LET'S TALK FOOTBALL - Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys deserve no sympathy from anybody in the National Football League. The fact that they have had so much talent over the last thirty years and wasted it away with self-inflicted ineptitude is just distasteful. I do not want to hear the excuse that the only reason they missed the playoffs was because Dak Prescott got hurt. The team was 3-5 before he was sidelined and there was no chance in hell they were getting in regardless. You want respect and validation, but you do nothing but squander both of them away repeatedly. Now you think your team is going to make a deep playoff run with Brian Schottenheimer as your head coach? The offensive coordinator that did not call plays in the two years that he has been in Dallas and has failed stints everywhere else he has been? Wow, that will definitely shed your reputation of being a country club. I just see a roster with a bunch of names focused on individual production, not an actual team that will sacrifice whatever it will take to win a championship.

The biggest excuse that Cowboys fans will come up with to prove that last year was a fluke is that Dak Prescott got hurt in the middle of the year. Well, guess what? They were 3-5 before he got hurt and 4-5 afterwards, so they are right, that is a precipitous fall from grace. Obviously, the team’s struggles were not completely his fault, but they failed to win at home with him under center and the offense did not get dramatically worse when he got sidelined. When I look at the offense around him, I see a group that could have success throwing the football, but does not have the personnel to open up the running game. They let their top running back Rico Dowdle walk away in free agency, yet was able to give a two year contract to Javonte Williams, a man that has not been the same since suffering a serious injury over a few years ago. The next guy on the depth chart is Miles Sanders, who proved that he was nothing more than a system back in Philadelphia after flopping with the Panthers. Hunter Luepke is decent, but he is a fullback. Let’s just hope that rookie Jaydon Blue turns into a promising prospect, or else that offense is going to be one-dimensional before October arrives. Yet when you look at the passing game, Prescott will have more than a few serviceable weapons at his disposal. CeeDee Lamb is still one of the best receivers in the league and I think that the addition of George Pickens can be a plus if both of them can coexist with one another. The problem with Pickens is that he has been notorious for having character concerns in Pittsburgh, especially when the ball is not thrown his way, so he is going to have to accept that he is not going to be the definitive number one option. As much as Lamb wants to say that they are both number ones, that is not how it works when the ball is kicked off. If those two get slowed down, then there are guys like Jalen Tolbert and Jake Ferguson that are ready to take the next leap. Yet the group that I am least concerned with is their offensive line because one pro about Jerry Jones is that he focuses on improving the trenches year after year. Their first round pick was used to select Tyler Booker to replace the recently retired Zach Martin and complement Tyler Booker. Their tackles Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele are hoping to improve now that they have Dak under center again, and Cooper Beebe had a strong rookie season as the starting center. When they go up against inferior competition, there is no question that they can show their potential. However, this offense needs to prove that they have what it takes to beat some of the best teams in the league, or else their playoff hopes will be one-and-done once again.

Matt Eberflus is back in Dallas as the new defensive coordinator, which means that they are going to be an average unit at best. Just like the offense, this group will show plenty of flashes that show promise, but will have others where they are on the field for too long. They better make sure that Micah Parsons is wearing the star before the season starts because if he does not get a deserving contract extension, then their defense is going to have no chance to get this team back in the playoff window. Demarcus Lawrence is gone, Mazi Smith has been extremely disappointing, and DeMarvion Overshown might not play in 2025 due to a serious knee injury. I know that the Cowboys have quality pieces on the defensive line like Marshawn Kneeland, Osa Odighizuwa, Sam Williams, and Dante Fowler. They also drafted a quality edge rusher in Donovan Ezeiruaku in the second round. But without Parsons’ presence, there will not be a lot of burst on the defensive line, and they will remain a below average run defense. I sure as hell do not think that Payton Turner, Solomon Thomas, or Kenneth Murray are huge upgrades by any means necessary. Dallas allowed the fourth most rushing yards in the league last year and gave up the second most points at nearly twenty-eight a game, so if they cannot generate any pressure, then this secondary is going to be extremely vulnerable. Sure, they have Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland as the starting cornerbacks, but both of them have the same play style: they have great hands and catching skills, but opposing quarterbacks are not afraid to attack them in coverage. These two were also limited with injuries last year, which thrusted the backups into starting roles, and the results were not pretty. It does not help that Jourdan Lewis left in free agency, so even though the safety room is stacked with the likes of Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker, the defense has little to no depth at the corner position. It says something when the best unit for the Cowboys is their special teams because if Brandon Aubrey has a chance to make a game winning field goal, the ball is going to go through the uprights 99% of the time.

If you ask me how I think the Cowboys are going to do this season, I would say that they will have just another average season at best. They could have hired Kellen Moore as the head coach and I would still be saying the same thing. I do not think that their offense is going to get better or worse than what they were last year, even with the addition of George Pickens, and I do not see the defense turning back into the Great Wall of Dallas any time soon. Let’s say this team actually does make the playoffs. Then what? The sweet reward of getting sent home in the first round by a team with legitimate aspirations? All that does is repeat the cycle of futility and mediocrity that has plagued the organization for the last thirty years. The worst part is that there is no hope for actual change any time soon because Jerry Jones is still in full charge of football operations. You know that they are not going to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender because they lost all validation from the rest of the league. They are never going to tank because the organization is content with mediocrity and being competitive. The Cowboys have been stuck in the mud for way too long and instead of desperately getting out, they are just finding ways they can make it feel like home.

WEEK 1 @ PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

It is fitting that the Cowboys get to be there in Philadelphia when their most hated division rival gets to hang down their second Super Bowl banner. I do not care that Dallas still has more championships. What have you done for me lately? Exactly. Now I won’t be like a bunch of national media pundits and say that Philadelphia is starting a dynasty, but they are the most feared team in the NFC. Jalen Hurts finally got the respect he deserved by winning a championship and the game’s MVP, because when Philadelphia’s best player Saquon Barkley was held in check, it was the quarterback that rose up to the moment and redeemed himself from two years ago. Thankfully, the offense from that season will be back. Saquon is still at the peak prime of his career, the Eagles have one of the best receiving duos featuring AJ Brown and Devonta Smith, but one of the best news of the offseason was that they found a way to keep tight end Dallas Goedert for the foreseeable future. The offensive line has four of its five starters returning, so this offense should still be dominant on paper. The last thing Philadelphia wants, however, is a repeat of what happened two years ago. They might have finished with a winning season and a playoff appearance, but they collapsed after a 10-1 start and got demolished in the Wild Card with two different coordinators than the ones they had in their first Super Bowl matchup against the Chiefs.

Thankfully, Vic Fangio will still be in charge of the defense, which means you should not experience a setback any time soon. Even though they lost a ton of pieces in the offseason, Philly is deciding to focus on its youth to keep their repeat chances alive. Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis will be the two key pieces to their defensive line, with assistance from Nolan Smith and perhaps Jalyx Hunt coming around the edge. In the second level, Zack Baun will be the quarterback of the unit as he is coming off of a breakout season, with the confidence that he will come out stronger this year. With help from Nakobe Dean and rookie Jihaad Campbell, I don’t expect that run defense to get worse. The secondary is where it gets really interesting because even though they are still young, both Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean formed into a lethal cornerback tandem. Reed Blankenship has evolved into a legitimate starting safety and Sydney Brown is hoping to reach that level, so there is depth in that group as well. I don’t think that defense will be as dominant as it was the year before, especially since there will be a lot more inexperienced guys being thrusted into starting positions, but then I remember what happened in 2023. When they lost to Kansas City, the Eagles had the best defense in football. One year later, they were one of the worst. It was the biggest reason why Philadelphia fell apart after such a strong start, so my fear is that it could happen again, especially since it will be a younger unit.

This should not be a blowout because I think that the Cowboys can actually make this a competitive fight and play scrappy on both sides of the ball, but the Eagles will prove that there are levels to greatness, and I believe they will make more than a few plays to close it out on their home turf. I can see a similar script to what happened in 2021, when the Cowboys took on the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers on opening day and have the game come down to a last-second field goal, but the outcome will still be the same.

WEEK 2 vs. NEW YORK GIANTS

Here is your free win, Cowboys. You get to play the Giants at home, a team that Dak Prescott has not lost to since his rookie season, and an organization that has no set vision for success. They signed Russell Wilson, then traded up for Jaxson Dart in the first round. They have a promising running back in Tyrone Tracy, but drafted Cam Skattebo. Malik Nabers is a stud at wide receiver, but the next best options are Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson, both inconsistent in their respective positions. At least Andrew Thomas is coming back to stabilize the offensive line, but with the uncertainty at the quarterback position, who knows how many times that group will be set up to fail? One more horrid start and John Mara is cleaning house.

Hopefully, the defense emerges out of the shadows and gives us promising flashes throughout the season. Their pass rush is stacked with the likes of Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Dexter Lawrence. They added Chauncey Golston and Roy Robertson-Harris to solidify that front, but the run defense has been underwhelming with Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden leading the way. What I am really going to pay attention to is their secondary because the Giants made sure to overhaul it in the offseason. They brought in Paulson Adebo to be their number one corner, signed the best safety in free agency in Jevon Holland to man the deep end, and are hoping for breakout seasons from Andru Phillips and Tyler Nubin. Yet, the biggest disappointment in that group has been Deonte Banks, who has not lived up to the first round pedigree he had as he allowed six touchdowns just last season.

It does not matter if this game turns into a close one or a typical blowout, I still think that Dallas is winning regardless. Take in as much false hope as possible Cowboys fans, because this season does not get any easier. If you somehow lose this game though, then to say that the national media is going to be upset will be a total understatement.

WEEK 3 @ CHICAGO BEARS

I know that there are going to be plenty of Cowboys fans that will say this is an easy win. One reason would be because Matt Eberflus will be back for revenge in Soldier Field. Another would be due to the fact that the Bears were just 5-12 and Caleb Williams still has a lot to prove as an NFL quarterback. Sure that is understandable, but now that Ben Johnson is the head coach, Chicago is going to ensure that they are back on the map this season. It sounds redundant since we have been saying that about the Bears for a few years, but this time must be different. Caleb Williams is hoping to take a huge leap into his sophomore season, perhaps proving that offensive coordinator Shane Waldron really was a hack and should not have been the guy to guide him in his rookie year. Entering 2025, the pieces are more and less the same, but they are hoping to improve as well. D’Andre Swift is still a capable running back, DJ Moore is a number one option for any quarterback in the NFL, Cole Kmet is always a serviceable tight end, and Rome Odunze is hoping to make sure that his second year is a breakout one. However, I think that there are definitely a couple of additions that could make a difference. The fact that wide receiver Luther Burden fell to the second round was absolutely shocking because he is an incredible playmaker that can take off after the catch, so this is definitely somebody that Caleb would absolutely dream to have as a teammate. In the first round, the Bears drafted a stunner in tight end Colston Loveland over Tyler Warren, but Ben Johnson knew that this guy would fit the Sam LaPorta mold perfectly. Loveland is also going to give Kmet something to think about in training camp, because if he develops in the right direction, then the starting job for tight end is definitely going to change hands at some point in the season. The biggest improvements that Chicago made with their offense revolved around their line. They traded for a four-time champion in All-Pro guard Joe Thuney, made another trade for Jonah Jackson, and signed the best free agent center in Drew Dalman. You pair those three with Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright, that is a solid line. Last year, it was a complete abomination as it gave up the most sacks in the entire NFL, so Johnson is hoping that they make a very quick turnaround.

Despite the Bears defense finishing tenth in takeaways, this unit was average at best. They allowed the sixth most yards in football, ranked sixteenth in both passing and sacks, finished the fifth worst in rushing yards allowed, and placed thirteenth in points given up. I really don’t see Dennis Allen as an upgrade over Matt Eberflus, but he is at least a better coordinator than a head coach. The biggest moves that Chicago made with its defense in free agency is with the defensive line, just to make sure that the identity was not “Montez Sweat or bust.” By the way, he only had 5.5 sacks in 2024. Fortunately, he has a lot more help around him this time. Dayo Odeyingbo got himself a big contract of $48 million over three years, and even though I think they overpaid a tad too much for Grady Jarrett, he is at least a proven pass rusher that might have just needed a change of scenery. What I want to see, though, is the younger guys stepping up. This means that Chris Williams, Austin Booker, and Gervon Dexter are going to need to post bigger numbers. Otherwise, it won’t be long before Ryan Poles sends any one of them to another organization. In the linebacker room, they still have Tremaine Edmunds and TJ Edwards as a rock-solid duo, but they also need to prove that whatever happened last year was just a fluke. The secondary is still an opportunistic unit with a lot of key playmakers. Jaylon Johnson is easily a top three cornerback, Jaquan Brisker is one of the most underappreciated safeties in football when he is on the field, Tyrique Stevenson still has plenty of room to grow, and Kyler Gordon will hope to have a bounce-back year as well. I’m not saying that this defense is going to be great, but if Ben Johnson can get the offense back on track, then there won’t be an overwhelming amount of pressure that they have to drag throughout the season.

Now I am not going to be too surprised if the Cowboys win this game, especially if Dak Prescott returns to form from his hamstring injury, but Soldier Field is not exactly AT&T Stadium. The only way that Dallas can avoid a humiliating defeat is if they come out swinging early and do not take their foot off the gas because the Bears are not just going to lie down and die.

WEEK 4 vs. GREEN BAY PACKERS

This is not going to be the first time I will say this, but this is one of the easiest losses I gave the Cowboys this year. The reason why is because they are taking on the Green Bay Packers at home on Sunday Night Football. The Philadelphia Eagles might be the team that Dallas fans hate the most, but this next opponent is very close on the leaderboard. It feels like just yesterday when a seventh seed in Green Bay humiliated the second-seed Cowboys in the Wild Card at JerryWorld. Even if they fell flat against the 49ers the following week, it was still one of the most satisfying victories in franchise history. Fast forward two years later and the Packers are once again hoping to earn their respect as a formidable foe. Jordan Love is still their face of the franchise and proved that he is capable of leading this team to glory, but the supporting cast around him might indicate a bit of a down year. The good news is that the Packers still have Josh Jacobs, who ran for over 1300 rushing yards. The bad is that their depth at receiver is still lackluster. At least they drafted Matthew Golden in the first round, somebody that can complement the speedster Jayden Reed. Unfortunately, Christian Watson is expected to miss extended time with a knee injury and Romeo Doubs is a really inconsistent receiver. Dontayvion Wicks has also been really disappointing, and if he cannot have a big training camp, he might be a stunning roster cut. Both Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft cannot be the only security blankets Love will have to lean on, but thank goodness that their offensive line gave up the second fewest sacks in the league, so there should be more time for the receivers to get open.

The Packers defense is always a confusing one for me to analyze. Some days, they are above average. Other times, they get exhausted if they are on the field for too long. On paper, they should be decent. Rashan Gary is still an exceptional pass rusher, the rest of the defensive line has plenty of starpower such as Devonte Wyatt and Kenny Clark, Lukas Van Ness is slowly improving, and there are a few rotational guys that have stepped up as well. The linebacking room lost Eric Wilson in free agency, but they at least still have Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper. However, the secondary is one that I want to keep a close eye on this season now that Jaire Alexander is officially released. Xavier McKinney emerged as one of the top safeties in the league with eight interceptions and Carrington Valentine had his best season yet last year. They shouldn’t be horrible! The problem is that they are too inconsistent.

I can see this turning into a high-scoring grudge match that comes down to the wire, which means that whoever gets the ball in the final two minutes is going to win. The Cowboys better make sure that it is not Jordan Love, because although he might not be as great as Aaron Roddgers, this is not a quarterback that you want to underestimate.

WEEK 5 @ NEW YORK JETS

This better not be like 2019 where a superior Cowboys team loses to a Jets franchise with little to no expectations. Remember when Sam Darnold, a quarterback that was just coming back from mono, outplayed Dak Prescott in a 24-22 upset at MetLife Stadium? I actually had a hard time picking the winner of this game because I am scared that we could experience deja vu. With Aaron Glenn at head coach and Darren Mougey as the new general manager, New York is hoping that this tandem will finally be the one that will get this franchise back on the map. It might not be immediate, but if things continue to improve, then there is no doubt that the future is bright for this football team. The biggest X factor is their quarterback Justin Fields. It is nice to see the Jets not reach for a veteran or desperately draft somebody in the first round because a minimum deal for a fringe starter is not a bad option. We know what we are getting from Fields week to week: he will not completely embarrass himself, he will show you tremendous flashes with his legs and his arm, but he will not be a guy that will take you to a Super Bowl. Maybe new offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand will unlock something that Fields’ previous coaches could not, but the biggest knock on the quarterback’s career is that he has never been able to maximize his potential. Fortunately, there are more than a few promising pieces around him that could scratch the surface. Breece Hall and Braelon Allen are a legitimate running back tandem that bring acceleration and power, Garrett Wilson is poised for a breakout year with a former Buckeye throwing him the ball, but the big question is figuring out who will step next in line. It could be Allen Lazard, it might be Malachi Corley. Heck, maybe rookies Arian Smith and Mason Taylor could leapfrog their way onto the depth chart. Their offensive line had an okay season last year, but maybe with Fields under center, they can improve their production. The Jets used their first round pick in the draft to select the best right tackle prospect Armond Membou to complement Olu Fashanu. They are banking on Joe Tippmann to solidify himself as the starting center, with John Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker to his left and right.

With Glenn taking over as the head coach, the hope is that the defense can have a better season than the up-and-down roller coaster they were on last season. That is what happens when Robert Saleh gets scapegoated in the middle of the season. Fortunately for Glenn, he has a hell of a group to work with. On the defensive line, Quinnen Williams has still proven to be one of the best defensive tackles in the league and they have an absolute stud in edge rusher Will McDonald that is coming off of a breakout season. With Jermaine Johnson coming back from a season ending injury, the hope is that this defensive line can regain the grit and tenacity that they lacked in the second half of the season. Their run defense was the team’s biggest weakness over the last few seasons, but Glenn is hoping to fix that with Jamien Sherwood and Quincy Williams. However, the group that was really disappointing last season was their secondary. Sauce Gardner is coming off an up-and-down year, Michael Carter II had injuries hold him back, and the team just lost DJ Reed and Ashtyn Davis in free agency. I do not like the signing of Brandon Stephens since he was considered the weak link in Baltimore, so it looks like some of their younger prospects will have to step up quickly. At least their safety group looks solidified with rookie Malachi Moore and rising stud Tony Adams. If Andre Cisco can bounce back from last year, it will be even better.

I am going to give the Cowboys the benefit of the doubt and say that their defense will do enough to slow down Justin Fields and give more momentum to the offense. But if Adam Gase could beat this team, who is to say that Aaron Glenn cannot do the same in his first year as the head coach? This is not going to be a cakewalk and if this does turn into an upset, I am not going to be shocked in the slightest.

WEEK 6 @ CAROLINA PANTHERS

This is another matchup that I would not completely underestimate because the Carolina Panthers actually have a decent amount of hope this year. After seeing his career nearly get destroyed to begin the 2024 season, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completely rebounded down the stretch and is now a sign of optimism rather than the biggest liability. Head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan are hoping that he and the rest of this offense can pick up where they left off, because they showed more positive flashes than they did in the last five years. Chuba Hubbard emerged as one of the best running backs in the league and he will have a nice right hand man in Rico Dowdle to step in when needed. Adam Thielen is not getting any younger, but that is a reason why Carolina used their first round pick to draft Tet McMillian, who will join a receiving corps featuring Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker. They also have a rising tight end in Ja’Tavion Sanders that will be seeking more opportunities, along with an offensive line that only let up thirty-six sacks. I do not think they will be a top ten unit right away, but if Carolina continues to head into the right direction, then they can absolutely be one of the more efficient offenses in the league.

However, I think the true X factor of this team is their defense, which was a disaster last year. It ranked dead last in total yards, passing, and points. They had the fourth fewest sacks and totaled nine interceptions, with a lot of it attributed to guys like Derrick Brown and Shaq Thompson missing the entire season. Brown will be returning, along with highly touted cornerback Jaycee Horn, but I do not think that this unit got drastically better. I like Tershawn Wharton, Christian Rozeboom, Tre’von Moehrig, and Pat Jones II. I think those are highly respected players that will be beneficial to this group. Yet, are those three really going to move the needle? Their leading tackle Xavier Woods is gone, Josey Jewell was okay, and neither Jadeveon Clowney nor DJ Wonnum made a difference on the defensive line. We knew that defensive coordinator Ejero Evero was going to have his hands full, but I seriously cannot tell if this group will overachieve or not. As much as I want them to, this team does not have the right personnel to do that at the moment, unless their offense turns back the clock a decade and starts ripping everyone’s hearts out.

This is the third year in a row that Bryce Young will take on the Dallas Cowboys and the first two turned into blowouts, so I will not be shocked if we get one for a third straight year. As much as I want to see Carolina pull off a resounding upset and make an impressive stamp on their season, they still have to prove that the way things ended last year was not an accident. If they cannot, then the Cowboys are a team that is going to make things incredibly ugly very fast.

WEEK 7 vs. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

Not only are the Cowboys not the best team in the NFC East, they are not even the second best. That distinct honor goes to the Washington Commanders, who made a miraculous run to the NFC Championship, with none other than Dallas’ former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn leading the way as the head coach. The biggest reason why Washington is getting all the hype is because their quarterback has emerged as a superstar that lifted them to the conference championship game, so he is hoping that they get further this time around and have a happier ending. The supporting cast around him did not change drastically from last year. Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler have been a solid running back tandem, Terry McLaurin is easily one of the more underappreciated receivers in football, they just acquired Deebo Samuel as an extra option, and Zach Ertz returned to being the reliable security blanket that everybody wants in their offense. Washington also made sure to address its offensive line by trading for Laremy Tunsil, so let’s hope that he is not one of the more penalized tackles in the league this time around. However, it is a group that allowed the seventh most sacks, so it is not like Washington is going to have an unbelievable offense that cannot be stopped. Fortunately, they drafted Josh Connerly Jr. as a future starter at right tackle, so the Commanders made sure to address the two most important positions on that front.

Their defense is a very unique one run by Dan Quinn. They do not have too many household names, but it is a group that is opportunistic and one you do not want to turn the ball over against. Jonathan Allen is gone, but they still have a franchise cornerstone in Da’Ron Payne along with a quality starter in Dorance Armstrong to lead the pass rush. The Commanders are also expecting Jer’Zhawn Newton to take the next step at defensive tackle and even signed Javon Kinlaw to give him a bigger role. Bobby Wagner is still playing at a high level and Frankie Luvu has been more than an exceptional complement to have in the linebacker room, but the secondary is one that I am hoping shows signs of improvement. Hopefully, Marshon Lattimore can have a full and healthy season to remind us why he is still one of the best corners in football. Mike Sainristil will be in the slot and Jonathan Jones is expected to be another outside defender, which is not the most ideal situation, but you at least have proven starters. However, one player that I have high hopes for is safety Quan Martin. He totaled eighty-seven tackles last year and showed up huge in the playoffs, the type of player that Dan Quinn loves to have on a daily basis.

I actually do not see this series ending in a sweep, but looking at the state of both franchises, I believe that Washington is going to throw the first punch. This will be a must-win game for each of these teams, but in the last two minutes, I trust Jayden Daniels to get the job done more than Dak Prescott. The only way I can believe that the Cowboys will win is if I actually see it myself.

WEEK 8 @ DENVER BRONCOS

Remember when I said that the Cowboys losing to the Packers is one of the easiest I can predict this season? Well, I think that this upcoming road matchup against Denver might be at the top of the list. The Broncos have not lost to Dallas since 1995 and the last two matchups have turned into ugly blowouts with Teddy Bridgewater and Trevor Siemian as the starting quarterbacks. This season, I am scared the score differential might be even bigger. The Broncos offense was not the strongest unit in the league, but thanks to Sean Payton, their signal caller Bo Nix managed to improve week after week and blossomed as a face of the franchise. However, I did not see their offense get drastically better in the offseason. They did not solve a ton of their issues with the running game, their only notable signing on that front was tight end Evan Engram, and they did not sign another veteran wide receiver to aid Courtland Sutton. My guess is that Payton wants some of the younger players like Devaughn Vele, Marvin Mims, and especially Troy Franklin to form themselves into a legitimate receiving corps. Thankfully, they have one of the more improved offensive lines in the league, so it is not like they will not be given the chance to succeed.

What makes this a drastic challenge is the Broncos defense, which surged in several categories. They led the league in sacks, finished third in rush yards allowed and points allowed, and ranked eighth in takeaways. Their pass rush has an abundance of key playmakers starting with Nik Bonitto and working down to the likes of John Franklin-Myers, Zach Allen, and Jonathon Cooper. Denver boosted their run defense by signing Dre Greenlaw to boost the younger guys like Dondrea Tillman and Jonah Elliss. Did I forget to mention that Alex Singleton is coming back from a torn ACL? The secondary, however, is the most lethal group in my opinion. They have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Patrick Surtain II. They drafted Jahdae Barron in the first round as an elite second option. Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones are the two spearheads at safety, while JaQuan McMillian will secure his spot as the nickel back. I never thought Vance Joseph of all coordinators would be the one to put that defense in this position, but he has done a tremendous job over the last season and a half, meaning that he could get another chance to be a head coach.

Bo Nix does not even need to have a superstar performance to win this game. As long as he holds onto the ball and keeps it out of harm’s way, then this defense is going to shut down the Cowboys for sixty straight minutes. Even then, Sean Payton is by far the better head coach, so Brian Schottenheimer is the odd one out and this game is not even going to be played for another four months.

WEEK 9 vs. ARIZONA CARDINALS

On the surface, the Cowboys should win this game handedly and I will actually be pleased if they get it done. However, Kyler Murray has played in AT&T Stadium nine times going back to high school and has won all of those matchups. Nobody is going to want to win that game more than Murray and he has a solid team around him to make sure that they get it done. He did not have a hard time bouncing back from his torn ACL and showed that this is still his team for the foreseeable future, James Conner is still a workhorse at running back, and Marvin Harrison Jr. established himself as the focal point of the passing game. Trey McBride rightfully earned a contract extension to make him the highest paid tight end in the NFL, but I am curious to see how Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch are going to perform in what should be make-or-break seasons for both receivers in the league. The fact that Arizona has one of the best offensive lines in football after being such a garbage heap a few seasons ago should indicate that this unit will be very efficient. The question is can they be consistent, because that has been the biggest con of Kyler Murray’s tenure in the NFL.

What I was really more impressed with was their defense with Jonathan Gannon leading the charge. I still feel their pass rush can get a lot better, but totaling forty-one sacks last year showed promising signs of improvement. It is why they drafted Walter Nolen with their first round pick and signed Josh Sweat to a long-term deal, giving players like Darius Robinson and Baron Browning chances to have improved in the 2025 campaigns. I am also expecting the run defense to get better because even though they have Zaven Collins, there is a reason why Arizona signed a proven veteran in Dalvin Tomlinson. The secondary is also an above average unit that at least made the effort of adding a potential number one corner by drafting Will Johnson in the second round, so that should take a lot of pressure off of Budda Baker’s shoulders. It is still a very young group, so I am anxious to see which guys are going to step up, especially as we approach the second half of the season.

The Cowboys have a lot to prove this season, but being able to beat Kyler Murray at home should be higher on the list. Maybe not at number one but somewhere in the top five. Until they finally get it done, then there is no doubt that I feel that the Cardinals can pull off an impressive upset on Monday Night Football.

WEEK 10: BYE WEEK

WEEK 11 @ LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

I cannot think of a team off the top of my head where they play on Monday night, have a bye week, then play on Monday night again. This time, they have to go on the road to take on the Las Vegas Raiders, which officially makes this a trap game. Geno Smith and Pete Carroll are back together, which means the two are probably not going to win less than seven games this season. Actually, if you look at the rest of their roster, it feels like watching the Seahawks in an entirely different conference, but there are a few modifications. The Raiders drafted the Heisman winning running back Ashton Jeanty with their first round pick, which was a huge need because this team has not had a powerful player at that position since Josh Jacobs. However, the passing game still gives me some questions. They might have Brock Bowers, one of the more generational tight ends in the league, but the wide receiver room is lackluster. I like Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker, but they are not quality number one options, so maybe Jack Bech will jump onto the radar and surprise us out of nowhere. Their offensive line is also a pretty substandard unit that allowed the eighth most sacks in the league, so I do not think that signing Alex Cappa in free agency did not make them a better unit. Nor does hiring Chip Kelly as your offensive coordinator! It was an issue when Pete Carroll was in Seattle and I am scared it is going to linger again in Sin City.

If there is one thing that I hope Carroll does well with this team, it is make sure the defense is not set back a decade. You have an unstoppable menace in Maxx Crosby, but the rest of the supporting cast is just average at best. Christian Wilkins is coming back from injury, Tyree Wilson has not lived up to the first round hype, and they did not do enough to address the linebacking room after Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo left in free agency. I think Germaine Pratt is a solid tackler, but there is not too much depth at his position. The other three veterans in that group are Elandon Roberts, Devin White, and Jaylon Smith. The one thing that all of them have in common is that they have not been good in three to five years. Hopefully there is a younger player that could surprise us out of nowhere, but I truly do not know who that will be right now. The secondary also lost some key pieces like Tre’von Moehrig and Nate Hobbs, but I honestly like the guys that will take their place. I have always been a fan of Jeremy Chinn, and I believe that both Isaiah Pola-Mao and Jakorian Bennett took big leaps in 2024. I do not expect it to be a great unit, but I think they can be pretty good against certain foes.

I think that this is going to be a defensive slugfest, but the only reason why I am giving the Cowboys the edge is because I think that their offense has more pieces to make sure they do not fall apart down the stretch. This matchup can honestly go either way, especially since the Raiders are at home, but I have faith that Dak Prescott can make a couple more plays in the clutch than Geno Smith.

WEEK 12 vs. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

I know that there are going to be a lot of Eagles fans upset and belligerent at me for this, but if you look at Dak Prescott’s track record against this team at home, it shows more positive results than negative. His only loss at AT&T Stadium to Philadelphia was in 2017 compared to the six games that he has won. I understand that the Eagles pulled off the sweep last year, but that was with Cooper Rush at quarterback. Now that Dak is under center, I believe that this series is going to end in a split and make the race for first place in the division more competitive.

WEEK 13 vs. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

I have a feeling that this is not going to be the blowout that I think anybody not rooting for the Cowboys wants to happen. As a huge history nerd, whenever I write these pieces, I will take the time to look at the results of every single matchup to see if I should lean one way or the other. With this particular game, I noticed that the Chiefs have not won a game in Dallas since 1975, including a Thanksgiving matchup in 1995! Kansas City entered Texas Stadium 10-1 while the Cowboys were 9-2, and it was the home team that pulled off a convincing 24-12 victory. However, beating the Chiefs this year is way easier said than done.

As much as we want to laugh at the national media for saying that Patrick Mahomes is the GOAT if he wins a third straight Super Bowl, I can understand what started this discussion. The Kansas City Chiefs have been one of the most dominant dynasties in the league and their quarterback has been the biggest reason why. As long as they have him healthy, they are the class of the AFC. Fortunately for them, the core is still intact. Isaiah Pacheco is one of the angriest running backs in the league and does a better job of getting yards after contact than most other players at his position. They are even bringing Kareem Hunt back, who did a tremendous job in emergency duty when Pacheco got hurt. The passing game will still focus on Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy, but Kansas City made sure to keep around Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster as reliable supporting options. There is also tight end Noah Gray, who is arguably the best backup player at his position, with the exception of Isaiah Likely. Yet, that was not the biggest issue with this offense. Surprisingly, it was the offensive line. To fix their drastic need at left tackle, not only did they sign Jaylon Moore in free agency, but drafted Josh Simmons with their first round pick. Joe Thuney unfortunately got traded to Chicago, but the good news was that Kansas City kept Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey. It appears that Mike Caliendo will be the starting left guard and he proved to be a serviceable placeholder, so let’s hope that it will not be a liability once again.

Over the past few seasons, Steve Spagnuolo has slowly but surely turned this defense into one of the best units in all of football. The biggest reason why is because of their front seven, which opens up the blitz and features several key playmakers. Chris Jones is still playing at an elite level, George Karlaftis deserves a huge payday for how tremendous he has been since he arrived, Mike Danna has developed into a bluechip edge rusher, and I cannot wait to see how Felix Anudike-Uzomah does in what should be a breakout year. Their linebacker room is stacked with Drue Tranquill and Nick Bolton plugging up the middle, with Leo Chenal and Jack Cochrane on time when you need the call. The secondary is stacked with younger talent like Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Jaden Hicks, Bryan Cook, and Chamarri Conner. With Kristian Fulton the newest addition, this is a group that can most definitely keep this team in Super Bowl contention.

Although I am tempted to side with the history gods on this one, I just cannot see a situation where the Chiefs lose to the Cowboys, even in AT&T Stadium on Thanksgiving. I know that Dallas fans want to delude themselves into thinking that they can win, but I feel that if anybody can end such fortunate streaks, it is Patrick Mahomes.

WEEK 14 @ DETROIT LIONS

Unfortunately, I think this is where the fun ends for the Cowboys as they have to go back on the road to take on the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football. Last year, Dallas got destroyed by this team 47-9 on their home soil, and Detroit has proven that they have what it takes to beat “America’s Team” with millions of people watching. They might have lost both of their coordinators, but as long as Dan Campbell is in charge, then they are the team to beat in the division. For all the flaws that Jared Goff might have as a quarterback, he has still been one of the best the organization ever had. The only worst case scenario is that he turns into a turnover machine again and causes them to slip out of the playoff race, but with the cast around him, it should not be an issue. Detroit still has a one-two punch at running back featuring Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Amon-Ra St. Brown is easily one of the top five receivers in the league and Campbell is hoping that Jameson Williams could emerge as a legitimate number two. Sam LaPorta is always one of the more reliable tight ends in the league and their offensive line is one of the best in the league. We know that this offense will keep Detroit in postseason contention, but what about the other side of the ball?

When the Lions defense was healthy, they were one of the more improved units in the league. But the more guys they lost, the worse it got. If Aidan Hutchinson can successfully bounce back from the gruesome knee injury he suffered against the Cowboys, not only is this group going to get back on track, but he will be in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year. The only issue is that there is not anybody else on the line that can generate consistent pressure. They have a few perennial run stuffers, but the only player that had more than a few sacks in 2024 was Za’Darius Smith, and he is still a free agent. At least the linebacking room is still deep with Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, and Malcolm Rodriguez. But without a pass rush, then that means the secondary is going to be put in a tough place. They lost Carlton Davis in free agency, but they still have a few key playmakers that will at least hold their end of the bargain. Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are easily one of the best safety tandems in the league, they signed DJ Reed to complement the rising Terrion Arnold, and the additions of both Amik Robertson and Avonte Maddox should keep things stable. However, if this group is not healthy, then this season might turn out even worse than the last two.

If the Cowboys can beat the Chiefs this year, then it is not impossible for them to beat the Lions, but doing it at home versus on the road are two totally different circumstances. I can see this coming down to the wire, just like it did two years ago, but there will hopefully not be a controversial penalty that allows either side to barely escape with the win.

WEEK 15 vs. MINNESOTA VIKINGS

What a shocker, the Cowboys have another primetime game this season and at home nonetheless. Against the Minnesota Vikings, this looks like an easy win on the surface because this will be JJ McCarthy’s first season in the NFL. However, if Sam Darnold can win fourteen games for this team last year, then who is to say that McCarthy will not be as promising with essentially the same supporting cast? Let’s start with Justin Jefferson, who is still to this day the best receiver in football. If he gets doubled, then McCarthy will have Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor, along with a trusted security blanket in TJ Hockenson. In the backfield, Aaron Jones does not seem to have lost a step and is still one of the best flexible backs in the league. Their offensive line retooled in the offseason, letting go of their biggest liabilities and replacing them with potential gems. They signed Ryan Kelly and Will Fries in free agency and then drafted Donovan Jackson in the first round, pairing them with Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill.

Their defense under Brian Flores was one of the more promising units to watch. They led the league in takeaways, allowed the fifth fewest points, tied for fourth in sacks, and gave up the second fewest rushing yards. The only category that this defense did not excel in was their pass defense, but those previous statistics I mentioned prove that this is a “bend but do not break” group. Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel thrived in their first seasons with the team by totaling double-digit sacks, and then they beefed up the trenches with the additions of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Just imagine what happens if Dallas Turner breaks out in his sophomore season. Patrick Jones II unfortunately departed in free agency, but their linebacker corps is still intact with Ivan Pace and Blake Cashman hoping to stabilize things with their run defense. The secondary is where it gets interesting because while they have a deep safety group and a number one corner in Byron Murphy, I do not like that their replacement for Stephon Gilmore was Isaiah Rodgers. Not to mention that their backups are Jeff Okudah and Ambry Thomas. I think that we are going to get more or less the same production from this defense as last year, but it is their quarterback that will be the ultimate X factor.

I can see this going either way because even though the Vikings have a better roster on paper, Justin Jefferson has not posted the best numbers against this Cowboys defense. However, Aaron Jones is not a player that can say the same thing. Growing up in El Paso, he has always been notorious for having exceptional performances against his hometown team and he has yet to lose a game in that building. He might not be the quarterback, but as long as he is on the field, his team will always have a chance to get the job done.

WEEK 16 vs. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Any time that I feel like the Chargers can beat the Cowboys, it does not happen. Give Dallas a ton of credit but LA is always a team that you feel should be better than just a hopeful Wild Card contender, especially with Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert as the main centerpieces. Last season did not end the way they wanted, but the Chargers proved that they could compete with anybody in the league. Harbaugh implemented the same formula with LA that he did when he won the National Championship at Michigan: run the ball, play great defense, keep the quarterback out of harm’s way. It helped JK Dobbins bounce back with a near thousand yard season, so just imagine what things could be like with rookie Omarion Hampton and veteran Najee Harris. But even if a defense manages to keep the running game in check, then there is wide receiver Ladd McConkey to worry about, who thrived in his rookie season. My only question is who will be Herbert’s second option. Quentin Johnston is incredibly talented yet has drop issues, Mike Williams had a very up-and-down season in 2024 trying to return from injury, and tight end Tyler Conklin is the only other security blanket on the roster. The Chargers offensive line is an average unit that does well with run blocking, but could have its issues in pass protection, so the latter might be a problem if Herbert does not have anybody that can consistently get open.

What really turned things around for the Chargers was their defense, which went from being one of the worst in the league to allowing the fewest points one year later. When you look at the defensive line, there are not too many household names, but this is still a group that had the sixth most sacks in the league last season. Khalil Mack might not be the player he was in his prime, but he is still one of the most productive edge rushers in the league. Tuli Tuipulotu is emerging as one of the more underappreciated players at his position and veteran Bud Dupree did not do bad himself with six sacks of his own. What LA is hoping, however, is for more of the younger guys to step up and shine for this team. Daiyan Henley received that message early by nearing 150 tackles and guys like Troy Dye and Junior Colson are hoping to get caught up. In the secondary, LA let Asante Samuel Jr. walk away in free agency, mainly because they might have found a new number one corner in Tarheeb Still. Elijah Molden jumped into the radar out of nowhere last season and got himself a deserving contract extension as a result. That is not even mentioning that they still have one of the best safeties in football with Derwin James leading the unit. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter did a hell of a job leading that defense, and if he keeps this up any longer, he might enter some head coaching discussions.

Even though Dallas’ playoff hopes look slim at this moment, I still think that they can have a couple of games where they play spoiler, including this one at home. The Chargers might not be favored to win the division, but you know they want to make it back to the playoffs, and the Cowboys are going to make sure that their path gets more difficult in the final three weeks of the season.

WEEK 17 @ WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

If the Cowboys could beat the Commanders on the road last year with Cooper Rush, then I do not see how they cannot do the same with Dak Prescott back in the lineup. Hopefully, Washington does not blow the game-tying extra point this time around, but Dallas proved that they can catch this division rival on an off day and take advantage of it with the pieces they have at their disposal.

WEEK 18 @ NEW YORK GIANTS

So this is how the 2025 season is going to end for the Cowboys: a pity victory against the Giants? Congratulations, you are still mediocre. Let’s see if they somehow back their way into the playoffs. It is going to require a meltdown from another team for that to happen, but Brian Schottenheimer will at least prove more than a few critics wrong that he could not get that mission accomplished.

FINAL RECORD PREDICTION: 8-9