During our weekly Roundtable discussion, our writers share their thoughts on the most recent Dallas Cowboys news.
Each week, we gather the most recent Dallas Cowboys news and seek our writer’s viewpoint on each headline. Welcome back to the Roundtable. This week’s lineup includes David Howman, Brian Martin, RJ Ochoa, Tom Ryle, and Jess Haynie.
Is there more confidence in the Cowboys’ run game after seeing Rico Dowdle’s performance against a strong Pittsburgh run defence?
Last week, the Pittsburgh Steelers had a top-five run defence, allowing only 86 rush yards per game. That was against Dallas, who finished worst in total rush yards. Dowdle wanted to make a point, so he carried for an average of 4.4 yards per carry and finished with 87 rushing yards, more than 100 all-purpose yards, and a touchdown.
Jess: It really should be. Dowdle produced nearly as much against the Steelers as the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor did a week before, which is a good comparison. Dowdle is gaining momentum as he receives more touches, the offensive line is finding its stride, and the high-yardage passing game is opening up new avenues. Dallas will not encounter many better run defences than Pittsburgh this season.
RJ: I wouldn’t go that far. Sunday was productive and remarkable, which is important, but Dowdle still had 0 (as in zero) more rushing yards than predicted. Finally, I believe this is a circumstance in which the alternatives have been so limited that any evidence of life has us hopeful it is legitimate. To be clear, this is legitimate in the context of the field, but I believe the group still requires assistance.
Brian: Rico Dowdle’s performance against the Steelers defence is encouraging, but it does not shift the needle much in terms of the Cowboys’ rushing assault just yet. Dallas’ offensive line is still a work in progress, particularly after Tyler Guyton’s injury, and the run game remains uncertain until that is resolved. I am hopeful, but I need to see a commitment to moving the ball forward before passing judgement.
Howman: I’ve been adamant that the run game was perfectly good, so yes. Rico Dowdle is the offense’s lead back, and he deserves it. Ezekiel Elliott has shown to be an excellent short-yardage option, and the Cowboys have wisely limited his role to that. Hunter Luepke is a pass-blocking back with excellent pass-catching abilities. Things are coming together now that the Cowboys can run the ball and aren’t playing catch-up the entire game. Also, keep in mind that the Steelers entered this game with the league’s best run defence by practically every category. It isn’t like they did this to themselves. They faced the NFL’s greatest run defence and still had success rushing the ball. If that doesn’t excite you, I don’t know what will.
Tom: Can we watch it for more than a week before declaring that everything is fine with the run game? For me, it’s not about the running back. It’s all about blocking and calling plays. This was obviously hopeful in terms of Dowdle’s holes opening up, but the offensive line is beaten and being shifted to get five guys on the pitch. Do this for two, three, or more weeks in a row, and we can discuss getting things back on track.
Demarcus Lawrence has been placed on injured reserve, Micah Parsons will be out for an extended period of time, and Marshawn Kneeland has been rumoured to have a knee injury. What are Dallas’ plans for the next three weeks at defensive end, and how concerning is the position’s injury situation?
According to reports released Monday afternoon, defensive end Marshawn Kneeland averted a season-ending injury following a diagnosis from last week’s game. Kneeland was hurt early in the game while attempting to bring Justin Fields down on a play. He was checked out before being taken off to the locker room. He will have surgery to repair a lateral meniscus injury and expects to return later this season. More information on his injury can be obtained on Blogging The Boys, which will provide frequent updates as they become available.
Jess: It’s quite simple: survive. There is no move to make at this time, and even trading for a player requires an adjustment period. The Week 7 bye provides some hope that Parsons will only miss one more game, but even so, it will be difficult without the other players. Fortunately, Mike Zimmer just demonstrated that he can make lemonade out of the likes of Chauncey Golston and Tyrus Wheat. Unfortunately, better offences than Pittsburgh’s might not let him.
RJ: I agree with Jess; the idea is simply to hope for the best. While I, like many others, have concerns about the way the Cowboys assembled their roster this offseason, this particular tempest was unexpected. They cannot finish this in five minutes. They must hold on and pray that reinforcements arrive before it’s too late.
Brian: When certain players have injuries, the strategy remains consistent. The Cowboys have little choice but to use the “next man up” strategy until reinforcements arrive, either through new signings or players returning to health. Hopefully, the Week 7 bye week will help resolve this issue in one way or another. Until then, all they can do is continue forward and hope for the best.
Howman: Honestly, I was impressed with the bunch we saw on Sunday night. The Steelers had only 31 dropbacks in the game, with 12 of them being screen or play action. That means the Cowboys faced only 19 real pass rush reps in the game, while Justin Fields was pressed 11 times. I’ll take that any day, but especially when you’re without your top two edge rushers. Micah Parsons might be back in time for the Lions game, and if not, he should return after the bye week. I’m not too worried about this pass rush, though another injury could change things.
Tom: This was perhaps the most impressive aspect of the game. The backups clearly rose to the occasion and deserve recognition. And I agree with the survival plan. But the best thing that could come out of this is that the organisation stops waiting for the superstars to do their jobs and starts looking for the depth they need to make it through a 17-game NFL season.
This weekend the Dallas Cowboys will face the Detroit Lions. After the way this matchup ended last year, how determined will the Lions be to get revenge?
The Cowboys will face the Detroit Lions on Sunday in a revenge game for last year’s controversy, which resulted in a tight 20-19 win for Dallas. The game will start at 4:25 p.m. (ET) at AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys are now underdogs in this matchup at +3.5. The two teams have played 31 times, with Dallas leading the series with 19 wins. The Cowboys are presently on a six-game winning run versus the Lions and have won eight of the last ten encounters. The Cowboys are now 3-2 and second in the NFC East, while the Lions are 3-1 and returning from a Week 5 bye.
Jess: Between their various grudges against Dallas and the desire to keep up with Minnesota in the NFC North, Detroit will not be playing around this week. However, the Cowboys have been 6-0 versus the Lions since 2015 and appear to always find a way to win. If Dallas can force a shootout, I’ll pick Dak Prescott at home over Jared Goff.
RJ: I’m not sure whose channel it belongs to, but I believe there is a Lions-related podcast called “reporting as eligible” after last year’s events. This is a significant deal for Lions supporters in my experience. What occurred in the 2014 Wild Card Round surely doesn’t help. Aidan Hutchinson even remarked after Detroit beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in last year’s Wild Card Round that they were looking forward to retribution. I predict a highly motivated Lions team on Sunday afternoon.
Brian: Sure, you might call this contest a grudge match. The Detroit Lions may be motivated to avenge their loss to the Dallas Cowboys from the previous season. However, this is one of the league’s more fiery teams, feeding off the raw emotions of their head coach, Dan Campbell. Whether or whether this is a revenge game, it will be a violent game with plenty of trash language.
Howman: The Cowboys and Lions will meet for the third consecutive season, as Dan Campbell’s team has yet to defeat his previous team. Of course, the entire reporting controversy will be discussed extensively, but the Lions will be more motivated by finally defeating the Cowboys, as well as keeping pace in the division with an unexpectedly undefeated Vikings squad. Under Campbell, the Lions have become a hard, gritty club that isn’t afraid to be aggressive. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have recently pulled off two tough victories in a row. This promises to be a very close game, which should provide plenty of motivation for both teams.
Tom: Revenge? The Lions’ primary goal is to reach the Super Bowl, while fans may be concerned with other matters. Oh, Dan Campbell may bring it up in preparation for the game, but once the game begins, all both teams will be focused on is how to win – and Dallas will face a significant task with the injuries piling up.
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