Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images The Cowboys made plays when they needed them most The Dallas Cowboys accomplished two things this Thanksgiving: they won their first home game of the year and kicked off a winning streak. It wasn’t the most thrilling game ever, but Dallas took command in the third quarter and never let go. These five plays were especially worthy of thanks in getting to the finish line as victors. Rico Dowdle’s big run erases huge penalty The Cowboys got a field goal on the opening drive of the game, and the Giants responded with a touchdown to go up 7-3. Dallas needed to respond, but Chuma Edoga – who had just come in for an injured Tyler Guyton – drew a facemask penalty that backed the Cowboys up to second and 21. After Cooper Rush made a check at the line, he ran a draw play to Rico Dowdle, who surged forward and broke about four tackles while also picking up some key blocks. By the time Dowdle went down, he had racked up 22 yards and the first down. The Cowboys ultimately settled for a field goal, but this drive was important in getting at least some points. And it never would’ve happened without this big run from Dowdle, who seemingly hit a new level for the rest of the game after this moment. Eric Kendricks strips Drew Lock on scramble The Cowboys carried a narrow 13-10 lead into the halftime break, thanks largely to their defense, but the Giants got the ball to start the third quarter. They had been moving the ball right before halftime, and hoped to carry that energy over to the second half. It didn’t happen, though. On third and short, Drew Lock dropped back and then tried to scramble up the middle of the pocket. Eric Kendricks looped back around to Lock and punched the ball out, with DeMarvion Overshown falling on it. The defense had already made some big plays in this game, but this play set the tone for a dominant third quarter that pretty much sealed the win for Dallas despite things getting a little closer in the fourth. KaVontae Turpin screen converts big third down Following the fumble recovery, the Cowboys offense took over at the Giants 38-yard line. Dowdle got stuffed on first down and Rush threw an incomplete pass to quickly bring up a third and 10 on the edge of field goal range. That’s when Mike McCarthy called for a quick screen to KaVontae Turpin, who caught the ball with several blockers already out in front. Turpin weaved behind them before turning on the jets, picking up a total of 30 yards. This play completely changed the dynamic of the game, taking it from a likely field goal attempt (which would have kept it a one-score game) to first and goal with sky high odds of scoring a touchdown and going up multiple possessions. The call was perfectly timed and executed even better. Cooper Rush ruled down before costly fumble While Turpin’s big screen play made a touchdown a near certainty for the Cowboys, it wasn’t a sure thing. Their next play was a run for just two yards, but still needing six for the touchdown. Rush then rolled out to his right on a play-action bootleg, but opted to run for the endzone. As he went down short of the line, the ball popped out and rolled into the endzone, where a Giants defender fell on it for a touchback. Replay confirmed Rush’s knee was down before the ball came loose, and the Cowboys avoided disaster. Keeping their lead at just a field goal would’ve been devastating, especially as it would’ve wasted the takeaway. But they held onto the ball and Rush hit Brandin Cooks for a touchdown on the next play. Giants pass interference extends Cowboys drive After that touchdown, the Dallas defense forced another three-and-out to give the Cowboys the ball up 20-10 about halfway through the third quarter. Another touchdown on this drive would likely be an insurmountable lead for Dallas. Facing a third and six at their own 36, the Cowboys tried to hit Cooks over the middle of the field, but a defender knocked it down. However, a flag went flying, and the Giants were hit with pass interference after Tyler Nubin practically tackled CeeDee Lamb away from the play. The completely unnecessary penalty gave Dallas a fresh set of downs, which they did not take for granted. The Cowboys pushed the ball down the field from there, ending with a Dowdle touchdown run to go up 27-10 and effectively seal the win.
NFC East news: Philly heads into showdown with Baltimore; Washington to battle chilly weather
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images The latest news from around the division. A handful of Philadelphia Eagles who must thrive in Week 13 vs Ravens – Geoffrey Knox, InsideTheIggles.com Philly faces a high-flying bird team in Week 13. Technically, the Eagles and Ravens have met on the field six times to play a football game, and the bad guys have a 3-2-1 lead in the all-time series. Baltimore has taken two straight. This one will be played at M&T Bank Stadium. These two teams are, in many ways, mirror images of each other. Our Birds will need to be on their A-game. Nolan Smith, EDGE This is exactly the type of opportunity Nolan Smith has searched for. He has improved, but we still need him to be better, especially now. Bryce Huff (don’t call him Josh) and Brandon Graham are both on injured reserve. It’s up to Nolan and Josh Sweat to lead this pass rush. Cam Jurgens, Mekhi Becton, and Landon Dickerson – offensive linemen Ravens nose tackle Michael Pierce (calf injury) has begun his 21-day window to return off injured reserve. The interior of Philly’s O-line will be tested regardless of whether he plays or not, but if he is activated and available, Cam Jurgens, Mekhi Becton, and Landon Dickerson will certainly earn their money in this one. We believe all are up to the task. Isaiah Rodgers, cornerback Darius Slay appears to be out of this one, and that means it will be the Isaiah Rodgers show again. Eagles defensive coordinator likes him and second-year cornerback Kelee Ringo but says Rodgers, right now, is the better cover guy. Opposing offenses have recently tested him and thrown away from Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean when the rookies are on the field. See the game in Los Angeles for evidence, but Rodgers is solid. Keep an eye on him this Sunday. Commanders’ Jayden Daniels Facing Cold Temperatures – Jeremy Brener, Sports Illustrated The weather is set to be chilly as Washington hosts Tennessee. Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is facing the first December of his career, and cold weather is on the way. The temperatures in Landover, Maryland at Northwest Stadium will teeter from the high 40’s and low 30’s for Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans, but Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is preparing Daniels for the cold. “Yeah, I mean, we’ve had some colder temperatures recently, but I think that’s one of those deals you just have to go play,” Kingsbury said. “I think one guy that I always point to is [Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick] Mahomes never played in cold weather and he’s about as good as I’ve ever seen now in Kansas City. So, it’s just a thing that the great ones adapt to and compete and find a way to get it done.” Daniels has done a great job adapting to his new circumstances all season long, and even though the Commanders have lost their last three games, the team hopes the potential Rookie of the Year can find a way to move around this obstacle with ease. Daniels and the Commanders will face the Titans at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday. Giants set another all-time NFL record for futility – Dan Benton, USA Today New York’s struggles are breaking NFL records. The New York Giants love to set all-time NFL records but in recent years, precious few of them have been of the positive variety. On Thursday, the Giants fell to the Dallas Cowboys, 27-20, and once again failed to record an interception. It was their 11th straight game without a pick, setting the league’s all-time mark for such a streak. The Giants’ last and lone interception this season came in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings when rookie linebacker Darius Muasau recorded a pick in a garbage time loss. Following Sunday’s loss, in which they threw an interception and lost a fumble, the Giants are now -8 in turnover differential. They are -7 in interception differential (8 to 1) and could be without several cornerbacks again in Week 14 against the New Orleans Saints. The Saints have thrown just seven interceptions this season and two of those were courtesy of backup Spencer Rattler while a third was thrown by utility man Tayson Hill. Derek Carr has thrown just four. The Giants will need to buck recent trends for both teams in order to end their all-time streak at just 11 games or risk setting the bar even lower.
Cowboys 2023 draft class finally starting to become regular contributors
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images After being considered a bust, Cowboys 2023 draft class is trending upwards. It wasn’t long ago the Dallas Cowboys 2023 draft class was looking like an all-time bust, but recently things have started to change for those draftees. Believe it or not, it’s looking as if they could have several of these players turning themselves into regular contributors, quite possibly starters. Ideally teams want to hit on every single one of their draft picks and the Cowboys have been better than most and doing just that. It wasn’t looking as if it would apply to their 2023 draftees, however, the arrow is trending upwards for several of them the further we get into the 2024 season. Today, we’re going to identify a handful of these players who are finally starting to become the players they were drafted to be. Whether they continue to trend upwards from here on out is unknown, but as of now things certainly look encouraging moving forward. Dallas Cowboys 2023 draft class Presenting your 2023 #DallasCowboys draft class #CowboysDraft | #WelcomeToDallas pic.twitter.com/ggTZMQ0NOI — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) April 30, 2023 Round 1, Pick 26 – DT Mazi Smith The former 2023 first-round pick was the one player from this draft class who was expected to play a significant role for the Cowboys in 2024. He has started all 12 games this season and played 49.17% of the defensive snaps so far this year. He hasn’t exactly lived up to his first-round billing, but he has been able to make himself available by staying healthy and looks to be improving week in and week out. Round 2, Pick 58 – TE Luke Schoonmaker Schoonmaker had fallen out of favor with the coaching staff and was barely playing prior to Jake Ferguson sustaining a concussion against the Houston Texans a few weeks ago. Since then he’s become a reliable target in the passing game for QB Cooper Rush and is putting up his best numbers. Once thought to be a waste of a draft pick, the former Michigan TE is looking more and more like a starting caliber player. Round 3, Pick 90 – LB DeMarvion Overshown Overshown has far outplayed anybody else from the Cowboys 2023 draft class. He has arguably been the team’s Defensive MVP this year and looks to be a superstar in the making. He’s been one of the few bright spots for the team this year on the defensive side of the ball and is someone they can continue to build around for years to come. He started out as a flash player, but has now become a consistent playmaker. Round 5, Pick 169 – OL Asim Richards Richards’ continued development could have him in line to play a significant role as a potential starter as soon as next season. When given the opportunity, he has looked the part of a starting caliber tackle and could potentially compete for a job next year. Even if that doesn’t happen, he’s proven to be a versatile reserve offensive lineman capable of filling in at both guard and tackle so far in his first two seasons with the Cowboys.
Cowboys 2024 rookie report: Rookie class quiet in Giants victory
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images How are you feeling about the Cowboys rookie class right now? It’s back-to-back wins for the Dallas Cowboys, and they took out a divisional rival on Thanksgiving for the second year in a row. There was a lot on the line for Dallas that needed their first home win and they got it in style. How did the rookie class help score victory? Let’s dive in. OT Tyler Guyton Guyton started at left tackle and played in the first quarter before leaving the game early. He never returned and it’s reported he has a high ankle sprain. Chuma Edoga replaced Guyton and is the main candidate to take over the position in Guyton’s absence. Edoga played the rest of the game and allowed only two pressures and zero sacks. DE Marshawn Kneeland Inactive C Cooper Beebe Beebe had some issues against the New York Giants that primarily sends its pass rush inside. He managed to stay clean and allow zero pressures but where Beebe really had problems was in the run blocking. Thankfully the Giants defense couldn’t contain Rico Dowdle who went for over 100 yards on the ground, but Beebe clearly has some work to do in run blocking. LB Marist Liufau Liufau played eight snaps on defense. He got in the Giants backfield twice putting pressure on Drew Lock. Other than that he was doing his secondary role on special teams. CB Caelen Carson Injured reserve WR Ryan Flournoy Inactive T Nathan Thomas Injured reserve TE Brevyn Spann-Ford Ford wasn’t targeted at all in the passing game, but he did help in the run game as an extra blocker. Ford played 31 snaps against the Giants and 20 of those snaps was as an extra blocker. He made one very good tackle on special teams as Dallas looked to pile the pressure on as the game developed. S Emany Johnson Inactive LB Brock Mogensen Inactive DT Denzel Daxon Inactive
Cowboys Headlines: Lawrence nearing return, was new red-kettle TD celebration foiled?
Cowboys’ Josh Butler suffers ACL injury, Juanyeh Thomas dodges disaster :: The Mothership Link After delivering a breakout performance against Washington in Week 12, Butler will need season-ending surgery to repair a torn ACL, according to Stephen Jones. Thomas, however, could be back in two to three weeks despite having to be carted off the field on Thursday. His knee injury has been classified as a meniscus issue, one that will require a far shorter rehab. DeMarcus Lawrence nearing return for Cowboys after defense loses another player for the season :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram Link While Jerry Jones announced that Lawrence will “more than likely” make his return when the Cowboys takes on the Bengals, McCarthy was careful to temper expectations slightly. “D-Law is going to do more this week,” McCarthy clarified. “We don’t have a definitive answer there. That plan hasn’t been set for the week…He’s coming back into the real fray as far as practicing.” Shifting the Overshown window: a major takeaway in Cowboys 27-20 win :: Cowboys Wire Link When the Texas product was first drafted by the Cowboys in 2023, he was a player without a clear and obvious position, projected to perhaps play a safety-linebacker hybrid role in Dan Quinn’s defense. But after missing his rookie season to injury, Overshown is proving to be a linebacker/edge rusher who’s making an impact much more like Micah Parsons and becoming the kind of defender that opponents must directly scheme against. DeMarvion Overshown explains emotional pick-six in Thanksgiving win over Giants :: The Mothership Link Overshown revealed that he had “been told all week” that a big play was coming his way. Recounting his first-ever pick-six, the linebacker explained, “When the running back let me loose, I was like, ‘There’s some B.S. going on.’ And then the quarterback threw the ball and I was like, ‘This is my play to make.’ I was able to kick in some nitrous and we were dancing in the end zone.” Brandin Cooks’ return shows Cowboys how important WR2 is for plans :: Cowboys Wire Link The veteran’s return after seven weeks illustrated just how important a true WR2 really is on this team. Cooks is slated for free agency this winter and expected to leave Dallas. Finding someone at least as good, preferably better, has to be a key objective for the Cowboys front office. Given their history in free agency, that may mean using a top-50 draft pick. While Cowboys’ spirits rise, this is where Mike McCarthy wants his team’s focus directed :: Dallas Morning News Link A two-game win streak has buoyed the mood significantly within The Star, and McCarthy knows that the playoffs are now a talking point for outside observers. He’s trying, however, to keep his players locked in to a much short-term objective. “My messaging will be, ‘Let’s just pour all of this into Cincinnati right now,’” the coach said. “That’s all that matters. If we don’t take care of Cincinnati, the narratives will definitely change.’’ Cowboys Thanksgiving Game ratings prove they’re still America’s Team :: SI.com Link Backup quarterbacks, lousy records, whatever. The Cowboys-Giants matchup drew 38.5 million viewers, per Fox, good enough to count as the most-watched telecast of the NFL season so far. (Another report, though, does point out that Thursday’s game had the lowest in-person attendance of any game at AT&T Stadium this year. The team still leads the NFL at the turnstiles.) Cowboys-Giants coverage, analysis :: Cowboys Wire Predictions: Can Cowboys make playoff push in final five games? :: Cowboys Wire Link It’s possible, though certainly unlikely, that the Cowboys have a miracle in them that would turn the 2024 campaign into a postseason berth. They’re not as close to catching the lowest-ranked wild card teams as the numbers suggest, and remaining tilts versus Philadelphia and Washington will make it very hard to win out (Cincinnati and Tampa Bay are no slouches, either). Even if Dallas finishes with nine or even 10 wins, they will likely be on the short end of any tiebreaker scenario with another NFC team. Cowboys Today: Did Dallas plan to do TD celebration with chicken nuggets? :: The Athletic Link There was no red kettle touchdown celebration for the Cowboys this Thanksgiving… but someone seems to have had one planned. Found inside each of the on-field props- well after the game- were boxes of chicken nuggets shaped like the Cowboys’ star logo. Jason Garrett revealed how long he kept turkey leg John Madden gave him in 1994 :: Awful Announcing Link The former Cowboys head coach was on the call for Thursday night’s game and got to re-live his moment of glory as the team’s backup quarterback in 1994, when he led Dallas to an improbable Thanksgiving win over Brett Favre and the Packers. Reminiscing about being awarded an official John Madden turkey leg that day, Garrett admitted that he kept it as a souvenir a little longer than was probably healthy. “You know something? I had it in the freezer,” Garrett said. “It was in tinfoil… I probably had it for 15 years. Then we finally moved.” Bears fire Matt Eberflus following timeout disaster at end of Chicago’s Thanksgiving loss to Lions :: CBS Sports Link Eberflus, 54, served in Dallas as Cowboys linebackers coach from 2011 to 2015 and then added passing game coordinator to his title for 2016 and 2017 during Garrett’s tenure. The coach was heavily panned for how much time the Chicago offense wasted in the closing moments of their Thanksgiving Day comeback attempt versus the Lions. It’s the first time in the long history of the Bears franchise that they’ve made a head coaching change in-season.
Cowboys thoughts following Thanksgiving Day win over Giants: This is fun
Chris Jones-Imagn Images The Dallas Cowboys have reminded us how fun football can be over the last week. The Dallas Cowboys have increased their win total on the season by 66% over the last handful of days. When you put things in those terms, it is pretty wild to think about. The Thanksgiving game itself and the one preceding it are a two-fer that can dramatically inflate or wreck a season if things go one way or the other. With Dallas winning their two games, both of which were within the division, a breath of fresh air has arrived and it smells like the holiday spirit. Something we like to do around here is take a look at the game that just happened to the Cowboys after a night’s worth of rest to let it all properly marinate. Maybe this week brining is a more appropriate way to think of it. Whatever the case, this week it is the day after the day after thoughts. Here are our day after the day after thoughts following the Thanksgiving Day win over the New York Giants. Football feels fun for arguably the first time this season It is one thing for your favorite football team to be bad. We have been living that for quite some time. But it is an entirely different thing to be Not Fun, to drive people to apathy. Unfortunately we have also been experiencing this for some time relative to this team. The wins over the last week in no way undo the sins that bore themselves out over the course of this entire calendar year, but experiencing back-to-back wins throughout the course of Thanksgiving week surely put some sort of smile on faces. These two wins have seen Cooper Rush get a little hot, Luke Schoonmaker score his first touchdown, KaVontae Turpin return his first touchdown (in amazing fashion), the Cowboys deny Dan Quinn and keep the Commanders at bay, the glorious Thanksgiving Day uniforms, a 100-yard rushing performance from Rico Dowdle, DeMarvion Overshown going wild and Micah Parsons rallying the troops. I’m sure I am forgetting something else that is important. Football has felt fun over the last few days and we now get to begin our holiday season with that magical feeling in the air of playoffs as a potential possibility. Is it a far-fetched one? Of course, nobody is denying that. But the positivity that the team has generated felt like a fire they were incapable of starting quite literally just one week ago. They have made fire and we shall dance around it like Tom Hanks in celebration. It is absurd how long it took for the team to commit to Rico Dowdle Rico Dowdle has 198 rushing yards in his last two games played for the Cowboys. If that sounds like a lot to you it’s because it is. That is actually more rushing yards than any Cowboys running back has had in a two-game stretch since Tony Pollard did over two years ago. It is not a coincidence that this two-game stretch features the most carries from Dowdle than any other this season which certainly begs the question as to why it took so long for that to firmly be the case. Was it truly the Cowboys holding on to the past with a favorite player of theirs? Were they not ready to trust Dowdle as much as they have been lately? It seems hard to believe that anyone who evaluates football on a professional level could have believed that any world other than the one where Dowdle is the featured player out of the backfield was one worth exploring. Dowdle is getting the lion’s share now and that is ultimately what matters most. But it certainly calls into question the how and why we got to this point in the name of decisions like that never happening again. Cooper Rush really has had quite the Dallas Cowboys career Cooper Rush has now officially started 10 games at quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. These have come across three different seasons as it was a lone game in 2021, five in 2022 and the last four here in 2024. The Cowboys are 7-3 in these games! Once upon a time the franchise quarterback missing time due to injury was an absolute death sentence for the Cowboys. Consider that when Tony Romo missed 12 games in 2015 that the team won a single one of them and it took all of their might to do so on the road against Washington. Mike McCarthy has had to make lemonade out of a situation without Dak Prescott under center in four of the five seasons that he has been this team’s head coach and he has managed to win games each and every single time. Obviously McCarthy is not perfect in those circumstances, but it is not realistic or practical to expect people to be. Back to Rush though. We are talking about someone who first joined this team as an undrafted free agent way back in 2017 and hung around long enough until the Jason Garrett era ended. Mike McCarthy understandably changed things around a bit and ultimately the team brought Rush back which led to everything that we have seen from him since. Rush’s path is certainly one that is less traveled than most, but he has absolutely turned into a verifiable reserve quarterback who you can turn to on a moment’s notice. The most truthful thing that the front office seems to have offered lately is that he gives the team their best chance to win games relative to any other healthy quarterbacks on the roster. Kudos to Rush for always being a good soldier and executing to the best of his abilities. 70% of the time, a very respectable percentage, it has been enough. This Thanksgiving, we are grateful.
Cowboys news: Josh Butler, Juanyeh Thomas injury updates
Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys is here. Cowboys’ Josh Butler suffers ACL injury, Juanyeh Thomas dodges disaster – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com A season full of injury issues continue for Dallas. In a season that’s seen the latter overwhelmed almost weekly with injuries of all sorts, Josh Butler and Juanyeh Thomas are the latest victims of that ravaging. Butler, a promising young cornerback who delivered a breakout game in instant classic against the Washington Commanders just four days prior, suffered a torn ACL in the waning moments of the first half against the Giants. His injury will require surgery, per executive vice president and director of player personnel Stephen Jones to 105.3 The Fan, and Butler will soon be moved to season-ending injured reserve. The news is a good bit better for Thomas, who went down writhing in pain early in the second quarter on a Cowboys’ kickoff to the Giants. Despite being carted off of the field and not returning to the contest, it’s been determined Thomas suffered a meniscus injury that gives him a chance at returning before the 2024 regular season concludes. The expectation is he’ll miss roughly 2-3 weeks as he recovers. Micah Parsons: I believe the Cowboys are going to turn it around and make a run – Michael David Smith, NBC Sports Parsons hasn’t given up on the Cowboys making the postseason. Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons had a big game on Thanksgiving, his team won its second in a row, and he said afterward that he believes Dallas is going to make some noise down the stretch. Parsons was awarded a turkey leg and the game MVP honors and said on the Fox broadcast after the game that the Cowboys will be a tough team to beat in December. “Everybody’s been counting us out,” Parsons said. “I believe we’re going to turn it around and make a run.” Parsons said the Cowboys are a better team than people think. “There’s been a lot of trash talk out there, talking about what difference can we make?” Parsons said. “I’m telling y’all right now, we’re coming.” DeMarcus Lawrence nearing return for Cowboys – Nick Harris, Star-Telegram Is the cavalry coming? Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said on his Friday radio appearance on 105.3 The Fan that Lawrence will “more than likely” make his return for the team’s next game. The extended break will also allow right guard Zack Martin (ankle/shoulder) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (groin/knee) to heal with Martin having “the best chance of getting back” to the field, according to McCarthy. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb continues to battle a shoulder injury that he suffered four weeks ago in the team’s loss to Atlanta. “By the time we get the extra days here between Thanksgiving and the next game, I think Lamb will be ready to go,” Jerry Jones said on 105.3 The Fan on Friday. 3 things you missed from Cowboys-Giants: They still have a pulse – Abraham Nudelstejer, DMN A bunch of hypotheses wrapped in assumptions inside a lot of wishful thinking… Believe it or not, the Cowboys have an 89% chance of making the postseason if, and only if, they win out, according to the New York Times playoff simulator. With their back-to-back wins over Washington and the NY Giants, the Cowboys’ odds will improve considerably with each win they can get. The odds progression if Dallas wins all five games is as follows: Week 14: Cincinnati at Cowboys: playoff chance rises to 3%. Week 15: Cowboys at Carolina: playoff chance rises to 5%. Week 16: Buccaneers at Cowboys: playoff chance rises to 10% Week 17: Cowboys at Philadelphia: playoff chance rises to 32% Week 18: Washington at Cowboys: playoff chance rises to 89% for a wild card berth. While the simulator’s statistical progression gives Cowboys fans some hope, Las Vegas bettors are much less optimistic. The Cowboys’ Super Bowl odds (+100,000) rank them 23rd in the NFL. Before the season, the Cowboys had odds of +1,900 to win the Super Bowl. Since then, those odds have worsened to +100,000, the biggest change among all NFL teams. With Super Bowl odds of +100,000, the Cowboys have a 0.1% chance of being Super Bowl champions. NFL head coach hot seat rankings: Matt Eberflus might not be last coach to go – Ralph Vacciano, FoxSports Surely the writing is on the wall for McCarthy. Or is it? Don’t look now, but the Cowboys have won two in a row — albeit over the sliding Commanders and the reeling Giants. The players sound like they think they can make a run, even with quarterback Dak Prescott out for the season. And even Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said it’s “not crazy” to think he’ll extend McCarthy’s contract after the season. It’s worth noting that McCarthy’s contract expires in a few months and Jones wouldn’t even extend it after three straight 12-win seasons. But don’t underestimate the power of good feelings. The Cowboys are 5-7 and have the Bengals and Panthers up next, and getting to .500 with all their injuries would be quite a coup. Would it really be enough to save McCarthy, though? Jones can be stubborn with his coaches. Multiple league sources still think the lack of a contract extension is telling and that a parting is inevitable. But the door for a return might be open slightly if they can pull off a few more wins. Cowboys learned several things about themselves in Week 13 – Ben Grimaldi, Cowboys Wire The Cowboys played inspired football against the Giants on Thanksgiving. DeMarvion Overshown is another defender to build around It has been a sparkling season for the second-year linebacker, who continues to get better. Overshown missed his rookie season, but he’s making up for lost time by becoming another player for the defense to build around, along with pass rusher Micah Parsons. Overshown made the defensive play of the year for the
Brandin Cooks’ return shows Cowboys how important WR2 is for plans
Brandin Cooks’ return shows Cowboys how important WR2 is for plans reidhanson In the immortal words of the great 20th century philosophers Cinderella, “you don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone.” For a year and some change the Cowboys enjoyed the presence of veteran receiver Brandin Cooks on their offense. Despite falling short of some initial expectations, the 31-year-old pass catcher was a stable presence and legitimate option as WR2 during that time. For the past seven games the Cowboys got a taste of what life is like without a true No. 2 WR on their roster. Cooks fell to a knee injury in Week 4, forcing Jalen Tolbert to move up the depth chart and leaving his own vacated No. 3 role a revolving door of unproven personnel. Not only was Tolbert clearly fighting above his weight class but no one behind him proved they were ready to step up and fill the void either. Cooks’ return in Week 13 against the Giants illustrated just how important a true WR2 really is on this team. Three receptions for 16 yards doesn’t sound like much, but when one of those balls is a touchdown and the other a perfectly executed third-down conversion that iced the game, the actual value he added was significant. In a revelation that’s more about the role of WR2 than the actual WR2 himself, Cooks’ return shows finding a true No. 2 pass catcher this offseason is extremely important for the Cowboys offense. The Cowboys were able to survive the poor outing by CeeDee Lamb on Thursday by having Cooks on the field. Cooks’ veteran presence combined with KaVonate Turpin’s increased usage and Tolbert’s key plays, saved the Cowboys passing game on Thanksgiving Day. It was a trickle-down effect that allowed everyone to play within themselves. Cooks himself is slated for free agency this winter and expected to leave. Finding someone at least as good, preferably better, has to be a key objective for the Cowboys front office. A free agent class that features Tee Higgins, Stephon Diggs, Amari Cooper, Chris Godwin and Diontae Johnson probably falls outside Dallas’ budget. If the Cowboys want to properly address the WR2 position it will likely involve a top 50 draft pick. Luckily for Dallas this happens to be a solid WR draft class in 2025. It would be nice to get elite talents like Travis Hunter or Tetairoa McMillan at the top of the first round but if the Cowboys find themselves outside the top 10, they have a chance at plenty of other attractive options. Dane Brugler from The Athletic currently has Luther Burden and Elic Ayomanor as first round options next spring. Emeka Egbuka, Evan Stewart, and Isaiah Bond are further down the list but also fall inside his top 50. Every one of these players has the ability to be an instant contributor at WR2. For seven weeks the Cowboys got a taste of what it’s like without a true WR2 on the roster and it wasn’t pretty. Let this lesson serve as a guide when the Cowboys work out their to-do list this winter. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Studs and Duds: Lamb’s poor performance can’t overshadow Cowboys’ Overshown, Dowdle
Studs and Duds: Lamb’s poor performance can’t overshadow Cowboys’ Overshown, Dowdle Mike Crum The Dallas Cowboys haven’t had much to be thankful for this season. Between poor play and a bombardment of injuries, Dallas could’ve given up on the season. The coaches are all on one-year deals, and the core players are mostly signed up beyond this year. A team with less character and connection would have shut it down, especially after losing their starting quarterback, Dak Prescott. But the Cowboys have now won back-to-back games and earned their first home victory, winning their Thanksgiving matchup over the New York Giants, 27-20. Dallas has multiple players, like Micah Parsons, DaRon Bland, and Brandin Cooks, returning from injuries and playing well. The much-maligned early 2023 draft choices, Mazi Smith and Luke Schoonmaker, are stringing together good performances. The offensive line is stepping up with players rotating in and out every week, but the studs from this game come from players the fanbase has waited to break out, while the duds all come from the receiving core. Studs: LB DeMarvion Overshown Nov 28, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (13) intercepts a pass and returns it for a touchdown during the second quarter against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images DeMarvion Overshown was seen as a potential star before he played a snap in a regular-season game, and his flash plays are beginning to become consistent episodes. He has been great as a blitzer, covered well, and brought down ball carriers in the run game, but he had his breakout performance on Thanksgiving with everyone watching. He was second on the team with nine tackles, recovered a fumble, and made a spectacular interception by tipping a pass in the air, catching it, and returning it for a touchdown that gave Dallas a 13-7 lead. Overshown became the first Cowboys player since Roy Williams in 2002 to have a Pick-Six and a fumble recovery in the same game. Going into this week, Overshown led the team in solo tackles and tackles for a loss while being tied with Parsons in sacks, but he might have made himself a star in this win over the Giants on Thanksgiving. Duds: WR CeeDee Lamb ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 18: CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys looks over plays on the sideline against the Houston Texans during the third quarter in the game at AT&T Stadium on November 18, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) CeeDee Lamb entered the game as the league leader in receptions and was top three in yards even though the team hasn’t had their starting QB for part of the year, his second receiver has been injured, and the team hasn’t had a good running game to take pressure off of him. His performance has elevated his standards, so it is a poor game when he has a non-impactful performance. If he had only six targets and the quarterback’s poor performance led to him only getting two receptions for 39 yards, then he might not be a dud, but when one of the best receivers in the league has three drops on six targets, then that is a dud performance. Lamb has been playing through injury, which might have impacted his game, but his expectations are too high to have games like he had against the Giants. Studs: RB Rico Dowdle ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 28: Cooper Rush #10 of the Dallas Cowboys hands the ball to Rico Dowdle #23 during the first quarter against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on November 28, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) It took Dallas 10 weeks to figure it out, but Rico Dowdle is finally being treated as the top running back on the team instead of being part of a committee with running backs who combine to be the worst performers in the NFL. Thanksgiving marked a lot of firsts for Dowdle. He got 20 attempts in back-to-back games for the first time, scored his first rushing touchdown of the season, and had his first career 100-yard game, which was the first for a Dallas player in 26 contests. Dowdle tied Prescott for the longest run of the year, 22 yards, and caught all three targets thrown to him. If Dallas could get a running back to run 22 times for 122 yards, a 5.1 average, and score a touchdown, they could be tough to beat. Duds: Devolping receivers ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 28: Jalen Tolbert #1 of the Dallas Cowboys catches a pass against Cor’Dale Flott #28 of the New York Giants during the third quarter at AT&T Stadium on November 28, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) Poor performances from the receivers behind Lamb and Cooks are understandable with their starting QB out and the team targeting their star receiver at such a high rate. At some point, Cowboys receivers have to step up and perform. Jalen Tolbert has been the second option at receiver all season, Jalen Brooks has played a lot of snaps in almost every game, and the team just gave a fourth-round pick for Jonathan Mingo. Still, the same inconsistency persists for Tolbert and Brooks, while Mingo hasn’t had an impact past run blocking. Tolbert had one nice catch on third down for 36 yards but one reception otherwise. Brooks had one catch for no yards, and Mingo was targeted four times but had only a single reception for two yards. Three players have little to no impact 13 weeks into the season, and that has to change if the team wants to help Rush be a better quarterback going forward. Studs: WR KaVontae Turpin ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 28: KaVontae Turpin #9 of the Dallas Cowboys runs the ball during the third quarter against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on November 28, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) KaVontae
Black Friday Football odds, pick and live discussion: Raiders at Chiefs
Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images Who wins today… Las Vegas or Kansas City? The Las Vegas Raiders play the Kansas City Chiefs on a special Black Friday edition of NFL football. FanDuel has the Chiefs as 12.5-point favorites over the Raiders. Final score prediction: Chiefs 31 – Raiders 17. Check out FanDuel for all of your NFL betting needs. This is an open thread for game chat.
