rushers mainly features the guys already in the room: rookie Marshawn Kneeland and Chauncey Golston. Marshawn Kneeland is the young player that the team is relying on to step up in these next few weeks, and it isn’t the first time he has been asked to do so. At the beginning of the season, he was asked to step up after Sam Williams tore his ACL and MCL. And he did. In his first four games he has done a pretty good job for a rookie. With six pressures and four QB hits, he ranks among the top of all rookie DL according to PFF. While those numbers are good for a rookie playing next to a few Pro Bowlers, he will now have to prove that he can step up again without them. #Cowboys Marshawn Kneeland stats among rookie defensive ends per @PFF: – 107 snaps (3rd)– 6 pressures (3rd)– 4 quarterback hits (T-1st)– 5 tackles (2nd)– 4 run stops (2nd) Dallas will be relying on their second round pick absence of DeMarcus Lawrence.#DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/GhFd6HP1CV — Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) September 30, 2024 While this may seem like a very daunting task for the rookie to make up for the absence of a “tank” and a “lion”, Mike McCarthy hinted that his role will be a bit different than previous weeks and the coaching staff is looking for ways to make it easier for Kneeland this Sunday. “I think the biggest thing is to own his role,” said McCarthy. “His role will be different this week and, without getting into specifics, he just needs to focus on that. He’s been playing in a couple different spots and special teams responsibilities. Of all the rookies who have played the first four games, he’s played the most positions. … When we get to Sunday, he’ll be able to focus more and have a more limited menu.” This week (and possibly a few more weeks before the bye) will be a big week for these young players to try and hold down the fort until some of these injured players can return. The coaches and teammates around them have a lot of faith that they will be successful in doing so. They’ve got