After a big win over the Commanders and with an offense many are declaring the best in the NFL, the Cowboys are riding into Week 8 with some momentum. If they can sustain it against a very good Broncos team, Dallas will be hard to ignore as a potential playoff team. But the hole they’ve […] After a big win over the Commanders and with an offense many are declaring the best in the NFL, the Cowboys are riding into Week 8 with some momentum. If they can sustain it against a very good Broncos team, Dallas will be hard to ignore as a potential playoff team. But the hole they’ve dug for themselves isn’t small, and they will likely need some help along the way to make the tournament. Granted, the most optimistic path to the playoffs is that Dallas finishes the season 13-3-1 and writes their own ticket. But we’re not quite that homerish. Still, it’s prudent to look at the Cowboys as a team with upward potential and possible playoff contenders. Here’s where the Cowboys sit in the NFC playoff standings going into Week 8: Packers (4-1-1 overall, 3-0-1 vs NFC) 49ers (5-2, 5-1) Eagles (5-2, 4-1) Buccaneers (5-2, 3-2) Lions (5-2, 2-1) Seahawks (5-2, 2-2) Rams (5-2. 0-2) Bears (4-2. 3-2) Panthers (4-2. 2-1) Cowboys (3-3-1, 2-3-1) Dallas is at least two wins behind most of those teams, and has the head-to-head disadvantage over Chicago and Carolina. But interestingly, even if they finish the season with the same number of wins as the Bears or Panthers, they’d still have a better overall record because of that tie with Green Bay. That would nullify the head-to-head tiebreaker. So, you see, the tie may not have been all bad. As we dig into the Week 8 schedule and what helps the Cowboys, we’ll continue to assess how results would impact both the 2025 playoffs and the 2026 draft. The Cardinals, Lions, Rams, and Seahawks are all on by this week, along with two AFC teams, so it will be a shorter list. NFC East Giants d. Eagles Easy one here; a New York win helps Dallas in the division race and in the draft. The Giants sweeping the Eagles would be quite the shocker, but we’ve seen crazier things in the NFC East through the years. Chiefs d. Commanders Washington has the QB and pieces to mount a second-half comeback this season, so another loss here is better for any potential division or wild card situation. While we don’t love the Commanders having a better draft pick than Dallas next April, it’s the lesser of evils. NFC vs. NFC Saints d. Buccaneers There will probably be times that we want division leaders like Tampa Bay to win games against other NFC teams who could bother Dallas in the wild card race. But the 1-6 Saints don’t appear to be such a team, making this another upset to comfortably root for. While it further cements New Orleans as a top-five draft team, Dallas probably isn’t getting into that mix anyway. NFC vs. AFC Chargers d. Vikings Minnesota is right on Dallas’ heels with a 3-3 record, and they should be getting QB J.J. McCarthy back very soon. Like Washington, this is a team we don’t need clawing their way back into playoff contention. The Cowboys can help put them away with a Week 15 meeting up north. Dolphins d. Falcons Similar logic; Atlanta is also 3-3 and could be a problem if they find some consistency with their young quarterback. Draft-focused fans should root the other way, given that Miami is probably too bad to catch and Atlanta’s a team Dallas needs to stay below in the standings. But from the playoff perspective, we’re rooting for the Dolphins. Bills d. Panthers AFC teams beating NFC teams is typically good for us, and that’s certainly true with the Panthers given their current playoff positioning. Thankfully, Buffalo is about as well-equipped to hang a loss on Carolina as anyone. Ravens d. Bears Will Lamar Jackson’s return change Baltimore’s fortunes? We certainly hope so, because losses by the Bears and Panthers this week would help get Dallas to the edge of a playoff spot. Texans d. 49ers If Dallas can win the NFC East, matching wins with the Niners would be nice for seeding purposes. Houston winning also helps Dallas in potential draft order, so it’s good either way. Steelers d. Packers Potential playoff implications? Check. Owning the Packers’ 2026 draft pick? Check. Pittsburgh staying ahead of Dallas in the draft order? Check. AFC vs. AFC Bengals d. Jets Browns d. Patriots Titans d. Colts This is all draft-focused. Wins by Cleveland and Tennesee make them easier to pass in the order, and don’t hurt on the other end against winning clubs like the Colts and Pats. But with the Jets at 0-7, better they just keep losing and give a win to a more catchable team like the 2-4 Bengals. See More: Dallas Cowboys General
Thursday Night Football live discussion: Vikings at Chargers
Week 8 kicks off with the Vikings and the Chargers. This is an open thread for game chat. Week 8 kicks off with the Vikings and the Chargers. This is an open thread for game chat.
Cowboys hope for 2025 is alive and well on both sides of ball because of Brian Schottenheimer
The Dallas Cowboys 44-22 win against the Washington Commanders provided a lot of reasons for optimism moving forward for the home team, now sitting at 3-3-1 and second place in the NFC East. Many of these reasons all flow together as, above all else, the Cowboys played complementary football to support another big offensive performance. […] The Dallas Cowboys 44-22 win against the Washington Commanders provided a lot of reasons for optimism moving forward for the home team, now sitting at 3-3-1 and second place in the NFC East. Many of these reasons all flow together as, above all else, the Cowboys played complementary football to support another big offensive performance. Now seven games into the season, the expectation that the Cowboys offense is going to remain a juggernaut is firmly in place. Dallas has scored at least 40 points in each of their home games, the run, pass, and play-action game all work, the offensive line is getting healthy again, and both CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are consistent playmakers. Jake Ferguson already has a career high in touchdowns at tight end. This expectation also exists on offense not just from the seven game sample size so far, but because of much deeper roots. Dak Prescott is playing at a MVP level as the engine for this entire offense, just like he did the last time he was fully healthy in 2023. The Cowboys have fielded top-scoring offenses in recent seasons similarly under Kellen Moore and Mike McCarthy. The Cowboys having this potent of an offense shouldn’t come as a surprise, and certainly isn’t unprecedented. Where they have fallen short is supporting these offenses in the playoffs to make them count for more than just eventually empty stats. These 2025 Cowboys face a unique challenge in this way, because just making the playoffs remains an uphill battle thanks to the early hole their defense is mostly responsible for in letdown losses at the Bears and Panthers. By surpassing the Commanders with not only a big game on offense but a completely revitalized performance on defense, week seven was a significant step towards having the playoff discussion going forward. If or when the Cowboys get there, these same reasons for the dominant win versus Washington may also be the exact reason they get there as one of the more viable Cowboys playoff teams in decades. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)Getty Images That reason is first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Not only is the way Schottenheimer has modernized the Cowboys offense to be more matchup oriented and multiple, a great sign for sustainability on this side of the ball, but he may have more positive influence on the defense than any Cowboys head coach in recent memory has – also evidenced against the Commanders. Jerry Jones told the media after the win that Schottenheimer worked with DC Matt Eberflus on the game plan against former Cowboys DC Dan Quinn’s team, while of course maintaining his play-calling and game-planning duties on offense. All the Cowboys offense did was set a franchise record for consecutive games without a turnover at four under Schottenheimer’s guidance against the Commanders, while also seeing Prescott throw at least three touchdowns for the fourth game in a row, with Schotty apparently adding defensive responsibilities to his week of preparation off a spirit-breaking loss. Schottenheimer having some apparent deference to Eberflus is also a massive deal for the overall dynamic of a coaching staff that elsewhere has earned a lot of praise. While Schottenheimer, Klayton Adams, and Conor Riley, among others, have been solid in their specific coaching duties, the most experienced coach of the bunch and only former head coach in Eberflus was the sole face of blame through the defensive struggles. Schottenheimer not addressing this and allowing the Cowboys miscalled defense to continue sinking an otherwise promising season on offense thanks to their ineffective zone would have been more in line with the actions of his predecessor McCarthy, who also had a former head coach and strong presence in Quinn as his DC for the majority of his tenure. It’s worth noting both Jerry and Stephen Jones have also very publicly defended Eberflus multiple times, really putting even more of an onus on Schottenheimer to work with the hand he’s dealt here in year one. Where McCarthy’s debut season was similarly lost because of Mike Nolan’s one-and-done defense, Schottenheimer’s 2025 campaign doesn’t have to be if the Cowboys use this Commanders win to build momentum. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)Getty Images The Cowboys getting a much improved and more sustainable offense with the hire of Schottenheimer may be good enough to simply make the playoffs, something this team has done in similar fashion enough times to hardly move the fanbase at this point. The Cowboys getting a head coach that can scheme this type of offense while also taking charge of his entire staff and addressing a major problem on defense head on may be good enough for the ultimate goal of making a deeper run in the playoffs. The Cowboys offense has succeeded, in the simplest terms, because they put their best playmakers in the best position to make plays. The scheme and philosophy is no longer rigid. Up until this last win against the Commanders, the Cowboys defense was rigid and not putting their defenders in the types of man coverages they are best at. That all changed against Washington. The Cowboys played much more man and scored ten points off a forced fumble and turnover on downs, and scored on defense for the first time this season with DaRon Bland’s pick-six. Getting too far ahead after any win, loss, or clunky tie for the 2025 Cowboys has mostly been a mistake this season, as they’ll still head to Denver this Sunday looking for their first winning streak under Schottenheimer – needing to do something Dallas hasn’t done in their last three trips there and win at the Broncos to get it. That said,
Cowboys at Broncos: 2 players Dallas should use more in Week 8
There was plenty to like about the Dallas Cowboys’ performance this past Sunday. Dallas put together their most complete game of the season, blowing out the Washington Commanders 44-22. This week, the Cowboys face a Denver Broncos team that the franchise has not beaten in 30 years. If Dallas wants to change that, they’ll need […] There was plenty to like about the Dallas Cowboys’ performance this past Sunday. Dallas put together their most complete game of the season, blowing out the Washington Commanders 44-22. This week, the Cowboys face a Denver Broncos team that the franchise has not beaten in 30 years. If Dallas wants to change that, they’ll need to make some adjustments coming into this matchup. With that thought in mind, here are two players Dallas should use more this week against Denver. Getty Images 1) TE Brevyn Spann-Ford Right now, it’s hard to criticize anything the Cowboys are doing on the offensive side of the ball. Seven games into the season, Dallas’ offense is averaging 32 points per game (second in the NFL) and leads the league in total yards. (2,734) While there is no denying the Cowboys’ offense has been better than anyone could have imagined, there are still some tweaks Dallas could make to fine-tune their talented offensive unit. One of those changes should be demoting backup tight end Luke Schoonmaker in favor of 25-year-old Brevyn Spann-Ford. Schoonmaker, who has not lived up to expectations after being a second-round pick back in 2023, has outsnapped Spann-Ford in every game this season. Last week against the Commanders, Schoonmaker’s inability to hold up as a run blocker cost Dallas two points on a safety. The former Michigan Wolverine’s run-blocking issues have been a constant problem since he entered the league. On the year, the 27-year-old tight end has a 55.3 run block grade, showing just how much he has struggled in that department. Schoonmaker has not been able to make up for his poor run blocking by making plays in the passing game like he did in college. Spann-Ford, on the other hand, has been very solid in the run game when he’s gotten his chances, and also has shown an ability to make plays down the field when he’s been given a chance in the passing game. On Sunday against the Commanders, Spann-Ford was once again very effective as a run blocker. It’s time for the Cowboys to pull the plug on the Luke Schoonmaker experience and start giving almost all of his offensive snaps to Brevyn Spann-Ford. Getty Images 2) DE Jadevon Clowney It took a minute, but former first-overall pick Jadeveon Clowney may be starting to heat up. After signing with the Cowboys two games into the season, the 32-year-old pass-rusher had a breakout game against the Commanders on Sunday. Clowney had by far his best showing of the season, recording four total pressures, three QB hurries, a fumble recovery, and his first sack of the season. When Dallas signed Clowney, there was hope that he could significantly improve their overall pass rush. It may have taken the veteran a bit to get going, but he showed on Sunday that he is still capable of doing just that. With guys like Dante Fowler and Sam Williams struggling to produce, Dallas needs to tighten up its pass rush rotation and give Clowney, as well as Donovan Ezeiruaku and James Houston, a large majority of the pass rush snaps. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster
Cowboys news: Several players had their practice windows opened
Cowboys open windows for Cooper Beebe, DeMarvion Overshown, Shavon Revel Jr. – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com Dallas is getting some key players back soon. FRISCO, Texas – On Wednesday, the Cowboys officially opened the 21-day return to practice windows for C Cooper Beebe, LB DeMarvion Overshown, and rookie CB Shavon Revel Jr. Brian Schottenheimer made the announcement […] Cowboys open windows for Cooper Beebe, DeMarvion Overshown, Shavon Revel Jr. – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com Dallas is getting some key players back soon. FRISCO, Texas – On Wednesday, the Cowboys officially opened the 21-day return to practice windows for C Cooper Beebe, LB DeMarvion Overshown, and rookie CB Shavon Revel Jr. Brian Schottenheimer made the announcement of the trio’s imminent return to the practice field on Monday. Now, Wednesday’s practice serves as their first opportunity to rejoin their teammates in individual and team drills, although they’ll likely be limited to start out. The 21-day windows for each player will close on Nov. 12, the final decision point where the Cowboys will either need to activate them to the 53-man roster or place them on season-ending injured reserve. Beebe has missed the last five games for the Cowboys with a foot injury. Against the Jets in Week 5, Dallas’ starting offensive line was down four of their starters, including Beebe. Now, the offensive line will be at full strength on the practice field, although it make take a little time for that to be the case on Sundays again. On the defensive side of the ball, it’s been a long and tough road for DeMarvion Overshown to get to this point. After his second major knee injury in as many years, the Cowboys’ first ever player to wear the number zero now gets to ramp up towards full speed again. That speed is what can change games for the Cowboys’ defense, an aspect that Dallas is very much looking forward to adding to their arsenal shortly. “Help is on the way” is a phrase that was used a lot when the Cowboys front office and coaching staff was discussing the team’s early season struggles, and it’s close to arriving now with Overshown’s return. Cowboys’ DeMarvion Overshown practices, eyes return vs. Raiders – Todd Archer, ESPN Overshown has set a specific date for his return to action. FRISCO, Texas — To the day, Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown knew just how long he had been off the football field because of torn anterior cruciate, medial collateral and posterior cruciate ligaments in his right knee. On Wednesday, Overshown practiced for the first time in 317 days. He has an eye on returning for the Nov. 16 game against the Las Vegas Raiders on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.” “Monday night primetime, zero will be making his debut,” said Overshown, who will become the first Cowboys player to wear No. 0 in a game. “I’m excited for it. It’s not going to be anything short of extraordinary. I’m ready to show truly how blessed I am. “A lot of people claim that this knee injury is one of the worst of the worst and not too many people come back the same afterward. I’m ready to put that to the test.” Overshown had 95 tackles, 5 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, 16 quarterback pressures, 4 pass breakups, a forced fumble and a 23-yard interception return for a touchdown in the 13 games he played in 2024 before suffering the injury Dec. 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Cowboys trade rumors: Dallas on hunt for ‘impact’ defensive player, checked on Trey Hendrickson – RJ Ochoa, Blogging The Boys The Cowboys are trying to make something shake before the November 4th deadline. The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly looking to add defensive help before this season’s NFL trade deadline. During a dump of buzz-worthy notes, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler specifically said that the Cowboys are on the hunt for an “impact” defensive player. A reminder that the trade deadline is November 4th. They have shown an eagerness to trade for players on rookie deals, which worked out great with Pickens, who is having a contract year for the ages. Pickens is pulling off quite the upset after the Steelers moved on. Pickens never had stable quarterback play in Pittsburgh, but he does now. The Cowboys have noticed that Pickens and Lamb have good chemistry as bookend receivers. And one person with the team compared him to Dez Bryant — incredibly talented and sometimes a distraction, but ultimately manageable. For Pickens, that’s good company. Bryant made three Pro Bowls in eight seasons with Dallas. My understanding of the situation is the Cowboys are on the hunt for an impact defensive player and have reached out to teams throughout the league — likely all of them — to gauge interest with a number of players, Crosby presumably being one. So yes, I think there’s interest. My sense is that Dallas would be pretty surprised if the Raiders actually moved on from Crosby, with whom owner Mark Davis has a deep affection. The Cowboys — armed with two first-rounders in 2026 and seven picks in total before compensatory selections — also have looked into Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, whom the Bengals don’t plan to deal. Several other edge rushers will be available leaguewide, so expect the Cowboys to get involved in various talks. Javonte Williams downplays return to Denver, focused on helping Cowboys win – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com Williams isn’t seeking revenge against the Broncos. After suffering an injury as gruesome as he did in his second year, many NFL players, much less running backs who rely on their knees so heavily, would struggle to come close to their previous form. Along with some added physical preparation like acupuncture following a recommendation from CeeDee Lamb, Williams feels like the biggest reason why he’s back to playing at this level is how he’s processing the game and what’s in front of him. “I feel like I’m the same player I was last year,” Williams said. “I
2025 NFL Week 8: Dallas Cowboys at Denver Broncos
The Dallas Cowboys are on the road this week and will visit the Denver Broncos. Amazingly, the Cowboys have not beaten the Broncos since their last season of serious note, 1995, when the franchise last reached an NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl as they won it all that year. All told the Cowboys have […] The Dallas Cowboys are on the road this week and will visit the Denver Broncos. Amazingly, the Cowboys have not beaten the Broncos since their last season of serious note, 1995, when the franchise last reached an NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl as they won it all that year. All told the Cowboys have lost seven straight games to the Broncos as Denver has been a weird challenge for them in recent history. This year’s team will present some difficulty as well as Sean Payton has Bo Nix and Co. playing at a high level with a 5-2 record. Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Jake Ferguson, Javonte Williams, and all of Brian Schottenheimer’s toys will have to be at their very best if the Cowboys want to win consecutive games for the first time since October 6th of last year. At the end of the day it is guaranteed to be dramatic, we all know that. Below you will find our story stream for the game. The Cowboys and Broncos kick off at 4:25pm ET on Sunday, October 26th. CBS will have the broadcast and it will mark the first time this season that Tony Romo (plus Jim Nantz and Tracy Wolfson) is on the call for a Cowboys game.
Cowboys activate Jonathan Mingo from IR making the WR room very full
The Dallas Cowboys made a roster transaction Tuesday afternoon. No, it wasn’t the acquisition of Maxx Crosby everyone around Cowboys Nation seems to be hoping for for, but instead it was the decision to activate wide receiver Jonathan Mingo from injured reserve. Jonathan Mingo was a former second-round pick (39th overall) by the Carolina Panthers […] The Dallas Cowboys made a roster transaction Tuesday afternoon. No, it wasn’t the acquisition of Maxx Crosby everyone around Cowboys Nation seems to be hoping for for, but instead it was the decision to activate wide receiver Jonathan Mingo from injured reserve. Jonathan Mingo was a former second-round pick (39th overall) by the Carolina Panthers back in 2023. He was acquired via trade by the Dallas Cowboys last year on November 5, 2024, costing them a 2025 fourth-round draft pick. He caught just 17 passes for 167 yards last year after arriving in Dallas and has so far spent the entire 2025 season on injured reserve with a PCL strain. The decision by the Cowboys to add Mingo to the active 53-man roster shouldn’t shake things up much at all, if any as far as the WR depth chart is concerned. CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and KaVontae Turpin all sit atop the depth chart still with Jalen Tolbert and Ryan Flournoy rounding out the group. Mingo is simply another body right now, or is he? There have been some rumors the Cowboys could be active prior to the 2025 NFL trade deadline on November 4. Already we’ve seen them linked to Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby, and there are sure to be other rumors between now and the deadline. And if they are truly looking to be active, Mingo’s recent addition could mean WR Jalen Tolbert now becomes a tradable piece to teams who need more WR help. Tolbert is coming off a career year in 2024 where he hauled in 49 catches for 610 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. After George Pickens’ addition via trade this year though, he’s only managed to catch 12 passes for 125 yards and no TDs, playing 70.53% of Dallas’ offensive snaps so far. Considering his lack of production and the fact he’s entering the final year of his rookie contract, he could indeed be expendable. Already it looks as if Ryan Flournoy could be surpassing Jalen Tolbert on the depth chart. He’s played only 29.89% of the Cowboys offensive snaps this year and has already starting to out produce Tolbert with 13 receptions for 179 receiving yards. With his sudden emergence, plus Jonathan Mingo’s return to the active roster, also it seems to indicate Tolbert could be expendable. This of course is all mere speculation at this point, however, the Cowboys carrying six wide receivers on the 53-man roster now after activating Jonathan Mingo does seem excessive. For all the reasons we’ve already mentioned above, Tolbert certainly looks as if he could be the odd man out and a potential trade piece with the deadline quickly approaching. Only time will tell though. See More: Dallas Cowboys Roster
Cowboys survey: Can Dallas go on the road and beat a competent team?
The Dallas Cowboys had what could be a turning point game by demolishing the Washington Commanders 44-22 in an NFC East contest. The Cowboys offense did what they were supposed to do, put a huge number up on the scoreboard, and they did that while welcoming back CeeDee Lamb. But that part wasn’t so surprising. […] The Dallas Cowboys had what could be a turning point game by demolishing the Washington Commanders 44-22 in an NFC East contest. The Cowboys offense did what they were supposed to do, put a huge number up on the scoreboard, and they did that while welcoming back CeeDee Lamb. But that part wasn’t so surprising. It was the play of the defense that caught us all off guard. A unit that had been pitiful rose up and did a fantastic job of smothering the Commanders offense. While it’s true the Commanders were without some key playmakers on offense, that hadn’t been a problem for other offenses that continually shredded the Cowboys defense. Not last week, though. Matt Eberflus deserves credit for changing his scheme and adjusting to the reality of the situation instead of continuing to force a square peg into a round hole. Now comes the hard part. Replicating it from week to week. The first chance for that is this Sunday against a 5-2 Denver Broncos squad, on the road. Denver leads the AFC West and just had a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback over the New York Giants. Dallas is currently a 3.5-point underdog according to FanDuel. This week we have two questions for you. In the short term, do you think the Cowboys will beat the Broncos? And regardless of your thoughts on that, are you confident the Cowboys are headed in the right direction for the long term? Vote in the poll then hit the comments. 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 General
Cowboys analytics roundup: Don’t look now, but the near future is bright
As we near the midpoint of the season and the Cowboys sit in second place in the NFC East. And after the Eagles came incredibly close to losing their third consecutive game this weekend, one can envision a world where the Cowboys win this thing. You have to squint, sure, but it’s there. Is it […] As we near the midpoint of the season and the Cowboys sit in second place in the NFC East. And after the Eagles came incredibly close to losing their third consecutive game this weekend, one can envision a world where the Cowboys win this thing. You have to squint, sure, but it’s there. Is it real, though? The win over the Commanders certainly felt encouraging, but what does the data say? Let’s dive into this week’s analytics roundup, where strength of schedule adjustments are nearly at full strength and resulting in some pretty marginal shifts in the hierarchy of the league. Cowboys Efficiency at a Glance DVOA DVOA Rank DVOA Rank Previous Rank Weighted DVOA Weighted DVOA Rank Offense 20.4% 4th 7th 20.4% 4th Defense 15.4% 30th 31st 15.1% 30th Special Teams 3.0% 9th 8th 3.0% 9th Overall 8.0% 9th 17th 8.3% 10th Yes, that’s the Dallas Cowboys sitting at ninth place in the league in total team efficiency. They’re also sixth among NFC teams, just behind the Commanders in that regard. The offense predictably jumped up several spots with the return of CeeDee Lamb. They were still doing great in his absence, but it’s obvious they’re a better unit with him out there. And the defense only made a small improvement, but they’re the only unit on this team with any distinction from their weighted DVOA – which puts more emphasis on the most recent games played – and their total DVOA. 2025 NFL Team Tiers, Weeks 1-7, courtesy of rbsdm.comThe EPA-based team tiers haven’t changed much. The star logo is ever-so-gradually climbing upward, with their offense keeping them far to the right. Interestingly, they’re now in a tier ahead of both the Commanders and Eagles and just slightly ahead of the Broncos, their next opponent, in total EPA. Offense Cowboys Offensive Efficiency Grade Rank Offensive DVOA 20.4% 4th Pass DVOA 39.0% 5th Run DVOA 7.0% 3rd EPA/Play 0.183 2nd EPA/Dropback 0.292 3rd EPA/Rush -0.012 5th Here’s a challenge: find something the Cowboys aren’t top five in right now. There are some stats out there, but boy is it tough to find. Brian Schottenheimer has been lightyears ahead of even the most optimistic expectations anyone had for him as a play-caller. He’s even surpassing Mike McCarthy’s stellar 2023 season so far. That year saw elite passing numbers, not unlike this season, but the run game was much closer to the middle of the pack. The most impressive part about this offense is how balanced it is; the Colts are the only other team right now to be top five in both passing and rushing efficiency according to either DVOA or EPA/play. Dak Prescott’s Efficiency Grade Rank QBR 81.2 1st EPA/play 0.296 4th CPOE 5.0 7th EPA+CPOE Composite 0.183 6th Success Rate 48.5% 15th Heading into this weekend, the only quarterback who was rivaling Dak Prescott’s gaudy stats was Baker Mayfield, whom many were starting to discuss as an MVP candidate. Well, Mayfield collapsed against the Lions on Monday, while Prescott continued to climb the leaderboards in just about every metric. He’s still only seventh in MVP betting odds, but the team record has a lot to do with that. Make no mistake: Prescott is playing the best ball of his career, and it’s come in a myriad of ways with several impact players missing key games. What he’s doing is absolutely MVP-worthy right now. Cowboys Offensive Line Efficiency Grade Rank Pressure Rate 29.8% 7th Adjusted Sack Rate 3.8% 2nd Pass Block Win Rate 69% 3rd Run Block Win Rate 72% 11th Adjusted Line Yards 4.76 6th All these numbers are trending in the right direction, especially in pass protection. Prescott has done a lot to help his line out there, especially his tackles, but the offensive line has really stepped it up as a unit. The run game has been great too: on third and fourth downs with two yards or less to go, Dallas is rushing for a first down 82% of the time. That’s tied for fourth-best in the league. They’re also getting stuffed on runs at the sixth-lowest rate. The news of Cooper Beebe’s practice window being activated is very welcome news, too. Brock Hoffman has done an admirable job in the interim, and he’s exactly the type of teammate you want in the locker room, but he’s struggled at times. There’s now been three fumbles due to the snap exchange under center, and Hoffman is 12th among centers in pressures allowed despite not starting the first two weeks of the season. Defense Cowboys Defensive Efficiency Grade Rank Defensive DVOA 15.4% 30th Pass Defense DVOA 28.5% 27th Run Defense DVOA 0.1% 27th Pressure Rate 37.4% 9th Pass Rush Win Rate 37% 21st Run Stop Win Rate 32% 7th EPA/Play 0.150 30th EPA/Dropback Allowed 0.222 30th EPA/Rush Allowed 0.036 28th Matt Eberflus deserves serious credit for this week’s game. He called significantly more blitzes, significantly more press coverages, and significantly more man coverage than he had any week this season. He made wholesale changes to his scheme in order to fit his players and it paid off in a huge way. The pass rush, in particular, exploded. They’re now up to 37.4% pressure rate on the year, tied with the Lions for ninth in the league. Yes, the same Lions defense that just shut down Baker Mayfield and his burgeoning MVP campaign. There’s still room for improvement, but this was a very clear step in the right direction. Cowboys Pass Coverage Targets Completions Completion Rate Passer Rating Allowed ADOT When Targeted Air Yards Allowed Yards After Catch Trevon Diggs 15 11 73.3% 154.9 16.9 172 44 DaRon Bland 30 20
Cowboys trade rumors: Dallas on hunt for ‘impact’ defensive player, checked on Trey Hendrickson
The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly looking to add defensive help before this season’s NFL trade deadline. During a dump of buzz-worthy notes, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler specifically said that the Cowboys are on the hunt for an “impact” defensive player. A reminder that the trade deadline is November 4th. My understanding of the situation is the […] The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly looking to add defensive help before this season’s NFL trade deadline. During a dump of buzz-worthy notes, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler specifically said that the Cowboys are on the hunt for an “impact” defensive player. A reminder that the trade deadline is November 4th. My understanding of the situation is the Cowboys are on the hunt for an impact defensive player and have reached out to teams throughout the league — likely all of them — to gauge interest with a number of players, Crosby presumably being one. So yes, I think there’s interest. My sense is that Dallas would be pretty surprised if the Raiders actually moved on from Crosby, with whom owner Mark Davis has a deep affection. The Cowboys — armed with two first-rounders in 2026 and seven picks in total before compensatory selections — also have looked into Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, whom the Bengals don’t plan to deal. Several other edge rushers will be available leaguewide, so expect the Cowboys to get involved in various talks. They have shown an eagerness to trade for players on rookie deals, which worked out great with Pickens, who is having a contract year for the ages. Pickens is pulling off quite the upset after the Steelers moved on. Pickens never had stable quarterback play in Pittsburgh, but he does now. The Cowboys have noticed that Pickens and Lamb have good chemistry as bookend receivers. And one person with the team compared him to Dez Bryant — incredibly talented and sometimes a distraction, but ultimately manageable. For Pickens, that’s good company. Bryant made three Pro Bowls in eight seasons with Dallas. Fowler’s notes here began after referencing the Tuesday report that Dallas called the Las Vegas Raiders about Maxx Crosby. This is the first time that anyone has directly connected the Cowboys to Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson, though. It is worth noting that Hendrickson is currently in the final year of his contract which would complicate matters beyond this season, obviously. But that might not be a bad thing. Hendrickson could be viewed as a rental by the Cowboys and would not cost anywhere near as much as someone like Crosby, although the numbers behind a would-be Crosby deal are still enticing for Dallas and they would have him under team control for several more seasons. Ultimately it feels fair to say that we are likely going to see the Cowboys do something before the deadline as there is a lot of smoke here. What do you want the most and why? See More: Dallas Cowboys Rumors
