if\u00a0Dak and CeeDee<\/a> hadn\u2019t done their thing against one of the better secondaries in the game. And that gets us back to last season. The Cowboys\u2019 offense still has to find its way to 30 to have a chance on most Sundays or Mondays or Thursdays. The idea that the arrival of Parker and a few second-level veteran additions plus two first-round picks would transform Dallas into a viable defense?<\/p>\nI feel silly for ever following the crowd and writing it.<\/p>\n
Through four weeks, the Cowboys are 30th in total defense, ahead of the Colts and Lions. They are 29th in scoring defense, ahead of the Cards, Commanders and Lions. Sounds awfully familiar to what paying customers were forced to witness in the 7-9-1 season of 2025.<\/p>\n
Does anyone remember what Houston\u2019s\u00a0C.J. Stroud looked like in the playoffs last year? In the 28-16 second-round loss to New England, Stroud completed 42.6% of his throws for 4.5 yards per attempt and was intercepted four times. The dismal numbers speak for themselves.<\/p>\n
Against the Cowboys,\u00a0Stroud completed 67.7% of his passes for a whopping 11.2 yards per attempt, two touchdowns and \u2014 needless to say because Dallas is the only team without any this season \u2014 no interceptions. The 11.2 average per throw was a career best in 50 NFL starts for\u00a0Stroud. His 126.7 passer rating was top five for his career. And speaking of passer rating, after finishing ahead of only the Jets in opponents\u2019 ratings last season, the Cowboys have shot out ahead of the field with a 122.7 opponents\u2019 passer rating through four games.<\/p>\n
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Baker Mayfield would be licking his chops for Thursday night if he weren\u2019t out with a thumb injury. So maybe\u00a0undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels of Kansas is exactly the sight for the Cowboys\u2019 sore eyes, but that remains to be seen.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s most concerning about all the bad defensive numbers is that Dallas has played the Giants and Commanders and Ravens and Texans. This is not a Mount\u00a0Rushmore of offensive power. The powerful NFC West \u2014 Rams and 49ers and Seahawks \u2014 come later. Shoot, even the Cardinals are known to have their way with this team. And the first-place Giants remain a very interesting puzzle at least with Jameis Winston throwing the ball all over the field (open wide receivers or cornerbacks, pick one) and a recharged defense giving Big Blue a 3-1 record. Never would have guessed the Jan. 3 rematch with New York at AT&T Stadium to be the game of the year for Dallas.<\/p>\n
Last year, even finishing at a disappointing 7-9-1 that represented only tepid improvement from the record that got Mike McCarthy fired,\u00a0Schottenheimer didn\u2019t do much during games to prompt second-guessing. Feels like he\u2019s all over the map this season, starting with the first possession in New York when Dallas needed less than a yard and he punted. Too much belief in his own talents and his own team. The same happened just before halftime in Houston, but a man named Lamb rescued the coach from being highlighted on the owner\u2019s radio show a second week.<\/p>\n
The Cowboys have what appears to be their most winnable game on the schedule Thursday night against the 0-4\u00a0Bucs. Maybe a smooth ride to prepare for trips to Green Bay and Philly will calm the waters here. I wouldn\u2019t necessarily wager on either.<\/p>\n
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