The Cowboys got themselves in the win column in Week 2, beating the Giants in overtime in a game that was wildly entertaining television for anyone that wasn’t a fan of these two teams. As for Cowboys fans, how should you be feeling after two games? Welcome to the second installment of this year’s analytics […] The Cowboys got themselves in the win column in Week 2, beating the Giants in overtime in a game that was wildly entertaining television for anyone that wasn’t a fan of these two teams. As for Cowboys fans, how should you be feeling after two games? Welcome to the second installment of this year’s analytics roundup, in which we’ll seek to answer that very question with hard, unemotional data. Before we dive in, just a reminder that all DVOA-related grades do not yet account for strength of schedule, since it’s too early in the season for that. Similarly, many of these data points are still susceptible to sample size errors, but there’s still value to be pulled from the data. Let’s dive in! Cowboys Efficiency at a Glance DVOA DVOA Rank DVOA Rank Previous Week DAVE DAVE Rank Offense 21.7% 4th 6th 0.1% 15th Defense 26.7% 29th 28th 2.3% 24th Special Teams 5.8% 8th 14th 0.2% 13th Overall 0.8% 17th 14th -2.0% 16th The Cowboys saw their overall team DVOA grade increase – they were just barely in the negative after Week 1 – but they moved back three spots in the rankings. What does that mean? In short, the Cowboys played more efficiently in Week 2, but other teams made a bigger leap. Notably, special teams made a significant jump despite accounting for half the team’s penalties. Hitting a 64-yard field goal to force overtime, and then kicking the game-winner, will do that. All hail Brandon Aubrey. 2025 NFL Team Tiers Weeks 1-2, courtesy of rbsdm.comLast week’s look at the EPA-based team tiers highlighted the fact that the Cowboys were in the quadrant that denotes “good offense, bad defense” teams, but with room to move into the top right quadrant. Well, they’ve moved further into their current quadrant, and that’s unsurprising after Sunday’s defensive showing. Notably, the Cowboys are nearly even with the Commanders in total team EPA/play, and not too far behind the Eagles either. Their next opponent, the Bears, are currently sitting in the worst quadrant and competing vigorously to be the worst team in the league through two weeks. Offense Cowboys Offensive Efficiency Grade Rank Offensive DVOA 21.7% 4th Pass DVOA 30.8% 10th Run DVOA 20.4% 3rd EPA/Play 0.141 7th EPA/Dropback 0.181 11th EPA/Rush 0.056 9th Here’s the good news: the offense looks to be legit. The only metric in which they don’t currently rank in the top 10 is EPA/dropback, which isn’t too far behind at 11th. The run game had another good performance, and Javonte Williams is looking very, very good. How good? Williams is currently fifth among all running backs in rushing yards over expected (RYOE) per attempt, and he’s second in EPA/rush. He’s outperforming the league’s best backs, including Falcons star Bijan Robinson and top draft pick Ashton Jeanty. Miles Sanders has been decent, too: his +49 RYOE is second in the league, though his per play numbers are just pedestrian. Dak Prescott’s Efficiency Grade Rank QBR 65.2 14th EPA/play 0.171 12th CPOE 1.4 15th EPA+CPOE Composite 0.115 11th Success Rate 45.1% 26th Dak Prescott’s game was once again an interesting one to decipher. Last week, drops and a lack of touchdowns hurt his efficiency, but this week Prescott was playing some legitimately poor football. That is, until the fourth quarter started. To put it into perspective just how Jekyll/Hyde his performance was, Prescott’s EPA/play through the first three quarters was a pedestrian 0.094, good for 17th among quarterbacks. After that, though, he posted an absurd 0.355 EPA/play, fourth-best in that span. Prescott saved his best for the biggest moments. Cowboys Offensive Line Efficiency Grade Rank Pressure Rate 35.9% 16th Adjusted Sack Rate 3.7% 4th Pass Block Win Rate 67% 12th Run Block Win Rate 72% 14th Adjusted Line Yards 4.49 8th The offensive line saw some regression across the board this week. They took a step back in every metric, with a jarring discrepancy between pressure rate and adjusted sack rate that highlights how much work Prescott is doing to stay off his back. The run blocking was good enough, but still not to the level Dallas showed in Week 1. The bigger concern right now is in the middle, as Cooper Beebe is expected to miss 6-8 weeks with an injury. Brock Hoffman nearly gave the ball to the Giants late with a bad snap, and now he’ll make his first start of the season on the road in Chicago. Defense Cowboys Defensive Efficiency Grade Rank Defensive DVOA 26.7% 29th Pass Defense DVOA 50.9% 29th Run Defense DVOA -4.4% 23rd Pressure Rate 37.2% 11th Pass Rush Win Rate 33% 20th Run Stop Win Rate 36% 4th EPA/Play 0.195 30th EPA/Dropback Allowed 0.349 31st EPA/Rush Allowed -0.065 17th The offense is doing so well that shifting gears to talk about the defense feels kind of like taking a drink of something flavorful right after brushing your teeth: it’s disgusting. The silver lining is that Dallas doesn’t rank last in any metric (thank God for the Dolphins), but they’re flirting with the cellar. The run defense is not half bad, though it’s hardly a strength. More than anything, Matt Eberflus needs more pass rush to help out his secondary, which also needs to figure out how to keep receivers in front of them. Jadeveon Clowney is an immediate aid for the former, while the imminent return of DaRon Bland should help with the latter. Cowboys Pass Coverage Targets Completions Completion Rate Passer Rating Allowed ADOT When Targeted Air Yards Allowed Yards After Catch Trevon Diggs 5 4 80.0% 158.3 28.0 97 104 DaRon Bland 2 2 100.0% 89.6 -0.5 -1 12 Kaiir Elam 14 12
3 questions from Cowboys’ Week 2 win over Giants
In a funny twist, many seem more worried about things following Dallas’ narrow win over the Giants than they were after the Week 1 loss to Philadelphia. While the Cowboys did secure their first victory of 2025, New York’s explosive passing performance raised more long-term concerns about the defense. This, and more, make up our […] In a funny twist, many seem more worried about things following Dallas’ narrow win over the Giants than they were after the Week 1 loss to Philadelphia. While the Cowboys did secure their first victory of 2025, New York’s explosive passing performance raised more long-term concerns about the defense. This, and more, make up our three big questions coming out of Week 2. A week after Giants fans were calling for him to be benched, Russell Wilson went off for 450 yards. It wasn’t surgical, but rather a series of deep bombs that made Trevon Diggs and other defensive backs look equal parts hapless and helpless. Now that New York’s exposed this liability in the secondary, are the Cowboys about to start getting torched every week? Obviously, Matt Eberflus has to figure some things out. This zone-heavy, double-high safety scheme is quite different from what some of our DBs were used to under Mike Zimmer and Dan Quinn. Thankfully, Dallas was able to withstand these big plays and escape with a win. But now that what the Giants did is on tape, it’s on our coaches to make mitigating adjustments. Eberflus also needs to get some of his key players back. DaRon Bland’s absence was sorely felt, and hopefully, he’ll be able to suit back up by the Week 4 game against Green Bay. We’re also hoping that the current version of Diggs is still working through rust and has higher levels of play ahead of him. Also, what will guys like Caelen Carson and Shavon Revel Jr. offer when they finally make their 2025 debuts? 2. Can Javonte Williams keep this up? The Cowboys may have pulled off another bargain bin win with Williams. His 151 rushing yards in two games put him at seventh on the current leaderboard, and his three touchdowns have him tied for first place. Williams isn’t only taking what the blocks give him, but he’s breaking tackles and creating extra yards and gash plays just on his own ability. While we’re still anticipating Jaydon Blue’s debut as another potential offensive weapon, Williams has clearly established himself as RB1. Still, it’s a long season ahead. Can Williams maintain this play as all that contact starts to take a toll? He was available for only $3 million because of how much he struggled in Denver following a major 2022 injury. These first two weeks in Dallas are very positive signs, but his style is dependent on maintaining whatever bursts he has and consistently outpowering defenders. Both get harder as the body wears down. 3. What happens when the flags stop flying Dallas’ way? In Week 1, it felt bizarre to see the Eagles penalized nine times to only four for the Cowboys. Even last week, albeit a much narrower margin, the Giants were flagged 14 times to just 12 for Dallas. We’re so used to the Cowboys being among the league leaders in penalties every year, so this has been a welcome respite. It’s also a big part of why they kept things close against Philly and eked out the win over New York. Is this a new era of disciplined football under Brian Schottenheimer, or is it just an anomaly? We hope it’s sustainable, because the razor’s edge that Dallas is currently playing on means it can’t afford anything to swing to the negative. If history holds true and the Cowboys resume their rivalry with the officials, it could have a dramatic impact on outcomes going forward. 0 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Roster
Rookie battleground: Cowboys vs. Bears breakdown of draft picks
Each week we dive into each team’s rookie class and compare how they stack up against each other. (Grades for each player are the overall offensive or defensive grade handed out by PFF.com) Dallas Cowboys Tyler Booker (OG) First RoundThis is a communication street fight for Booker. If he and Brock Hoffman pass off every twist like […] Each week we dive into each team’s rookie class and compare how they stack up against each other. (Grades for each player are the overall offensive or defensive grade handed out by PFF.com) Dallas Cowboys Tyler Booker (OG) First Round This is a communication street fight for Booker. If he and Brock Hoffman pass off every twist like a baton, Chicago’s simulated pressure turns into just four guys running in place. Win first contact against length, keep the pocket square, and Dallas can live in second-and-manageable all afternoon. Do that, and Booker doesn’t just survive, he erases the chaos the Bears need to steal this one. Later in the week on Reading Between the Lines here on BTB we’ll take a deeper dive into Bookers challenges for this week.Grade: 53.0 Donovan Ezeiraku (DE) Second Round Through two games, Ezeiruaku has one solo tackle and zero sacks, a light statistical start while he acclimates to NFL speed and Dallas mixes its sub-packages. The good news for Ezeiruaku is the Bears’ offense has protection problems. Detroit sacked Caleb Williams four times and held Chicago to penalty-soaked drives. That’s fertile ground for a speedy, inside-counter rusher like Ezeiruaku. This sets up like a breakout game for the rookie pass rusher. Chicago’s tackles have been leaking and Ezeiruaku brings fresh legs and a first step that kills. If he keeps his rush lanes tight on Williams so he’s forced to climb into traffic, not out the back door, it can all fall into place for Ezeiruaku. We could be seeing his first sack this weekend.Grade: 72.9 Shavon Revel Jr. (CB) Third RoundCurrently on Non-Football injury list (NFI) Jaydon Blue (RB) Fifth Round Another week inactive and we wait for news on if the coaches feel he can make it to the field this week. With Miles Sanders scoring last week after Javonte Williams had another big game, could see Brian Schottenheimer sticking to what’s working. That means less of our boy Blue. Grade: N/A Shemar James (LB) Fifth Round Watching Jack Sanborn try to cover the seam last week was both frustrating and disappointing. A guy like James might have been golden in that area of the field, but we have to wait for the coaches to feel confident putting him in. So for now, it’s a case of wait and watch for James and whether he gets to see action.Grade: N/A Ajani Cornelius (OT) Sixth RoundInactiveGrade: N/A Jay Toia (DT) Seventh Round The rookie nose is still easing in and has one tackle with zero sacks so far. He’s been used situationally to anchor early downs and absorb double teams while the Cowboys mix sub-fronts, so this will take time for Toia. But this week is a trench bully game for Toia. Win half a yard on first down and Chicago’s shiny playbook shrinks to panic buttons. Dent the pocket, don’t just hold it, and make Caleb Williams climb into traffic. Given the Bears coughed up four sacks and 12 pressures last week, Toia could find a few A-gap wins.Grade: 30.2 Phil Mafah (RB) Seventh RoundInactiveGrade: N/A Chicago Bears Colston Loveland (TE) First Round Usage for Loveland has been modest so far this year, but on-script for a rookie behind a veteran room. He has two receptions for 12 yards so far, after a debut with 57% of offensive snaps and a small target share. Early efficiency indicators are shallow by volume, with an average depth of target of just 2.5 yards, meaning he’s mostly getting quick outlets and underneath throws as Chicago sorts its passing game out. Expect his role to expand as spacing and protection improve, if they improve. Loveland projects as a classic in-line or slot-flex tight end with plus movement skills for his size with loose hips, clean hitch/comeback transitions, and good timing at the catch point. His biggest setback is the Bears offense in general that lacks efficiency.Grade: 48.7 Luther Burden II (WR) Second Round During the draft season a lot of Cowboys fans wanted Burden to be the first of the draft for Dallas, and with good reason. A dynamic slot receiver with running-back balance after the catch, short-area burst and contact strength, Burden adds firepower to an offense and offers great RPO utility options. At Missouri he was a high-volume YAC weapon, and he tested well pre draft. With a compact frame that suits quick separation and screen work he is very exciting to watch. The Bears got to him, however, before Dallas could call his name in the second round, but so far in Chicago it’s been quiet from the dynamic playmaker who has made only two catches for two yards across two games. Early usage has been limited behind Rome Odunze and the veteran rotation, but he’s logged situational snaps and special-teams downs while the Bears’ offense finds its footing. Expect gradual growth in manufactured touches as Chicago stabilizes its offense and expands the rookie’s role. Is that going to happen as early as Week 3? Doubtful.Grade: 46.7 Shemar Turner (DT) Second Round The next two guys on this list are quite a head-scratcher if you’re a Bears fan. Turner adds some real juice to the inside and this Bears defensive line needs it. But the coaching staff over in Chicago are not only opting to stick with the veterans and their guys, they keeping Turner inactive. The second-round pick out of Texas A&M has yet to play a single snap this year, but is a healthy scratch. This has infuriated Bears fans and media personnel are running with the story based on the fact the defense is struggling and the guys they’re playing are doing very
Cowboys injuries: DaRon Bland, Trevon Diggs DNP
After a harrowing last-second win over the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys seek to improve to 2-1 on the year. This week, they face the winless Chicago Bears, yet Dallas are underdogs on the road. As we get closer to gameday, who will be available on the field will play a big factor in […] After a harrowing last-second win over the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys seek to improve to 2-1 on the year. This week, they face the winless Chicago Bears, yet Dallas are underdogs on the road. As we get closer to gameday, who will be available on the field will play a big factor in the outcome. Here’s what we know about the team’s injuries after Wednesday’s practice. Dallas Cowboys injury report pic.twitter.com/Fp0Qjt9t9f — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 17, 2025 While there was some faint optimism that DaRon Bland would be available Sunday. The Cowboys have already clarified that Bland will be out with his foot iniury at least another week. Therefore, his DNP on Wednesday was not surprising. Trevon Diggs (illness) was also not practicing today. KaVontae Turpin left Sunday’s win with a neck injury and was limited today. Tyler Guyton was limited by a shoulder injury. #Bears Wednesday Injury Report pic.twitter.com/2Dl1ehtXai — Bears Communications (@BearsPR) September 17, 2025 For the Bears, their secondary is also dealing with injury concerns. Jaylon Johnson didn’t practice Wednesday with a groin injury and his return does not have a timetable. Kyle Gordon (hamstring) also did not practice today. Meanwhile, linebacker T.J. Edwards (hamstring) and Grady Jarrett (knee) also sat out practice today.
2025 NFL Week 3: Dallas Cowboys vs. Chicago Bears
The Dallas Cowboys are coming off of a win for the first time this season and looking to put together a streak. If they want to pull that off then they will have to get through the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Dallas will visit the Windy City in Week 3 and will bring Dak Prescott […] The Dallas Cowboys are coming off of a win for the first time this season and looking to put together a streak. If they want to pull that off then they will have to get through the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Dallas will visit the Windy City in Week 3 and will bring Dak Prescott with them. The Cowboys’ QB1 is playing some incredible football right now and it certainly helps that he has CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens at his disposal. Brandon Aubrey being able to convert field goals from Mars is also a nice plus. On the Chicago side of things, the Bears are winless through the first two weeks of the season. New head coach Ben Johnson is still trying to figure life out with Caleb Williams, D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze. This game will mark a meeting of first-time head coaches as Brian Schottenheimer is leading the Cowboys. From a coaching standpoint, this game also features Matt Eberflus, now the Cowboys defensive coordinator but most recently the Bears head coach, returning to his former stomping grounds. Below you will find our stream for this week that will contain all material relating to the game. Dallas and Chicago kick off at 4:25pm ET on Sunday from Soldier Field.
Cowboys go into Week 3 with an identity crisis
After two weeks, it’s hard to say just who the 2025 Dallas Cowboys are. Are they the team that nearly beat the Eagles on the road, or that barely got by the Giants at home? Sitting at 1-1 ahead of a Week 3 matchup against the Bears, it’s hard to say right now whether or […] After two weeks, it’s hard to say just who the 2025 Dallas Cowboys are. Are they the team that nearly beat the Eagles on the road, or that barely got by the Giants at home? Sitting at 1-1 ahead of a Week 3 matchup against the Bears, it’s hard to say right now whether or not these Cowboys are winners or losers. Thankfully, they’re winners for the next few days. And what a way to win, having to eat several Russell Wilson haymakers and stay sure-footed. Not just Brandon Aubrey, who deserves a new contract before he gets on the plane to Chicago, but the entire team. Even as Wilson, Malik Nabers, and other receivers kept exploiting DaRon Bland’s absence and Trevon Diggs’ rust, the Cowboys stayed up and answered enough times to get their first win of the season. Now it’s fans and analysts who are fighting to figure out which game is more indicative of this team going forward. Was it the one that went the distance with Philly? And for that matter, how much did Jalen Carter’s absence make that an unfair gauge? Similarly, how much did losing Bland this week in practice make this last game closer than it should’ve been? And if future opponents, even weaker ones, don’t have the preponderance of penalties that the Giants did, will that even the field? That’s one of the really scary factors of these last two weeks. For the first time in what feels like forever, the Cowboys have been heavy beneficiaries of officiating. Carter’s ejection, multiple DPIs for big yardage, critical calls in clutch moments: it’s been going Dallas’ way far more than we’re used to. If this is the anomaly we expect it to be, given decades of Dallas being one of the most penalized teams in the league, then that should mean tougher sledding in most upcoming games. The composite result of all of this is not really knowing how to feel going forward, even against a 0-2 opponent like the Bears. They’ve lost two division games, one narrowly at home and another on the road. A week after Ben Johnson’s failed return to Detroit, we now have another big storyline game with Matt Eberflus’ attempted revenge in Chicago, going against a very familiar opponent in Johnson’s offense from their shared time in the NFC North. Thankfully, it’s not all question marks with the Cowboys. At least a few things, and important ones, feel reliable after two weeks. We already mentioned Aubrey, who is simply incredible. Here are a few more: 1. Dak Prescott is all the way back. It took the offense a little bit to get going on Sunday, but boy, did it finish strong! Prescott was on point in every way, even setting up the winning field goal with a 14-yard run. He showed all of the same poise and confidence from a week ago and delivered in the clutch. Prescott looks more comfortable in two weeks of this offense than he did at any point last season. He did get away with a couple of near picks trying to force the ball to George Pickens, and hopefully that gets cleaned up with increased chemistry. But overall, Prescott looks ready to do his part to make Dallas a contender. 2. Javonte Williams has the stuff. We’ll have to see how the toll of a long season affects him, especially given his injury history, but Williams looks like a legit RB1 for a winning team. He’s a decisive runner behind even narrow lanes, trusting his power to make up for potential contact. He’s also a good receiver, catching six of seven targets. The more Dallas establishes rushing efficiency, the more dangerous Prescott and the receiving weapons will become. We’ve said before that Williams only had to be as good as Rico Dowdle to be a good move, and so far he’s looking like an upgrade. 3. Schotty has the locker room locked in. The jury is still out on his offensive playcalling, clock management, and some of the other things we judge head coaches by. But in terms of having and keeping his players motivated and dialed in throughout a game, Brian Schottenheimer is proving himself quickly. While X’s and O’s and other technical aspects of football certainly matter, so much of what elevates professional teams over others is desire and focus. These are all great athletes, often working with great coaches and coordinators. After two weeks, these Cowboys look like a more disciplined and cohesive group than we’ve seen in a while. Those are three things that you can lean on for an entire season and beyond. But still, Dallas has a lot of questions to answer. And with the Green Bay Packers coming in Week 4, this would be a great week to build confidence in other aspects of the team. A non-division opponent like Chicago, even with the Eberflus factor, could make for a better evaluation point than these last two NFC East rivalry games. Who are the 2025 Cowboys? The Bears may go a long way to helping us figure it out. 0 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Roster
Cowboys news: DeMarvion Overshown hoping to play before Thanksgiving
DeMarvion Overshown ‘getting there’ in recovery, aiming to play before Thanksgiving – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com Getting DeMarvion Overshown back before they take on Kansas City would be a massive boost for the defense. Overshown has been off the field for the Cowboys since December of 2024, when he suffered his second season-ending knee injury in […] DeMarvion Overshown ‘getting there’ in recovery, aiming to play before Thanksgiving – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com Getting DeMarvion Overshown back before they take on Kansas City would be a massive boost for the defense. Overshown has been off the field for the Cowboys since December of 2024, when he suffered his second season-ending knee injury in as many years by tearing his ACL, MCL and PCL. Ten months later, he’s been doing more and more with the rehab group and is feeling good. “I’m getting there,” Overshown said. “It’s definitely to a point where we’re getting the last clears from my surgeon, and now it’s just easing me back into playing football. The knee is healthy, I’m moving around fast, strong, now just being smart with the timing.” Initially, Overshown was looking at Dallas’ annual Thanksgiving game against the Kansas City Chiefs as a potential return date. Is that still what he’s targeting? “I don’t want to say that’s the target date, but I feel like I’ll be playing football before Thanksgiving with the team.” Overshown said. It’d be a much welcome addition to the Cowboys defense, but they’re going to take their time with his recovery and not rush him back to the field to ensure he is fully healthy and has the best chance to avoid injury again. Ultimately, the decision will be up to the training and coaching staffs for when Overshown returns. It’s not easy to physically overcome back-to-back devasting knee injuries like that. For some, it can be difficult to get over the mental hurdle as well. In Overshown’s case, trusting yourself is the biggest piece of clearing that hurdle. “I’d say it’s hard when the faith is not there. I feel like since I got hurt, I’ve always been the one to say ‘Okay, what do I have to do next to make sure I’m ready for when this point happens,’” Overshown said. The Cowboys have unlocked Javonte Williams, and the whole offense is benefitting – Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram After Sunday’s win, Dak Prescott called Javonte Williams a key to their entire offense. In Sunday’s 40-37 win over the New York Giants, his impact was felt with 130 total yards, including a 30-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter that was attributed as his longest run since his rookie season in 2021. In two games, his 3.6 rush EPA (expected points added) is fourth among all running backs in the NFL, per NFL Pro. While his lightning-fast start out of the gates is a surprise to many, it hasn’t been for head coach Brian Schottenheimer. “I’ve been the high guy on Javonte the whole time,” Schottenheimer said. “I’m just telling you, if you find a running back in the National Football League that plays harder than this guy, more physical than this guy, I’d love to see it. I’m sure there are some that are on that same level, but I don’t think there’s anybody that plays the game more physical.” After tearing his ACL in 2022, Williams said over the offseason that he didn’t truly feel like he was back to his previous self until earlier this year. It makes sense, because the numbers show it. His 3.6 yards per carry over the last two seasons did not offer optimism coming into Dallas, but he has increased that total by a whole yard (4.6) through two games. His rush EPA in 2025 is the first time he’s been in the green in that category in his career after a -28.3 rush EPA in 2024 and a -46.8 rush EPA in 2023 which was fifth-worst across all running backs in the league. “I could not be more happy for that young man with what he’s had to go through, where he’s been,” Schottenheimer said. “It was so cool to see him break through, but he’s just getting started. I can promise you that.” The Chicago Bears have struggled to find balance under Ben Johnson. Rough Start Ben Johnson became one of the hottest candidates to take over as an NFL head coach thanks to his outstanding work as the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator over the past three seasons. At 39, Johnson brings an energizing presence to a franchise that hasn’t reached the postseason since 2020, thanks to an expanded playoff format that year. Johnson played a key role in building the Lions’ dynamic offense, and the expectation is that he’ll work his magic to help quarterback Caleb Williams become one of the league’s elite. “Ben is a proven leader with a winning pedigree and a mind toward innovation,” Bears general manager Ryan Poles said when he introduced Johnson in January. “When we spent time together on the Zoom call, he basically came to the screen and was like, ‘I want to be there. I want to help you guys win,” Poles added. “And that really separated him from everybody else.” So far, Johnson’s NFL head coaching debut has been rocky, with losses in his first two games by a combined score of 79–45. Johnson is the 18th full-time head coach in the franchise’s 106-year history. Injury concerns The Bears have several key players nursing injuries entering their matchup against the Cowboys. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (knee) is listed as questionable, and his absence would be a significant blow to the Bears’ pass rush. The 11-year NFL veteran has recorded 36.5 career sacks. This is his first season in Chicago after spending his entire career with the Atlanta Falcons. Jarrett’s absence could give Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott a much more comfortable afternoon at Soldier Field. Another injured Bears player is wide receiver Jahdae Walker (ankle), who is
Cowboys 2025 rookie report: Rookie class help slay the Giants in overtime
The Cowboys and Giants rookie clash helped crash Big Blue’s party in the season home opener at Dallas. Tyler Booker kept the run game humming, Donovan Ezeiruaku brought some juice off the edge, and Jay Toia planted his cleats in the A-gaps. Not perfect, not quiet, and definitely not boring. How did they perform against […] The Cowboys and Giants rookie clash helped crash Big Blue’s party in the season home opener at Dallas. Tyler Booker kept the run game humming, Donovan Ezeiruaku brought some juice off the edge, and Jay Toia planted his cleats in the A-gaps. Not perfect, not quiet, and definitely not boring. How did they perform against the Giants in what was their first professional overtime game in the NFL? OG Tyler Booker (Game stats- Snaps: 89, Pressures Allowed: 4, Sacks Allowed: 1, Penalties: 0) Dallas committed 12 penalties for 106 yards, but none were on Booker, that’s a good place to start. For a rookie guard in a chaotic, overtime shootout, Booker checked two big boxes in this game, discipline and durability while being part of a line that churned out 135 rushing yards and protected well enough to a degree on 52 dropbacks. The tape notes to carry forward are standard rookie right guard pointers. He needs to work on cleaner fits on some doubles, quicker eyes for interior twists, and a firmer anchor when the pocket gets squeezed. Dallas had a handful of short-yardage rushes that got stoned. It’s not pinned solely on Booker, but interior timing and hand placement on double-teams, along with backside cutoffs needed to be cleaner. Even with only three sacks allowed, the Giants still logged eight QB hits, which reflects some bad leakage over a heavy throwing day for Dak. Booker added to that total with two hits and one sack that came off a well-timed twist that had Booker thrown immediately into panic mode. But all told, it was a solid day for Booker in a wild 40–37 win, and that’s the biggest takeaway for the rookie guard this week. DE Donovan Ezeiruaku (Game stats- Snaps: 26, Total Tackles: 0, Pressures: 2, Sacks: 0) Ezeiruaku’s game against New York looked like a promising rookie edge rotation outing. He was assignment-sound, penalty-free, had a couple of clear disruptions but no stat-sheet pops. His snap count is up from last week, so the arrow’s pointing up on playing time. The coaching tape this week should hammer finishing through the play, tighter lane discipline in four-man fronts, and converting those opportunities into sacks. If he stacks that, the numbers will follow. CB Shavon Revel Jr. Non-Football Injury list RB Jaydon Blue Inactive LB Shemar James Inactive OT Ajani Cornelius Inactive DT Jay Toia (Game stats- Snaps: 19, Total Tackles: 1, Pressures: 0, Sacks: 0) Toia dressed and did his job in the rotation without errors, but didn’t register on the stat sheet other than an assisted tackle. Against a line that could be moved inside, that’s a missed chance to stack buzzworthy reps. To put it all in perspective for Toia, the defensive line only registered two sacks (James Houston and Kenny Clark), and the unit struggled to overpower a weak Giants offensive line. Toia was far from the problem but also didn’t take his chances when given the opportunity. The coaching tape this week should get Toia to lower his pads, quicker shed timing on inside zone, and converting anchor into visible pocket push on passing downs. If he turns a couple of those stalemates into tackles or a hurry, he’ll force more snaps his way. RB Phil Mafah Injured reserve WR Traeshon Holden Practice squad TE Rivaldo Fairweather Practice squad LB Justin Barron Practice squad CB Alijah Clark Practice squad CB Zion Childress Practice squad 0 CommentsSee More: Dallas Cowboys Roster
Secret Superstars 2025: RB Javonte Williams is all the way back
Throughout the 2025 NFL season, SB Nation’s Doug Farrar will write about the game’s Secret Superstars — those players whose performances might slip under the radar for whatever reasons. In this installment, it’s time to give some love to Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams, who seems to have come all the way back from a horrible […] Throughout the 2025 NFL season, SB Nation’s Doug Farrar will write about the game’s Secret Superstars — those players whose performances might slip under the radar for whatever reasons. In this installment, it’s time to give some love to Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams, who seems to have come all the way back from a horrible knee injury that looked to scuttle his career a few years ago. In the 2024 season, the Dallas Cowboys had just six rushing touchdowns, the NFL’s worst total. To put that in perspective, the Philadelphia Eagles had SEVEN rushing touchdowns in their 55-23 pantsing of the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game, and the Buffalo Bills led the league with 32 rushing scores. The Cowboys ranked 29th in Rushing EPA at -60.0, ahead of only the Miami Dolphins, the Las Vegas Raiders, and the Tennessee Titans (who probably should have kept that Derrick Henry guy). Dallas had just 42 runs of 10 or more yards; the Baltimore Ravens with the aforementioned Derrick Henry led the league with 104. To expect a functional offense with what the Cowboys put together in the run game was a fool’s errand. With Rico Dowdle and the last remnants of Zeke Elliott as the primary backs, Dallas just didn’t have the guys to get it done. And as the 2025 Cowboys were assessing other financial decisions for better or worse, they weren’t going to pull a Howie Roseman/Saquon Barkley lever and sign a veteran running back to a large contract and hope that back could define their offense. Instead, they signed former Denver Broncos second-round pick Javonte Williams to a one-year, $3 million contract with $2 million guaranteed. The best back in the 2021 draft class (in my humble opinion), Williams came out of North Carolina as a speed back with destructive power — he forced 71 missed tackles in just 157 carries in 2020, and he also amassed 27 carries of 15 or more yards. Williams’ rookie season with the Broncos seemed to have him on the path — he gained 903 yards and scored four touchdowns on 203 carries, with 63 forced missed tackles, and nine runs of 15 or more yards. Then, everything sadly changed. In Week 4 of the 2022 season, Williams suffered a brutal knee injury in which he had damage to his ACL. LCL, and posterolateral corner. That season was obviously over for him, he was not the same back in 2023, and even in 2024 for the Broncos, he became more of a receiving back. It seemed that Javonte Williams had become yet another promising player whose potential was scuttled by horrible injury luck, and we might never see what he could have become. That a back of Williams’ previous caliber was available on the cheap like that told the story, but Williams was about to craft another tale. Through two games with the Cowboys, he’s gained 151 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns on 33 carries, and while he’s done more than just establish himself as a fine red-zone back for a team in desperate need of that, this one skill certainly helps. Against the New York Giants on Sunday in a 40-37 win in which there were seven scoring plays in the fourth quarter alone for both teams, Williams gained 97 yards and scored a touchdown on his 18 carries. He forced six missed tackles, and had three runs of 10 or more yards. The passing game was obviously the main thing in this game — Dak Prescott threw the ball 52 times, completing 38 passes for 361 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 96.7 — but when Dallas needed explosive plays in the run game, they were there for once. “God, you know, I tell you what, man, I saw he got 97 yards,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said of Williams after the win. “I wish he would have gotten three more. I’ve been the high guy on Javonte the whole time. And the way he plays this game, man, I’m just telling you. If you find a running back in the National Football League that plays harder than this guy, more physical than this guy, I’d love to see it. And I’m sure there are some that are on that same level. “But I don’t think there’s anybody that plays the game more physical. And I could not be more happy for that young man with what he’s had to go through, where he’s been. And it was so cool to see him break through. “But he’s just getting started. I can promise you that.” Well, when the Cowboys play the Chicago Bears next Sunday, maybe Schottenheimer can engineer a few more carries to get Williams that 100-yard game — which would be his first since he had two in his rookie season (including a 17-carry, 111-yard game against the Cowboys). It’s about the only thing Javonte Williams hasn’t done so far for his new team. 0 CommentsSee More:
2025 NFL Week 3 Power Rankings: Cowboys rise a bit after win
The second week of the season is in the books for the NFL and the feeling of newness has officially worn off. We are knee deep in the season and it is amazing. While we have legitimate sample sizes to work with, they are obviously still too small to draw serious conclusions from. But this […] The second week of the season is in the books for the NFL and the feeling of newness has officially worn off. We are knee deep in the season and it is amazing. While we have legitimate sample sizes to work with, they are obviously still too small to draw serious conclusions from. But this doesn’t change the fact that each team has played over 100 minutes of competitive football and that we can definitely discern some things as a result. As always, we have done just that by way of our weekly power rankings. Below you will find our listing of all 32 teams following Week 2’s action and then a collection of how various outlets across the internet have the Cowboys ranked. Here we go. 1 – Buffalo Bills (LW: 2) They really feel indestructible. The first week was amazing, but the second was sound. 2 – Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 1) It feels unfair to drop them after they won again, especially in a volatile environment like Arrowhead. But they appear vulnerable. Their passing game is non-existent. 3 – Green Bay Packers (LW: 3) We might be looking at the NFC Champions here. The season is long and no one remembers mid-September in January, but right now it is Green Bay’s world. 4 – Baltimore Ravens (LW: 9) I feel very confident that Baltimore is going to be one of the last teams standing. Lamar Jackson is so, so good. 5 – Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 5) The Chargers have burned football fans in the past and I get it. I have a hard time trust them myself. Right now though, they appear well-put together. 6 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 7) I don’t think we give enough credit to Baker Mayfield in general for his time in Tampa Bay. He has them looking quite solid through two weeks. 7 – Los Angeles Rams (LW: 8) The Rams are hard to trust as well, but there is zero reason to really doubt them. 8 – Detroit Lions (LW: 22) It was clearly emotional for them to beat Ben Johnson. I am anxious to see how they fare against Baltimore. 9 – Indianapolis Colts (LW: 12) I cannot believe that they are this high. Time will tell how real it is. 10 – Washington Commanders (LW: 4) It doesn’t feel like the clock struck midnight necessarily, but it does seem like Washington has finally begun to regress a little. Fighting that off without Jayden Daniels for at least a week will be hard. 11 – San Francisco 49ers (LW: 14) No Brock Purdy. No George Kittle. No problem. Obviously it was the Saints, but the whole world left the 49ers for dead and they are back. 12 – Dallas Cowboys (LW: 17) If the offense can win the moments that matter the most then they can be in every game. Plus, the defense can’t be that bad every week, right? Right? 13 – Atlanta Falcons (LW: 18) This is definitely a team to watch as well. They could very easily be 2-0 if not for a tough end to Week 1. 14 – Minnesota Vikings (LW: 6) It is going to be interesting to see how they look with Carson Wentz under center for a bit. 15 – Arizona Cardinals (LW: 21) I picked the Cardinals to win the NFC West and feel okay about that with them at 2-0. It has been a bit shaky, but I have had the hardest time letting go of any belief in Kyler Murray from long ago. We will see. 16 – Seattle Seahawks (LW: 23) They are another team that we don’t give enough due. They always just find a way. 17 – Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 10) Seattle’s latest victim. I do trust that they will be fine across the regular season. No one has any concerns for them this time of year. 18 – Denver Broncos (LW: 20) Sean Payton remains pretty immune to criticism. Think about how little you have seen people talking about his team having a poor mental moment that cost them the game. 19 – Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 11) I think we are all starting to believe that the shields are down here. Imagine if they lose this week to the Giants. It sounds impossible, but imagine! 20 – Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 13) It is such a bummer that Joe Burrow is going to miss so much time. Absolutely brutal. 21 – Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 15) We are still learning who this team really is. There is a lot of unknown. 22 – New England Patriots (LW: 27) Good for them in surviving that fun game in Miami. Drake Maye is exciting to watch. 23 – New York Giants (LW: 31) This is a massive rise after a loss, but the rest of the teams are really that bad. 24 – New York Jets (LW: 16) To be fair here, Justin Fields was hurt. 25 – Tennessee Titans (LW: 28) Cam Ward looks like the guy at least. 26 – New Orleans Saints (LW: 30) We should credit Kellen Moore’s squad for showing some fight. 27 – Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 19) Geno Smith… yikes. 28 – Chicago Bears (LW: 24) See you on Sunday! 29 – Cleveland Browns (LW: 25) Will it ever be not horrible? 30 Houston Texans (LW: 26) The conversations are starting to turn interesting as they relate to C.J. Stroud. 31 – Carolina Panthers (LW: 32) Yikes. 32 – Miami Dolphins (LW: 29) When was the last time you felt like this was a functional franchise? ESPN: 19 (LW: 19) No change here.