We are in Week 18 of the regular season, and I’d like to say I’m looking forward to the playoffs, but that would be a white lie.
The Dallas Cowboys, despite having the top scoring offense in the NFL for most of the 2025 season, will not be representing the NFC East in the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
It was a bit of a shock to the fanbase, who had not seen the Cowboys miss consecutive seasons of the postseason since 2019-2020, and before that, not since 2012-2013.
Brian Schottenheimer’s first year was successful in many ways, but unfortunately, those successes did not translate to the team’s record like expected.
Schottenheimer worked on the culture of the team in 2025, and players deemed as “bad apples” by the organization were shipped away.
Star EDGE Micah Parsons was traded away to the Green Bay Packers, and his best friend, CB Trevon Diggs, was waived and claimed by the same team.
The end of the season is a period of evaluation for teams who do not play after Week 18, but it is also an important time for the players to wrap up their seasons and pad their stats.
Three Cowboys players have the chance to hit milestones in New York, and it should come as no surprise that they are all on the offensive side of the ball.
QB Dak Prescott
Dak Prescott leads the NFL, or is at least in the top three, in most passing categories. So, the chance for individual accolades shouldn’t be a shock.
Sitting with 4,482 yards, and just 34 yards ahead of Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford, Prescott has the chance to lead the NFL in passing yards for the first time in his career.
He already passed Tony Romo earlier this season to become the franchise’s all-time leader in passing yards.
No Dallas Cowboys quarterback has ever held the passing crown. A surprise with quarterbacks like Roger Staubach, Danny White, Troy Aikman, and Tony Romo in team history.
With just 18 yards, Prescott can hit 4,500 yards passing for the third time in his career, and for his second consecutive healthy season (he also accomplished this in 2023, and 2024 was shortened by injury).
A victory in New York would also keep a streak alive.
The Cowboys have never had a losing record in a season where Prescott did not miss time with injury.
A win will move the team to an 8-8-1 record, but a loss will drop them below .500 for the first time with a healthy Prescott.
WR George Pickens
If the Cowboys choose to only sign one free agent this offseason, that player better be WR George Pickens.
Pickens is having a career season catching passes from Prescott, having already exceeded career highs in all of the following stats:
Targets (134)
Receptions (92)
Yards (1,420)
Touchdowns (9)
1st Down Receptions (73)
Catch Success Rate (65.7%)
The star wide receiver also was voted to his first Pro Bowl.
An eight reception, 80 yard game with a touchdown will put Pickens in the elite 100 reception/1,500 yards/10+ touchdown club.
The only other player to already accomplish this feat in 2025 is Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba (113-1,709/10).
Heading into Week 18, the only other player in reach besides Pickens is Los Angeles Rams WR Puka Nacua, who needs one touchdown to push him over the top (119/1,639/9).
Quick Hitters
I didn’t include RB Javonte Williams above because he won’t be playing in Week 18, but his accomplishments are worth mentioning.
Williams ran his way to career highs in games played (16), carries (252), yards (1,201), and touchdowns (11).
WR CeeDee Lamb missed four games with a high ankle sprain, but still managed to reach a stat line of 74/1,073/3.
The 74 receptions match the lowest total of his career (rookie season), but one more catch will put him in the 75+ club for the fifth straight season.
Reaching 27 yards receiving in New York will also put him over 1,100 yards receiving for that same five-year stretch.
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