Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The latest hot topics surrounding the Dallas Cowboys all in one place. Micah Parsons has ‘locked in’ on being a leader, and he’s better because of it – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com There has been tremendous growth in Micah Parsons this season when it comes to being a leader on the defense. Parsons fulfilled his own prophecy from back in Week 11 when he said Dallas’ defense would be discussed as a “damn good defense” by the end of the season. Parsons credits both defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and his teammates for rising to the occasion. “As much as I think [Zimmer’s] a mastermind, I give credit to everyone in the room. Coaching matters and Zimmer doesn’t even yell anymore, he just tells people to line up.” Parsons said. “It goes to show that everyone in the locker room and every that’s in defensive meetings, they’re busting their butts, they’re fighting for their lives, they’re fighting for every inch of every game, I think it’s more than just coaching too.” A message from a coach is one thing, but the players buying into it is another. The good news for Dallas is that they have both, and the Cowboys are locked into their winning mindset despite being eliminated from playoff contention because in their mind, they have something to prove. “We were eliminated from the playoffs and you saw some of the best effort from all the guys…” Parsons said. “We’re locked in, we want it, we want to win games, we want to prove to people that we can win, and we want to prove to people that we’re a good football team.” Cowboys legend says Mike McCarthy’s future shouldn’t depend on recent wins – Ali Jawad, Sports Illustrated Michael Irvin wants Mike McCarthy to be judged off of playoff success rather than late season wins in 2024. While Dallas has recently strung together a series of victories, Irvin believes that the idea of a possible McCarthy contract extension should not be solely based on these recent performances. “Let’s remember, winning a few games in a row was not the criteria and the genesis of this season. It was getting to the playoffs,” Irvin stated earlier this week on FS1’s Speak. The playoffs have always been the ultimate goal for the Cowboys. However, their failure to make the postseason for the first time since 2020, along with their overall lack of success in the playoffs under the veteran coach, could raise doubts about McCarthy’s chances of returning next season. Despite their recent winning stretch, which had kept Dallas’ playoff hopes alive until Week 16, the team faced significant challenges throughout the year. These include a five-game losing streak, inconsistent performance, questionable play calls, injuries to key players, and issues with sun exposure during games. Mike McCarthy’s stock is rising. Could the coach dump Cowboys to join another NFL team? – Jarrett Bell, USA Today While Jerry Jones has been vocal in his support of Mike McCarthy these past few weeks, it may not be his decision whether McCarthy stays in Dallas for 2025. After last season, Jones didn’t reveal that McCarthy would return – albeit without an extension – until he underwent three days of hard contemplation. In mid-January, similar drama could play out. Yet there will be a significant twist: McCarthy might opt to bolt and become a coaching free agent. It would one thing for Jones to determine that he wouldn’t do any better than McCarthy by bringing in a new unproven coach. But what if McCarthy, with his contract up, decides that he’s had enough of the intense scrutiny that comes with coaching arguably the most high-profile team in the NFL? With his experience, a resume that includes a Super Bowl victory with the Packers and three straight 12-win campaigns with the Cowboys, and a track record for bringing out the best in quarterbacks, McCarthy could be a hot item on the open market. Sure, Bill Belichick was supposed to be a hot candidate in the last cycle, and only one of the seven teams besides the New England Patriots with an opening, the Atlanta Falcons, bothered to even interview a coach with six Super Bowl victories on his resume (eight, if including his coordinator duty). But McCarthy might be different, given his expertise as an offensive strategist and without needing the GM-type clout that Belichick commanded. He’s also made a key move that shows how much he means business in preparing for that possibility. McCarthy hired a new agent in Don Yee, who last year brokered Jim Harbaugh’s return to the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers and in 2023 facilitated Sean Payton’s return from a one-year layoff to a moonshot catch with the Denver Broncos. Yee also has represented Tom Brady for many years and incidentally was the person that Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis said he used to put on TB12’s post-retirement radar the possibility to first get involved in the ownership ranks of his franchise. Rush on looming free agency, Cowboys’ mentality in finale vs. Eagles – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com Cooper Rush is savoring these last few games of the season as paying time is never promised to backup quarterbacks. With only two games remaining before he finds himself once again in free agency, it goes without saying that Rush wants to keep the good times rolling against the Philadelphia Eagles and then Washington Commanders. “You’ve got two left only, and that’s all you’re promised and, as a backup, you go through stints where you won’t play for a while,” he said. “You cherish all these moments. You really enjoy it and, I think I’ve said it before, enjoying getting to go out there and play. … I don’t think the future is the driver because you always have something to prove. “I think that’s everyone, league-wide. It’s everyone’s mindset, usually, as a competitor. Being in the NFL, that’s enough.” With that, his focus is solely

Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images Who wins tonight… Seattle or Chicago? The Seattle Seahawks play the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football. FanDuel has the Seahawks as 4.5-point favorites over the Bears. Final score prediction: Seahawks 20 – Bears 19. Check out FanDuel for all of your NFL betting needs. This is an open thread for game chat.

Tim Heitman-Imagn Images The Cowboys injury report for Thursday After not practicing during the Christmas holiday yesterday, the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles returned to work on Thursday. The Cowboys have been riddled with injuries this year, but their opponent this week has one glaring injury that could drastically change how they play at home versus the Cowboys. Here’s what Thursday’s injury report revealed about both teams’ injuries and the status of Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. #Cowboys second injury report vs. Eagles: pic.twitter.com/0VYBG1ASpL — Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) December 26, 2024 CeeDee Lamb, who has been playing through a shoulder injury much of the season, did not practice today. It has been reported that additional testing revealed that the injury is sufficient enough that he would be ruled out the remaining two games of the season. Jalen Tolbert (finger) was limited today. He is optimistic he’ll be available this Sunday despite the injury. Eric Kendricks (calf), who missed last week’s game, was upgraded to limited participation. Reserve offensive lineman T.J. Bass (thigh) did not practice today. However, fully participating in practice were Juanyeh Thomas (knee), Mazi Smith (back), and Jourdan Lewis (elbow). Chuma Edoga (toe) and Donovan Wilson (knee) were downgraded to DNP. Thursday’s Injury Report#DALvsPHI pic.twitter.com/zSwJpkix2w — Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 26, 2024 Jalen Hurts is in the NFL’s concussion protocol and did not practice. He sustained a concussion against the Washington Commanders that could keep him out of this week’s game. His absence Thursday means he needs to improve significantly in the next few days to play this week. Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett (ribs) was a full participant at Thursday’s practice. However, Nakobe Dean was a limited (abdomen).

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images There are several individual things we’ll be paying attention for certain Dallas Cowboys over the final two games. The Dallas Cowboys have two more games to play before the merciful end of their 2024 season. While the team is eliminated from the playoffs, individual players still have milestones they can hit over these last two contests. If you’re struggling for reasons to still tune in, maybe these will help. Rico Dowdle reaching 1,000 rushing yards Dowdle only needs 97 more rushing yards to hit quadruple digits for the season. That felt like a given before last Sunday night, but Tampa Bay held Dowdle to just 23 yards on 13 carries. After three straight games of 100-plus production before last week, it’s hard to imagine that Dowdle won’t get what he needs against the Eagles and Commanders. But if our rivals commit to stopping the run and making Cooper Rush beat them the way the Buccaneers did, Dowdle’s road to 1,000 yards may get a lot rougher. TDs for CeeDee Lamb will have to wait until next season to move up the franchise leaderboard in catches or receiving yards. But with just three more touchdown receptions, he’ll tie Billy Joe Dupree for eighth on the all-time list and be just seven scores away from Drew Pearson. It’s a different era, of course, so the stats don’t have the same value. But especially given the adversity he’s playing through right now, Lamb’s achievements are still great to see. DaRon Bland’s return to the endzone Bland has been working into form since returning from injury, as was on display last week in his coverage of Bucs WR Mike Evans. But one thing we haven’t enjoyed yet is another pick-six like he gave us so often in 2023. At least one interception in these last two games, and especially a house call, would be a welcome sight and remind the league of what a dangerous player Bland can be. Rushing TDs for Ezekiel Elliott If Zeke finds the endzone two more times as a runner, he’ll pass Tony Dorsett for second in all-time rushing TDs in Dallas. He’s currently at 71 and Dorsett finished his illustrious career with 72. Emmitt Smith fans need not worry; he’s well ahead of both of them with 153 career touchdowns. Elliott’s place in franchise history has become more controversial in recent years with his decline in play, especially in this ill-advised reunion season. If he does pass Dorsett, the conversation should be fun. More wins for Cooper Rush Believe it or not, Rush’s 9-4 record as a starting QB in Dallas already has him 10th on the franchise’s all-time wins list. He’s currently three behind Drew Bledsoe, who went 12-10 as the Cowboys’ QB from 2005-2006. While he won’t go down among the greats in team history, or even be remembered much by future generations, Rush deserves plenty of respect for the work he’s put in during his run. Brandon Aubrey’s continued greatness With just three more 50-yard field goals, Aubrey will tie Dan Bailey for the most in Cowboys history (27). It’s astounding given that Bailey kicked here for most of six seasons and Aubrey’s only finishing his second. And after watching Aubrey go 3-for-3 on 50-plus kicks against Tampa, it’s very possible he matches or even passes Bailey in the next two games.

Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images It is about time for mock drafts to start rolling in on a consistent basis. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! The Dallas Cowboys have just two games remaining on their 2024 regular-season schedule and then they will officially jump right into the offseason in the hopes of upgrading the roster for next year. They no doubt have a lot of work to do, but may have a jumpstart on things considering the way this year has played out. Today we thought we would have some fun while we sit back and enjoy the holiday season by attempting to predict who the Dallas Cowboys could select in the first three rounds of the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. To help with this exercise we decided to use Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) mock draft simulator to see who could available with each pick. *TRADE* Cowboys receive 1.20, 3.84, 5.155 Chargers receive 1.15 This trade with Los Angeles Chargers was just too good to pass up considering all of the Cowboys roster “needs” this year. This gives them a total of four picks inside the Top 100 as well as adding another selection in the fifth-round. 1.20 – EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Mykel Williams is one of the top EDGE players in this year’s draft class and although it’s not a major “need” for the Cowboys, selecting him here in the latter part of the first-round would be too good to pass up. In fact, many view him as a Top 10 talent. He could compete with Marshawn Kneeland from Day 1 to become DeMarcus Lawrence’s replacement opposite Micah Parsons, but at the very least he would be an amazing depth piece. 2.47 – RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Both from within and out there are a lot of people who would like to see Rico Dowdle signed. Even if that does happen, selecting a running back at some point in the 2025 NFL Draft should be a top priority for the Dallas Cowboys. TreVeyon Henderson is arguably a Top 5 ranked RB in this year’s draft class and has the talent and track record to be a plug-and-play starter for any team at the next level. He checks all of the boxes of a RB1. 3.79 – OT/G Marcus Mbow, Purdue Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images With Zack Martin potentially retiring and Terence Steele as a potential salary-cap casualty, the Cowboys could be looking to replace two starting offensive lineman for the second consecutive year in a row. Marcus Mbow is expected to be a high-end starter with the versatility to play either right guard or tackle at the next level. He’s one of the most athletic lineman in this year’s draft class and would be a perfect fit with the Cowboys. 3.84 – S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images Both Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker could possibly be salary-cap casualty’s this offseason, but even if they are not neither has been playing all that well. That means the Cowboys could look to upgrade the position via the draft. Nick Emmanwori is 6’3″ and 225-pounds. The former Gamecocks safety has the redirect skills and the closing speed of a cornerback and is a game changing type of playmaker on the backend of the defense.

Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Our writers provide their opinions on the latest Dallas Cowboys news during our weekly review on the Roundtable. Every week, we gather the latest news about the Dallas Cowboys and seek our writer’s perspective on each headline. Welcome back to the roundtable. This week we have Brian Martin, Tom Ryle, and RJ Ochoa, David Howman and Jess Haynie. After watching the defense put on a show against Tampa Bay, and some serious talent ready to walk out the door next season, which one defensive player would you want to see back next year between Osa Odighizuwa, Jourdan Lewis and Eric Kendricks? The Dallas Cowboys defense put Baker Mayfield under extreme pressure which resulted in him throwing one interception which was an incredible play by Jourdan Lewis. Osa Odighizuwa was a menace all game and was one of the best defenders rushing the passer and Eric Kendricks is now one of the top tacklers in the league this year. Jess: You have to go with Odighizuwa. He’ll be 27 when next season starts compared to 30 and 33 for Lewis and Kendricks. He’s also your only clear asset at DT while Dallas has other options at CB and LB. That’s not to say I don’t want either of the other veterans back, especially Lewis given the year he’s had, but if you can only have one it’s got to be the only guy still in his prime and at the weakest position. Brian: I would personally try to prioritize bringing back Odighizuwa if it’s financially feasible, but I also think Jourdan Lewis should be a top priority as well and one that would be much more cost-effective. Considering the Cowboys bargain shopping mentality for free agency, I’d really like to see them bring back Lewis considering how many injuries they’ve had at the CB position this year and the last few years. Corners are a little more difficult to find than defensive tackles. Howman: I’m going to be the contrarian and say Chauncey Golston. The rapid ascension he’s had this year after finally moving back to his natural position playing on the edge is just a hint of what he can be. But since Golston wasn’t part of your actual question, I’ll say Jourdan Lewis. This defense needs some guys with that dawg in them, and Sunday night was just the latest reminder that Lewis has always been that kind of guy. Tom: I think Jess hit it on the head. Odighizuwa should have more seasons ahead than the others. He’s my preference, but I wouldn’t be surprised if both he and Lewis can command more money than the organization wants to pay. Kendricks may be the most likely to return because of that. RJ: If I have to pick one of those then I think the answer is Osa just because the team has shown a dramatic inability to find proper defensive tackles. It would pain me greatly to watch Jourdan leave, though. How would you describe the offensive performance last week against Tampa Bay? The offense without CeeDee Lamb looked a little clunky at times and it’s clear the entire Cowboys offense funnels through him. Cooper Rush finished with 292 passing yards and one touchdown, but Rico Dowdle ended the day with only 23 rushing yards and averaged 1.3 yards per carry. Jess: The same as I’d describe it during this entire 4-1 stretch; enough to get by. Even the best teams that Dallas has played against recently, Tampa Bay, Cincinnati, and Washington, have all had below-average to bad defenses. Last night the Bucs committed to shutting down Rico Dowdle and paid for it through the air. In other weeks, we’ve seen the reverse. This week against the Eagles features a defense that can stop you both ways in the same game. Brian: Competitive. That’s honestly the best and probably most fitting way to describe the Dallas Cowboys offense as of late, especially against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cooper Rush has been as advertised. He’s once again keeping the team afloat with Dak Prescott sidelined and doing it with a patchworked offensive line that has been surprisingly playing better than expected. Howman: Brilliant. Mike McCarthy knew he couldn’t lean on Rico Dowdle as he had the past three weeks, and sure enough they came out throwing a ton. But Cooper Rush understood the assignment and got the ball out quick on concepts designed to beat the Buccaneers’ Cover 1 and Cover 3 calls. They still ran the ball to keep Tampa Bay honest, but also understood that wouldn’t be their money maker. Just a brilliant game plan from McCarthy and near perfect execution from the players. Tom: Gutty. Rush showed a clear understanding of what he could and couldn’t do, the down-roster receivers stepped up, and the O line and running backs held up in pass protection. But the grittiest of all was CeeDee Lamb. He really should shut it down for his own sake, but he just can’t. I wish he would, because he’s shown us what he’s really worth. RJ: I’d say it was just enough. Clearly the Cowboys wanted to attack early and build a lead that could survive a potential rally. They were right in that sense I suppose! The rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles is set for this weekend. Can this defense do it again and stop the Eagles’ attack? Also, give one hot take you have about the game. This week the Dallas Cowboys take on the Philadelphia Eagles in a division rematch. The last game between these two teams in Week 10 saw the Eagles win handily with a 34-6 score inside AT&T stadium. The kickoff is at 1:00 p.m. in Lincoln Financial Field with the Eagles favored to win at -9.5. Historically between the two teams Dallas leads the series 74-57 and in the last ten meetings both teams have won five games each. Jess: I’d have felt better before the Commanders