All the Dallas Cowboys news that’s fit to print.
Cowboys’ defense revitalized since Micah Parsons’s return – Todd Archer, ESPN
The Cowboys weathered the injuries and now the defense is on the rebound.
In the past five games, the Cowboys have allowed more than 400 yards once, and that came with the Washington Commanders gaining more than 200 yards on their final three possessions. They gave up more than 6.2 yards per play just once. They have not allowed a team to convert more than 40% of their third-down opportunities. The Cowboys have given up 17 runs of 10 yards or more and 11 passes for 20 yards or more.
In the first seven games, the defense faced short-field situations eight times and gave up points six times. In the past five games, they have faced that situation 14 times and given up points eight times while also creating two takeaways.
“We have a little bit more confidence,” linebacker Eric Kendricks said. “People are understanding the scheme a little bit more.”
Some issues remain. They are still allowing an average of 28 points per game. Opponents have scored points on their first possessions in 10 of 12 games. In the wins against the Commanders and Giants, the late-game execution was lacking. See Terry McLaurin’s 86-yard touchdown catch for Washington and the Giants’ 80-yard touchdown drive that made it a one-score game with 2:18 to play.
“I just think we’re starting to get a little consistency of guys playing together,” coach Mike McCarthy said.
There also might be a Parsons’ effect.
After missing four games with a high left ankle sprain, Parsons has played in the past four games and has 5.5 sacks. He leads the team with 6.5 sacks, despite missing 17 quarters of action with the injury.
With offenses needing to pay more attention to where he is, other players such as Osa Odighizuwa, Mazi Smith and Chauncey Golston are being more productive.
Cooper Rush’s confidence, connection with receivers growing – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com
It was a home win against the Bengals in Cooper Rush’s second career start in 2022 that sparked a four-game win streak for the Cowboys in Dak Prescott’s absence.
In his four starts this season, Rush has seen a growth week-to-week in his QBR and has led the Cowboys to back-to-back victories over division opponents. A large part of that success has come from being on the same page with Mike McCarthy as the play caller, as well as his receivers.
“It’s not just us knowing Cooper, I do think now Cooper is more comfortable, consistently saying ‘Hey, I like this, hey, I don’t really like that, I’m not as comfortable with this.” Schottenheimer said.
“There are certain things that maybe [Rush] likes differently than Dak likes, and so that moves up or that moves back based on those conversations, the more we go the more comfortable I would say he is of speaking his mind.”
In Thursday’s win against the Giants, Rush exhibited that comfort level with his fellow veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks. In Cooks’ first game back from injury, he caught three passes for 16 yards and touchdown. Those numbers don’t blow you away, but two of those receptions were the biggest plays of the game: A two-yard touchdown pass to Cooks to give the Cowboys the first points of the third quarter, and a diving three-yard catch on third down coming out of the two-minute warning to ice the victory for Dallas.
Both of those plays weren’t set up by anything special on gameday, but instead on what the Cowboys had worked on during the week in practice, including plenty of conversations between Rush and Cooks to ensure they were on the same page, and in the right spots and the right times.
Jimmy Johnson drops wisdom on Cowboys – Richard Paolinelli, Inside The Star
For the 2024 Cowboys, even “false hope” should count as some form of praise from a former Super Bowl winning coach.
In the pregame leading up to the Cowboys’ 27-20 win over the Giants, Johnson dropped this after picking the Cowboys to win.
“They won last week, they’re gonna win today,” Johnson said. “Then they’re going to win the next two games.”
After a pause, making everyone in the studio believe he was going to predict a charge to the playoffs, he added:
“And give their fans a lot of false hope.”
Ouch.
But Coach is right. Even if Dallas claws their way back to 7-7, they will be hard-pressed to win two of their last three games.
That’s assuming 9-8 would get them into the playoffs.
Two Reasons: Cowboys only have selves to blame for disappointing 2024 – Mike Crum, The Cowboys Wire
The Cowboys are figuring some things out late in the year, but the resounding sentiment is that it’s too little too late.
The issues began with inactivity. The decision not to extend Prescott or star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb earlier in the offseason instead of right before September was a two-fold error. Not only did it put them behind on the field, as it caused Lamb to miss training camp, but those extensions would’ve freed up cap space for Dallas to sign free agents to replace the nine players who signed elsewhere.
The only outside free agent the Cowboys signed before training camp began was Eric Kendricks, who was a direct replacement for a cut/retired player, Leighton Vander Esch.
That doesn’t negate the poor performance of the head coach and play-caller, Mike McCarthy.
Only recently did he make Rico Dowdle the primary running back, instead choosing a committee approach instead of featuring one of the top 10 running backs (success rate) on the season. In games Dowdle had at least 20 touches the Cowboys are 3-0, but only 2-6 in games when he gets under 20. After rushing 20 times for 87 yards against the Steelers’ top-three rush defense, Dowdle should’ve been the clear top back on the team.
McCarthy instead fed Ezekiel Elliott as the back with the most attempts the next game.
Cowboys getting early glimpse of what life without Zack Martin could be like – Brian Martin, Blogging The Boys
Zack Martin struggling and missing games has been one of the toughest developments to watch for this year’s Cowboys team.
There is no way the Dallas Cowboys can easily replace a seven-time First-team All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowl player. Players of Zack Martin’s caliber are few and far between, making his potential retirement all the more concerning. But, father time catches up with all of us and there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. That looks to be the situation No. 70 currently finds himself in.
With the future Hall of Famer watching from the sideline during the Cowboys two-game winning streak, Brock Hoffman has filled in at right guard during his hopefully short hiatus. Zack Martin he is not, but Hoffman has surprisingly filled in admirably helping the Cowboys offense be productive on both the ground and through the air. Whether he’s the future of the position or not, he seems to be relishing the opportunity to prove himself so far.
Hoffman brings a little bit of nastiness to the table as a starter in the middle of the Cowboys offensive line. He plays through the whistle and has no problem mixing it up with the opponent on a play-to-play basis. And in his two starts at right guard, he grades out pretty respectably by Pro Football Focus (PFF); 70.0 overall, 75.7 pass blocking, 67.8 run blocking. If this continues, a full-time starting job next year could be his for the taking.
Dallas Cowboys kick/punt returner KaVontae Turpin leads position in Pro Bowl fan votes – Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News
The Cowboys have one of the most electric return men in all of football, and the Pro Bowl voting shows this.
After one week of fan voting, Cowboys returner KaVontae Turpin is the top vote-getter in his position group for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games, the league announced Monday.
Turpin leads the NFL in kick return yards (762) and kick return average (36.3), both career-highs. Turpin also has scored on punt and kick returns this season.
“I think he’s having the best season,” special teams coordinator John Fassel said. “In the now third year he’s been here, I think he’s been better this year than he was as a Pro Bowler (2022) in his rookie season. He’s been better this year than he was last year, too. In the next five-plus games, I just say, give us one [touchdown] on kick return and one [touchdown] on punt return and we got to make that one work and that would be enough.”
Turpin is the lone Cowboys player leading his position group.