FRISCO, Texas - The Cowboys experienced their first tie in over 55 years this past week, playing to a 40-40 finish against the Packers Sunday night.
The next night, the Jets would've settled for that kind of outcome, as they fall to 0-4 with a loss to the Dolphins.
Here are the 10 big storylines for the week, with five each for the Jets and Cowboys.
Jets
Starting 0-4 – The Jets once again came up short, falling to the Dolphins on the road Monday night to drop to 0-4. It's a short week for the Jets, but that might be a good thing as they try to get back to work and try to secure their first win. Previously this year, the Jets have been rather competitive, losing by two points with late field goals to the Steelers and Bucs. They did lose 30-10 to the Bills and Monday was a 27-21 loss to the Dolphins, who also entered the game 0-3.
Aaron Glenn– The Cowboys are no strangers to Jets first-year head coach Aaron Glenn. The veteran cornerback spent 15 years in the NFL, including two in Dallas from 2005-06. He was considered a Bill Parcells guy, having played for him with the Jets in the late 90's. Glenn was the defensive coordinator in Detroit last year and has since taken over with the Jets, who join the Titans and Saints as the only 0-4 teams in the league.
In the open Fields – The Cowboys haven't had great success with running quarterbacks so far and Justin Fields is probably the best of the bunch the Cowboys have seen this year – maybe all season long. Fields has already rushed for 259 yards in four games. That ranks 15th in the NFL among all players and first among quarterbacks. He had an electrifying touchdown run against the Dolphins on a play that nearly went for a sack but Field turned it into a dynamic 43-yard touchdown.
Talent Agency – Some of the best players at their respective positions play for the Jets. So despite the 0-4 record, the Jets have some of the top players in the league. Sauce Gardner is considering one of the top three corners, while Quinnen Williams is arguably one of the best interior tackles on defense. Garrett Wilson has shown the ability to be a Top 10 receiver, including an amazing touchdown catch against Miami Monday night. They aren't short of top-line talent and sometimes it only takes a few of those kind of difference-makers to carry a team to victory.
Injury concerns – It was a tough night for running back Braelon Allen, who not only lost a fumble at the Miami 1-yard line in the first half, but then suffered what is reportedly a sprained MCL in his knee. Allen is a candidate to go on IR, leaving Breece Hall as the primary runner. The Jets are one of the top running teams in the NFL, but a lot of that so far has come from Fields.
Cowboys
Handling the emotions – The Cowboys have a wild back-and-forth game at home in which they score 40 points and it comes down to the final play of overtime. Sound familiar? Yes, the Cowboys just had that scenario on Sunday against the Packers, but that's also the same description from Week 2 against the Giants – a game they managed to win at the end. So how did they fare the next week on the road against a winless team? They were smashed by the motivated Bears, who are now 2-2. So you have to wonder how the Cowboys are going to react this week heading into New York against a first-time head coach in Aaron Glenn who will have his team ready against the Cowboys, despite their 0-4 record.
Dak at the top – Through the first four games of the season, Dak Prescott is leading the NFL in three major passing categories, including passing yards with 1,119. He also has the most completions with 121, which is 23 more than the next-closest on the list. Dak's 166 passing attempts is also tops in the league. He's also in the lower-half of the league in interceptions thrown (3) and sacks allowed (6), meaning that he's getting rid of the ball but not recklessly. Overall, Prescott is playing some of his best ball of his career, despite having just one win to show for it.
Take your Pick– The trade for George Pickens has been a favorable one for the Cowboys, especially considering CeeDee Lamb's ankle injury which will likely keep him out another game this week. But playing as the true No. 1 receiver last week vs. Green Bay, Pickens stole the show, catching two touchdowns and had several other highlight plays to keep the Cowboys in the game to finish with a 40-40 time. Pickens is tied for third in the NFL with four TD catches so far.
Too much air – The Cowboys are 32nd in the NFL against the pass, averaging nearly 300 yards per game through the air. For context, the Ravens rank 31st in the league vs. the pass, but allow just 265.5 while the Cowboys are yielding 297.3. That's not just last, but dead-last and it's the reason they rank 31st overall in total defense. They are at least holding their own against the run, but it's not enough to make up the difference. The Cowboys are hopeful they're getting healthier at cornerback, with Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland both fully recovering from injuries and Shavon Revel nearing his return as well.
Injury News – The Cowboys have about 15 players dealing with injuries – from the lists such as IR, NFI and PUP to the ones on the active roster that are not able to play or practice this week. There should be some help on the way, as a few players are eligible to return to practice, assuming the Cowboys will open their 21-day window. One of those guys could be Jonathan Mingo (knee), who could be needed if the Cowboys are down a couple of receivers this week, including Lamb.
