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.
Cowboys vs Eagles 2024 Week 17 game day live discussion
Tim Heitman-Imagn Images The Cowboys take on the Eagles in Week 17. The Dallas Cowboys take on the Philadelphia Eagles. Enjoy! This is an open thread for game chat.
55-man Cowboys Roster and Inactives for Week 17 vs Eagles: Lamb latest to IR, elevations for OL, CB
The Dallas Cowboys return to the field on Sunday without anything but pride to play for. Eliminated from the playoffs, Mike McCarthy’s troops will continue to try to play for their head coach, and themselves, as future jobs are all on the line. On Saturday, Dallas moved WR CeeDee Lamb to IR, as well as cornerback Amani Oruwariye. Lamb is obviously a huge loss to Cooper Rush’s passing attack, one without many other premiere options, but fans shouldn’t sleep on the loss of Oruwariye. The young veteran was starting in place of Trevon Diggs, who moved to IR last week, and now things are really depleted in the Cowboys’ secondary. The club did activate Asim Richards, so hopefully the second-year OT can get some game experience as the front office evaluates what they have in hand before the offseason begins. The team added LB Darius Harris from the practice squad to the full roster, and elevated CB Troy Pride and OL Dakoda Shepley. Dallas made the following players inactive for the contest: CB Kemon Hall RB Deuce Vaughn OL T.J. Bass OL Matt Waletzko TE Princeton Fant DE Tyrus Wheat DT Justin Rogers Here’s a look at the 55-man roster. Quarterbacks (2) Nov 10, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush (10) throws a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles in the third quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Cooper Rush Trey Lance Running Backs (4) ARLINGTON, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 12: Rico Dowdle #23 of the Dallas Cowboys walks off the field after the game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on November 12, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) Rico Dowdle Ezekiel Elliott Hunter Luepke Deuce Vaughn Tight Ends (4) Dec 24, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (87) runs with the football against the Miami Dolphins during the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports Jake Ferguson Luke Schoonmaker Brevyn Spann-Ford Princeton Fant Wide Receivers (6) Oct 13, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver KaVontae Turpin (9) reacts during the second half against the Detroit Lions at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Brandin Cooks Jalen Tolbert Kavontae Turpin Jalen Brooks Ryan Flournoy Jonathan Mingo Offensive Tackles (5) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – JULY 30: Offensive tackle Tyler Guyton #60 of the Dallas Cowboys stretches during training camp on July 30, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Tyler Guyton Terence Steele Asim Richards Chuma Edoga Matt Waletzko Offensive Guards (3) October 8, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyler Smith (73) before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports Tyler Smith Brock Hoffman TJ Bass Centers (2) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 8: Defensive tackle Kobie Turner #91 of the Los Angeles Rams locks up with center Brock Hoffman #67 of the Dallas Cowboys during a skirmish between the two teams during joint practice at training camp on August 8, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Cooper Beebe Dakoda Shepley (elevation) Defensive Ends (5) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 17: Micah Parsons #11 of the Dallas Cowboys looks on prior to a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on August 17, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) Micah Parsons Marshawn Kneeland Chauncey Golston Tyrus Wheat Carl Lawson Defensive Tackles (5) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – JULY 30: Linebacker Micah Parsons #11 and defensive tackle Mazi Smith #58 of the Dallas Cowboys throw punches aa they jokingly spar prior to a training session on July 30, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Osa Odighizuwa Mazi Smith Linval Joseph Carlos Watkins Justin Rogers Linebackers (6) Jul 27, 2023; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (35) wears a Guardian helmet cap during training camp at Marriott Residence Inn-River Ridge Playing Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Eric Kendricks Damone Clark Marist Liufau Buddy Johnson Nick Vigil Darius Harris Cornerbacks (5) Oct 2, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (26) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (7) celebrate after Diggs intercepts a pass against the Washington Commanders during the game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports DaRon Bland Jourdan Lewis Kemon Hall Andrew Booth Troy Pride (elevation) Safeties (4) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 8: Running back Kyren Williams #23 of the Los Angeles Rams rushes against safety Malik Hooker #28 and Donovan Wilson #6 of the Dallas Cowboys during joint practice at training camp on August 8, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Malik Hooker Donovan Wilson Israel Mukuamu Juanyeh Thomas Special Teams (4) INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 11: Brandon Aubrey #17 of the Dallas Cowboys watches his field goal with Bryan Anger #5, to take a 12-6 lead over the Los Angeles Rams, in a 13-12 Rams win during a preseason game at SoFi Stadium on August 11, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) Brandon Aubrey Bryan Anger Trent Sieg CJ Goodwin
Cowboys Point/Counterpoint: There is still plenty left to play for in Dallas
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The conversations about tanking have been all over the place as of late. The Cowboys learned that they were officially eliminated from the playoffs just a few hours before kickoff against the Buccaneers this past week, and they came out with an inspiring performance that led to a win. A few days later, the team decided to shut down CeeDee Lamb for the final two games over his shoulder injury. At first blush, the move seems to be the first real admission from the Cowboys that their season is over and there’s no longer a “fight for the slim playoff hopes” mentality that Mike McCarthy and others had been preaching. But there haven’t been any similar moves, such as going to Trey Lance at quarterback. The Lamb injury decision makes sense, but the Cowboys don’t seem to be in full tank mode even now. Is there anything meaningful left to play for? Our own Tom Ryle and David Howman discuss: Tom: Let’s start with the players. There are three groups to consider, each with their own motivation to perform well. First are the ones entering free agency. Obviously they want to put a couple more games of good tape out there for prospective new employers, as well as to make a case for Dallas to bring them back. Mailing in a performance would have a negative impact on their attractiveness. Then there are the depth players who are still going to be under contract. With the new cycle of player acquisition about to start, they want to build a case to make it at least to training camp to continue their careers. Adding a bit to the résumé not only helps that, it could lead to a future job if they don’t make it through the cutdown. Finally, there are the veterans whose positions are secure. Some of them might be shut down going forward just as a precaution, but those that aren’t have an important motivator: Pride. They play the game to win, and hanging losses on a couple of division rivals would take some of the edge off a losing season. Of course, who sees the field and how much is not in their hands. That is on the staff, who has some decisions to make. David: I think it goes deeper than that. I won’t deny that these players are thinking about next year to some degree, but after that win over the Buccaneers I believe this team still feels they have something to prove. Mike McCarthy has probably locked up a contract extension at this point regardless of what happens these next two weeks. But we’ve seen some meaningful culture developments over the course of this trying season. Micah Parsons has blossomed into a leader on defense and CeeDee Lamb has become an iron man and reliable playmaker. The win over the Buccaneers showed how much pride these guys take in winning just for the sake of winning. To turn around and start playing young guys just for the sake of evaluating instead of trying to win would undermine all that positive momentum. The Lamb decision makes sense because of his injury, but I believe (and hope) the team keeps trying to win and play spoiler. Tom: I still think there is value to seeing what some of the down-roster players can bring to the table. Additionally, they need to be very, very cautious with the health of any of their established players. Don’t let pride get in the way of setting themselves up for next year. But I will concede that the coaching staff has their own motivation to win. McCarthy is not the only one who is coaching for his future. I believe that most of the staff are playing out their contracts. Just like the players, they are trying to prove they have value for the organization or for another. Robert Prince has a tall order to try and get as much out of the wide receivers as he can with Lamb’s absence, and with that group they have to find out what the depth players can contribute. Lunda Wells has a similar objective with the tight ends, especially if Jake Ferguson is a bit nicked up. There are similar situations on the defensive side of things with all the players who have been injured. The team has no choice but to find out what some of the backups are capable of, because they are going to have to see the field just to have enough players. We can agree that tanking is just not going to happen, and hopefully they will find out some good things. David: I’m not sure there’s much question left for this coaching staff, at least for the Joneses. McCarthy is almost definitely returning, and Jerry has all but said he and Zimmer are a package deal. There may be a couple coaches down the staff who shift around, but continuity at the top generally means continuity for the majority of the staff. And given what we’ve seen the last month or so, that’s a good thing. One thing that McCarthy has stressed the most since getting to Dallas, though, is the importance of winning divisional games. Curiously, this is one thing that’s remained strong for the Cowboys this year despite everything else falling apart. They’re 3-1 in the NFC East and have a chance to finish out 5-1 in the division, all while potentially dropping their rivals down the playoff seeding ladder. If we know this staff is coming back next year, then winning these next two games would be huge for their confidence heading into 2025. Being able to look back and say “We won 99% of our divisional games” in a lost year would signal just how close they are to reclaiming the NFC East. And since they’ll already be forced to play some younger guys, as you said, they might as well make the most of it with
