Life is excellent for those who’re a Cowboys hater. The staff is now 3-5 on the season after a loss to Atlanta, Dak Prescott is damage, the NFC East is operating away from them with the Commanders and Eagles surging, and the long run goes to be very, very bleak.
Should you’re within the schadenfreude enterprise, enterprise is sweet.
What we’ve seen this season is macro-decisions resulting in micro-outcomes. The loss to the Falcons on Sunday was emblematic of the identical self-inflicted wounds Dallas has been committing all season, each on the sector and within the entrance workplace. It was a sport that by no means felt practically as shut because the scoreboard confirmed, with Prescott beneath a daft quantity of strain all afternoon, and the Cowboys secondary making life extremely simple for Kirk Cousins who accomplished 79 % of his passes, including three touchdowns for good measure.
These main points on Sunday: The offensive line and secondary can’t be mounted this season, and even subsequent offseason. The Cowboys determined to go all-in with its present roster, assuming it could be sufficient to get them over the hump — and as soon as extra they’ve discovered a technique to fall quick. With video games in opposition to Philadelphia, Houston, and Washington over the following three weeks there’s a really actual probability Dallas falls to 3-8 in, particularly if Prescott is pressured to time attributable to his hamstring damage — which we don’t know the severity of at the moment.
The wildest half in regards to the Cowboys woes is that each one this was the tragically apparent end result primarily based on their lead as much as the season. There was monumental turnover in free company from Dallas, fueled by the information that Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons all wanted, or had been on the verge of needing new extensions. It put the staff able the place logically it needed to make tough selections, however as an alternative the mind belief determined all three of their marquee stars had been too necessary to lose, relinquishing Dorrance Armstrong, Tyler Biadasz, Tony Pollard, and Tyron Smith amongst others — hoping their depth can be ok.
It merely hasn’t.
Biadasz is the fifth highest-rated move blocking middle by Professional Soccer Focus this season, thriving within the Commanders’ system. His substitute Cooper Beebe is twenty eighth. Tyron Smith is actually slowing down, however nonetheless ranks forty seventh within the league in move blocking by an offensive sort out, along with his substitute Tyler Guyton rating eighty fifth. Tony Pollard is on tempo for over 1,200 yards speeding, only for good measure, with Ezekiel Elliot AND Rico Dowdle projecting to complete with 999 yards COMBINED.
This is a company selected to destroy all its depth at a number of positions to maintain superstars at three of them, and it exhibits. Even essentially the most die-hard defenders of the franchise discovered the choice to be so absent in free company to be shortsighted, particularly contemplating this staff hasn’t received something with Prescott, Lamb, and Parsons as its focal factors — so why would that change with a worse offensive line?
Most alarming in regards to the loss to Atlanta is that that is about in addition to a sport might presumably go for Dallas in 2024, and this was the result. There have been no turnovers by the offense, Dowdle had a standout speeding sport, and so they received the time of possession battle in addition to complete yardage. So at their best possible this staff can handle to lose by six factors to a Falcons staff that’s good, however not nice.
It’s right here that the story will get even worse for Cowboys followers. The staff is slated to have roughly $29 million in cap area in 2025, relying on what the ultimate wage cap determine is. Solely 39 gamers are beneath contract, which means that the staff isn’t but full. Parsons is ready to play on a staff possibility, however virtually assuredly will maintain out except a brand new deal is completed — and whereas that would unlock some cap area, there’s simply no extra juice to squeeze on the cash aspect with out main restructuring.
The Cowboys are in wage cap hell, which was a identified amount. The issue is that this hell is married with atrocious on-field efficiency. The frankly beautiful amount of cash nonetheless owed to mediocre performs is past comprehension, and people commitments might imply that Dallas is pressured to commerce a participant like Zack Martin on the deadline — weakening their offensive line even additional and placing the staff in additional of a gap to dig out of.
After all, that’s earlier than we even start to handle that Mike McCarthy clearly isn’t the proper coach for this staff, and who is aware of if anybody respectable will wish to inherit the mess the entrance workplace will saddle them with. Sure, America’s Staff is about as enticing because the final 7/11 scorching canine sitting on a heated rolled at 2 am, wrinkled, dry, and devoid of any hope, but it surely’ll be force-fed to followers anyway who simply want one thing to eat.
However hey, on the plus aspect no less than you may have Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.
Winner: Lamar Jackson
We’ve seen Lamar Jackson do unbelievable issues in his profession, however nothing like 2024. That is the primary time Jackson had had actual weapons round him on offense, and now he’s reaching his last type and turning into dominant past all creativeness.
No one would mistake the Broncos with an amazing soccer staff, however they do have an amazing protection. A legitimately elite protection that has held the league’s greatest quarterbacks to season lows in passing. The alongside got here Jackson, who totally dismantled them and made it look simple within the course of.
The effectivity Jackson has proven as a pure passer this season is unreal. Prior to now there’s been this must sofa his passing by additionally quoting his speeding figures, a justifiably technique to inform his story in totality. Nonetheless, in 2024 there’s merely no person who touches Jackson’s passing alone — after which we get to speak about his speeding potential because the cherry on prime.
2,379 yards, 68.3% CMP, 20 TD, 2 INT— 120.7 passer ranking
You then cap all this off with a frankly preposterous 7.7 yards-per-attempt and you’ve got a participant who’s marrying ruthless effectivity with league-leading statistics. Jackson is the MVP frontrunner by a mile at this level, and he deserves to win it.
Loser: Derek Carr
On the plus aspect he made historical past. Derek Carr grew to become the primary quarterback in NFL historical past to lose to 31 groups by coming back from damage and instantly dropping to the Panthers.
Now we circle Dec. 29 on the calendar. That is when the Saints play the Raiders with the chance being on the desk for Carr to lose to each single NFL staff. What a time to be alive.
Winner: Bryce Younger
Whatever the gamesmanship the Panthers try to play in press conferences, that is Bryce Younger’s staff once more. The second-year quarterback has grown leaps and bounds since his early-season benching because the staff turned to Andy Dalton, and his efficiency on Sunday may need been essentially the most spectacular of his quick profession.
Regardless of the Panthers nonetheless having younger receivers who’re studying on the job, with Diontae Johnson traded away and Adam Thielen nonetheless damage, Bryce got here out and regarded in complete management in opposition to the Saints. His one interception was on paper solely, approaching a freak play the place the ball was ripped out of the palms of WR Xavier Legette after a deep completion.
Past the stats, Younger did one thing he’s been sorely missing since arrive within the league: Be a distinction maker. Whether or not it was via the air, along with his legs, or serving to gamers on the line of scrimmage — Younger confirmed flashes of the Alabama QB who was the consensus No. 1 choose in 2023.
We’re removed from the purpose the place Carolina can really depend on him long-term, however after two weeks of stable performances, together with the win over New Orleans, issues are undoubtedly trending that means.
Loser: Hope for the Cleveland Browns
Properly, a lot for every little thing being proper once more in Cleveland. The Jameis Winston magic vanished as shortly because it got here, and the Browns are actually 2-7 on the season following a blowout loss to the Chargers.
Can something be mounted right here? Nope, certain can’t. This staff can safely blow issues up on the deadline now, recoup some draft picks, and hope they’ll discover a technique to do one thing good in 2025.
