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[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys at Panthers referee report: Dallas will have uphill battle with zebras

It feels weird to have this much optimism around a team that’s just 2-2-1, but that’s where we are with the Cowboys. Their offense is cooking, the defense showed signs of life last week, and the team is favored in a road game with the Panthers this week.

Things may be trending in the Cowboys’ favor as of late, but it hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows. Let’s take a look at their penalty numbers before getting into the officiating assignment for this week’s game.

Cowboys Penalties	Penalty Yards	Opponent Penalties	Penalty Yards
at Eagles	4	42	9	110
vs Giants	12	106	14	160
at Bears	4	25	6	41
vs Packers	11	95	7	53
at Jets	11	91	10	61
Total	42	359	46	425

The Cowboys have now gone consecutive weeks with 11 penalties, and it’s their third time in four games with double-digit penalties. After sitting outside the top 10 in penalties for the year, they’ve now leapt into a tie for the fifth-most flags; more concerning, they’re fourth in total penalty yardage.

Special teams continues to be an issue here, too. The offense is 19th in penalties, the defense is 16th in penalties, but special teams is second in the league in flags drawn. Coincidentally, the Titans – led by John “Bones” Fassel – is the one unit more penalized than Dallas.

As for the Panthers, they’re one of the more disciplined teams in the NFL, currently drawing the fifth-fewest penalties. They have yet to draw double-digit flags in a game and have just one game with more than 60 penalty yards. Odds seem good those streaks continue with this week’s officiating crew.

Referee for Cowboys at Panthers — John Hussey
https://t.co/TDHm3jFYbP #DALvsCAR pic.twitter.com/MDhuDj1L7c

—  Fᴏᴏᴛʙᴀʟʟ Zᴇʙʀᴀs (@footballzebras) October 7, 2025

John Hussey is one of the longest-tenured officials in football, having joined the NFL all the way back in 2002 as a line judge. He became a head referee in 2015 and is now in the midst of his 11th season leading his own crew. That gives him a pretty sizable career of how Hussey calls games, over which he’s developed a reputation for helping the home team.

Last year marked the first time since 2017 that Hussey’s crew did not finish the year with more penalties called on the visitor, though it was narrow, with just six more flags on the home team. Prior to that, his crew usually finished with considerably more flags thrown on the road team; so far this year, he’s called seven more penalties on the home team.

It’s possible that Hussey is changing his tendencies, though that’s usually uncommon for referees as tenured as he. A breakdown of Hussey’s games this year offers a reasonable explanation for the discrepancy: he officiated a Titans game in Tennessee in Week 2 that saw the Titans – and that horribly undisciplined special teams unit we mentioned before – flagged six more times than their visiting opponent. That game sticks out as a real statistical anomaly.

One thing that has been materially different this year, though, is the on-field impact of Hussey’s calls. Known to be a boon for the home team’s winning chances, Hussey has seen the home team go 107-56 under his watch before the start of this season.

However, the home team is 2-2 so far this year, with several surprises. In Week 1, the Bills staged an epic comeback over the Ravens; backup Mac Jones led the 49ers to a win over the Cardinals; and the Commanders just upset the Chargers. Not only that, but the home team is 1-3 against the spread with Hussey on the call this year, which seems to suggest home teams aren’t getting the usual boost they have in the past.

That’s a comforting trend for the Cowboys, but the fact remains that the Panthers don’t draw the flag too much. The Cowboys offense leads the league in first downs gained by penalty, but Carolina is giving up the fewest first downs by penalty, just two. In the same vein, the Panthers are tied for sixth in gaining first downs that way.

The Panthers are a very disciplined team so far this year, and the Cowboys haven’t been one in recent weeks. Hussey may no longer be the harbinger of doom for visitors, but his presence and extensive track record is anything but a positive for the Cowboys.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...-report-uphill-battle-penalties-special-teams

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Dallas Cowboys scouting report: Breaking down the Panthers defensive scheme

When the Cowboys take the field this Sunday, it’ll be their third straight year facing the Panthers in Carolina. Even with a new coaching staff in Dallas, that lends itself to some familiarity with this squad, especially on defense, where defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero has been for all three games.

Evero has been one of the rising stars in the coaching ranks for a while now, viewed by many as a future head coach. He famously turned down the Broncos interim head coaching gig when Nathaniel Hackett was fired in 2022, and instead went to Carolina as the defensive coordinator.

Through his first two years running the Panthers defense, Evero hasn’t had much success. His first year in Carolina, which saw Frank Reich fired midseason, finished with the defense 26th in EPA/play allowed and 32nd in defensive DVOA. Last year, the defense finished 32nd in EPA/play allowed and 30th in defensive DVOA.

That’s not what you want to see, but the Panthers also had a litany of injuries on defense last year. By the end of the year, they had lost seven starters to season-ending injuries, with Pro Bowl nose tackle Derrick Brown going down in the season opener.

Brown is now back in action and leads the team in sacks, and Carolina went to work to upgrade the defensive roster around him: in the offseason, they added six new players that have all become key contributors on that side of the ball. The result: modest improvement, but nothing extraordinary. Carolina ranks 21st in EPA/play allowed and 27th in defensive DVOA.

To understand the defensive struggles, it’s important to understand Evero’s scheme. He’s a Vic Fangio disciple through and through, coaching under him with the 49ers and later becoming right-hand-man to fellow Fangio disciple Brandon Staley while with the Rams. As such, Evero’s scheme is built on playing with a light box and committing defenders to pass coverage, routinely using two deep safeties to keep everything in front of the defensive backs.

As with any scheme, there are pro’s and con’s to the approach. Evero’s scheme fundamentally asks a lot from his defensive line and safety groups. The defensive line must generate pass rush to force quarterbacks into throwing shorter passes, as well as hold their own against the run with such a light box, while the safeties have to trigger downfield from far away to make plays after the catch and keep those short passes short.

Therein lies the problem for the Panthers.

Nobody has fewer sacks than them, and their pressure rate is tied with the aforementioned Staley’s Saints unit for second-worst in the league. Opposing receivers are averaging 3.8 yards of separation at the catch point against this defense, tied for fourth-most in the league; again, that’s a feature of the coverage scheme, but it’s a problem when the Panthers are also giving up 513 yards after the catch.

Against the run, the defensive line hasn’t been getting it done either. They’re stuffing the run on just 12.5% of run plays, sixth-lowest in the league. They’re now going up against a Cowboys offense that has the lowest rate in the league of runs that get stuffed. That hardly bodes well for them.

So when the defensive line can’t get pressure or stop the run, and the coordinator refuses to help them out with blitzes or loading the box more – Carolina ranks in 25th in blitz rate and 27th in stacked box rate – what else is supposed to happen? The Panthers know their scheme well by now, but Evero isn’t getting adequate enough production to run the scheme effectively. Sooner or later, something has to give.

This week may be their most challenging yet. Dallas is red-hot offensively, torching defenses through the air and on the ground. They’re averaging 187 passing yards a game just on plays where there’s no pressure and 7.3 yards per carry against light boxes. Things don’t look good for this Carolina defense right now.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...ense-scouting-report-zone-sacks-derrick-brown

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys vs. Panthers: The good, the bad, and the ugly from Week 6

The Dallas Cowboys offense did their job to secure another victory in the Week 6 matchup with the Carolina Panthers, but unfortunately their defense was a liability that led to the 30-27 loss. With this loss the Cowboys moved to 2-3-1 on the season and still have a lot a really tough games ahead of them on the schedule. It still pretty early to suggest there season is circling the drain, but unless a defense improves things could be heading that direction.

This Week 6 matchup shaped up to be a tough one from the beginning for the Cowboys. The Panthers defense is deceptively better than many people believed, and they proved to that by making things extremely difficult, especially in the running game. There was obviously more bad and ugly than we would’ve liked for the Cowboys, but there was a little bit of good mixed in as well. Below we share our good, bad, and ugly from this week’s matchup.

THE GOOD – George Pickens​

Although it didn’t end up making a difference, Georgia Pickens had himself a day. He was able to haul in nine catches for 168 receiving yards and a touchdown this week against the Panthers. His six receiving TD’s this season is not only a career-high for him, but has him tied for the most by a Cowboys player through the first six weeks of the season since the NFL merger. Pickens has really been a difference maker with CeeDee Lamb out it’s just too bad his big day didn’t come with a “W” instead of another disappointing loss.

THE BAD – Matt Eberflus’ defense​

The Cowboys defense has been atrocious this year and there is absolutely no reason to try to suggest otherwise. They gave up 410 total yards and allowed QB Bryce Young to throw for 199 yards and three touchdowns. The worst thing was they had no answer for their former starting RB, Rico Dowdle. Dowdle completely dominated on the ground rushing for 183 yards and added another four catches for 56 receiving yards and a TD through the air. Matt Eberflus’ defense was completely embarrassed and sadly there are no easy fixes.

THE UGLY – Cowboys’ running game​

The Cowboys have been at their best when Javonte Williams can find some running room so far this season, but that wasn’t the case against a Panthers in this Week 6 matchup. Carolina’s interior defensive line headlined by Derrick Brown, Bobby Brown III, and A’Shawn Robinson continuously seemed to get the better of Dallas’ interior OL. Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass particularly seemed to have a hard time handling them throughout the game. Hopefully things will change for the better when both Tyler Booker and Cooper Beebe are able to return to the starting lineup.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...-game-george-pickens-defense-javonte-williams

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Monday Night Football live discussion: Bills at Falcons, Bears at Commanders

Monday Night Football is a double-header and includes our next opponent.

This is an open thread for game chat. ​

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/gen...scussion-bills-at-falcons-bears-at-commanders

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys roundtable discussion: Defensive line, offensive line, Matt Eberflus, and the Commanders

Every week, we gather to discuss 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 David Howman, Tom Ryle, Jess Haynie, and Sean Martin.

Did Dallas get out-schemed up front on defense, or was it a run-fit issue that let Carolina control tempo?​

Mike: It was more run-fit sloppiness than pure out-scheming, but Carolina amplified those mistakes with smart tools. The Panthers leaned on motion and condensed splits to muddy the Cowboys’ keys so the Cowboys defensive front had to declare gap responsibilities late. Dallas often sat in light, two-high structures and slanted the front, which is fine if second-level fits are clean, but the edges were late setting the force, linebackers overran cutbacks, and safeties were hesitant triggering downhill, turning three to four yard wins into seven to ten yard gains for Rico Dowdle. That being said, Dowlde also played the game perfectly and stacked another big day next to his monstrous game against Miami.

Tom: I think this is an unfortunate intersection of a bad defensive scheme and a lack of talent, particularly in the front seven. But the first to me is the most important for Dallas. The players are not completely inadequate. They just look to be in the wrong alignments with bad assignments.

Howman: I don’t think it had as much to do with scheme as it did the players just getting punked. Carolina was the more physical team and when your defensive linemen are getting pushed back and spun around, it doesn’t matter much what scheme you’re running.

Sean: In this particular case, I’ll go with poor run-fits, since the question is specific to the front seven. I think the major scheme issues were once again in the secondary. The Cowboys didn’t win off the ball, didn’t force Rico Dowdle to stop his feet in the backfield, and couldn’t bring down the powerful back in the open field either. A lot of things were bad, including run fits.

Jess: Physicality and confidence tend to go hand-in-hand, and the Cowboys lacked it on Sunday. Looked like they let the tie with Green Bay and beating the now 0-6 Jets get them a little too full of themselves, and the Panthers smacked them right in the mouth. It’s bad in so many ways, as my fellow writers have outlined. But the lack of heart was as evident as anything.

How would you grade the run blocking versus Derrick Brown and the Panthers’ interior defense?​

Mike: The plan to deliver heavier doses of inside zone with double teams to dent the front, then climb was sound early on. But Derrick Brown’s knockback on first contact and the Panthers’ firm backside techniques kept combos from staying on long enough. Brock Hoffman and both Cowboys’ guards got initial fits but too often lost leverage, letting the Panthers interior cross face or split the double and squeeze lanes. There were flashes from the Cowboys offensive line, but sustaining blocks was lacking and pad levels crept up in the third quarter, then from there it just got worse. The blocking was a disaster against the Panthers interior, and in a game where the line needed to control the middle, it just wasn’t there. This is a D grade for the offensive line, unfortunately.

Tom: Is F- a grade? This was incredibly bad. Not only were they limited to a pitiful 39 yards rushing, they also had multiple screen passes just blown up. Screens are something of an extension of the run game, but Carolina was all over them. The injury-driven churn on the offensive line may finally be catching up to them.

Howman: In a vacuum, the blocking was very bad. When you take into account that it was against a certified dude in Derrick Brown, it’s more about what you’d expect. And then when you remember that the two worst culprits were backups Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass, it’s a lot less surprising. I’m not ready to sound the alarm on the offensive line, but Sunday was pretty bad.

Sean: It feels so, so weird to say that the offensive line issue may have been having some of their best players back, but isn’t that what it felt like at times? When even Tyler Smith is off on the timing of a third-down play that led to Williams being tackled for a loss and a punt, it’s a really bad day at the office for the offensive line. Of all the ways Schottenheimer could have helped this, less runs right into the teeth of the Panthers defense I think could have changed this narrative quite a bit, but as Tom said even the screen game failed them in crucial moments too.

Of all the things to worry about long term for this team right now, offensive line still feels like a distant one, but the fact they added to the ways Dallas was bullied in the trenches on both sides of the ball in Carolina makes this a very hard to swallow loss.

Jess: I give it a “G”, as in “Get Beebe and Booker back out there ASAP.” I know Hoffman and Bass have had better weeks, but those were against worse defensive fronts.

How hot is Matt Eberflus’ seat right now?​

Mike: Things are so bad some people are joking about bringing Mike Nolan back, and that’s saying something.

Tom: You should be able to fry up some bacon on it. As has been noted among the writers, this is sadly reminiscent of the Mike Nolan debacle. Eberflus seems determined to stick to his way of doing things no matter what the outcome, a hallmark of the Nolan approach. Once again, we are left to wonder if this was a Schottenheimer hire, or a Jerry one, as well as who has the real authority to make what looks more and more like a badly needed move.

Howman: I like Tom’s line about bacon. I fully understand why Schottenheimer doesn’t want to fire anyone this early into Year 1, but Eberflus has done just about everything you could think to justify doing so. I’d rather have Mike Nolan at this point, because he at least mixed up coverages and wasn’t terrified of the blitz, even if it still didn’t result in good defense.

Sean: In the spirit of the Texas state fair going on and the Texas-Oklahoma football game being the Saturday before this Cowboys loss, it’s hotter than the fourth of July in Texas. Didn’t Brooks & Dunn also sing about that? It’s not a good sign when I’m finding ways to use country music analogies going into week seven, but the Eberflus defense hasn’t worked from the start and there’s no magic switch to be flipped to change that between now and December. That’s the painful truth.

Jess: Not as hot as you probably wish, as this isn’t a team that generally does mid-season firings. Plus, Eberflus has friends here from his past employment. But the imbalance right now between offensive and defensive performance is so great, and the head coach is an offensive guy, so I wouldn’t say it’s totally off the table.

What’s the blueprint to contain Jayden Daniels’ dual-threat play, something this defense has shown to seriously struggle with?​

Mike: This is tough, the Cowboys defense have struggled for as long as time has begun to contain mobile quarterbacks. The first plan should be to make Daniels play quarterback. Rush with four but ensure the edges hold the C-gaps, and only one green-light rusher wins inside at a time, this way no escape lanes ever open in pairs. Pair that with a spy and if the back protects go in for the kill.

Coverage-wise, live in split-safety formations on early downs with a rotating robber to cut crossers and the deep throws on the move. Add pressure to tire protection without breaking the rush lane rules and this will help the secondary in all that it can do. Emphasize scramble-drill with ruthless tackling, communication, and situational tells that all the Cowboys defenders need to be made aware of. If the Dallas defense fails on any of this then it’s going to be another day.

Tom: Get a time machine and go back to acquire some better defensive talent and a new DC. Outside of that, maybe keep a spy on him all game or hope the offense can get back on track to keep up in another shootout.

Howman: The blueprint already exists, and it was created by a guy named Mike Zimmer. Maybe the Cowboys should give him a call, assuming he hasn’t blocked Jerry’s number by now.

Sean: The Cowboys didn’t let Jordan Love, Justin Fields, or Bryce Young make a ton of plays with their legs in their recent tie, win, and loss, so I’m actually not overly worried in this area. The problem is, Daniels can certainly win from the pocket on an every down basis, which I expect him to come close to doing.

Jess: Stopping Jacory Crosey-Merritt is far more concerning.

Rapid fire section​

Better third-down weapon for Dallas, Jake Ferguson or George Pickens?

Tom: I give Pickens the edge because he tends to get more yards.

Howman: Pickens for sure. He can create separation, he can gain yards after the catch, and he’s a deep threat.

Sean: Pickens’ 34-yard touchdown on a slant was on third down against the Panthers, so I’ll lean Pickens as well.

Jess: Why can’t it ever be the RB?


Dak Prescott passing yards, O/U 269.5

Tom: Under as Washington runs the heck out of the ball and keeps it out of Dak’s hands.

Howman: Over, because this Washington secondary is still vulnerable against good quarterbacks.

Sean: Over, Dak passing is just about the only good thing to watch with this team right now.

Jess: Over as the Commanders are 10th-worst against the pass.

Jake Ferguson receptions, O/U 7.0

Tom: Over, and that’s not really a good thing.

Howman: Under, because Turpin is coming back and the chemistry with Pickens is only going up.

Sean: I’ll go over.

Jess: Slightly over.

Who records the game’s first sack for Dallas?

Tom: I’m not prepared to say they get any.

Howman: As they say, that’s James Houston!

Sean: Let’s say Dante Fowler against his old team, again?

Jess: Sam Williams, but it’s negated by a penalty.

Deebo Samuel receiving yards allowed, O/U 76.5

Tom: Over

Howman: Under, but others will get much more.

Sean: Over because even on short passes, getting him on the ground is an issue.

Jess: Under for just receiving, but total yards will be over.

Most explosive plays, Cowboys offense or Commanders offense?

Tom: Commanders

Howman: Cowboys, because Dak Prescott is the better quarterback.

Sean: Home cooking for the offense on high heat is their only chance. Dallas.

Jess: Commanders, because only one defense is entirely incompetent.

Better situational unit, Dallas 2-minute offense or Washington 2-minute defense?

Tom: Up until last Sunday I’d say Dallas, but not so sure now.

Howman: Dallas; Dan Quinn does a lot of good things, but situational football is not his forte.

Sean: See above answer, Cowboys offense again.

Jess: Give me 2025 Dak in the clutch.


Javonte Williams rushing yards, O/U 72.5

Tom: Under

Howman: Over, Dan Quinn still can’t stop the run

Sean: Over in something of a bounce-back game.

Jess: Over.


Jayden Daniels rushing yards, O/U 44.5

Tom: Over

Howman: Over seems like a smart bet

Sean: Under because he’s a thrower first, and the throws will be there.

Jess: Over.

Dallas red-zone total TD’s- O/U 1.5

Tom: Over

Howman: Under, but only because they’ll score from outside of the red zone multiple times

Sean: Over with two.

Jess: Over.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...e-line-matt-eberflus-commanders-message-board

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

BTB Wednesday Discussion: Should the Cowboys entertain trading any players away?

The Dallas Cowboys are 2-3-1 at the moment with games looming against the Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos. Speaking to the first one (Washington) in front of them, oddsmakers believe they will lose as the Commanders are favored even with the game set to take place at AT&T Stadium.

Imagine a world where the Cowboys drop these next two. They would fall to 2-5-1 on the season and any hope of a playoff berth would be only alive in a literal and mathematical sense (odds are fairly low right now as it is). It would stand to reason at that hypothetical point to be focused on next year more than this one.

This is generally not how the Cowboys have operated, but that has never stopped us from having conversations out loud among ourselves. At that hypothetical point, or even now if you’d like, should the Cowboys entertain the idea of trading away any players?

Let me be very clear and say that I would not trade away George Pickens if I ran this team. But with Pickens serving as one of the better players on the Cowboys right now and with him in a contract year… the Cowboys’ current status coupled with how they handle players needing big paydays makes for interesting out-loud conversations at the very least. Again. I would not do it. We are just trying to find solutions together.

What do you think? Should the Cowboys entertain trading anyone away? If not now, when?

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...llas-cowboys-message-board-trade-away-players

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys Survey: Did the Panthers loss extinguish all hope?

NFL teams sometimes defy logic. How can an organization field an offense as robust and as immune to injury as the one the Dallas Cowboys currently have, only to field a helpless and inept defense. You would think an organization that can sign/draft players and coach them up so well on offense could find a way to do something similar on defense. Even just an average defense could be expected.

But that’s not the Dallas Cowboys way. Instead we are subjected to extremes, and left to wonder what would be if we could just get all pistons firing together during the same season.

Last week, the Cowboys fanbase was split down the middle about whether they were confident the organization was going in the right direction. That seemed about right at the time considering their record was a split down the middle at 2-2-1. We’re guessing the number who still have confidence is going to drop a bit after the 30-27 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

Vote in the poll then hit the comments and let us know your thoughts.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cowboys fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dallas-cowboys-roster/185283/survey-panthers-loss-confidence-team

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys vs Commanders: 3 players Dallas should use more in Week 7

After a demoralizing 30-27 loss to the Carolina Panthers last Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys have plenty they need to clean up before this week’s matchup against the Washington Commanders. If the Cowboys want to beat their division rival, here are three players they should use more in this week’s game.

1) DE Donovan Ezeiruaku

Coming into the regular season, expectations were high for second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku. After the Cowboys traded Micah Parsons away a little over a week before their first game, many believed Ezeiruaku would step into a more significant role in Dallas’ defense.

The Boston College product totaled 16.5 sacks during his senior year at BC, the most in college football, so the hope was that he could replicate some of that production in a Parsons-less Cowboys defense.

Through the first four games of the season, that had not been the case. Ezeiruaku’s NFL career got off to a slow start, as the 22-year-old struggled to be an effective pass rush threat. In his first four NFL games, Ezeiruaku totaled just four pressures and three quarterback hits, recording a pass-rush grade below 60 three times.

It’s not easy to make an immediate impact as a pass rusher in the NFL, and Ezeiruaku was learning that the hard way. But then came Dallas’ matchup against the New York Jets, their best overall defensive performance of the season. Ezeiruaku played a big part in that success, putting together his best individual game of his NFL career to date.

Superb @dallascowboys Rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku Is A Freak Of Nature: Film Review pic.twitter.com/xp0z9EYKZ7

— SMI Football Show (@smifootballshow) October 8, 2025

The second-round pick followed that up with another solid showing against the Panthers on Sunday, finishing the day as Dallas’ highest-graded pass rusher. Ezeiruaku was also arguably Dallas’ best defensive end against the run against Carolina, showing the ability to do more than be just a pass-rush threat. In Dallas’ last two games, Ezeiruaku has totaled seven pressures, five QB hits, and two hurries, surpassing his totals from the first four games combined.

Six games into his NFL career, Ezeiruaku seems to be coming into his own. The Cowboys should reward their rookie pass rusher for his recent success on Sunday, giving him and James Houston a majority of the snaps on the edge.

2) LB Shemar James/Marist Liufau

I’ll continue to beat this drum every week until a change is made, but Kenneth Murray is not a starting-caliber NFL linebacker. For some reason, the Cowboys seem to keep thinking he is, and week after week, Murray is at the center of Dallas’ issues on defense.

Whether he’s making bad reads against the run and completely eliminating himself from a play, or does not know his assignment and causes communication issues, Murray’s tenure as a Cowboy has been a disaster.

CB Kaiir Elam is getting fewer snaps as the #DallasCowboys continue to get healthy in the secondary. Now, @BobbyBeltTX has his eye on another player who should be getting less play time – LB Kenneth Murray pic.twitter.com/1Y18I7p3sQ

— 105.3 The FAN (@1053thefan) October 14, 2025

Kenneth Murray just runs around with zero plan At LB pic.twitter.com/nDeaUgmwrt

— DivaD4k (@D4DDYD4K) October 14, 2025

Murray was so bad last week against Carolina that the Cowboys may finally be forced to make a significant change at the linebacker spot. While their younger options at the linebacker spot, Shemar James and Marist Liufau, aren’t All-Pros by any means, they absolutely cannot put on display a worse product than Murray has six games into the season.

Assuming Jack Sanborn is not active, if the Cowboys don’t enter Sunday’s matchup against the Commanders with James and Liufau as their two top linebackers, it would be coaching malpractice.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...nders-game-more-reps-week-7-donovan-ezeiruaku

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Thursday Night Football live discussion: Steelers at Bengals

Week 7 kicks off with the Steelers and the Bengals.

This is an open thread for game chat. ​

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/gen...-football-live-discussion-steelers-at-bengals

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs out vs. Commanders after suffering a concussion at home

The Dallas Cowboys have been ravaged with injuries in 2025. On Friday, it was announced they have yet another one in their secondary, and it’s certainly a head scratcher. According to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, cornerback Trevon Diggs will miss Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders due to suffering a concussion at home.

Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs will miss Sunday’s game with a concussion he suffered in an incident at his home last night, according to head coach Brian Schottenheimer.

— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) October 17, 2025

Diggs has had his fair share of setbacks the last few years. He tore his ACL in 2023 after two games and missed the rest of the season. Last December, it was announced that Diggs would miss the remainder of the season and would need to have surgery on the same knee where his ACL injury occured.

With this injury, 2025 will be the third consecutive season in which Diggs hasn’t played a full season after signing a five-year, $97 million extension. That isn’t ideal at all for a guy that’s looked at as the top player in the secondary in Dallas.

This will mean more playing time for Kaiir Elam who has struggled mightily this season, or possibly second-year cornerback Caelen Carson who is back at practice after rehabbing a knee injury.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...von-diggs-out-vs-commanders-concussion-injury

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys Point/Counterpoint: Defensive woes sending season to the brink of despair

What a difference a week makes.

It feels like ages ago now, but last week the Cowboys were coming off a dominant win over the Jets that restored hope in the defense while offering continued optimism in the offense.

The latter part is still there, largely thanks to Dak Prescott playing at an MVP level, but the defense reverted back to its worst form and cost the team a win over the middling Panthers. Now, all that hope is gone, replaced by the soul crushing cynicism that has marked much of the past eight months for Cowboys fans.

Is there anything good left in this world? Our own Tom Ryle and David Howman have some thoughts.

Tom: I’ll give you something that could be good. Every team in the NFC East has at least two losses, so from a standings viewpoint, Dallas is right there in the thick of things. The next game is against the Washington Commanders, and a win against the team that just dropped a close one to the Chicago Bears would certainly make us all feel better. The Cowboys certainly have the offense as they lead the league in yards per game and are third in points scored.

Now for the bad news: You don’t get to 2-3-1 with that kind of offensive output unless your defense is epically putrid. Each week, they seem to either make the opposing QB look like Tom Brady with a stronger arm, or the lead back is racking up yards like Adrian Peterson in his prime. Unless they can fix things, they are destined for another dismal finish.

Doubts abound about coming up with any kind of solution. In his weekly hit on 92.1 the Team, the local sports station for East Texas, Mickey Spagnola laid out what may be the biggest concern. They simply don’t have the players they need to win at the line of scrimmage. They can’t really do much if anything about that now. Those draft picks they got for Micah Parsons may lead to some future solutions, but those are not going to help now, and we will likely see another year of Dak’s prime slip away.

David: With all due respect to Mr. Spagnola, I don’t even think it’s that deep. They have the players in the trenches to win, but not in this scheme.

Matt Eberflus wants his defensive tackles to get up the field and penetrate. Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas excel there, and Kenny Clark has been better than expected in that regard. But when it’s all you do, offenses know that. Week after week, we’re seeing oodles of trap and wham concepts in the run game that spring loose, at which point the running back is able to juke Kenneth Murray (it’s always Kenneth Murray, for some reason) out of his shoes for a huge gain. In fact, each of the last two weeks, Dallas has surrendered at least six runs of 10+ yards, leading the league for both weeks.

The pass rush is slightly less concerning to me. They’re actually eighth in pressure rate, but the problem is they hardly get to the quarterback because there’s wide open guys to throw to. That’s another scheme issue: this secondary is built for press man and pattern matching Cover 3, but Eberflus has them running Cover 2 and Cover 4 while giving massive cushions pre-snap.

The scheme doesn’t fit the players at any level, which begs the question of why Eberflus – who, it should be noted, is simply running the scheme he’s always run throughout his career – was hired in the first place.

Tom: And that begs another question: Is Eberflus a Schottenheimer guy or a Jerry guy? If it’s the former, the head coach needs to admit he made a mistake and move on now, or just accept this as a tank year to maximize draft position. If this was a hire made by the GM/owner, then he needs to make the same decision. That is a more challenging situation, because Mr. Jones detests admitting he messed up.

It seems all but impossible for the DC to change his approach, since as you noted this is just who he is. That is a bit of evidence that this was another hire of someone that is familiar to Jerry rather than trying to find someone whose scheme and philosophy fits the players available. Given past history, the most likely outcome will be that management stands pat until the end of the season and then replace Eberflus.

That is a depressing thought. This looks to be a season fated for failure. And as with so much about the Cowboys, it all comes down to the dysfunction at the top.

David: I’m in agreement on your hunch that Eberflus was picked by the owner, but Schottenheimer also bears some culpability in allowing it to happen. Jerry has always made his preferences known when it comes to staffing, but if Schottenheimer had put his foot down on hiring a different coordinator – for example, there’s no way Jerry knew who Klayton Adams was – then he could have had his way.

It’s not even a terrible hire in a vacuum, either. Eberflus has a sterling track record on defense, and that’s no coincidence. He’s just a bad fit for this personnel. Sooner or later, the players will either acclimate to his system or Eberflus will acclimate to his players. The question isn’t so much which happens first but rather how quickly either happens.

The issue for me is that this offense is too good to waste on a miserable defense. They’re a top five unit right now, and CeeDee Lamb is coming back. They may very well finish out as the unquestionable top offense in the league. In most years, that’s enough to get you to the playoffs, at the absolute bare minimum.

And, as you noted, the NFC East is wide open right now. A win over the Commanders this week could change everything, too. But it’ll take something working right on defense to get there and, as we’ve found out already, that’s much easier said than done.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...age-board-defensive-woes-matt-eberflus-scheme

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Jerry Jones discusses adding defensive help for Matt Eberflus midseason

The Dallas Cowboys were not shy about using trades, free agency, and the draft to add to their defense this offseason, but unfortunately the results of all these things have only put them right back in the position of still needing lots of help on that side of the ball in week seven. The Cowboys are 2-3-1, will be without CB Trevon Diggs this Sunday against the Commanders, and have more to look forward to on offense with players returning to the lineup (CeeDee Lamb and Tyler Booker) then they do on defense. This is not good news when it comes to trying to get back in the win column, as the offense is already doing all it can to support this cause on a weekly basis.

The team has found themselves right back in the familiar position of putting players in unfair positions to shoulder too much responsibility, and with a defense this bad, that’s already applying to players that haven’t even made it back to the active roster yet. Linebacker has been arguably the weakest spot in the entirety of the Cowboys weak defense, putting an extra hot spotlight on the looming return of DeMarvion Overshown. The 2023 draft pick suffering another season-ending injury late last year was devastating, but equally inspiring has been his very public determination to get ahead of his return timetable and get back to helping this team as soon as possible. It is in no way Overshown’s fault or responsibility that he may be returning to a defense that has caused the 2025 season to already be lost by the time he is ready.

The Cowboys loss at the Panthers was already a blown opportunity to make up ground the same week the Eagles and Commanders also lost, so a head to head loss this Sunday at home versus the Commanders could prove too much to overcome approaching the midpoint of this season. Even the fact the Commanders will be without top wide receiver Terry McLaurin doesn’t feel like something that works in the Cowboys advantage all that much, because of how porous the defense is all around. Maybe no McLaurin and no Diggs cancels each other out, but Washington can still find other matchups to exploit much like every offense that’s faced Matt Eberflus’ defense.

The Cowboys are aware of this, and also aware of the trade ammunition they hold if they want to use it to still flip the “win now” switch and not see another MVP-esque season from Dak Prescott go out the window. The trade for Kenny Clark, who has been one of Dallas’ most consistently good defenders, also netted the Cowboys two future first-round picks. The Cowboys could be looking at yet another scheme change on defense in the offseason, so valuing these picks as dart throws that land them another defender that will have to mesh into yet another new scheme may be seen as low value. Trying to use them to get more help for an Eberflus defense that is designed to play the ‘bend but don’t break’ style a team with a potent offense can win with, but one that’s currently doing far too much breaking, could be much better value. Dallas will need better zone players at linebacker, cornerback, and safety to make this commitment and pull this off.

Jerry Jones discussed possible help in a recent comment, but his meaning was still a little cryptic.

Jerry Jones on @1053thefan when asked if he feels the #Cowboys defense can be competitive enough to make LB DeMarvion Overshown's return count:

"We will have something else by the time that we get there, and I hope that [Overshown's return is] sooner than 4-5 weeks."

— Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) October 17, 2025

Whether or not Jerry is referring to making another trade to acquire these players, or simply referring to other players returning from injury like Overshown such as Caelen Carson and Shavon Revel, remains to be seen.

There’s no doubt Overshown can help this team when healthy, but to get on the field he’ll have to unseat Kenneth Murray and Jack Sanborn, two players Eberflus has relied on heavily this season despite mostly poor play from both. Carson and Revel would ideally be depth at cornerback to join a mix that includes Diggs and Bland, but keeping those two on the field together is again proving difficult. They both also don’t have experience – nor live game reps at the moment – playing this style of zone defense. Malik Hooker is also on his way back from a toe injury at safety, but the Cowboys saw better play here from Juanyeh Thomas after Hooker left the field versus the Packers, only to still put the burden of deep coverage from a safety mostly on Donovan Wilson afterwards.

All of this has created a muddied picture and mixed feelings from the fanbase about how much this franchise should leverage any future assets they hold for the sake of saving Brian Schottenheimer’s debut season. The Cowboys loyalty to coaches is being seen in both positive and negative lights right now, with Schotty proving a strong hire for the offense right away and Eberflus proving otherwise for the defense.

The continuity under Schottenheimer is something to count on for long-term stability, from a coach who’s already seen multiple defensive coordinator changes during his time as an assistant here. Keeping those future draft picks in play to further help Schotty build an even stronger offense, or using them on draft day and trading up to take a defensive player that would fit in any scheme like the best pass rusher available, are tempting plays.

They would be a lot more tempting if the Cowboys find a way to win at home against the Commanders, beating former DC Dan Quinn in the process. Quinn’s defense has had struggles against the run that will feel familiar to Cowboys fans, but for the Cowboys to get their own run game going on Sunday, the defense is going to have to do something it hasn’t all year and stop giving up big plays and points at will.

All offseason, the Cowboys were active in working their roster, but never shook the expectation that they’re still a distant third behind last year’s NFC Championship representatives the Eagles and Commanders. Falling to 2-4-1 with losses to both teams already, and putting themselves at risk of being passed by the two-win Giants, would cement this in a way. That position would force the front office to choose between doing something drastic on the trade market, or simply keeping their powder dray for the 2026 draft and season.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...ive-help-matt-eberflus-midseason-trade-injury

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys news: Dallas open to making trade moves

Cowboys Reportedly ‘Open for Business’ at NFL Trade Deadline, ‘Defensive Help’ Eyed – Mike Chiari, Bleacher Report​

Deal or no deal for the Cowboys?

The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly looking to wheel and deal leading up to the Nov. 4 NFL trade deadline. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Cowboys have made it known in league circles that they are “open for business,” and in search of defensive help. However, an anonymous NFL general manager told Russini they believe the Cowboys “should go get a running back.”

Prior to the start of the 2025 regular season, the Cowboys traded superstar pass-rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, so it is no surprise that Dallas has struggled defensively. The Cowboys are last in the league in total defense with 411.7 yards allowed per game, and 31st in scoring defense, allowing 30.7 points per contest. Conversely, Dallas has been excellent on offense with a league-leading 387.5 total yards per game, plus 29.7 points per game, which ranks third.

Unfortunately, the poor defense has overshadowed the high-powered offense to the point that the Cowboys have a losing record at 2-3-1. If major changes are made to the defense before the deadline, last week’s game against the Carolina Panthers may prove to be the impetus. Dallas surrendered 30 points to a Panthers offense that was previously averaging a shade over 20 points per game.

The driving force behind Carolina’s offensive success against the Cowboys was running back Rico Dowdle, who was previously with the Cowboys from 2020 to 2024. In his first game against his old team, Dowdle rushed for 183 yards on 30 carries, while also catching four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. That naturally led to questions about whether the Cowboys erred in letting Dowdle leave via free agency. However, Dallas has maintained a strong running game in its own right this season.

Jerry and Stephen Jones have made Cowboys’ Trevon Diggs mystery even more alarming – Luke Norris, The Landry Hat​

The Cowboys front office has made the situation with Diggs very bizarre.

The Dallas Cowboys are never short on drama—that could legit be the understatement of the century or even the team motto, for that matter—and there’s certainly plenty of it surrounding America’s Team heading into their Week 7 rivalry matchup with the Washington Commanders, this time involving cornerback Trevon Diggs. On Friday, it was announced that the two-time Pro Bowler had an accident at his home on Thursday night, which ultimately resulted in a concussion, and will sit out Sunday’s nationally televised contest. Here’s what head coach Brian Schottenheimer had to say on the matter:

“Trevon Diggs came in this morning with some concussion symptoms after having an accident at his home. “He’s been checked out by our doctors and is in the protocol and will miss the game.” As Schottenheimer failed to elaborate on exactly what caused the concussion, some thought the answer might come from Jerry or Stephen Jones. But at the time of this writing, Jerry has kept quiet on something for once, which is obviously uncharacteristic. And when Stephen was specifically asked about the matter, he declined to comment. Well, that’s not alarming in the slightest, is it?

Are the Cowboys staying silent on Trevon Diggs’ concussion for a reason?

Look, those outside the organization obviously don’t need every little detail on every single player. But the Joneses know that staying quiet on something like this is only going to lead to all sorts of speculation. One little statement from Stephen when asked could’ve cleared everything up, and he instead chose not to say anything.

Now, perhaps he genuinely doesn’t know what happened. Or maybe he does and simply wanted to protect Diggs’ privacy. But if NFL insider Josina Anderson’s report that “Diggs’ home concussion did not result from a dispute” is to be believed, which is certainly the hope, what is there to really protect? If the guy fell down and hit his head, the guy fell down and hit his head. Sure, it might be a little embarrassing for Diggs, but those things happen. And if that’s what went down, somebody simply needs to say that.

Opposite Strengths and Weaknesses Make Cowboys-Commanders a must-watch – Mark Heaney, Inside the Star​

Styles make fights. The differences between Dallas and Washington will make for an entertaining game.

You can feel it in the air: fall has arrived, and the football season is in full swing. Another indicator of the season is when we see navy and maroon squaring off in a Cowboys–Commanders matchup. It is arguably the most infamous NFL rivalry, and the next chapter in its history will be written tomorrow with this Week 7 showdown. The Dallas-Washington matches this year will be especially interesting to watch, because both teams carry differing strengths and weaknesses. Dan Quinn may have brought players over with him, but these two squads are very different. If you want any chance at having accurate expectations going into this battle, you’ll have to know how these two rosters differ, so let’s dig in.

1. The Weaponry: Wide Receiver Rooms On Opposite Ends

At first glance, you may think the Cowboys–Commanders wide receiver rooms match up well. Terry McLaurin and CeeDee Lamb leading their packs, with George Pickens and Deebo Samuel backing them up. You’d be right, except this week. Dallas is getting their best players back, with Lamb and KaVontae Turpin returning, while Washington will miss McLaurin from injury and potentially Samuel as well.

While the Cowboys roll out a slew of star receivers and exciting depth pieces, the Commanders could have a wide receiver room headed by Luke McCaffery, Jaylin Lane, and Chris Moore. Needless to say, these two will be very different in the wide receiver department this Sunday, even if Samuel manages to make it on the field.

2. The Front Seven: Linebacker Difference Could Decide The Game

We all know the Cowboys’ biggest weakness is their linebackers. In DeMarvion Overshown’s absence, the team has relied on Kenneth Murray, Jack Sanborn, Marist Liufau, and rookie Shemar James. You don’t need me to tell you it hasn’t exactly gone well. Especially in the case of Murray and Sanborn, the two veterans have arguably been the worst players on the roster. Washington cannot relate in the slightest. Frankie Luvu, Bobby Wagner, and Von Miller headline one of the strongest linebacking corps in the league. Even in their elder age, these guys are as strong as it gets, and it presents a major mismatch for these two defenses. Dallas must contain Washington’s linebackers and improve in some way on their end.

Updates: Carson activated off IR – DallasCowboys.com​

A Cowboys corner makes his return.

After hyperextending his knee in training camp, second-year CB Caelen Carson has been activated off of injured reserve and back on the Cowboys’ 53-man roster.

Carson’s return gives the Cowboys more depth and the cornerback position, and his return comes at a good time with Trevon Diggs (concussion) out for Sunday’s game against the Commanders.

Additionally, Dallas elevated RB Malik Davis from the practice squad for Sunday. Wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, who is still on the reserve/DFR list, was ruled out and will remain on injured reserve for now. His 21-day return to practice window, which started on the same day as Carson’s, will close on Wednesday.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...on-diggs-concussion-caelen-carson-ceedee-lamb