After Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb suffered injuries on Sunday, the shorthanded Dallas Cowboys lost 27-21 to the Atlanta Falcons. Through nine weeks of football they’re sitting at 3-5 and it’s panic mode in Dallas. They’ve already reached the five-loss mark which is alarming. The last time they lost more than five games in a season was 2020. According to ESPN, the Cowboys had a 12% chance of making the playoffs going into the game and that number has likely decreased.
There’s been talk about different issues within the organization. Here we will discuss a few issues within the team and examine which are true and false.
True or False Edition: Analyzing The Dallas Cowboys
True or False: Jerry Jones Has Set The Cowboys Up for Success… False
Coming into the season there were high expectations for this team. After three consecutive 12-win seasons it seemed as if the Cowboys were knocking on the doorstep of another Super Bowl. They were a playmaker or two away from getting over the hump and the front office chose not to make any moves. They were in dire need of another running back, wide receiver, and offensive lineman and chose not to sign a veteran that could help them win.
There’s a misconception that the Cowboys couldn’t sign free agents because of Prescott’s contract, that is also false. Prescott didn’t receive his contract extension until a few hours before kickoff in week one. The front office had many opportunities from January to September to improve the roster and decided not to.
The Cowboys Will Miss the Playoffs… True
After three consecutive playoff appearances, the postseason streak will most likely end. Sunday’s loss dug them into a deeper hole and it may be nearly impossible to dig themselves out. The Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles are rolling and stretching their leads over the Cowboys. At the moment they’re in third place in the division and 13th in the NFC conference in which they sit at 1-4 in conference play.
If fans want a glimpse of hope look back at the 2018 season. They were sitting at 3-4 around the halfway mark of the season after acquiring Amari Cooper. They then rattled off seven wins in their last eight games, won the division, and managed to make it to the Divisional Round in the playoffs. Early Tuesday morning the Cowboys traded a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for wide receiver Jonathan Mingo. The second-round draft pick in 2023 has 12 receptions for 121 yards this season. This trade won’t have the same effect as the Cooper trade but it does give the Cowboys depth at wide receiver.
The Mike McCarthy Experiment Is Over… True
The Cowboys need to move on from Mike McCarthy. After an embarrassing home playoff loss last season, McCarthy was already on the brink of losing his job. Ultimately, Jerry Jones decided to give him another opportunity but it was no secret he was in the hot seat. McCarthy isn’t the coach who’ll help lead them to a Super Bowl.
For McCarthy’s sake, it doesn’t help that the front office failed to properly address the team’s needs. However, what is in McCarthy’s control hasn’t been a bright spot. This team constantly starts slow, lacks discipline, and doesn’t look like a Super Bowl-caliber team. There’s uncertainty if he will last for the remainder of the season but Jones rarely makes midseason coaching changes.
The Cowboys Did Enough At The Deadline… False
The addition of Mingo doesn’t move the needle for Dallas, and they could’ve done more. The Cowboys are still struggling on the ground and had an opportunity to add a running back before the deadline. Khalil Hebert was shipped to the Cincinnati Bengals after they lost Zack Moss to an injury but there were other names Dallas could’ve checked on.
With the emergence of Tank Bigsby, many believed Travis Etienne Jr might’ve played his last snaps for the Jacksonville Jaguars. They’re 2-6 on the season and Etienne appears to have lost his job to the second-year pro out of Auburn. Etienne has been a very versatile back since entering the league and would’ve been an instant upgrade to the running back room.
The Miami Dolphins may have been sellers considering they have too many mouths to feed in the running back’s room. De’Von Achane has taken over the lead running back role and has been a star. With a team loaded at the running back position, there was no wrong answer if Dallas could’ve acquired either Raheem Mostert or Jeff Wilson Jr.
Main Image: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
