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 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 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.

The Cowboys face their toughest challenge to date in Week 6. The Lions comes to town from Detroit at 3-1, well rested and looking for revenge. Coming off the bye they haven’t played a game since the month of September. Because of that, expect the Lions to be ultra prepared for the 3-2 Cowboys, challenging them on both sides of the ball. The Lions are a one of the most high-powered offenses in the league this season. Ben Johnson’s offense features many of the staples that have traditionally given Dallas fits. If the Cowboys can’t overcome their many injuries and play defense with tenacity and discipline, the game has the potential to get out of hand. The Cowboys will be hard pressed to stop Detroit’s two-headed monster at running back. With 0.093 EPA per play and a 50.8% success rate, Detroit ranks third in the NFL in rushing. Much of that success falls on design and running back play. It’s unlikely the Cowboys can stop their run-heavy approach, but they will need to at least control it to have a chance on Sunday. For the Cowboys to win they need to turn this into a shootout. The Lions are mortal on defense so Dallas has to take advantage of opportunities and get points on the board early and often. On defense the Cowboys have to play smart. They will be challenged by Johnson’s play design and will have to execute between the ears before anything. Which brings things to the first key matchup of Week 6. Cowboys LBs vs motion and play action . Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports The Detroit offense is something to aspire for to Cowboys fans. It’s an attack that leans on a highly productive running game, schemes that open big plays downfield and uses all the modern cheat codes of today’s NFL offenses. Johnson, the Lions offensive coordinator, is one of the hottest names on the future head coach market right now and the Cowboys front office may very well be experiencing a live first-hand interview for their next head coach. The biggest challenge for the Dallas defense will be handling the action up front with their front-seven; particularly at linebacker. Obviously, the defensive line play must be adequate to give the second level a chance, but the onus really falls on the LBs to make all the right moves. Motion, play-action and run-pass option plays put Cowboys linebackers in tremendous conflict. If they bite on one thing, they get hit with the other. Motion at the snap forces defenders to switch in real time. It can change coverage assignments in the passing game and gap assignments in the running game. Defenders have to do this in an instant since it’s often at the snap. They don’t have time to communicate it therefore the entire defense must diagnose and execute individually. It’s a task that’s increasingly difficult if Eric Kendricks, the Cowboys veteran base defense LB, misses the game. Cowboys outside WRs vs Lions boundary CBs (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) It has to be a shootout and the best way to achieve that is by attacking the Lions on the boundary. CeeDee Lamb had a monster game last meeting, putting up 13 receptions for 227 yards and a touchdown. He doesn’t need to have that again but he does need to be plenty productive. He’ll also need help, so the task largely falls on Jalen Tolbert to back up and build on his breakout game in Pittsburgh last week. The Lions are built from the inside out in the secondary. While Amik Robertson and Brian Branch make things difficult inside, Terrion Arnold and Carlton Davis provide opportunities outside. As long as Prescott can manage their ball-hawking safety Kerby Joseph, he should be able to win consistently against the Lions man coverage outside. Aidan Hutchinson vs Guyton/Steele Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports The Lions may not be aware of this but there’s some bad blood between the Cowboys and their top pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson. In their last meeting Hutchinson deployed a drop hip takedown of Prescott on two occasions. The dangerous tackling technique has since been outlawed but memories of the borderline dirty play remain fresh in the Cowboys’ minds. Hutchinson is off to a blazing start in 2024 and currently grades as the NFL’s best edge player per Pro Football Focus. The Cowboys offensive tackle situation is less than ideal so expect plenty of help to be sent Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele’s way. Unlike T.J. Watt who the Cowboys faced last week, Hutchinson switches sides to exploit matchups. Prescott will likely be rolling plays away from whatever side Hutchinson is on and in moments he can’t, the Lion’s pass rusher will likely be met with double teams, chips and some uncomfortable low blocks. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Conclusion . Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports With so many key players out on the Dallas defense it’s going to be extremely difficult to stop this Detroit offense. Mazi Smith and Linval Joseph will need to be ultra stout inside and Osa Odighizuwa will have to again be up to the task of being the Cowboys’ top pass rusher. The bad blood previously mentioned doesn’t just flow one way but both ways. The Cowboys have won the last six contests between the two teams. Prescott has never lost to the Detroit franchise and many of the Dallas victories have come by slim margins and controversial calls. They want to beat America’s Team in a very big way and this time the Cowboys are a significant underdog. Related articles Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Cowboys vs Lions Final Injury Report: Kendricks, Parsons, Bland updates are worrisome K.D. Drummond The Dallas Cowboys have a serious problem when it comes to the injury front, specifically on their defense. Already down a ton of talent at the edge position, the attrition has now hit the linebacker room. Not only that, but there are renewed concerns about the health of the secondary, after the week started off on a great foot. Pun intended. On Friday, the Cowboys ruled out both DE Micah Parsons and LB Eric Kendricks. The club had moved DE DeMarcus Lawrence to IR last week and rookie DE Marshawn Kneeland to IR earlier in the week. Parsons will now have two weeks more to recover from his high-ankle sprain in hopes he’s able to return to face off against the San Francisco 49ers following the bye week. Meanwhile, DaRon Bland’s activation from IR was put in doubt when he sat out Friday’s practice and was given a game designation of questionable, along with his backup, rookie Caelen Carson, who has missed two straight games with a shoulder injury. Here’s the full practice report from both teams. Dallas Cowboys LB Micah Parsons, Ankle | OUT Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Did Not Participate CB DaRon Bland, Foot | QUESTIONABLE Wednesday, Thursday: Full Participant | Friday: DNP CB Caelen Carson, Shoulder | QUESTIONABLE Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Full Participant CB Trevon Diggs, Ankle | NO DESIGNATION Wednesday, Friday: Full Participant | Thursday: DNP OT Tyler Guyton, Knee | NO DESIGNATION Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Full Participant Safety Markquese Bell, Illness | NO DESIGNATION Wednesday: DNP | Thursday, Friday: Full Linebacker Eric Kendricks, Calf/Shoulder | OUT Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: DNP Safety Malik Hooker, Neck | NO DESIGNATION Thursday, Friday: Full Linebacker Nick Vigil, Foot | QUESTIONABLE Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: DNP LB Marist Liufau, Quad | NO DESIGNATION Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Full Participant G Zack Martin, Neck | NO DESIGNATION Wednesday, Thursday: DNP | Friday: Full Detroit Lions DB Brian Branch, Illness | NO DESIGNATION Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Full G Christian Mahogany, Illness | OUT Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Full C Frank Ragnow, Pectoral | NO DESIGNATION Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Full Safety Kerby Joseph | NO DESIGNATION Thursday: Limited | Friday: Full Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Cowboys could be looking at their next HC in Detroit’s Ben Johnson reidhanson The Cowboys might be getting a sneak peek at their next head coach when the Lions come to Dallas on Sunday. Week 6 doesn’t just offer a matchup of NFC playoff hopefuls, but it also delivers them a firsthand audition of the hottest coordinator in the NFL. Ben Johnson, Detroit’s highly productive offensive coordinator, has fast become one of the most respected offensive minds in the NFL. He’s also a coveted head coach candidate who will likely headline a 2025 list of coaching prospects that includes the likes of Bill Belichick, Bobby Slowik and Mike Vrabel. What Johnson lacks in experience he makes up for play design and innovation. After taking over their offense in 2022, Johnson elevated the Lions from 24th to sixth (in EPA) in his first season. He did so by simplifying reads for his quarterback, using heavy motion at the snap and mixing in play-action and RPOs along the way. While not a true disciple of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, Johnson uses many of the same cheat codes that have been known to elevate offensive performance. The Cowboys just so happen to be stumbling through the 2024 season with their entire coaching staff on expiring deals. After Mike McCarthy and company failed to get team over the proverbial playoff hump, they are a franchise positioned to reset in the leadership ranks. No one can definitively say what the future holds for McCarthy, but it stands to reason Johnson is a top a candidate to replace him as the Cowboys sit uncommitted. The Cowboys seem to favor coaches with head coaching experience but aren’t necessarily married to it. Jason Garrett was a first time NFL head coach with Dallas, as was Dave Campo and Chan Gailey. Jerry Jones typically hires offensive minded coaches which gives someone like Johnson a leg up on candidates like Belichick and Vrabel. In 2024 Johnson, once again, has his Lions offense sitting in the top five. They are an offense built around their line that features a well-balanced attack. They look for ways to open up their top receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown downfield and they make regular use of their stud tight end Sam LaPorta. With CeeDee Lamb, the Cowboys also have an elite WR in their ranks. They have a weaponized TE in Jake Ferguson and while their offensive line remains a work in progress, they are probably only a year of two behind Detroit in their development and degree of dominance. The Lions are a far more talented offense, but the similarities are there and with Dak Prescott locked in for the foreseeable future, Dallas should be an attractive destination for an offensive head coach who could potentially have his pick of jobs this winter. What Johnson has done for Jared Goff has been stunning. Thrown in as a salary dump of sorts in the Matthew Stafford trade, Goff wasn’t expected to be a long-term answer at the QB in Detroit, yet under Johnson, Goff has turned into a highly effective weapon. It’s tantalizing to think about what Johnson could do with someone like Prescott. It’s safe to say the Joneses have a pretty good idea what the future hold for McCarthy. They likely have their eyes on a few possible replacements this season and it’s a pretty safe bet Johnson is one of those. On Sunday afternoon they get a firsthand look at that candidate, all from the comfort of the owner’s suite. It’s a perfect opportunity to see what all the fuss is about. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Jake Ferguson quickly becoming Cowboys No. 2 option in passing game reidhanson The Cowboys’ passing offense is built around the brilliance of CeeDee Lamb. The fifth-year veteran from Oklahoma has fast become one of the best receivers in the NFL and represents the heart and soul of Dallas downfield attack. After Lamb is where things get interesting. The No. 2 option in Dallas was supposed to be veteran receiver Brandin Cooks. But a slow start to the season coupled with an untimely injury has landed the veteran on IR and out of the conversation. Jalen Tolbert, the “next man up” in this scenario, enjoyed a coming out party as the Cowboys new WR2. His seven receptions for 87 yards set career highs and his game-winning touchdown against the Steelers in the final seconds cemented his place in rivalry lore forever. For as promising as Tolbert is, it’s Jake Ferguson, the Cowboys’ tight end, who’s actually the No. 2 pass catching option for Dak Prescott. The 2023 Pro Bowler has quietly posted a rather impressive season thus far in 2024. It’s a testament to his continued development and nothing short of remarkable considering Ferguson has only played in three complete games this season. In those three games, he’s averaging over 8 targets, 5.6 receptions and 71 yards per game. In Week 5, Ferguson led all Dallas pass catchers who had three or more targets in success rate (71 percent) and in total EPA (5.4 EPA). He was frequently the secondary option Prescott turned to when Lamb was locked down and a means to exploit second level defenders who were more run-focused in nature. Ferguson’s ability to play inline (26.6% of the time), in the slot (61.9% of the time) and split out wide (8.6% of the time), makes him a valuable piece to the Cowboys offense. It allows Mike McCarthy to use creative personnel packages without tipping off the offense’s intensions before the snap. His run blocking has been steadily improving and his run after the catch ability has been inspiring to fans as well as teammates. Ferguson is already No. 2 in Dallas in target share and that’s with only playing three complete games this season.  Tolbert is an ascending player who the Cowboys will need throughout this heart of the schedule. With Cooks out, Dallas will use a variety of players to fill that secondary WR spot opposite Lamb. KaVontae Turpin played a big part in Pittsburgh and Jalen Brooks made contributions of his own. Tolbert is top dog, but it may be a committee approach to that No. 2 WR spot going forward. At TE, Ferguson has the spot locked down, and as the No. 2 option on offense, it’s Ferguson who offers Prescott someone to lean on. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

The kids game Cowboys need to use in order to beat the Lions Mike Crum The Dallas Cowboys endured weather delays, a depleted roster, and survived playing one of the best defenses in football in order to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers and creep above .500 in Week 5. Their reward? a revenge-fueled Detroit Lions sporting one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, two rigid running backs, and a top 10 team rested and ready off their bye week. Dallas sits behind the eight ball, thanks to the schedule and attrition. They’re playing a game of Uno against a one-card opponent with five cards and all four colors in their hand. They’re playing freeze tag with a nervous tick, Duck, Duck, Goose with their shoelaces tied together. Dallas is a home underdog for the second time in two AT&T games after ending last regular season with 16 straight home wins. But there is a strategy to pulling off an upset. The Cowboys are going to need to play keep away. Dallas will need to control this game on offense. Against the Steelers, they had three drives over four minutes long, including a 16-play, eight-minute drive in the fourth quarter. With all the injuries to the defense, the Cowboys are worn down. Chauncey Golston played 90% of the defensive snaps, and Osa Odighizuwa played 72%; they will struggle if they are out on the field for another 40 to 60 snaps. The Cowboys must extend drives, run the ball well, convert third downs, and most importantly finish drives in the end zone. Detroit hasn’t been a juggernaut on defense, ranking 15th in defensive DVOA. They’ve allowed 20 or more points in all but one game this year, and the Seattle Seahawks moved the ball all over them prior to their bye. Geno Smith threw for almost 400 yards, DK Metcalf had seven receptions for over 100 yards, and Kenneth Walker III ran for 80 yards on 12 attempts, with three scores. Smith and Zach Charbonnet each averaged over 7.5 yards per carry themselves. If Dallas can run the ball, limit possessions, and keep it a low-scoring contest, then their All-Pro quarterback might be able to pull off another upset victory. As good as the Cowboys’ offense can be, a shootout might be too much to ask of the defense this week. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.