Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Your Sunday morning Cowboys news. Cowboys’ RB eyes milestone for first time in career – Mario Herrera Jr., Inside the Star Since joining the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent, Rico Dowdle has worked hard. With another stellar performance, he could earn a significant accolade for the first time in his career. RB Rico Dowdle is looking to secure the first 1,000 yard rushing season of his career, and he needs just 97 yards to get there. Will Dowdle Get There? If we take a sample from the previous four games, Dowdle should have no problem reaching the 1,000 yard mark before the clock hits all zeroes in AT&T Stadium in week 18. I wouldn’t rule out it happening this Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, but setting our sights on week 18 is more realistic. Dowdle currently averages just 64.5 yards per game, but that number is not indicative of his recent usage. He split carries exclusively with Ezekiel Elliott and sometimes Deuce Vaughn at the beginning of the season. It wasn’t until after QB Dak Prescott went down with injury that HC Mike McCarthy announced Dowdle would be the lead back and take the bulk of the carries. The Buccaneers did a good job of bottling up the Cowboys run game. Dowdle managed just 23 yards rushing on 13 carries with DT Vita Vea clogging up running lanes. Before the Bucs game, Dowdle matched a feat not reached since Emmitt Smith back in the late 1990s. Dowdle eclipsed the century mark in three consecutive games, averaging 131 yards per game to add his name to the Cowboys’ history books. Averaging just 48.5 yards rushing over the final two regular season games will make him the most recent player to accomplish that in a Cowboys uniform. Who Stands In His Way? Defensive tackles Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis might have something to say about Dowdle reaching the milestone against their defense. No team wants other players to break records against them, and it’s surely no different for the Philadelphia Eagles. How Cowboys’ Brock Hoffman has helped turn Rico Dowdle loose – Todd Archer, ESPN From one undrafted player to another, Brock Hoffman has helped unlock the Cowboys running game and Dowdle. Philadelphia Eagles fans are as rambunctious as they come, and while the Cowboys have already been eliminated from playoff contention before Sunday’s meeting (1 p.m. ET, Fox), the atmosphere should still be captivating. Brock Hoffman, the Cowboys’ right guard, will love it. Nobody talks more on the field than Hoffman. In hockey parlance, he is the Cowboys’ enforcer. In football lingo, he plays to the echo of the whistle. Two weeks ago against the Carolina Panthers, Hoffman, who moved to center because of Cooper Beebe’s absence due to a concussion, lost his voice in the fourth quarter. “Because he was making so many calls or talking s—, one of the two,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. The Cowboys’ offense found its identity when Hoffman replaced future Hall of Fame guard Zack Martin, who underwent season-ending right ankle surgery, five games ago against the Washington Commanders. Running back Rico Dowdle finds himself 97 yards away from 1,000 on the season, mostly because of three straight 100-yard rushing games since Hoffman has started. Cooper Rushhas been sacked just six times in the past five games. It’s not all because of Hoffman, but teammates and coaches don’t dismiss what he has brought to the huddle. “Super consistent,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “His attitude and energy, what he brings to the workplace has just been on point since he’s been here. Super professional, so well-prepared. He’s got a connective personality, and he definitely deserves a lot of credit for the mindset and play style that he’s really pushed along up front.” Cornerback Jourdan Lewis called him a “force multiplier.” Schottenheimer said Hoffman has “in a lot of ways galvanized the way we play.” “He is not going to back down from anybody. His confidence in himself is extremely high,” Schottenheimer said. “He doesn’t look it himself, as a guy that’s undrafted. He’s been through the journey. Been in Cleveland, been here, been cut, been brought back. He’s now starting.” 3 Dallas Cowboys to start in fantasy football in Week 17 vs. Eagles – Ali Jawad, SI.com if you’re lucky to have made it this far, these Cowboys could carry you to a fantasy football championship Brandon Aubrey, K Kicker Brandon Aubrey has become “Aubrey-matic” when kicking from 50 plus yards out. Against Tampa last Sunday, the All-Pro went a perfect 4-4 including a pair of 58-yarders. Additionally, Aubrey set the NFL record for the most 50-plus yard field goals in a single season with 14, and he may still increase that total with two games remaining. Aubrey has consistently delivered double-digit fantasy scores, achieving this feat in eight games this season. His reliability makes him a must-start option, solidifying his position as one of the league’s most consistent kickers. Rico Dowdle, RB Running back Rico Dowdle’s three-game streak of 100-yard rushing performances came to an abrupt halt last Sunday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The veteran running back was held to just 23 yards on 13 carries, a significant drop-off from his recent outings. Despite this setback, Dowdle remains a key figure in the Cowboys’ offense having received 10 or more carries in eight consecutive games. He enters this week’s matchup against the Eagles needing only 97 yards to reach the 1,000-yard rushing milestone. However, achieving this feat will be challenging against a formidable Eagles run defense that ranks ninth in the NFL, allowing just 102.9 rushing yards per game, but surrendered 113 yards to the Commanders last Sunday. NFC East update: Cowboys to play big role in division outcome-Jess Haynie, Blogging the Boys Despite being out of the playoff picture, the Dallas Cowboys will have a say in how the NFC East is won. The Cowboys are headed to Philadelphia this Sunday and then return home for

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images The last two games should feature plenty of Jalen Tolbert. The Cowboys have made it clear that they’re playing to win for the rest of 2024. But that didn’t stop them from shutting WR CeeDee Lamb down for the season with a shoulder injury. Though Brandin Cooks is the next man up on the depth chart, Dallas would be wise to use its final two games to see how Jalen Tolbert would respond to heavy targets in a featured offensive role. While motivated to get two more victories and finish the season above .500, Dallas’ most important work will come this offseason. Wide receiver is one position that will command attention. Cooks will be a free agent and turns 32 next September, plus hasn’t been a high producer in Mike McCarthy’s offense. Even if change does come on the coaching side, Cooks just isn’t that attractive for re-signing in general. That leaves Tolbert as the leading in-house candidate to join Lamb in the starting lineup. Over three years we’ve seen Tolbert make some amazing catches, including just last week against the Buccaneers, but he’s never had a huge individual game that inspires confidence about an increased workload. His career-best performance came last October against the Steelers; seven catches for 87 yards and a touchdown. Dallas has had some other former third-round receivers like Terrance Williams and Michael Gallup. They could deliver highlight-reel catches, even in clutch moments, but never fully established themselves as clear number-two receivers. Williams had to fight Dez Bryant, Jason Witten, and Cole Beasley for targets during his time, while Gallup became the third wheel after Lamb was drafted. That said, he did have a strong 2019 season with 1,107 yards and six touchdowns as Amari Cooper’s wingman. Obviously, Tolbert still has a long way to go to even match those players’ contributions. After 15 games he’s at just 482 receiving yards, albeit with six touchdowns. But with 42 catches on just 69 targets, he’s showing solid efficiency. It’s really a matter of getting more looks now and seeing how he could perform as a key offensive cog, and the Cowboys have an opportunity to put that to the test in these final games of 2024. With so many positions to address in the upcoming offseason, Dallas has to trust some of its returning talent to step up in 2025. That’s not to say they shouldn’t strike at WR if an opportunity arises, but there are only so many draft picks to use and so much of the salary cap that the front office is willing to spend. Tolbert, a Day 2 pick entering the final year of his rookie deal, is the kind of player you’d hope would fill one of those gaps. These last two games give the Cowboys a chance to have Tolbert run primary WR routes and receive a high volume of targets. Granted, Cooper Rush will be the one throwing the ball so you have to factor that into the evaluation. But it’s still a great opportunity to inspire confidence, both for Tolbert himself and for the organization as it strategizes for roster building going forward. Again, this isn’t to say that Jalen Tolbert should be WR2 in 2025. But in the high-minded attempt to win their remaining games, the Cowboys shouldn’t squander all opportunities to evaluate talent. Let’s see what Tolbert can do as a featured part of the offense and get a better sense of what he really offers as a future asset.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images Jourdan Lewis has had such a remarkable season. The Dallas Cowboys didn’t bring back a lot of their in-house free agents before the 2024 season. One that did return on a one-year deal was cornerback Jourdan Lewis. For the second straight year, the Cowboys have been hit with devastating injuries at the cornerback spot with Trevon Diggs tearing his ACL early in 2023 and being shut down with another new injury this season. Plus, DaRon Bland missed 10 games this season with a stress fracture in his foot. The one constant at cornerback for Dallas the last two years has been Lewis. Last season, while playing in 16 games with eight starts, Lewis had 52 tackles, an interception, five pass breakups, three forced fumbles (career high), and two fumble recoveries. He has shown this year that Dallas was smart in bringing him back with 61 tackles (tied career high), an interception, seven pass breakups (most since 2021), a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Lewis hasn’t just been productive. He’s been one of the best defenders for the Cowboys all season, and he’s battled neck and elbow injuries along the way while doing so. This isn’t anything new for Lewis when looking at his career. He came out of the gate with a productive rookie campaign as he amassed 54 tackles, an interception, and 10 pass breakups. However, when the Cowboys brought in Kris Richard to be the passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach, Lewis was an afterthought because he liked bigger cornerbacks. A year later, Lewis was back to making plays and ended up with 51 tackles, two interceptions, and four sacks in Rod Marinelli’s last year as coordinator. The Cowboys were terrible defensively in 2020 under Mike Nolan. Despite this, Lewis was one of the bright spots with 59 tackles and two sacks. The Dan Quinn era began the next season and Lewis was a consistent presence with what could be his best season to date – 61 tackles, three interceptions (career high), 11 pass breakups (career high), 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. The only time Lewis wasn’t consistently productive during Quinn’s time in Dallas was in 2022 when he missed 11 games due to a Lisfranc injury. In fact, that injury and the aforementioned Richard not feeling like he could be effective have been the only times that Lewis hasn’t been a steady presence during his career. Lewis plays in the slot, which is an extremely difficult position to play because they’re on an island a lot of the time. Lewis has remained a pest for slot receivers over the past eight seasons due to his physical and scrappy nature and his ball-hawking ability. Another aspect that makes Lewis such a valuable piece is that his willing to provide support in the run game. He’s an all-around player, and he’s also shown that he can produce no matter who the coordinator is or what the scheme requires. Dallas will have its streak of three consecutive playoff appearances snapped this year. However, as far as Lewis goes, he isn’t trying to hear anything about giving up or tanking when it comes to the 2024 season, as he recently explained after the Cowboys defeated the Tampa Buccaneers. This is football. This is what I love to do. That’s loser talk. I don’t get into that. I wanna win no matter the circumstances. Whenever I put my cleats on, I’m gonna do my job. I wanna go out there and win. As far as tanking, or whatever they call it, I don’t indulge in that. I just love football. It don’t matter what contract year it is — I’m going out there to dominate. Lewis is up for another deal in 2025. Not only is Lewis still productive, but he’s reliable, having played in at least 15 games in seven of his eight seasons in the NFL. The Cowboys should certainly bring him back to the team and keep the cornerback position stocked with proven players.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The Dallas Cowboys can’t win the NFC East in 2024, but they may decide who does. While no longer eligible to win the NFC East or even make the playoffs in 2024, the Cowboys still have a role to play. Their final two games are against the remaining contenders in our undecided division. With Dallas seemingly uninterested in tanking, their continued maximum effort could be disruptive in these finals weeks of the regular season. The Cowboys are headed to Philadelphia this Sunday and then return home for the Week 18 finale against Washington. The Eagles failed to seal the deal on a division crown last week, narrowly losing to the Commanders and leaving the door open for disaster. If Philly loses its final two games and Washington wins out, Dan Quinn’s crew could steal the NFC East. Current NFC East Standings Philadelphia Eagles 12-3 (3-1, 7-3 vs NFC) Washington Commanders 10-5 (3-2 in division, 7-3) Dallas Cowboys 7-8 (3-1, 5-5) New York Giants 2-13 (0-5, 1-10) The Eagles beating Dallas this week didn’t seem in doubt before losing QB Jalen Hurts to a concussion. The Cowboys have beaten better quarterbacks than Kenny Pickett in their recent 4-1 surge, but Pickett should be better after a full week to prepare. While he played plenty in two years with the Steelers, Pickett had only attempted three passes with Philadelphia before being forced into action last week. Dallas suffered its own major offensive loss this week with news that WR CeeDee Lamb will be shut down with a shoulder injury. It’s rightfully concerning; Lamb’s individual greatness has sometimes felt like the only thing keeping Cooper Rush and the offense afloat. And though the Eagles’ offense may be handicapped this week, their defense which held the Cowboys to six points in Week 10 will be determined to pick up the slack. If Dallas does upset Philly, the Commanders still have to do their part in a Sunday night meeting with the Falcons. Atlanta is tied with Tampa Bay atop the NFC South and a division win is likely the only way they’ll make the playoffs, so motivation will be high. But Washington, with their own playoff spot still not confirmed, can’t afford any lost momentum. With Michael Penix now QB1 in Atlanta, the duel between him and fellow rookie Jayden Daniels will be fun to watch. Unfortunately for Washington, even if things go their way this week, Week 18 isn’t looking pretty for their chance at winning the NFC East. While the Commanders will head to Dallas for their finale, the Eagles get a gift with a home game against the hapless New York Giants. Philadelphia could probably rest Hurts for another week and still run away with that game. That doesn’t mean Dallas-Washington would be meaningless. Again, the Commanders still haven’t locked up a wild card spot. Depending on this week’s outcomes, the Cowboys could be standing in their way of even making the playoffs. Even if it’s just to play the spoiler, Mike McCarthy has found a way to keep his team motivated and giving their best. That could mean trouble for Washington, who already lost to the Cowboys a few weeks ago. However things shake out in the NFC East, Dallas is still positioned to play a major part. It’s hard to believe they could still finish the season above .500 but that seems to be the goal, draft pick be damned. The Cowboys’ efforts to leave this season on a positive note could be a big negative for the Eagles and Commanders as we bring 2024 to a close.

Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images Enjoy a Saturday triple-header from the NFL The NFL has gifted us three games on this Saturday. Enjoy. This is an open thread for game chat.

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images The Cowboys are going to have a chance to evaluate some younger wide receivers over the final two games. CeeDee Lamb’s season has come to an end with two games left to go in the 2024 regular season. He has been battling through a shoulder injury these past few weeks and while he has been determined to push through the pain to help the team, it is finally to the point where it is better to rest him and ensure he does not aggravate it even more heading into the 2025 season. Despite his success and production these past few weeks, the Cowboys are officially eliminated from the playoffs and it only makes sense to start his road to recovery ASAP. As with any injury to a star player, as unfortunate as it is, there comes a silver lining for the guys further down on the depth chart to get an opportunity to prove themselves. With many of them fighting for a spot on this roster (or another team’s roster) in 2025, they will have a chance against two division rivals to do just that. Brandin Cooks There was a lot of excitement around Brandin Cooks entering the season as a very strong WR2 and that just didn’t pan out as expected. It has been a tough year for Brandin Cooks as he battled an infection in his knee causing him to miss multiple games. Since returning from injury, with Cooper Rush in the driver’s seat, he has completions on 10 of 18 targets for 101 yards and two touchdowns. Cooks is a free agent heading into 2025 and these last few games will be a good chance for him to showcase that he has still got it. Jalen Tolbert In Jalen Tolbert’s third season in the NFL, and since his awful start in his rookie season, he has been able to turn the narrative around and has done some really good things for this offense the past few years. This season has been a quietly positive season for him. When looking at his stats on the year he is getting close to that 500-yard receiving mark and has a total of six touchdowns, including two toe-tapping touchdowns in back-to-back weeks. That being said, there is still a lot to be desired, especially when looking for the next WR2 for 2025. Tolbert is battling a hand injury he suffered against the Buccaneers, but he is willing to fight through it. talk to ’em tolbert ️@Jalen8Tolbert hauls in the TD! : #TBvsDAL on NBC : Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LvklCbYJ1e pic.twitter.com/t0FJdazHxt — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) December 23, 2024 KaVontae Turpin KaVontae Turpin is one of the best kick-returners in the NFL and is likely headed to his third Pro Bowl as such. However, his contributions on offense this season have been electric. Whether it is in the passing game or the running game, good things seem to happen when he touches the ball. Turpin is a restricted free agent in 2025 and is looking to make the most of these last few games. Hopefully he will be heavily featured in the offensive game plan in Lamb’s absence. Jalen Brooks Jalen Brooks has seen more opportunities in his second season in the NFL and while there is obviously room for improvement, he has done some nice things to help out the team in different situations. His longest reception was for 41 yards against the Commanders and he was able to score his first ever NFL touchdown against the Panthers. Currently, it is uncertain if Brooks will be healthy for these last two games of the season. If he is able to play, these games should come with plenty of opportunities for him to help the team. COOPER RUSH COOKIN’. : #DALvsCAR on FOX : https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/cabtp1SFfN — NFL (@NFL) December 15, 2024 Ryan Flournoy Ryan Flournoy hasn’t had a whole lot of opportunities to get the ball in his rookie season. However, outside of one really unfortunate game, he has done a good job with the opportunities he has been given. On the season, he has seven receptions on 10 targets for 85 yards. This past game against the Buccaneers was his best game yet. He caught all three of his targets for 41 yards. Expect to see him a bit more as his connection with Rush continues to grow. Jonathan Mingo Jonathan Mingo has only been with the team for the past six games after getting traded to the Cowboys from the Panthers in November. Since joining the team, he has only been able to haul in two receptions on 11 targets. Not all of those incompletions are strictly his fault though, as Rush and Mingo just haven’t been able to get on the same page. While technically his contract carries into 2026, that doesn’t mean that he will be on the team until then. If given the opportunity, he needs to take advantage of it and prove that he deserves a spot on this roster moving forward.