When the entire construct of the article is a look at “the good, the bad, and the ugly” of a given football game, one is contractually obligated to find some silver lining to represent the good. In the Cowboys’ Week 6 game versus Detroit, though, it was exceptionally hard to find. And after a 47-9 mauling, any positive takeaway whatsoever cannot help but be dramatically overshadowed by the bad and the ugly, of which there was an overabundance. The parties most responsible for Dallas’s epic faceplant of a performance are truly too numerous to mention. But once again, this breakdown will live up to its stated mission by highlighting just a few of the trends that are currently the biggest problem areas for a team that absolutely no one believes is as good as their .500 record. From a patchwork defensive crew that got blown through like tissue paper to a pass-protection unit that was practically a row of broken turnstiles and a red-zone offense that’s statistically even worse then you probably think, Sunday’s effort ranks among the most lopsidedly terrible in Cowboys franchise history. So here’s a look back at the good, the bad, and the ugly from Sunday… but certainly not in that exact order. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Bad: Defensive deficiencies on full display The Cowboys defense was missing multiple standout players on Sunday, and boy, did it show. Mike Zimmer’s crew gave up nearly 500 yards of total offense, allowed Detroit to gain an average of 7.5 yards per play, and watched the Lions score on their first nine drives that didn’t end in a kneeldown. Receivers were left wide open all day, linemen were repeatedly blown backward, and terrible tackling was everywhere. The less-than-half-hearted attempt by Trevon Diggs to arm-swipe at David Montgomery as he avoided contact was the one that got the most attention, but there were literally dozens of examples throughout the game of Cowboys defenders who were on the field looking as though they wanted to be anywhere else. Ugly: Putrid pass protection Perhaps the most shocking stat of Week 6’s complete embarrassment was Dak Prescott taking just four sacks, despite it seeming like he was under extreme duress on every single dropback. (It was technically 48.6% of them, according to NFL Pro.) First-round draft pick Tyler Guyton was a surprise DNP, Zack Martin graded out with a horrendous 28.3 per PFF (and a 0.0 in pass blocking), and the rest of the O-line was O-verwhelmed by the Lions defensive front. Yes, Prescott turned in poor numbers- 51% completion percentage, 178 yards, two interceptions- but much of that can be attributed to so many of his passes coming while hurried, off-balance, off his back foot, or without full follow-through. Good: Lucky breaks on first drive Given the way the game ended, it’s crazy to think that Dallas actually led for a brief moment early. But really, even that was only because of a few lucky breaks. After winning the coin toss and electing to receive, Prescott’s first pass of the game was tipped- and nearly intercepted- before landing in the hands of Rico Dowdle for a 15-yard pickup. Just three plays later, the Cowboys were nearing the red zone and seemed destined for a touchdown. But Prescott’s third-down pass into the end zone, intended for Jake Ferguson, was picked off. Only a late penalty flag- a holding call against Detroit linebacker Alex Anzalone- nullified the turnover. With a fresh set of downs, the Cowboys did next to nothing and had to settle for a Brandon Aubrey field goal. The 3-0 lead was very short-lived and quickly forgotten, but for those first three and a half minutes of play, it was nice to see the breaks go Dallas’s way. Little else did. Bad: Worst-case scenarios in red zone The Cowboys were a pathetic 0-for-3 in the red zone on Sunday, continuing a painful season-long trend. Of the 10 offensive plays they ran inside Detroit’s 20-yard-line, they amassed just eight total yards and threw two interceptions. It’s one thing to be ineffective in the red zone- the Cowboys rank 30th among the league’s 32 teams through six weeks- but what’s even worse than coming away from the red zone empty-handed is giving the ball away once you’re there. Of the Cowboys’ 16 trips inside the red zone in 2024, they have almost as many turnovers (five) as they do touchdowns (six). Ugly: Getting suckered by exotic plays The Lions and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson made a 47-9 blowout loss even more humiliating for the Cowboys by dusting off every schoolyard gadget play they could think of over the course of four quarters. They used a tackle-eligible formation (à la last year’s controversial two-point try) on 11 plays, including the first and last plays they ran from scrimmage. They lined up 330-pound Dan Skipper as a wide receiver. They nearly completed a touchdown pass to 318-pound Taylor Decker. They ran a hook-and-lateral to 335-pound Penei Sewell that was negated only by a penalty. And they hit on a 52-yard flea-flicker that saw four different Lions touch the ball on three pitches before Goff connected with Sam LaPorta for a 52-yard strike that more or less served as a dagger… just 18 minutes into the game. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Detroit was “having fun at our expense.” The rest of the season may be sparse on fun for Cowboys fans. Good: Turpin’s success on kickoff returns Obviously, its not great when the opponent scores a ton of points. But the upside to 10 Lions kickoffs Sunday is that KaVontae Turpin got plenty of chances. The return specialist had four kick returns on the afternoon for an impressive 194 yards. His best effort came late in the first half when he brought out the ball (from nine yards deep!) and raced 79 yards to set up the Cowboys for another Aubrey field goal. Per Next Gen Stats, Turpin reached a top speed of 21.64 miles per hour on
Lessons Learned: Prescott’s struggling vision an issue in Cowboys’ 47-9 loss to Lions
Jones didn’t extend McCarthy beyond his contract that’s in its final year and the head coach doesn’t look long for Dallas. McCarthy’s offense looked stagnant and stale against the Lions, and what was once a top-tier unit, has now become a boring shell of itself. Just a week after starting running back Rico Dowdle broke out and looked like the obvious No. 1 RB for the Cowboys, the team came out and gave veteran RB Ezekiel Elliott more carries than Dowdle. This comes reportedly after Elliott talked about his role with the coaching staff prior to the game. Prescott -to-Lamb remains the best option on offense, but it’s also a connection that continues to have miscommunication. On one attempt, Prescott threw to a spot where he thought Lamb would be and the WR ran a different route. There was also a throw where Prescott passed to an area where two players were in the same spot. An occurance that has happened several times over the last few seasons. Zimmer’s defense had no answers either. The Cowboys gave up 492 total yards, 47 points, and didn’t force a punt. Where were the adjustments? When did the Cowboys try something different to get better results,because what they’ve done through six games isn’t working. The loss to the Lions was further proof of this coaching staff not being able to get much done to enhance their chances of winning.
NFL Power Rankings Week 7: Cowboys in bottom 10, Texans, Lions chase No. 1 spot
32 Cleveland Browns ( 1-5 ) | Last Week: 32 Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) warms up before an NFL football matchup Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Browns defeated the Jaguars 18-13. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] 31 Jacksonville Jaguars ( 1-5 ) | Last Week: 31 Dec 11, 2022; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) throws the ball during the first quarter at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean-USA TODAY Sports 30 Carolina Panthers ( 1-5 ) | Last Week: 30 Sep 24, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton (14) passes before being hit by Seattle Seahawks safety Julian Love (20) during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports 29 New England Patriots ( 1-5 ) | Last Week: 29 Sep 19, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) gets sacked hard by New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) in the 4th quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images 28 Tennesee Titans ( 1-4 ) | Last Week: 28 Dec 31, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA;Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis (8) under center motions against the Houston Texans in the second quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports 27 New York Giants ( 2-4 ) | Last Week: 27 New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8), is shown on the ground after being sacked by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (not shown) in the first quarter. Sunday, September 10, 2023 26 Las Vegas Raiders ( 2-4 ) | Last Week: 26 Sep 15, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images 25 Los Angeles Rams ( 1-4 ) | Last Week: 25 Sep 15, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) looks to pass in the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images 24 Denver Broncos ( 3-3 ) | Last Week: 24 Sep 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) prepares to pass in the second half against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images 23 Arizona Cardinals ( 2-4 ) | Last Week: 21 Oct 11, 2020; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) warms up before his game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports 22 Dallas Cowboys ( 3-3 ) | Last Week: 11 CLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 08: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys looks to pass the ball in the first quarter of the game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on September 08, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) 21 New York Jets ( 2-4 ) | Last Week: 20 New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) throws against the Tennessee Titans during their game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. 20 Miami Dolphins ( 2-3 ) | Last Week: 19 Dec 25, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) stands on the field during the second half against the Green Bay Packers at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports 19 Cincinnati Bengals ( 2-4 ) | Last Week: 23 Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) takes the field for warm ups prior to a Week 2 NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. 18 New Orleans Saints ( 2-4 ) | Last Week: 17 Sep 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) takes a pitch from quarterback Derek Carr (4) in the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images 17 Indianapolis Colts ( 3-3 ) | Last Week: 22 Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) rushes in for a touchdown Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, during a game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium in Houston 16 Philadelphia Eagles ( 3-2 ) | Last Week: 18 Nov 5, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) reacts after a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports 15 Seattle Seahawks ( 3-3 ) | Last Week: 12 Jan 14, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) makes a throw in the second quarter of a wild card game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports 14 Los Angeles Chargers ( 3-2 ) | Last Week: 15 Sep 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) behind center Bradley Bozeman (75) during the second half against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images 13 Pittsburgh Steelers ( 4-2 ) | Last Week: 14 Sep 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin during the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images 12 San Francisco 49ers ( 3-3 ) | Last Week: 16 Jan 22, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) throws during the first quarter of a NFC divisional round game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports 11 Chicago Bears ( 4-2 ) | Last Week: 13 Sep 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) after turning the ball over on downs against the Chicago Bears in the third quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images 10 Buffalo Bills ( 4-2 ) | Last Week: 9 ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 17:
Cowboys open as 6-point home underdog, will likely lose to bye week
Cowboys open as 6-point home underdog, will likely lose to bye week K.D. Drummond If you’re supremely frustrated by the 2024 Dallas Cowboys, raise your hand. Wait, it would probably be easier to count whomever isn’t frustrated to raise theirs. Okay, thanks for self-identifying… all three of you. Security please escort these patrons out of the stadium. Oh, even they sold their tickets to Lions’ fans? There’s no way a fan of the Cowboys isn’t upset or embarrassed by the product Jerry Jones has put on the field this season. Anyone looking, okay, anyone shielding the sun out of their eyes while looking at the performance of the team in AT&T Stadium cringes with shame at what has become of the best home team in the NFL over the last two seasons. The Dallas Cowboys are not fit for primetime, late-afternoon windows, and their worthiness to be put on live television at noon is under scrutiny. Is tape-delay sports viewing still a thing? And it’s wild to say that about a team not currently in position for a top-10 draft pick, but that’s where things are for the 3-3 Cowboys. So what can come about during the team’s bye week that will stem the misery? The first thing that can be pointed to is there’s a chance reinforcements will be on the way. Not “We’re getting to 12-5 reinforcements” mind you, but more “We could sniff .500” reinforcements. Micah Parsons has missed two weeks with a high-ankle sprain and may be able to return for the next game against the San Francisco 49ers. DaRon Bland and Caelen Carson appeared close to playing against the Lions, so hopefully the boundary corners are going to be available. Eric Kendricks’ back injury came up this week and hopefully it’s not a long-term concern. And although they likely won’t play against the 49ers, DeMarcus Lawrence and Marshawn Kneeland should be back by mid-November if things progress as hoped. But injuries aren’t the only problem in Dallas. There are coaching issues up and down and those may not be quick fixes. While it’s unlikely Jerry Jones fires Mike McCarthy this week, perhaps there are some staff shakeups on the way, or at least reassignment of duties. Mike Solari’s tenure, which we predicted wouldn’t be fruitful, has been an abject failure. The team benched their first-round pick, left tackle Tyler Guyton this week. Every veteran has regressed this season, including future Hall of Famer Zack Martin, and the youngsters haven’t progressed. Perhaps there’s some handing off of duties between McCarthy and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer this week. Yes, McCarthy swore he’d never give up playcalling again after his last few years in Green Bay, but something has to change about the way Dallas deploys their offense. On the defensive side of things, the Mike Zimmer experiment has been an abject failure. Perhaps it’s time to give assistant head coach Al Harris an opportunity at the big chair and build his profile. Even if it’s a lost season, giving Harris a chance to prove his worth could lead to him getting in the head coach search next season and perhaps lead to a compensatory pick coming back to Dallas. Yes, that’s the line of thinking that now needs to be adopted as Dallas isn’t going to be challenging for a championship this year. Along those lines, the bye week is the perfect opportunity for the front office to start sending out feelers for trades. No, not to bring people in, but to ship players out. More on that in a future article. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Studs and Duds: Cowboys crash down through earth in 38-point dismantling
Studs and Duds: Cowboys crash down through earth in 38-point dismantling Mike Crum Jerry Jones probably feels like he received a lump of coal as birthday present, as the Dallas Cowboys lost by a record margin at home since he became the owner. The Detroit Lions demolished Dallas 47-9, rushing for nearly 200 yards, throwing for over 300, putting up five touchdowns, and not allowing a single end-zone trip to the Cowboys. The Lions had as many rushing first downs as Dallas had overall. Detroit nearly doubled Dallas in yards per play, and were close to tripling in yards per pass. Dallas didn’t have many players step up, let alone play like studs, but the duds could be seen from every unit on the offense and defense. The offense couldn’t run or pass the ball, and the defense couldn’t stop the Lions from moving the ball by either method. Dallas needs to use the bye week to battle to improve all the poor play and find ways to continue the minimal positives from their third home loss of the season. Duds: QB Dak Prescott PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 06: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys looks to pass during warmups before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on October 06, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) From a macro view, Dallas’s Cowboys quarterback isn’t a big concern. The offensive line struggles, a lack of weapons, penalties, poor depth in the front seven on defense, and the play-calling are all bigger issues, but when Dak Prescott doesn’t play well, it’s ok to criticize his performance. The team started on offense with two drives, each for nine plays. The first was stalled for a field goal, but Prescott threw another red-zone interception on their second drive. That poor decision placed the offense in a quicksand they couldn’t escape. After the interception, Dallas had two three-and-out drives and a four-play turnover on downs. Then they turned the ball over four more times in the second half. When the game was a blowout at 34-6, the Cowboys were 1-7 on third-down conversions and 0-1 on fourth down. Prescott threw another interception later in the game on an overthrow before being benched for the night. That made his total turnovers over the last two contests up to five. If he doesn’t play better, this team will continue to lose games this season. Studs: Special Teams Oct 6, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys place kicker Brandon Aubrey (17) kicks a field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images The only area on the team that has been good, game in and out, has been the special teams unit, which remained true against the Lions. Brandon Aubrey has been a stud. He made all three kicks against the Lions and scored all nine of the Cowboys’ points. The first drive ended with his field goal from 34 yards. He hit a 47-yard one later and scored the Cowboy’s final points on a 50-yard attempt in the third quarter. This category isn’t just Aubrey because of Kavontae Turpin’s play as a returner. He had a 79-yard kick return to set up one of Aubrey’s field goals for Dallas and hit on another over-40-yard return later in the game. They were the two longest plays Dallas had the entire night. The special teams unit has been so consistent that their coach, John Fassel, would likely replace Mike McCarthy if he was fired in-season. Duds: Play calling Oct 13, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Mike McCarthy looks over his play chart during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images Jared Goff threw 11 passes in the first half, averaging 17 yards per completion. Goff didn’t have to make a single tight window throw on those attempts. A quarterback can do that when he has a play-caller like Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Dallas threw for 4.1 yards per pass, with Mike McCarthy calling plays, and Detroit went for 10.3. The Lions ran for 5.1 yards per carry, and the Cowboys ran for 3.1 per attempt. Some of these discrepancies are talent-related, but offenses with innovative play-callers can move the ball with down-roster receivers better than Dallas has with a production machine like Brandin Cooks. The Cowboys had five rush attempts on first down in the two drives to start the game and totaled six yards. McCarthy doesn’t use enough motion, including at the snap, and there aren’t enough mesh concepts to free up receivers with pick plays. This offense has enough talent and a good enough quarterback to be competitive, but they need an upgrade in their play-calling to unlock the offense overall. Studs: DE Chauncey Golston ARLINGTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 01: Chauncey Golston #99 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates after scoring a two point conversion during the second quarter against the New England Patriots at AT&T Stadium on October 01, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) Finding silver linings in a 47-9 blowout is difficult. The Lions completely dominated Dallas, so a “stud” could be a player who makes a couple of impactful plays and competes hard when the game is beyond the competitive point. Chauncey Golston fits that description perfectly. At the start of the game, the Cowboys defense was surviving. Dallas had held Detroit to two touchdowns and a field goal, and the Lions were driving again when Golston combined with Damone Clark for a sack on third down. Detroit had to kick a field goal to go up 20-3, leaving the door open for a possible comeback. He had five total tackles and added a tackle for a loss directly after a turnover, but those few impactful plays did not affect the overall game. The defense in Dallas was crushed, so claiming a player played well is a hard sell, but Golston
Winners and Losers: Cowboys blown out again, Trevon Diggs plays bullfighter
Loser: Trevon Diggs’ tackling ARLINGTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 23: Jamaal Williams #30 of the Detroit Lions fumbles the ball after being tackled by KaVontae Turpin #9 and Trevon Diggs #7 of the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) There were a handful of times the camera caught Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs making business decisions in the run game. Detroit is a very physical team and the only way to combat their penchant for hitting is to hit back. Diggs did his best bullfighter impersonation and dodged contact as if he were the player on offense. In his defense, Diggs is coming off a season-ending knee injury that limited him to three games last season. Still, it was the 37-yard TD catch he allowed to begin the second half to Lions wideout Jameson Wiliams that cemented him on this list. Diggs was rewarded handsomely with a large contract to be the cornerback Dallas could rely on to shut the opposing team’s top receiver down. Diggs and the Cowboys secondary allowed 308 passing yards to Detroit and allowed Lions quarterback Jared Goff to finish his day with a perfect 153.8 passer rating. Winner: Brandon Aubrey Oct 1, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys place kicker Brandon Aubrey (17) kicks during the game against the New England Patriots at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports Cowboys kicker Brandon “Butter” Aubrey has been phenomenal this season and seems the only one playing up to a standard set in 2023. Aubrey went 3-for-3, including a 50-yard field goal, en route to scoring all of Dallas’ points against the Lions. For the season, Aubrey has gone 17-of-19 including a career-long 65-yard field goal this season. Dallas has scored 126 points this season. 60 of those have come from the right leg of Aubrey which equates to 47.6% of all the Dallas scoring so far. Last year, the Cowboys put up 506 total points with 157 coming from their All-Pro Kicker coming out to roughly 31% of the team’s total points. Dallas is leaning on Aubrey heavily and Butter has not disappointed. Loser: Home-field advantege Oct 29, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Fans dressed for Halloween during the second half of the game between the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports Cowboys owner Jerry Jones can boast all he wants about ticket sales but until Cowboys games stop becoming popular destinations for opposing teams to watch their favorite teams beat up on the Cowboys, the struggles at home will continue. Dallas has trailed by at least 15 points at halftime in all three home contests this season. New Orleans led 35-16 in the Cowboys home opener before defeating Dallas 44-19. Baltimore led 21-6 at the half and hung on for a 28-25 victory. The Lions were up 27-6 at the break ultimately winning 47-9. If you add last year’s home wildcard loss to the Packers, that marks four straight times the Cowboys have been absolutely assaulted in their own house. Green Bay led 27-7 at halftime before eliminating Dallas 48-32 last season. Attending games in Dallas has become hazardous. The Cowboys have not won a game at AT&T Stadium since defeating the Lions in Week 17 in the 2023 season which came on December 30, 77 days shy from a full calendar year. Winner: KaVonte Turpin Oct 29, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver KaVontae Turpin (9) reacts after returning a punt for a touchdown that was called back because of a penally in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports Cowboys returner KaVonte Turpin remains one of the most dangerous return men in the NFL. The man can accelerate and get to his top speed so fast it puts a strain on coverage units. Turpin was able to get Dallas in prime scoring position just before the half with a 79-yard return with just under a minute till halftime. The Dallas offense was only able to generate one yard on the drive and ended with a 47-yard field goal from kicker Brandon Aubrey. After being neutralized the first few games, Cowboys special teams coach John Fassel made the necessary adjustments to ensure Turpin is the player returning the majority of the kicks. Turpin ended the game returning four kicks for 194 yards averaging 48.5 yards a return. Loser: AT&T Stadium windows, aka Jerry Jones Oct 13, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch (32) celebrates with teammates after making an interception during the second half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Despite being built in 2009, AT&T Stadium remains an architectural marvel that still attracts the masses and generates incredible revenue. Building it East to West so that the sun hits directly onto the field during day games remains the largest flaw about an otherwise impressive structure. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has addressed the window issue before yet dismissed the concern almost entirely and presented it as more of a nuisance than a problem. “I wish to hell all I had to worry about was a ball hitting the screen or a little sun getting in there,” Jones said in a 2022 interview with 105.3 “The Fan”. “Conditions and elements have been a part of football since it was spelled the first time. No. That’s about 10,000 on my list of things to worry about. And, no, we’re not going to do anything with it.” Ignoring the fact that the sun is an issue for the players and opting to not cover the windows is as stubborn as not participating in free agency or utilizing updated salary cap maneuvers to your advantage. The topic itself has become such a distraction and has become bigger than the irresponsible architects who designed the building causing the sun issue in the first place.
Major Takeaways: Cowboys 47-9 loss to Lions shouldn’t surprise anyone paying attention
Some things are pretty darn predictable. Bad takes from ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, lies from politicians, and light rain the day after a carwash all seem somewhat inevitable in life. The Cowboys’ 47-9 lopsided defeat to Detroit in Week 6 was a similarly predictable outcome. Maybe not the degree to which Dallas lost, but certainly the ease in which the Lions won. Even though the Cowboys came into Sunday afternoon’s game on two-game winning streak and within a game of the division lead in the NFC East, Dallas was damaged goods. Significant injuries across the defense headlined their excuse list. Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Eric Kendricks, DaRon Bland and more, were all missing from the defensive lineup on Sunday. In their place a collection of role players, practice squad elevations and various replacement level acquisitions from outside. To say the Cowboys defense struggled against the Lions is an understatement. Giving up 47 points is a certified whoopin’. But given the circumstances in Dallas, losing big to an elite offense like the Lions is to be expected. The Cowboys’ inability to keep up with the Detroit offense is also unsurprising in its own right. But there were plenty of new takeaways learned along the way as well. Cowboys offensive line is an issue (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) Given the aforementioned injury issues, the defense has all the excuses in the world to stink. The offense isn’t afforded such grace. The offensive line, in particular, was an indefensible clusterfudge of ineptitude on Sunday. The Cowboys line blocked like a well lubricated turnstile most of the afternoon. Dak Prescott was running for his life, facing pressure up the middle and on the edge with a concerning degree of regularity. Pressured on nine of his first 15 dropbacks, Prescott was running for his life most of the day. Running backs didn’t have lanes to run through as the Cowboys’ running game became an exercise in futility. Nothing worked downfield because nothing worked up front. The Cowboys have to steady the ship over the bye, and it all starts on the offensive line. Cowboys lack of offensive weapons is an issue (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) Offensively the Cowboys have an elite player in CeeDee Lamb and a solid player in Jake Ferguson but beyond that the well runs dry pretty quickly. Role players populate the ranks at running back and receiver and if teams can take away Lamb, the Cowboys don’t have many reliable options to turn to. The Lions have weapons at every level all over the field. Three deep at WR, two deep at RB and one of the best tight ends in the NFL, it’s no wonder Detroit is top five in most major offensive categories. Until the Cowboys address their depth issues at the skill positions, this offense will be easy for good teams to thwart. This is a front office problem. Cowboys offensive play calling an issue Arlington, Texas on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. Coming off his impressive 20 carry, 87-yard performance in Pittsburgh, Rico Dowdle was rewarded with just two first half carries in Week 6. As if that wasn’t head-scratching enough, McCarthy called an inordinate amount of first-down runs, despite the results being unsuccessful play after unsuccessful play. Per in-game play tracking, the Cowboys called seven first down runs in the first half. Only one of them was deemed a successful play. The other six put Dallas in worse shape on second down than they were on first down. And while the offensive line struggled in all things pass protection, the Cowboys were extremely efficient passing on first down in the first half. Prescott and company converted three of five first down pass plays for a successful outcome. It’s a success percentage any offensive coordinator would love to take against a playoff-caliber defense such as Detroit’s. Between McCarthy’s offense and the Lions offense, it was an illustration of how far behind the Cowboys are in play design and play selection from the rest of the league. If Detroit’s Ben Johnson was just auditioning to Jerry Jones for the head coaching job in Dallas next year, it’s safe to say he passed with flying colors and remains at the top of the wish list for most of Cowboys Nation. Donovan Wilson stock up/ Trevon Diggs stock down Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports The Cowboys’ defense was down to one superstar in Week 6. Diggs, Dallas’ last standing defensive All-Pro, had the unfortunate task of leading this merry band of “who are those guys” to respectability in Week 6. Instead, he gave the distinct impression of mailing it in. Whether in coverage or run support, Diggs didn’t look like the star player he’s been billed to be all season. The same can’t be said for Wilson, Dallas’ somewhat maligned safety. Wilson played to the end with the same energy, the same gusto, the same tenacity he played with at the start. Calls to bench Wilson began to gain traction through the early part of the season but the character Wilson showed on Sunday should silence some of that criticism. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Related articles (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Will Jerry Jones fire Mike McCarthy during Cowboys bye week after embarrassing loss?
Will Jerry Jones fire Mike McCarthy during Cowboys bye week after embarrassing loss? K.D. Drummond There’s a serious problem in Dallas, and it’s not all about injuries even though there are a mountain of them. On Jerry Jones’ birthday, his 82nd, he “celebrated” by watching them get blown out in a non-competitive home first half for the fourth time in a row. The Cowboys entered the locker room down 27-6 to the Detroit Lions, en route to a 47-9 demolishing. The loss dropped Dallas to 0-3 at home on the season, and the open mics from the game were littered with audible chants from Lions fans who made the trek to Dallas to watch a championship caliber team. The Cowboys are woefully injured, but that wasn’t the case in the previous losses, so it’s difficult to allow that to be an excuse for this putrid performance. It’s more difficult not to consider that the team has no future under head coach Mike McCarthy. Will Jerry Jones consider firing him? It may seem drastic, but one thing about the NFL is it’s a copycat league. With the Jets waving goodbye to Robert Saleh this week, perhaps the fever will spread down south. Dallas gave up 47 points, the most since a 49-38 Week 4 loss during the 2020 COVID season. The 38-point loss ties the largest deficit in a defeat in team history. That loss? Week 9 in 2010; i.e. the game that got Wade Phillips fired. The Cowboys haven’t been ready to play in any way, shape or form in a building where they, for 16 straight games, exerted their will against opponents. Their offensive line can’t run block nor pass protect, and they are in Year 2 under a McCarthy hire, Mike Solari. In fact, Dallas benched their first-round pick, Tyler Guyton, for this game. The result? Prescott was pressured 20+ times, sacked four times among 11 QB hits. Aside from CeeDee Lamb (7 receptions, 89 yards), there’s no skill position player on offense capable of regularly creating separation, much less scaring the defense, which leads to Lamb getting double teamed. They certainly aren’t being schemed open. On defense, there’s certainly something to be said for the totem of injured stars, but in an honest moment, they weren’t playing up to par before they were sent to the sidelines. That 180 degree turn, started with everything on the line in the wild-card game in January, falls on the coach. A few years ago, Dallas was embarrassed in the playoffs in a game against San Francisco and the head coach admitted they were nervous. In front of their home fans, they’ve tucked their tails repeatedly in 2024 and one has to wonder whether a change will be made. In the final year of his contract, McCarthy had led the Cowboys to three consecutive 12-win seasons. After the loss to the Packers, there were some who thought Jones would pull the plug on McCarthy at that point, but he returned with a final chance to salvage his stint. Through six weeks, there’s been no sign of such. Firing a coach midseason isn’t something Jones considers often. When he relieved Phillips his chosen coach-in-waiting was already in the building in Jason Garrett. That doesn’t seem to be the case at this point, but there may be some considerations in the helicopter this week. Potential interim coaches could include Mike Zimmer, who has head coaching experience with eight years at the helm in Minnesota. Also to be considered would be special teams coach John Fassel. The biggest consideration though is that since McCarthy calls the offense he’s designed, someone would have to take over those duties as well. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer would likely ascend to those responsibilities if McCarthy was shown the exit. If he’s given a chance to save the season, McCarthy will have to spend the bye week fixing a myriad of issues that plague the entire team. And there may not be a win coming in the games that follow. Dallas is at San Francisco, at Atlanta, then home again for back-to-back games against the rival Eagles and in-state rival Texans. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
How will CeeDee Lamb do today in fantasy football? Projections for Cowboys WR
How will CeeDee Lamb do today in fantasy football? Projections for Cowboys WR K.D. Drummond The Dallas Cowboys are going to have trouble fielding a competitive defense in Week 6 when they take on the Detroit Lions. The Cowboys are going to be missing several key members of that unit, starting with superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons and All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland. Also missing will be starting middle linebacker Eric Kendricks, Pro Bowl edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence and his two backups, Sam Williams and rookie Marshawn Kneeland. So while corralling Jared Goff and the Ben Johnson offense will be left to Trevon Diggs and a bunch of guys, the Dallas offense will need to find a way to keep pace. That starts with the connection between quarterback Dak Prescott and wideout CeeDee Lamb. The two must establish a dominant nature and then continue to exploit an average Detroit secondary throughout the contest. So what does that mean for fantasy lineups? Pro Football Focus says that this is an average matchup for Lamb, rating it a 55.2 out of 100, but also naming him the No. 1 wideout play for the week. Yahoo! Sports ranks him the No. 1 wideout in full-point PPR leagues as well and their FantasyPros projects 6.5 catches, 85.3 yards and 0.5 touchdowns. CBS Sports rates Lamb as a 9.8 out of 10 on their Must Start RTG factor. What does history say about his performance from various perspectives? Last season Lamb caught 12 of 13 targets for 227 receiving yards and a score. The year prior he had four receptions for 70 yards. So his small-sample size average against Detroit projects the following stat line: 8 receptions, 148 yards, 0.5 touchdowns In two home games this season, Lamb has the following averages: 4 receptions, 78 yards, 0.5 touchdowns In four previous Week 6 games over his career, Lamb has the following averages: 7 receptions, 99.5 yards, 0.5 touchdowns Our projection based on these numbers is as follows: 6 receptions, 109 yards, 0.5 touchdowns, or 19.9 points in full-point PPR leagues. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Rushing attacks of Lions, Cowboys have been night and day contrasts
Rushing attacks of Lions, Cowboys have been night and day contrasts K.D. Drummond Our Q&A series with the Lions Wire’s managing editor Jeff Risdon continues with a focus on the two team’s run games. Cowboys Wire: David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs have two completely different body types, but they talk about being interchangeable and that keeping defenses in a state of confusion. How does that work? Lions Wire: The interchangeability is more theoretical than in practice, although it tends to lean more toward folks who think Montgomery can only run between the tackles. He’s proven to be an excellent receiver and off-tackle runner, too. Gibbs doesn’t run with the inside power but his ability to read blocks and accelerate through cuts off them makes him work between the tackles. We’re still waiting for them to be used together. They do tend to get away from Montgomery for long periods of games, too. Read: Behind Enemy Lines: Linebackers and Ben Johnson Lions Wire: The Dallas run offense ranks near the bottom. Is there much hope for that improving anytime soon? Cowboys Wire: There was a glimmer of hope with Rico Dowdle busting out for a whopping 87 yards on Sunday night. He added another 20+ on receptions and a tuddy, but the Cowboys haven’t had a 100-yard runner in the last 19 games. Mike Solari’s blocking scheme hasn’t taken well with the talent over the last year plus (as I unfortunately predicted) and now integrating two rookies hasn’t helped. Things didn’t get better until rookie Tyler Guyton was injured and Tyler Smith kicked out to LT, but it looks like they will return to the original configuration this week. Lions Wire: Even without a run game, Dak Prescott and the passing offense continue to thrive. How well are they playing this year? Cowboys Wire: Prior to a couple picks against the Steelers last week, Prescott was playing heroically, and even with those mistakes (and a fumble), he still leveled up and led the game-winning drive against the vaunted Pittsburgh defense. Brandin Cooks was struggling and we finally found out he had a balky knee that has now landed him on IR. CeeDee Lamb is always the truth, and now there’s hope after his 87-yard performance and GW catch that Jalen Tolbert is ready to step into the No. 2 role. Jake Fergsuon at TE is pretty special as well… not Sam LaPorta special, but still special. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
