Mailbag: Why is offensive identity still an issue?

By starting Malachi Lawrence and Brevyn Spann-Ford, do you think the team was just trying to send a message to Donovan Ezeiruaku and Jake Ferguson, respectively, or are we really seeing a changing of the guard? And if it was meant as motivation, was the intended message perhaps lost because both of those guys played more snaps in the end?

For an offensive line that has so much talent and a running back who rushed for 1,200 yards last year, why is this team having so much trouble running the ball?

The Cowboys are in the middle of a stretch playing three consecutive night games, something they haven't done since 2016. Do you think this affects the team in any way? Does it mess with their normal schedule? Does it put more pressure on them?

I've noticed that the Cowboys rank among the worst teams in missed tackles and missed-tackle percentage. Do you think the teaching has changed, or are the defensive players just abandoning their teaching in the heat of the moment? What's the fix?

How do you think the Cowboys should handle Von Miller? He's an obvious first-ballot Hall of Famer and a great hometown story, but is it time for the Cowboys to activate James Houston? Could he help the pass rush?

I like the move, but on the surface, hiring Mike Pettine as a senior defensive assistant gives the impression that Christian Parker wasn't quite ready for the defensive coordinator role. What do you think of the move? And what changes should we expect?

Do the Cowboys have a tendency to play down to their opponent? Coming off two intense road games, including a lengthy trip to Brazil, and with Tampa Bay being desperate at 0-4, are you concerned about Dallas being ready for what looks like an easy win on paper?

Why haven't we seen more blitz packages with Christian Parker's defense? Don't you think this would help since the Cowboys are lacking a consistent pass rush?

The offense seems to find another gear once Dallas is trailing. Is this a matter of the players needing that extra sense of urgency? Does the play-calling become more aggressive when they're behind? Or is there something else going on? Why can't they play with that same urgency all the time?

Living in Dallas, I want to hate the Houston Texans, but I don't really have feelings for them one way or the other. Do you think we'll ever see a true in-state rivalry between the two teams? Could the NFL use the odd 17th game to have the Cowboys play the Texans every year?

Wow! I heard about the trade late last night and couldn't believe the Cowboys pulled the trigger on getting Joey Porter Jr. What do you think of this move, and would you consider this to finally be the all-in move from Jerry we've been waiting for?