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[Dallas Cowboys]

Dak Prescott’s NFC East domination is even more impressive than you think

The Cowboys aren’t exactly having their best season so far, but Dak Prescott certainly is. Over the last four weeks, he’s completing 71.4% of his passes while averaging 270 yards a game and has thrown 13 touchdowns without a single turnover. He’s also second in EPA/play over that stretch.

His stellar play continued this Sunday, when he helped lead the team to a dominant win over the Commanders. During the game, the Fox broadcast aired an illuminating graphic highlighting Prescott’s particular dominance against his divisional rivals:

Since 1970 pic.twitter.com/gPvWy5qylz

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 19, 2025

Any time you’re included on a list with Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, and Cowboys legend Roger Staubach, you’re in good company. Throw in Andrew Luck, a Hall of Fame talent who was forced to retire too early.

As impressive as this is for Prescott, it’s made even more meaningful with a little bit of context. Dominating your division is important, as it’s a surefire way to get to the playoffs, but not all divisions are created equal. And in the case of Mahomes, Brady, and even Luck, all of them had (or have, in Mahomes’ case) the benefit of playing in divisions that weren’t particularly strong.

Mahomes came into the league at a time when his entire division was playing catch up to the Chiefs. Since becoming the starter, Mahomes has seen the rest of the AFC West post a .443 winning percentage. Only the Chargers have a winning record in that time, and just barely at 59-57.

Brady had an even longer period of easy access to the playoffs. While the AFC East had a combined .445 winning percentage during Brady’s time with the Patriots, that was slightly inflated by the Bills, who began to ascend the division ladder just as Brady prepared to leave for Tampa Bay. None of the AFC East teams posted a winning record over that span, while his short stint in the NFC South only saw two teams post a winning record for even one season. Brady also won the division with an 8-9 record in his final season.

Luck had a shorter career than the other two, unfortunately, but he was also quite lucky (sorry). The Texans were the only saving grace of the Colts’ rivals, but the AFC South (sans Luck) still had a .382 winning percentage during his run as the starting quarterback.

Compare that to Prescott, who has seen the NFC East with a .491 win percentage. Not only is that higher than any of the other three, it’s also largely deflated by the very consistent run of terrible years the franchise from Washington was experiencing until this past season. The Eagles, with a 90-57-1 record since Prescott entered the league, are easily the toughest divisional opponent of any quarterback being discussed here.

That’s evident by the fact that Philadelphia has (brace yourselves) won two Super Bowls during Prescott’s career. The closest that any of the other three quarterbacks ever came to seeing a divisional rival in the big game was when the Jets reached consecutive AFC Championship games but failed to advance either time. As an aside, the offensive coordinator for those Jets teams was none other than Brian Schottenheimer.

Prescott has dominated his division since entering the league, and that means something. He’s gone 14-2 against the Giants, without a loss since his rookie season; 12-2 against the Commanders; and even against the Eagles, with their two league titles, he’s 9-5.

On its own, that’s already impressive, but when you factor in the competition he’s actually faced in this division, it’s even more of a Herculean feat. Mahomes, Brady, and Luck never had to face such a tough division and – with the exception of Mahomes – their records are below Prescott’s.

Need just one more fun fact to justify Prescott’s quality? How about career wins when trailing by 8+ points in the fourth quarter:

Career wins after trailing by 8+ points in the 4Q, select QBs:

Patrick Mahomes – 6
Josh Allen – 3
Lamar Jackson – 3
Dak Prescott – 3
Bo Nix – 2
Jalen Hurts – 2
Jayden Daniels – 1
Jake Browning – 1
Justin Herbert – 0
Joe Burrow – 0

— Scott Kacsmar (@ScottKacsmar) October 21, 2025

Not only is Prescott dominating a tougher division than Brady once did, but he’s tied with the last two league MVP’s for overcoming big deficits.

Obviously the season is still young, and a lot can happen. But Prescott is playing at an MVP level right now, and he’s been doing this kind of thing for a long time already. It’s about time the rest of the league showed him that respect.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...nfc-east-domination-patrick-mahomes-tom-brady

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys fans trying to stay optimistic as team heads to Denver

The Dallas Cowboys 2025 season has been a roller-coaster that somehow has ended up in the mid-point between the ascent and the drop, a dead-even 3-3-1 record through seven games. Say what you want, but Cowboys games this year rarely lack for excitement. Overtime wins, overtime ties, last-second field goals, points lighting up the scoreboard; if nothing else, the Cowboys are entertaining this year.

But all that back and forth can take a toll on the fanbase. One week they’re up, the next they’re down. That’s the NFL though, a week-to-week league if there ever was one. And so this week Cowboys fans are feeling optimistic. The offense has always been there in 2025, but a decent game from the defense in the 44-22 thrashing of the Washington Commanders has elevated the mood around the team.

We asked Cowboys fans if they were confident the team was headed in the right direction and 64% said they were.

That is almost a season high, only after the Week 1 game against the Philadelphia Eagles was the confidence level higher at 68%.

While 64% are confident in the long-term direction of the team, that doesn’t play the same for everybody in the short-term. The Cowboys are 3.5-point underdogs (FanDuel) in their road game against the Denver Broncos. 53% of fans think Dallas will beat the Broncos in Week 8. That’s 11% less than the confidence in the long-term direction.

Check out FanDuel for all the odds.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...rediction-denver-broncos-game-week-8-bet-odds

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Dallas Cowboys: Reading between the lines (defense)

This episode of Between the Lines we flip the attention to the defensive line, where chaos meets strategy. This is where the Cowboys’ games are won and lost, so let’s dive in.

Interior Defensive Line​

Osa Odighizuwa ​

(2025 Stats: 292 Total snaps, 19 Total Tackles, 2 TFL, 20 Pressures, 1 Sack)

Grade: 58.3

Solomon Thomas ​

(2025 Stats: 218 Total snaps, 17 Total Tackles, 2 TFL, 8 Pressures, 0 Sacks, 1 PD)

Grade: 64.1

Kenny Clark ​

(2025 Stats: 315 Total snaps, 15 Total Tackles, 2 TFL, 23 Pressures, 2 Sacks)

Grade: 59.8

Mazi Smith​

(2025 Stats: 72 Total snaps, 2 Total Tackles, 0 TFL, 2 Pressures, 0 Sack)

Grade: 51.2

Jay Toia​

(2025 Stats: 56 Total snaps, 2 Total Tackle, 0 TFL, 0 Pressures, 0 Sack)

Grade: 28.6

Denver blocks really well and have allowed only 47 total pressures this year, that’s the second-best this year. Sean Payton’s main four guys of Garett Bolles, Mike McGlinchey, Quinn Meinerz, and Luke Wattenberg has been one of the league’s stabilizing forces. ESPN’s tracking has the Broncos first in Pass Block Win Rate (73%) and league-average 18th in the run game (71%). Even zooming out, their front was profiled as the main strength on the roster after finishing top-six in both win-rate metrics last year.

That protection feeds Bo Nix, who’s not been the best when it comes to quarterbacking but has stayed efficient with 1,556 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, four interceptions, and a passer rating of 87.3 QBR through the first seven weeks. He’ll also punish soft interiors with some sneaky keepers and scrambles and regularly layers play-action and quick RPOs to keep linebackers flat-footed. All this lets Nix throw on rhythm, and starts with the offensive line.

The ground game has pace also. J.K. Dobbins is thriving in orange with 105 carries, 523 yards, and four touchdowns. He’s a downhill, patient runner who hits creases without bouncing sideways. Since 2024, Denver has also gotten real rushing value from the quarterback spot, which forces interior rushers to collapse with lane discipline, not just fury. Expect change-ups from Jaleel McLaughlin in space and a dash of fullback to stress run fits.

Ok, so with all that, what should Dallas’ interior do about it? Make first down ugly to begin with. One thing the Cowboys have shown this year is they can squeeze zone tracks when Clark anchors square and Odighizuwa spills across to fit running plays. The Cowboys interior can sugar both A-gaps like they did more of last week, and trust the interior duo to anchor down the middle.

Against play-action, collapse the depth of the pocket rather than chasing the fake, Nix is less comfortable when the pocket shrinks and the throwing lane narrows. Finally, treat Dobbins like a true threat to this game with his quick cuts by shutting the cutback lanes.

Defensive End​

Marshawn Kneeland​

(2025 Stats: 126 Total snaps, 11 Total Tackles, 3 TFL, 3 Pressures, 1 Sack)

Grade: 54.7

Sam Williams​

(2025 Stats: 244 Total snaps, 15 Total Tackles, 2 TFL, 15 Pressure, 1 Sack, 1 FR, 1 PD)

Grade: 40.8

Dante Fowler Jr.​

(2025 Stats: 187 Total snaps, 6 Total Tackles, 2 TFL, 18 Pressures, 1 Sack, 2 PD)

Grade: 75.0

Donovan Ezeiruaku ​

(2025 Stats: 235 Total snaps, 16 Total tackle, 5 TFL, 14 Pressures, 1 Sack, 1 FF)

Grade: 70.8

James Houston​

(2025 Stats: 122 Total snaps, 18 Total tackles, 4 TFL, 10 Pressures, 4 Socks, 1 FF, 1 FR)

Grade: 70.8

Jadeveon Clowney​

(2025 Stats: 96 Total snaps, 11 Total tackles, 1 TFL, 9 Pressures, 1 Sacks, 1 FR, 2 PD)

Grade: 63.4

Dallas’ edge unit needs to set the tone for the defense this week. Dante Fowler Jr. is the key tone-setter and he’s slowly getting back to form. His sprinter’s start, heavy hands, and the confidence to convert speed into a jolt that rocks a tackle’s base is kind of skill set that’s going to be needed to defeat Denver’s protections. Donovan Ezeiruaku got his first NFL sack as he continues to show aggressive pass rushing technique. Ezeiruaku plays like the battery never dies with his wide alignments, relentless chase, and an instant retrace when the bootleg shows up.

Depth also matters here. Jadeveon Clowney had what you could call his breakout game for Dallas last week and seemed to be involved in every broken play when he was on the field. His experience and knowledge on how to handle this Denver offensive line will be vital for the rest of the guys, especially if the edge group hit a rut and need pulling out. James Houston will also be important as the closer on obvious pass downs

Run defense is where this edge group can quietly win the day. Dobbins is a decisive runner, he’ll press outside zone, plant, and knife through the first crease. That puts a premium on keeping the outside shoulder free and squeezing the C-gap so cutbacks die. If the Dallas edges force Dobbins to bubble laterally, the interior can rally.

Expect Denver to answer with chips, slides, play-action (a lot of play-action), and screens meant to slow Dallas’ get-off.

Injury Update​

Marshawn Kneeland is questionable with an ankle issue.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...ve-line-scouting-report-denver-game-pass-rush

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys need to win big play margin at Broncos with fully loaded offense

The Dallas Cowboys can earn a winning record for the first time in 2025 under head coach Brian Schottenheimer with a win on Sunday at the Denver Broncos. They will go to Denver looking for a road win against the Broncos for the first time in over two decades, but also enter this game with a path to win on both sides of the ball thanks to their 44-22 win versus the Commanders in week seven. The Cowboys passed the Commanders for second place in the NFC East with that win against Dan Quinn’s team, but now get a Sean Payton Broncos team leading the AFC West at 5-2 ahead of the Chargers and Chiefs. Payton will be looking for his third head-coaching win against the Cowboys in four tries since leaving Dallas’ staff in 2005, the previous two being with the New Orleans Saints.

Payton beat the Cowboys at home with the Saints in his first season 42-17, and won in Arlington 30-27 on Thanksgiving in 2010. Even when the Cowboys beat the Saints to end their undefeated season in the Superdome on a Thursday night in 2009, Payton got the last laugh by winning the Super Bowl with that year’s team. The Cowboys getting this win under Schottenheimer would be big in putting previous road losses at the Bears and Panthers behind them and start a similar run to the playoffs the Broncos are intended on – having gone to the playoffs for the first time under Payton last year.

The Broncos got there by getting better quarterback play out of rookie Bo Nix than many previous Denver QBs before him. So far in 2025 though, Nix and the Broncos offense has not always been consistent, and facing the current Cowboys defense is perhaps not the same “get right” opportunity it was for Matt Eberflus’ defense at the start of the season.

The Cowboys will still want to lean more on their offense and own high-level QB play to put pressure on Nix and the Broncos as opposed to exposing their defense too much on the road, but having momentum on both sides of the ball helps them going to a tough road environment. Will a healthy quadruplet (new term?) of Prescott, George Pickens, CeeDee Lamb, and the former Bronco Javonte Williams be enough to get a win in week eight though? Let’s take a look at our weekly keys to the game to find out.

The Dallas Cowboys will beat the Denver Broncos if…​

they win on third down on offense and defense.​

The Cowboys will be without CB Trevon Diggs again this Sunday, after he missed the win against the Commanders with a concussion. In Diggs’ absence, the Cowboys played much more of the man coverage that would actually play to his strengths if/when he’s able to return to the field. They got by instead with DaRon Bland returning an interception for a touchdown, Kaiir Elam and rookie Trikweze Bridges also holding up in coverage, and safety/linebacker Markquese Bell playing well too.

That was against a Commanders team without both starting wide receivers, Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel, and later without starting QB Jayden Daniels, and forced to push the ball downfield regularly with the Cowboys taking a 27-15 lead before halftime.

The Broncos will not only be much more patient in their approach in the passing game, but they have the receivers to give this Cowboys defense a much tougher test thanks to Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims, and Troy Franklin. This trio of receivers along with former Giant Evan Engram helped the Broncos go from scoreless through three quarters against the Giants last week to a historic 33-point quarter that saw them win by one. Even still, the Broncos went just 4-13 on third down on the game. The previous week in London against the Jets, the Broncos were 5-15 on third down in a 13-11 win. They are a bottom ten team in converting third downs this season, but also top ten in avoiding overall attempts.

If the Cowboys have truly fixed their big-play woes on defense and are able to force the Broncos into the style of offense they want to play anyway with more run-after-the-catch situations, they will need to emphasize getting off the field on third down. Just like every sack or takeaway created by this defense feels massive right now given how the Cowboys offense can score on nearly every drive, third down stops to get the ball back on the road or hold Denver to field goal attempts will be crucial too.

The Broncos made their comeback against the Giants mostly by attacking a prevent style defense that also cost the Giants against the Cowboys. Whether or not they can do so while converting third downs as well to keep the ball away from the Cowboys will come down to how Dallas stays in manageable third downs themselves on offense, and picks their times to throw downfield to Lamb and Pickens between them.

If the Broncos are in more obvious passing downs against the Cowboys as opposed to the Giants, the opportunities should be there for Jadeveon Clowney, James Houston, and even Dante Fowler to make an impact in pass rush. Garret Boles and Mike McGlinchey are not known for their ability to deal with speed off the edge as the starting tackle bookends for Denver. The Broncos also started third-year undrafted free agent Alex Palczewski at left guard against the Giants, a potential matchup for Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas to win on the interior for the Cowboys to get the Broncos out of sync offensively.

The Dallas Cowboys will lose to the Denver Broncos if…​

they can’t spread the ball around to both CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.​

The Cowboys have two bonafide alphas at wide receiver right now, and for the first time in forever, that’s proven to be a very good thing. The Cowboys had both Lamb and Pickens on the field together for the first time since week three at the Bears in the big win against the Commanders. This was also the first time since before then in week two that both receivers started and finished a full game together, because it was the Bears loss where Lamb was injured early on a handoff. Just like their other ugly road loss in this stretch at the Panthers, the Cowboys fell behind and didn’t have enough firepower with just Pickens or Jake Ferguson at tight end to win either time. The only game the Cowboys won without Lamb was at the lowly Jets. It goes without saying winning in Denver is an entirely different challenge for the Cowboys this week, looking to hand the Broncos their first home loss of 2025 in the process. To get it, they’ll absolutely need both Lamb and Pickens to consistently make plays.

The Broncos defense with Patrick Surtain at cornerback will make this interesting, as he’s good enough to eliminate a receiver from being the primary option by himself in man coverage on most snaps. Surtain has mostly been paired with Riley Moss this season, another tough man coverage cornerback that will make getting off the line of scrimmage hard for either Lamb or Pickens. Dak Prescott having nowhere to throw and looking nowhere close to the QB he’s proven capable of again this season against the Broncos is unfortunately what his record against this team would suggest. His two previous losses to the Broncos, one on the road and one at home, were both decisive and very bad days at the office for the offense as a whole.

The offense the Cowboys are taking to Denver this time is simply too talented to suffer a similar fate, so long as Prescott plays the point guard position well and facilitates the ball. Denver will be without Dre Greenlaw at linebacker and have allowed the highest yards per carry of any defense this season. The matchups will be there for Jake Ferguson and Javonte Williams to also have big days if both Lamb and Pickens are struggling, but winning on the outside is the key, and that’s where #88 and #3 have to keep momentum going for the Cowboys. The Giants only had one singular catch by a wide receiver in their loss last week at the Broncos, and still managed to score 32 points and lead by as many as 19 in the second half. The idea of either Pickens, Lamb, or even the Cowboys third receiver being held to one catch individually is a lot harder to imagine, and turning these big plays out wide into points will be what the Cowboys need to upset the Broncos.

Brandon Aubrey kicking field goals in the thin air of Denver is also something the Cowboys have going for them on Sunday, but this game will be won and lost with the types of touchdown plays both Lamb and Pickens are capable of. The Broncos current four-game winning streak is impressive, but with two wins being against the same Giants and Jets teams the Cowboys also beat by scoring 40 and 37 points, this week eight meeting stands to be one of the most evenly matched Cowboys-Broncos tilts in a long time.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...e-lamb-patrick-surtain-george-pickens-defense

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys vs Broncos: 2025 Week 8 game day live discussion

The Cowboys will finally have a winning record if they beat the Broncos.

This is an open thread for game chat.​

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal.../broncos-2025-week-8-game-day-live-discussion

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys vs. Broncos: The good, the bad, and the ugly from Week 8

The Dallas Cowboys continue to play Jekyll and Hyde this season, and unfortunately came out on the losing end of the Week 8 matchup with the Denver Broncos. The Broncos pretty much dominated the Cowboys from the start in all three phases of the game, leading to the 44-24 victory.

Overall, this is a pretty poor performance from the Cowboys. It was mostly bad and ugly for the majority of the game. There was maybe a little good sprinkled in, but you really have to dig deep to see it. Below is what we believe to be the good, the bad, and the ugly from this Week 8 matchup with the Broncos.

THE GOOD – Javonte Williams​

Any player getting to face off against their former team/teammates always wants to put on a good show and Javonte Williams is probably no exception. If you’re going by his stat line alone he didn’t have a very good outing, rushing for just 41 yards on 13 attempts. However, he was responsible for two of the Cowboys three touchdowns and ran with authority when given the opportunity. Unfortunately, the Cowboys were playing behind most of the game, causing them to try to play catch-up by passing the ball more instead of sticking to the running game.

THE BAD – Self-inflicted wounds​

It would be easy to point to the defense and how poorly they played, but that was to be a little expected considering they were so shorthanded in the secondary. What was worse was the self-inflicted wounds and boneheaded mistakes the Cowboys made in this Week 8 matchup against the Broncos. Lining up in the neutral zone, false starts, and illegal formations were just a few of the penalties that ended up helping sway the game in the Broncos favor. This has been a problem for them in the past and unfortunately seems to be so still.

THE UGLY – Dak Prescott​

Until this Week 8 matchup with the Broncos, Dak Prescott was performing at an MVP level. Sadly, arguably one of the best defenses in the league, if not the best, caused him to crush back down to earth. Prescott only completed 19 of 31 passes for 188 yards and zero touchdowns. To make matters worse, he also threw two interceptions, something he was doing a pretty good job of avoiding this season. This is just one game where he floundered a bit, and there’s no reason to believe he can’t bounce back with the weapons he has.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...642/broncos-dominate-dak-prescott-win-blowout

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys trade buzz: Broncos loss proved Dallas has no business making big-time move

Sunday in Denver was a litmus test for the Dallas Cowboys. They set out to take on one of the NFL’s better teams in the Broncos, and while they are an AFC team and therefore a loss to them is the most minimal kind of defeat Dallas could ever suffer from a tie-breaking standpoint, the manner in which they lost matters greatly for overall context.

Consider that hours before Dallas was humiliated a mile above sea level that another report surfaced around their intent to find a pass rusher to add to what they have going on these days. The Micah Parsons jokes write themselves and we will just acknowledge that and move on.

No one is here to overreact to one loss. The difference between 3-4-1 and what would have been 4-3-1 isn’t massive enough to swing the pendulum, but that the amount of runway left for Dallas to get off the ground is diminishing and that they looked like they had no business even doing so given how they fared against a quality opponent in Denver, those things definitely swing it a bit.

The Cowboys should avoid a big-time trade​

Last year the Cowboys were in the middle of one of their more toxic and chaotic seasons in some time, and that is really saying something. Right as the NFL’s trade deadline approached they sent their fourth-round pick away for the second time in as many years and to date received a player who was similarly productive.

Jonathan Mingo has technically offered more than Trey Lance ever did, but the competition is a depressing one. It is unfortunate for Mingo that he is catching strays as being referenced here, we mean no offense, but that trade was very obviously the Cowboys desperately doing anything they could to try and maintain relevance in the lost season that was 2024.

We are almost a year removed from that deal with the Panthers and Mingo has yet to provide any return on investment. In fact, the investment was so poor that the Cowboys were heavily linked to Tetairoa McMillan in the process leading up to the NFL draft. When Carolina took him the Cowboys were still so desperate for help at the position that Mingo plays that they traded for George Pickens. To be clear Pickens has been a revelation, but you can see how broken the overall process was which is the point.

It goes without saying that “anything can happen” and that the Cowboys can rip off a bunch of wins and be in the proverbial tournament at regular season’s end. Crazier things have certainly happened.

But the lack of fight and competition between Dallas and Denver on Sunday should serve as a sobering reminder as to the gap that exists between the Cowboys and the NFL’s current elite. There are trades that could certainly help this team, even acquiring Maxx Crosby would provide assistance for future seasons and therefore carries merit, but reality has to be faced that 2025 may not be the year.

What would be particularly harmful for the short- and long-term of the Cowboys franchise would be some sort of panic trade as a result of how lopsided Sunday’s contest was. That would be reminiscent of the Mingo trade. Consider that the Cowboys dealt for Mingo last year right after falling to 3-5 on the season with their loss to the Atlanta Falcons. In addition to losing the game the Cowboys lost Dak Prescott for the rest of the season and were hurting for any kind of relevancy, to use the verbiage up top. They are teetering into that territory right now and if recent history is any indication they will do whatever they can to avoid fully falling into that space, like send a fourth-round pick away for no justifiable reason.

Lessons have to be learned. Medicine has to be taken. Hopefully the Cowboys are cautious and understanding of these ideas heading into next week’s trade deadline.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dallas-cowboys-rumors/186764/trade-deadline-no-deal-broncos-loss

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Monday Night Football live discussion: Commanders at Chiefs

Make yourself feel better by hopefully watching a Commanders loss to the Chiefs.

This is an open thread for game chat. ​

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/gen...football-live-discussion-commanders-at-chiefs

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys trade rumors: No extension talks between team and George Pickens

Tuesday marked one week until the 2025 NFL trade deadline, and it is going to be interesting to see what the Dallas Cowboys choose to do (or not do for that matter). A topic of discussion as of late involving the upcoming deadline is wide receiver George Pickens.

The Cowboys acquired Pickens in the offseason for what was effectively their 2026 third-round pick. An argument could be made that the Pittsburgh Steelers feel some remorse about moving someone as talented as Pickens is proving once again to be, but the subject of remorse is sort of why we are chatting today.

Ed Werder reported on Tuesday that Dallas has yet to have any conversations with Pickens about a potential extension with the club.

Source: With a week remaining before the #NFL trade deadline, the #Cowboys have not engaged in contract extension talks with WR George Pickens or his representatives.
Pickens is on an expiring contract. Franchise player designation is an option that would cost projected $28M. pic.twitter.com/SptJUL3l8f

— Ed Werder (@WerderEdNFL) October 28, 2025

Pickens has been a revelation of a player for the Cowboys. They would be significantly worse without him. An ideal world is one where he is catching passes from Dak Prescott and opposite of CeeDee Lamb for the foreseeable future.

Context matters, though. Importantly, context about how the Cowboys have handled contract extensions matters. Context about who the team is in our current moment carries great weight as well.

Dallas has handled extension talks with their superstars in rather poor fashion over the last few years. Dak Prescott (on multiple instances), and CeeDee Lamb, had to go through the ringer to get their deals and they came at the eleventh hour. Micah Parsons went through a similar process and the situation turned so contentious that the Cowboys traded him to the Green Bay Packers. In the team’s defense, they did immediately get long-term deals done with DaRon Bland, Tyler Smith, and Hunter Luepke following the Parsons trade, but who they have been for about a half decade now matters with Pickens.

We know that the Cowboys are a middling team in 2025 and are unlikely to win the Super Bowl. Given the fact that Pickens is in a contract year at the moment and the trade deadline is approaching, the idea of trading him away and cashing out merits discussion. This is particularly true if you expect the Cowboys to handle extension talks with him with their typical shenanigans.

There is nothing stopping the Cowboys from getting an extension done with Pickens now (speaking matter of factly). It makes sense that Pickens would want to wait at this point, given the success he has had so far this season, and use a potential open market to his advantage. This is another situation (like Prescott, Lamb and Parsons) where the Cowboys allowed leverage to slip away from them into the hands of their players.

None of this is an advocating for trading Pickens. (I want the opposite personally). But what most of us want, ultimately, is for the Cowboys to have some sort of plan. Their lack of a true North Star has burned them many times in the last few years. In the same offseason that they traded for Pickens in a win-now sort of move, they traded away Parsons, putting the future more in focus. These things do not serve the same end goal.

That is what matters most here. A plan has to be in place. If it is and they follow it, even if it is a plan we disagree with, then at the very least they are focusing all of their efforts and energy on one singular idea.

What do you think that idea is, if we assume they are doing so?

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...ickens-contract-extension-talks-micah-parsons

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys DL Perrion Winfrey designated to return from IR

The defensive tackle play from the Dallas Cowboys in 2025 has been less than ideal. With veterans Osa Odighizuwa and Kenny Clark really struggling the last few weeks, the Cowboys have tried mixing up snaps from Mazi Smith, Jay Toia, and Solomon Thomas to look for a jolt in production. With little success, the Cowboys may turn to an offseason hero in Perrion Winfrey, who the Dallas Cowboys designated to return off of IR.

#Cowboys designate Perrion Winfrey for return

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 29, 2025

Winfrey, 25, has yet to play this season for the Cowboys due to a back injury he suffered leading up to the Cowboys week one game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Winfrey was placed on IR before week one and has been flying under the radar since.

With struggles all over the defense for the Cowboys, Winfrey could be viewed as one of the reinforcements coming back in the next few weeks for a struggling defensive tackle room in the Matt Eberflus defense. Winfrey flashed all offseason in preseason and training camp action, and should provide quality depth along the interior when he works back into shape, something the Cowboys have lacked through eight weeks.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...frey-designated-to-return-ir-defensive-tackle

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys vs. Cardinals: Matchups to watch in Week 9

The Arizona Cardinals are coming off their bye week and the Dallas Cowboys are coming off a game in which they played as if it was their bye week. Despite the embarrassing loss to the Denver Broncos last week, the Cowboys are still favored at home in this Week 9 matchup with the Cardinals.

This is a game in which the Cowboys should be able to take advantage of certain matchups to help sway the game in their favor. But the Cardinals have a few matchups of their own that could alter the game in their favor as well. Today, we share the matchups we will be paying particularly close attention to this week.

CeeDee Lamb/George Pickens vs. Cardinals’ secondary​

The Cowboys wide receiver duo of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens should be a major problem for Arizona’s secondary in this Week 9 matchup. The Cardinals are currently allowing 234.9 passing yards per game, ranking 25th of the league. And despite Dak Prescott coming off his worst game of the season, the Cowboys are still averaging 263.8 passing yards per game, which ranks first in the league. This is a matchup that should have a positive ripple effect for the entire Cowboys offense and help sway the game in their favor.

DC Matt Eberflus vs. QB Kyler Murray​

The Cowboys have faced their fair share of dual-threat quarterbacks this year, having mixed results. For the most part Dallas has been able to handle them pretty well, but Kyler Murray could be someone they could struggle to contain. Matt Eberflus has received his fair share of criticism this year, and rightfully so. He will need to figure out how he wants to contain Murray’s dual-threat ability. Having a spy on him seems likely, but Eberflus also needs to stress the importance to his defensive front about maintaining gap integrity.

Cowboys’ defense vs. TE Trey McBride​

Trey McBride is Arizona’s most dangerous and consistent offensive weapon. The Pro Bowl tight end has caught 47 passes for 421 yards and four touchdowns in seven games this year and could be a problem for the Cowboys this week, especially if they’re shorthanded in the secondary once again. McBride is a mismatch type of player who is probably too big and strong to attempt to cover with a defensive back and probably too quick for a linebacker. Dallas needs to figure out who will attempt to contain him to better their chances of victory.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...chups-ceedee-lamb-george-pickens-dak-prescott

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Thursday Night Football live discussion: Ravens at Dolphins

Week 9 kicks off with the Ravens and the Dolphins.

This is an open thread for game chat. ​

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/gen...t-football-live-discussion-ravens-at-dolphins

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

NFC East update: Eagles pulling away

At about the midway point of this 2025 season, the NFC East is only partially operating as expected. Unsurprisingly, the defending Philadelphia Eagles are still on top. But despite expectations to start the year, the Washington Commanders are not in hot pursuit. We enter Week 9 with Philadelphia pulling away from the pack as the rest of the division is drowning.

It’s hard to believe that the Dallas Cowboys are still in second place after getting trampled by the Broncos. But Washington stayed below .500 themselves with a loss to the Chiefs. They expect QB Jayden Daniels back this week, which will be huge, but even he’s only gone 2-3 so far this year. They’re no exception to the NFC East’s awful defensive performances this season; all of Washington, Dallas, and the New York Giants are ranked 27th or lower in total defense right now.

At least there’s still some room for optimism for Commanders and Cowboys fans, whereas the Giants seem to be officially done. It wasn’t like they had much hope even with RB Cam Skattebo, but his season-ending injury on top of the loss to Philly seemed to cement their fate.

Here are the NFC East standings going into Week 9:

• Philadelphia Eagles 6-2 (2-1 in division, 5-1 vs NFC)
• Dallas Cowboys 3-4-1 (2-1, 2-3-1)
• Washington Commanders 3-5 (1-1, 1-4)
• New York Giants 2-6 (1-3, 1-4)

Everyone has a chance to gain ground on the Eagles this week, but only because they’re on a bye. Both Dallas and Washington will play host in primetime matchups, with the Seahawks facing the Commanders on Sunday night and the Cowboys meeting the Cardinals on Monday.

Thankfully, Seattle at 5-2 is a far more threatening opponent than Arizona at 2-5, but Dallas has had a bad run with their former division rivals over the last two decades. The Cowboys are 1-7 against the Cardinals going back to 2008. After all the talk of our rough history with Denver and what happened last Sunday, this becomes an even darker cloud hanging over this game.

The Commanders may be in “must-win” territory this week and will have a tough time of it against the Seahawks. DeMarcus Lawrence, now with Seattle, has been heating up lately with three sacks in his last two games. He should enjoy another of many career trips to Washington.

New York may be a slumpbuster for the visiting 49ers on Sunday, who have gone 2-3 after a 3-0 start to the year. San Francisco may not get QB Brock Purdy back this week, but Mac Jones hasn’t been bad in relief duty. There’s still a chance here for the Giants, especially as Jaxson Dart continues to get more experience. But the odds that New York falls to 2-7 are high.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...-update-eagles-pulling-away-commanders-giants