Is Trey Lance playing today? Update for Cowboys backup QB K.D. Drummond The Dallas Cowboys 2024 season is mercifully coming to an end. There are now just eight days and two games remaining on the schedule, with the club being eliminated from the playoffs last week before they took to the field. The coaching staff, led by Mike McCarthy, deserves kudos for keeping the team engaged despite this fate being pretty much inevitable since early November. Dallas started out with a 3-7 record, but they fought for four wins in their last five games with the only defeat being a fluke, bone-headed late game screwup on a special teams play. With the club not being mathematically eliminated until Week 16, they approached their roster from the perspective of winning being the most important thing. Even though they were eliminated before they took the field against Tampa Bay last week, their week of preparation was done with the possibility they could still pull off a miracle. That hope is gone now, and it may impact whether or not fans get a regular-season glimpse of backup QB Trey Lance. Dallas sent a fourth-round pick to San Francisco in exchange for Lance, who was the No. 3 overall pick in 2021 for the 49ers. He wa unable to unseat Cooper Rush for the role of Dak Prescott’s backup and now is just eight days away from the end of his contract. The Cowboys have never tried to utilize his skillset as a running threat, not even in the vein of how the New Orleans Saints have deployed Taysom Hill over the years. The offseason was a maddening experience for the fanbase, as the club failed to not only avoid signing any impact free agents from the outside, but also failed to bring back many of their own. With contract extensions looming over their biggest stars in Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons, the coaching staff were all on lame duck status. All in all, it forced several fans to be lose interest in the brand. One thing that united fans, though, especially under the looming 2025 of Prescott (at the time) was whether or not Lance had what it took to be the next franchise quarterback. Acquired towards the end of the 2023 offseason, Lance didn’t play that year, so no one really knew what to expect from him. As head coach Mike McCarthy avoids playing his stars in the preseason, Lance got plenty of snaps in the exhibitions and acquitted himself relatively well until the final performance when he bombed. He really hasn’t been seen since, which in a lost season where Prescott has been out with injury has frustrated fans even more. Nothing crystalized this animosity more than in Week 11, when in a blowout loss to the Houston Texans where Cooper Rush struggled mightily, McCarthy refused to let Lance get snaps. Now eliminated, the subject returns. Lance is a free agent, as is current starter Cooper Rush, in 2025. Rush’s ceiling is obvious; the offense is ridiculously dumbed down due to his arm talent limitations and lack of athleticism. Lance offers upside in that regard, with nowhere near the polish or experience Rush brings to the table. But with nothing to play for but intel, there’s no reason not to give Lance snaps that count. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Cowboys at Eagles stock report: Eric Kendricks rises, Cooper Rush falls in loss
Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images The Cowboys had no chance on Sunday in Philadelphia. The Dallas Cowboys took the field on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles knowing that no matter what they did, their season would be over in less than 10 days regardless. While this was true a week ago, the news was still raw and happened so close to kickoff that it was clearly very different than having been the reality the team was living in for a full week. To be frank, the Cowboys looked on Sunday like a team who was mathematically not in the overall equation. In no way was that the case for the Eagles as they withstood an injury to their second quarterback and saw their third toss a touchdown to make the game even more out of reach with time remaining in the third quarter. It was that kind of day in what has been that kind of season. There were a few good things in the middle of all of the funk. Here is our stock report following the game. Stock Up: Eric Kendricks The Cowboys signed Eric Kendricks for the sole purpose of having someone with experience in running Mike Zimmer’s system as the one calling it. They were correct in believing in Eric Kendricks. Obviously the defensive effort from Dallas was lacking on Sunday in a general sense, but Kendricks certainly did what he could to mitigate the damage. If Zimmer does return then there is certainly an argument to bringing Kendricks back as well. Stock Up: Jalen Tolbert Last week we threw kudos at Jalen Tolbert for fighting through his finger injury, something he did again on Sunday against Philadelphia. Tolbert had an impressive touchdown early on when the tiniest of tiny thoughts existed that Dallas may be able to pull off an upset. Good for him for battling through. Stock Up: DaRon Bland We have grown accustomed to DaRon Bland making headlines when he has interceptions, particularly one that he returns for a touchdown. The Cowboys defense did not have their best day on Sunday, but that was certainly not due to a lack of effort from players like DaRon Bland. Bland was incredibly physical and clearly willing to give his all against the Eagles. It ultimately was an effort that fell short, but it was nice to see nonetheless. Stock Up: Rico Dowdle This is a stock up offered with a bit of a grain of salt. Rico Dowdle hit 1,000 rushing yards on the season on Sunday which is a big deal and why he is here. He had over 100 yards on the day specifically. The salt is necessary because in the process of trying to get the 1k late in the game, with it already over from a competitive standpoint, Dowdle fumbled. You can’t do that. Stock Down: Cooper Rush There are two instances in which Cooper Rush has thrown multiple interceptions in his NFL career and they have both come on the road at Philadelphia. The first was in 2022 and the second was on Sunday. It is very difficult to find anything about how Rush played on Sunday and pat it on the back. He seemed a bit more reckless than he ever had been and avoided the low-hanging fruit which has always been his specialty. Put simply, this was one of the worst games of Rush’s career. Stock Down: Andrew Booth Early on it seemed like Andrew Booth was in for a good game, but then the game kept going and the onslaught got larger. Ultimately handling the Eagles’ wide receiver group is a very difficult assignment and one that Booth struggled mightily with. He got worked throughout the second and third quarter in a manner that made the game no longer one for the Cowboys. Stock Down: Jake Ferguson It has not exactly been a stellar season for Ferguson (set to become eligible for a contract extension for the first time by the way) and on Sunday he had a critical fumble that helped really break things open for the Eagles. Stock Down: Ezekiel Elliott Ezekiel Elliott had three carries on Sunday in Philadelphia. The longest run that Elliott had went for five yards. Elliott finished the day with two yards. Stock Down: Mike McCarthy It is hard for me to feel like this was Mike McCarthy failing the Cowboys because they appear very ready for this season to be over and were up against an Eagles team champing at the bit to lock up their division title and playoff position. It was a highly movable object meeting an unstoppable force. But as we are now single-digit days (in all likelihood) from his coaching status being determined relative to this team, I don’t know how you can’t be at least seriously disappointed. The Cowboys looked outdone and out-prepared in every single facet of the game and got worked by two different quarterbacks. That has to matter to a significant degree. Stock Down: Jerry Jones Before the game Jerry Jones mentioned that he had been told by an Eagles fan to keep up the job he was doing. Clearly the Eagles fan was joking about how bad the Cowboys have been this year. The annoying thing isn’t even that the Eagles fan said it. The annoying thing is how it has to become a everybody-look-at-us-we-are-turning-everything-into-positive-attention-for-us thing because the Dallas Cowboys are the Dallas Cowboys. This is a football team that is a serious need of some quiet time away from the spotlight. Maybe missing out on the playoffs and having other people succeed around them will be good in that sense. But this team has been drowning under the attention that the owner stirred up way back at the beginning of last offseason in a manner that has been palpable. It is almost over.
Cowboys news: Dallas falls flat on both sides of the ball in 41-7 loss to Philadelphia
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Notable headlines surrounding America’s team. Cowboys’ Week 17 effort falls flat as Eagles dominate 41-7- Mark Heaney, Inside The Star The second matchup this season between these division rivals got ugly. The Cowboys’ offense set the tone, in a very bad way, on their first possession. Cooper Rush launched a pass directly at Eagles Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who then returned it for a 70-yard pick-six. Once that happened, it felt like we had a good idea of the way this game was going to go, but Dallas did bounce back on the very next possession. The Cowboys tied the game at seven with an impressive 12-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a Jalen Tolbert touchdown. It was Tolbert’s seventh of the year, and his third straight week with a score. From that point on, however, Dallas turned it over three more times, scored no points, and Rush threw for just 83 more yards. Rico Dowdle did continue his strong season, rushing for 104 yards on 23 carries, but a fourth-quarter fumble is what people will remember. In the passing and rushing game, the Cowboys could not stop giving the ball back to the Eagles. Seven points simply will not cut it. If the Cowboys’ Week 17 upset was going to happen, it needed a game from Rush like last week, and that did not happen. Game Recap: Turnovers doom Cowboys, 41-7- Kurt Daniels, DallasCowboys.com A summary of how the blowout transpired. Second Quarter The Eagles found themselves back in front, thanks to an 81-yard drive that saw them convert three third downs. The second of those was a circus catch by tight end Grant Calcaterra for a big 34-yard gain with the last being a 22-yard touchdown grab by streaking wideout DeVonta Smith. But the Cowboys just kept hurting themselves as a pair of turnovers led to 10 more points before the end of the quarter. First, it was tight in Jake Ferguson fumbling after a 6-yard catch that saw Philadelphia defensive tackle Jordan Davis come away from the scrum with the ball. Dallas’ defense kept the damage to a minimum, although Philadelphia still added a 31-yard field goal. Unfortunately, in a desperate attempt to add more points in the final seconds of the half, Rush threw an ill-advised deep ball to Cooks, who was surrounded by three Eagles defenders. Not surprisingly, the result was another interception for Gardner-Johnson, who returned the pick 25 yards to the Philadelphia 35-yard line. If the first interception was a brutal body blow, this one may have been the knockout punch. While there were only 36 seconds on the clock, Pickett completed a 50-yard pass to Smith to the 1-yard line, which was followed by the expected tush-push for the touchdown. With that, the Eagles went into the break with a 24-7 advantage. 5 positive takeaways for the Cowboys in their Week 17 loss to Eagles- Reid Hanson, Cowboys Wire Time to find some silver linings. Offensive line validity As a unit, the Cowboys offensive line started clicking late this season. There was concern it was a byproduct of poor competition rather than an indication they improved. Sunday didn’t show them dominate but it showed they can be starters in this league, and that the late season success witnessed wasn’t an illusion as some had feared. For as dysfunctional as the musical chairs along the Cowboys offensive line has been, it has somehow worked for them. The Eagles, billed as a measuring stick game for the likes of Brock Hoffman, Cooper Beebe and Tyler Guyton, validated the Cowboys young unit. It’s a reason for optimism heading into the offseason. 2 winners, 4 losers from Cowboys inexcusable loss to Eagles in Week 17- Randy Gurzi, Sports Illustrated It was a win for team tank. Winner: Rico Dowdle, RB Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (23) runs with the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images There was a lot of ugly in this game but Rico Dowdle still found a way to make history. With 104 yards on the ground, he topped the 1,000-yard mark — making him the team’s first ever undrafted free agent to accomplish that feat. Loser: Mike McCarthy, Head Coach Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy on the sidelines against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Mike McCarthy was proving worthy of a return in 2025 but Sunday might have ruined his chances. This loss was a reminder of how quickly things can get away from McCarthy, which might be enough to convince Jerry Jones to make a change. Mysterious Micah Parsons injury adds more insult to Cowboys’ humiliating loss- Jerry Trotta, The Landry Hat As if Sunday’s loss couldn’t get worse. Cowboys star Micah Parsons dealing with mysterious injury after Week 17 loss vs. Eagles That doesn’t look overly concerning, but Parsons is definitely in discomfort. It seems Parsons is protecting his rib cage, but there is no way to know exactly what he’s dealing with until he or the team addresses it to the media. Parsons and CeeDee Lamb have led by example for the last two months. With virtually nothing to play for but pride, Parsons has played the best football of his career down the stretch. Since Week 10 (he returned from injury in Week 10), Parsons ranks first in sacks, pressures, pass-rush win rate and multi-sack games. He didn’t pad the stat sheet on Sunday, but he made his presence felt with a tackle for loss and a hit that knocked Kenny Pickett out of the game. Parsons’ return had a domino effect on the rest of the defense. It’s no coincidence the defense’s turnaround coincided with his return to the lineup. From Weeks 10-16, Dallas led the league with 15 takeaways and 28 sacks. It’s possible that Parsons’ injury is nothing serious, but that he is dealing with something leaves the Cowboys
5 positive takeaways for the Cowboys in their Week 17 loss to Eagles
No one seriously expected the Dallas Cowboys to win on Sunday afternoon. Even with backup Kenny Pickett under center for the now 13-3 Eagles, Philadelphia was universally considered the far better team in this late season matchup. It was supposed to be an easy win for the Eagles. With playoff hopes already eliminated, fans had different goals for their team in Week 17. Most truly appreciated the relentless effort the Cowboys had shown in recent weeks, but fans also wanted to see some long-term solutions. And in many areas, they got their wish. Overall, the Cowboys looked good in their lopsided loss to Philadelphia. For as counterintuitive as that is to say, the players Dallas hoped would play well, generally did play well. The players who played poorly, Cooper Rush and Andrew Booth just to name a couple, were players who were never supposed to be playing in the first place. They’re unlikely to return in 2025 and therefore inconsequential to the big picture. Offensive line validity Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports As a unit, the Cowboys offensive line started clicking late this season. There was concern it was a byproduct of poor competition rather than an indication they improved. Sunday didn’t show them dominate but it showed they can be starters in this league, and that the late season success witnessed wasn’t an illusion as some had feared. For as dysfunctional as the musical chairs along the Cowboys offensive line has been, it has somehow worked for them. The Eagles, billed as a measuring stick game for the likes of Brock Hoffman, Cooper Beebe and Tyler Guyton, validated the Cowboys young unit. It’s a reason for optimism heading into the offseason. Travelin’ Bland Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports In this day age many top flight cornerbacks prefer to play one role on the defense. They prefer to play either the right or the left and either inside or outside. Very few are willing to take on the challenges of traveling for the sake of matchups. DaRon Bland has no problem traveling. Understaffed at the CB position, Mike Zimmer wanted his best CB on the Eagles best receiver as often as possible. His ambidextrous approach kept him matched up on A.J. Brown all afternoon, and for the most part, he did well. Forced to play on an island because safety help needed on Booth’s side, Bland kept Dallas in the game and solidified the former All Pro as a cornerstone on defense. Dowdle for real (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) Not many people believed in Rico Dowdle when the 2024 season began. He was widely expected to be the starter, but since he wasn’t overly accomplished or loaded with potential, expectations were modest. What Dowdle’s done in 2024 is show he’s not only a legit starting RB in this league, but a darn good one at that. Dowdle’s speed, power and contact balance make him a valuable asset for Dallas. His pass protection and hands make him an every-down back. The 2025 free agent is going to start somewhere next season, but will it be Dallas? WR progression . (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) One of the main goals this week was to see if any of the Cowboys young WRs could show out against this impressive Eagles secondary. Mission accomplished. Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks and Jonathan Mingo each flashed big plays on Sunday. Tolbert, three receptions for 30 yards and a touchdown, was busy making the case he deserves to keep his WR3 spot next season. Brooks, one big jump ball catch for 12 yards, showed he’s someone who can make tough catches in big situations. And Mingo, a maligned trade deadline pickup in 2024, showed he can make critical catches if just given a catchable ball. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Draft pick ramifications . (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) The loss also protected the Cowboys from dropping up to three draft slots with a meaningless win. While this may sound like loser mentality it’s really just focusing on the bright side of a bad situation. The 2025 NFL draft class is considered one of the weaker classes in years. The number of first round worthy picks could be as few as 14 this year. Dropping from 12 to 15 could mean the difference between a bona fide building block or just another rotational player.
Cowboys schedule: Final Dallas game of season to kick off at 1pm ET in Week 18
Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images The final Dallas Cowboys game of the season will officially be a noon kickoff. The penultimate week of the regular season has just about come and gone and the Dallas Cowboys remain mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. Sorry. Obviously Dallas knew that their season would not carry on into the playoffs before their Week 16 game on Sunday Night Football when they wound up beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was after Week 17’s version of SNF that the final Cowboys game of the season was finalized as the Washington Commanders took down the Atlanta Falcons and clinched a playoff berth which served as the final domino left for the NFL to set the Week 18 schedule. The Dallas Cowboys will host the Washington Commanders at 1pm ET on Sunday, January 5th. With Dallas eliminated and Washington officially in the postseason there is very little drama involved with this game which is why the league is putting it in the early window. For what it’s worth, the Commanders currently sit as the #6 seed in the NFC and will secure that spot with a win at AT&T Stadium. Should the Cowboys win then Washington will drop to #7. This matters relative to Cowboys rivals as the Philadelphia Eagles, the ones who blew out Dallas on Sunday by a score of 41-7, will be the #2 seed in the conference and will therefore host the #7. The only way last season’s playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers may feel slightly less bad for Cowboys fans is if the Packers do the same thing to the Eagles. If Washington beats Dallas next week then Green Bay will be the #7 and open that door of possibility. Whatever the case, Week 18 is set. Mark your calendars.
Cowboys 2025 Mock Offseason: 4-round draft, free agency, head coaching hire
It’s time for the first Mock Offseason projection for 2025. Despite winning four of their last six games, the Dallas Cowboys are in trouble as a franchise. After three years of strong regular season performances followed by disappointing playoff outings, the damn broke on the regular season. Not only did the franchise exit the gate with a thud, but the relative injury luck the team has enjoyed as deteriorated with disgusting results. Already, two key members of the defense are going to miss a significant portion of next year. LB DeMarvion Overshown and CB Trevon Diggs, who both missed all or most of 2023, are going to miss all or most of 2025. The injuries are a mask, though. This team was broken to begin with, even when relatively healthy, and that’s why fans should hope Jerry Jones doesn’t make the mistake of retaining head coach Mike McCarthy. McCarthy’s tenure was on its last legs because they have been unable to overcome their nerves in the playoffs. The team fighting like crazy even though the season has long been over doesn’t erase those shortcomings. The injury losses for 2025 are on top of a long list of impact players set to become unrestricted free agents and before conversations need to be had about several starters who probably need to be upgraded. It’s going to be a long several months for fans as this team which has a problem with opening their wallets in the first place tries to navigate out from under what will likely be their first sub-.500 season since 2020. The first step will be to determine what the coaching staff looks like, and then to move on to players to fit their scheme. We’re here to help. Head Coach Hire: Joe Brady, current Bills OC Jan 8, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterbacks coach Joe Brady poses for a picture with fans prior to the game against the New England Patriots at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports In our most recent Mike McCarthy Replacement Rankings, Brady wrestled the No. 1 spot away from Detroit’s Ben Johnson, so we roll with him in our initial mock offseason. Brady runs a passing offense that is huge on pre-snap motion (66% this year) and a West Coast attack, which Dak Prescott has run under McCarthy. The run game is a zone scheme, which has worked in Dallas in the recent past. Brady’s first order of business is bringing in a defensive coordinator, and for that we’ve pegged Dennis Allen. Allen was the DC in New Orleans when Brady cut his teeth in the NFL as an assistant. As DC in New Orleans, he stewarded a top unit that led to him succeeding Sean Payton as head coach. Re-Sign Own Free Agents CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 15: KaVontae Turpin #9 of the Dallas Cowboys takes the field before playing the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) Who Walks: DT Osa Odighizuwa OG Zack Martin LB Eric Kendricks WR Brandin Cooks QB Cooper Rush RB Ezekiel Elliott P Bryan Anger Who Returns: RB Rico Dowdle DE DeMarcus Lawrence QB Trey Lance CB Jourdan Lewis DL Chauncey Golston DE Carl Lawson WR KaVontae Turpin (RFA) Safety Markquese Bell (RFA) Safety Juanyeh Thomas (ERFA) Center Brock Hoffman (ERFA) Outside Free Agents: Offense Dec 11, 2022; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (86) catches the ball during the second half against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports LT Alaric Jackson, Los Angeles Rams – sends Tyler Guyton to right tackle, the position he played in college and ends the experiment on the left side. WR Darius Slayton, New York Giants – a speedy pairing with good size to add to the mix opposite CeeDee Lamb. Slayton, Turpin and Flournoy gives a solid core in addition to anything Jonathan Mingo provides. Outside Free Agents: Defense Aug 18, 2018; Carson, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Poona Ford (97) looks on during the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports DT Teair Tart, Los Angeles Chargers DT Poona Ford, Los Angeles Chargers LB Elandon Roberts, Pittsburgh Steelers CB Paulson Adebo, New Orleans Saints Draft Needs Aug 20, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones (left) talks with vice president of player personnel Will McClay before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports If the above haul and defections were to take place, then Dallas would be left with some wiggle room at several positions. The depth chart would be fine at quarterback, the starting OL would be missing a guard with Brock Hoffman penciled in as the replacement-level starter. Running back would need help. Wideout and tight end could be upgraded but wouldn’t have to see a premium pick. On defense the edge rush position is secure and the DT spot could use a dog to headline a decent rotation. Linebacker will always need bodies but has starters with Liafau and Roberts. The secondary, as always, could use more bodies, but there’s nothing egregious here after Adebo is added as a stop-gap for Diggs for a year. 4-Round Mock Draft Sep 14, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; LSU Tigers offensive tackle Will Campbell (66) warms up before a game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images 1.13: OG Will Campbell, LSU TRADE DOWN: 2.45, 6.187 to Pittsburgh fo 2.57, 3.89 2.57: DT Derrick Harmon, Oregon 3.77: WR Jalen Royals, Utah State 3.89: HB Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech
Sunday Night Football odds, pick and live discussion: Falcons at Commanders
Photo by Kara Durrette/Getty Images Who wins tonight… Atlanta or Washington? The Atlanta Falcons play the Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football. FanDuel has the Commanders as 3.5-point favorites over the Falcons. Final score prediction: Commanders 30 – Falcons 17. Check out FanDuel for all of your NFL betting needs. This is an open thread for game chat.
The Cowboys blowout loss to the Eagles emphasized how important CeeDee Lamb is to the team
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The Dallas Cowboys really missed CeeDee Lamb on Sunday. Sunday was an embarrassing day for the Dallas Cowboys. Not only were they swept by their division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles, but they lost 41-7 in blowout fashion. It was the team’s first game since shutting star WR Ceedee Lamb down for the season due to his lingering shoulder injury. His presence was clearly missed, as the Cowboys passing offense looked out of synch all day. QB Cooper Rush threw for a measly 147 passing yards while also throwing two interceptions. The team’s leading receiver was veteran Brandin Cooks, who finished the game with four receptions for 52 yards. The closest to him was Jalen Tolbert who finished with just three receptions for 30 yards and a touchdown. Throughout the game, there were very few big plays for the Cowboys offense. Receivers struggled to create separation. The poor play from the team’s passing attack emphasized how important Lamb is to this offense. Even with Rush at quarterback for much of the season, Lamb finished with an impressive 101 receptions, 1,194 yards, and six touchdowns. The star wideout has had four straight seasons with 1,000+ receiving yards, proving himself to be one of the more consistent playmakers in the league. The team’s poor performance against the Eagles also emphasized just how important it is for the Cowboys to aggressively pursue some help at the wide receiver position in the offseason. The Cowboys have been one-dimensional on offense this year, with their passing success coming often solely from Lamb. If the Cowboys want to be more of a threat on offense in 2024, it would be wise of them to look at adding a young talented wideout in the upcoming draft in the early rounds.
Cowboys flop and flouder, get run out the gym by Eagles, 41-7
Cowboys flop and flouder, get run out the gym by Eagles, 41-7 K.D. Drummond Things started bad and got progressively worse for the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Already eliminated from the playoffs and missing several key players, the 7-8 club traveled east to take on the division-leading Eagles in Week 17. The Eagles stood ready to claim the NFC East title with a victory, after being thwarted in a last-second loss to the Washington Commanders last week. And a victory they earned, in dominating fashion. Safety CJ Gardner-Johnson intercepted QB Cooper Rush on the opening drive of the game, returning it for a score. The Cowboys answered to tie things up, but the Eagles’ backup QBs and dominant defensive effort corralled a lackluster showing from the Cowboys, scoring the final 34 points of the 41-7 victory. Dallas turned the ball over four times and didn’t steal any possessions back as Rush once again was flummoxed by the Eagles’ defense. Rush is 9-5 as a career starter, with three of those defeats coming at the hands of Philadelphia, including two times this season. Playing without WR CeeDee Lamb, the passing offense wasn’t able to accomplish much, gaining just 168 yards through the air. RB Rico Dowdle was able to bounce back from a bad Week 16 and crossed the 100-yard threshold for the fourth time in five games, gaining 104 on the ground. The total allowed him to surpass the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career, becoming the first UDFA in NFL history to accomplish the feat. His accomplishment was drowned out by the blowout and overshadowed by Saquon Barkley becoming just the eighth player in NFL history to gain 2,000 yards on the ground in a season. Barkley rushed for 167 yards on the game and has a chance to break the all-time NFL record of 2,105 held by Eric Dickerson. Dickerson accomplished the feat in 16 games. Dallas will return to the field one last time in the 2024 season, in Week 18 when they host the Washington Commanders to close things out. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Dallas Cowboys highlights: Rico Dowdle reaches 1,000 yards rushing on 2024 season
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Rico Dowdle has officially rushed for 1,000 yards on the season. The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2024 season with an interesting approach to the running back position, one that many would argue did not exactly go well for them. In spite of the unorthodox approach, the Cowboys can still say that someone managed to run for 1,000 yards on the season. Rico Dowdle reached the mark on Sunday afternoon against the Philadelphia Eagles. Rico Dowdle is now officially the first UDFA for the #DallasCowboys to have 1,000 yards rushing in a single season. — Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) December 29, 2024 That Dowdle has reached 1,000 yards is incredible when you consider that he did not reach double-digit carries on the season until the fourth game of the year. In fact, Dowdle had single-digit carries in four of the first six games of the season and missed a game entirely due to illness. Notably, Dowdle hit 1,000 rushing yards in 16 games (not his 16th played as mentioned) and did not need the 17th that the NFL added a handful of years back. 2024 will be remembered in a lot of poor ways for the Cowboys, but this was a bright spot, especially considering that Dowdle was an undrafted free agent who had to battle through several injuries to stick around and have a shot with the Cowboys.
