The Dallas Cowboys haven’t misplaced many video games the previous two seasons. After they do lose, there’s confidence that they’ll bounce again. Coming into Sunday, they hadn’t misplaced back-to-back video games since Thanksgiving in 2021.
That streak ended on Christmas Eve. The Cowboys did bounce again from their putrid efficiency in opposition to the Buffalo Payments the earlier week, however they misplaced a second consecutive sport nonetheless, a heartbreaker to the Miami Dolphins.
There’s by no means a perfect time to lose two video games in a row however in December, with the playoffs across the nook, is very suboptimal. The final staff that misplaced consecutive video games in December and received the Tremendous Bowl was the 2018 Tom Brady-led New England Patriots. The final time a staff misplaced consecutive video games wherein at the very least one of many losses was by multiple possession and went on to win the Tremendous Bowl was the 2012 Baltimore Ravens.
There’s little the Cowboys can do in these ultimate two weeks to convey a heightened sense of confidence for his or her playoff future. The Detroit Lions are staff, however Saturday’s sport is at AT&T Stadium, the place the Cowboys have been phenomenal. Barring a slip-up by the Philadelphia Eagles within the subsequent two weeks in opposition to subpar opponents, the Cowboys will probably be hitting the street within the playoffs. They end the season on the street in Week 18, however that’s in opposition to the Washington Commanders, and the Cowboys will probably be dealing with a lot stiffer street competitors within the postseason.
Nonetheless, these ultimate two regular-season video games are essential. They’re Dallas’ ultimate probabilities to patch up just a few issues and enter the playoffs with momentum.
Let’s take a look at 5 issues the Cowboys want to point out in these video games.
1. Well being
You can say this about most groups. Ask the San Francisco 49ers, who’re holding their breath on Trent Williams, and the Eagles, who’re coping with a banged-up Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown. The significance of staff well being has particularly been on show for the Cowboys throughout this two-game skid.
With out defensive sort out Johnathan Hankins within the center, the Payments gashed the Cowboys on the bottom. With out Tyron Smith at left sort out, Dak Prescott and the offense have been unable to execute some performs with scoring potential. There was a second in opposition to the Dolphins when cornerback Stephon Gilmore, usually even-keeled, demonstrably threw off his helmet as he stayed down on the sphere. Although he returned quickly after, imagining a secondary with out him was a reminder of how skinny the Cowboys are there, too.
All through the Cowboys’ midseason profitable streak, coach Mike McCarthy repeatedly said how the subsequent most essential factor after profitable the video games was popping out wholesome. Seeing damage scares from Hankins, Zack Martin, Smith, Gilmore and the absence of Malik Hooker, in current weeks has been troubling. The silver lining is that none of these accidents look like severe and all of these gamers could possibly be again on the sphere as quickly as Saturday in opposition to the Lions.
Whereas that may be nice, making certain that these guys — in addition to the remainder of the important thing contributors — make it previous the subsequent 120 minutes of sport motion and to the primary spherical of the playoffs is of the utmost significance.
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2. Run protection
Irrespective of how the seeding shakes out within the NFC, the Cowboys must be ready to cease the run. Because the NFL turns into extra of a passing league, the Cowboys geared as much as sq. off in opposition to the move with a robust move rush and strong secondary. Sadly for the Cowboys, their path to the Tremendous Bowl will doubtless require them to tighten up in opposition to the run.
Of the six different groups presently within the NFC playoff image, 4 are within the high 10 in dashing offense, together with the 49ers (fourth), Eagles (sixth) and the Los Angeles Rams (tenth). What higher technique to take a look at the run protection than in opposition to the Lions, who’re ranked greater than all of them (No. 3) in dashing yards per sport?

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Enhancing the run protection will probably be a cumulative effort, with higher showings by the massive guys up entrance. Hankins returning to the rotation could possibly be useful, nevertheless it’s additionally about different gamers, like Mazi Smith and Osa Odighizuwa, creating an even bigger push. The gamers on the second stage, linebackers or safeties coming down, should do a greater job of capturing gaps, and the defensive ends must set the sting.
After giving up 5.4 yards per rush to the Payments, the Cowboys restricted the Dolphins to three.5 yards per carry. Each groups are top-10 dashing offenses — the Payments at No. 7 and the Dolphins at No. 5. Bottling up the Lions on the bottom Saturday can be a lift of confidence in that space.
3. Penalties
The Cowboys have the second-most penalties within the league with 108. The New York Jets lead with 111. Whereas numerous the complaining out of the Cowboys’ locker room has come from roughing the passer penalties (in opposition to DeMarcus Lawrence in Buffalo and Micah Parsons in Miami), these aren’t the massive issues. These look like killers due to recency and the scores that rapidly adopted, however these are the one two roughing the passer penalties the Cowboys have this season, based on TruMedia.
The Cowboys are second within the NFL in defensive holdings with 11, however even a few of these might be chalked as much as taking part in aggressive. What’s wholly unacceptable is the Cowboys main the league in defensive offside with 15. For perspective, that’s practically double the quantity of the third-place staff in that class (San Francisco with eight).
The officers are removed from excellent, and there’s a sound argument about inspecting issues deeper within the offseason. They don’t get each name proper, nor do they make each name that ought to be made, as those that watch Parsons — and Parsons himself — will justifiably level out.
However there must be possession from the staff for the dearth of self-discipline, like extending drives by not solely leaping offside however lining up offside. These points are usually not new. Since McCarthy took over in 2020, the Cowboys are one penalty shy from sharing the crown for essentially the most penalized staff within the NFL. In that span, they lead the NFL comfortably with the avoidable defensive offside penalties, are within the high 10 in false begins and high 5 in offensive and defensive holdings. They lead the NFL in pointless roughness infractions since 2020, too.
Whereas gamers publicly shine the highlight on issues like roughing the passer or defensive move interference, each classes wherein the Cowboys are center of the pack throughout McCarthy’s tenure and haven’t been actual points, the main focus ought to be on cleansing up the correctable undisciplined infractions. In McCarthy’s 12 full seasons on the helm in Inexperienced Bay, this was not a difficulty. The Packers have been twentieth within the league in penalties, 18th in defensive offsides and 14th in pointless roughness, to call just a few. Whether or not it’s gamers, coaches or a mixed effort, that is one thing that must be addressed earlier than the playoffs.

Tony Pollard has 886 dashing yards this season and is averaging 4.0 yards per carry. (Jasen Vinlove / USA At this time)
4. Plan for the operating sport
This isn’t a name to feed Tony Pollard extra carries, however the Cowboys want to determine their plan for the dashing offense come playoff time. Is it counting on Pollard because the lead again, as they did early this season? Is it a two-man assault with Pollard and Rico Dowdle, as they did for a stretch in the course of the season? How a lot is Prescott part of the organized operating sport? Are different talent gamers going to get in on the act? CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, KaVontae Turpin and Hunter Luepke every carried the ball at the very least as soon as in opposition to the Dolphins.
The Cowboys are a good operating staff. They’re twelfth within the NFL in yards per sport and fifteenth in yards per rush. A number of the operating sport is situational, based mostly on the rating and the way a lot the clock is factoring into the offensive method. On the street within the playoffs, out of doors parts may additionally play a job.
There’s no have to get cute on offense. With a wholesome offensive line, this can be a passing assault led by Prescott and Lamb, with Cooks, Michael Gallup and Jake Ferguson all taking part in essential roles. In doing that, Prescott operating is all the time an possibility when he wants to interrupt the pocket on a move play and choose up yards on the bottom.
Nonetheless, figuring out what you will have within the pure operating sport and how you’ll make the most of it is going to be essential within the postseason. The Cowboys get to try it out in opposition to the NFL’s fourth-best rush protection in Detroit and the tenth worst in Washington.
5. Good displaying in Washington, D.C.
Going into the playoffs, it’s exhausting to take a lot from regardless of the Cowboys do in opposition to the Commanders within the regular-season finale. Nonetheless, given how a lot the street, albeit largely in opposition to good groups, has been a boogeyman for the staff this season, a strong displaying within the nation’s capital could possibly be a small increase to their psyche.
The Cowboys confirmed final 12 months within the regular-season finale in D.C. that it’s no given they’ll deal with their enterprise on the street, even in opposition to a nasty staff. A great efficiency this 12 months can be useful.
(High photograph of Johnathan Hankins: Kevin Sabitus / Getty Photos)
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