Football took backseat for the Cowboys as they entered the bye week. The tragic death of Marshawn Kneeland has undoubtedly been a crushing blow for this team at the halfway point in the season.
The final eight games were already going to be a challenge in itself for the Cowboys, who face five teams with a .500 record or better. Now, this team must figure out a way to overcome the mental challenges that await in dealing with sudden tragedy.
But the season will obviously continue. What can't continue for the Cowboys is the way they've played the first half of the season if they want to make a playoff push.
With nine games down and eight to play, the 3-5-1 Cowboys must figure out ways to improve. Our staff writers of DallasCowboys.com shared their thoughts on key aspects of this team and what needs to change in the final two months of the season.
Best part of the Quinnen Williams trade …
Patrik: I believe the best part is you instantly have a defensive tackle group so deep you can run five-man fronts, and the Williams-Clark duo should be terrifying for opposing offenses, and also because it helps the defensive ends and linebackers play more unimpeded.
Tommy: You get a much needed improvement against the run defensively. Williams can line up in a variety of different spots, but I'd like to see him slide closer to the center and plug up the middle of the line to open things up for the other defensive tackles and linebackers to step up and make some plays close to the line of scrimmage.
Nick: The best part to me is his contract the next two years after this one. Sure, he could help right now and maybe this team can start getting off the field on defense. But I like the fact the Cowboys immediately got their best defensive player for next year and he'll have half a season and an offseason to connect with the team and coaches.
Desperately, Need this guy back ….
Tommy: Give me Trevon Diggs. Has it been the best season of his career? No, but he also hasn't been fully healthy. When you look at how the rest of the Cowboys' corners have played as well, Diggs can give you a boost in the secondary when he fully has his legs under him, which hopefully he does following his IR listing.
Patrik: DeMarvion Overshown is the answer to this question for me. Granted, it may require some grace to allow him to get back to top form but, adding in Logan Wilson starting beside him and the defensive front we just mentioned, Overshown might do exceptional damage to offenses.
Nick: While D-Mo is an obvious answer, but I'll go with Malik Hooker. I didn't realize how bad the communication would be when he went out. I'm not saying he was perfect but I think missing some veteran leadership in the secondary has been a big part of the problem.
An Alarming stat or trend …
Tommy: Dallas' struggles in the red zone as of late. In their last three games, they've scored touchdowns on just 54.55% of their trips inside the 20. In away games, the Cowboys are at 52.6% on their red zone trips with touchdowns. It's a luxury to have Brandon Aubrey as a kicker, but this offense needs to score more touchdowns when they get close to the end zone.
Nick: Third-down defense has been really bad of late. The Cowboys rank dead last in the league, averaging opponents to convert 52.7 percent of the time. The Cowboys are 0-4-1 in the five games their opponents have been 50 percent or better on third down.
Patrik: Stop me if you've heard this before, but the Cowboys are, once again, one of the most penalized teams in the entire NFL. This is something Brian Schottenheimer wanted to clean up, and still does, but the issues continue and that might mean it's time to police it with playing time before it's too late.
This guy is better than we thought …
Tommy: How about the rookie Shemar James? He's had his fair share of rookie moments at linebacker, but when they've called his number he has stepped up and played a role for this defense when the plan may not have been to give him as many snaps as he's gotten thus far in his first NFL season. There's a lot of room for growth, but he's had his moments too.
Nick: I was a little more excited about getting Javonte Williams than Pickens, so I guess my answer is Pickens. I thought he'd be an Alvin. Harper type to make occasional big plays but he's been an absolute stud. But my second pick here would be Solomon Thomas, and now he's your fourth-best DT.
Patrik: Only a few outside of the building could've forecasted what Javonte Williams would become, and so quickly. Now greatly removed from devastating injury, Williams has turned a one-year deal into a redemption tour that proves he's one of the best backs in the NFL.
Need (much) more from this guy …
Patrik: I expected more from Trevon Diggs this season, but he's continued to battle injuries and a recent concussion that's led him to another stint on injured reserve. When he returns, the Cowboys need him to get back to the form that made him the best cornerback in the league at one point.
Tommy: It's been a tough start for DaRon Bland this season, and he's Dallas' best corner. He's been picked on a bit, but at the same time there hasn't been much consistency around him either, so he hasn't been able to fully settle into one spot on the field. Still, the Cowboys need him to be the ball hawk, interception getter that they paid him this offseason to be.
Nick: Let's see if I can break a 20-player tie. There's a lot who need to play better. But the offensive line is starting to look problematic and it usually starts at left tackle. I'll say the Cowboys need more from Tyler Guyton, but he's not the only one up front who has to step it up.
A subtle move this team needs to make …
Patrik: It needs to make a decision on what it wants to do at right tackle. If the Cowboys believe Nate Thomas might deserve more reps there, give them to him so he can find his form as a starter instead of tossing him in midgame. Otherwise, let Terence Steele continue his work without looking over his shoulder.
Tommy: Move DaRon Bland to the slot. He's played well on the outside in the past, but that was also because a healthy Trevon Diggs was opposite him and it made it a bit easier to cover because offenses had to account for that. When Bland is isolated and has to deal with bigger receivers, like you saw in their last game with Marvin Harrison Jr., it can lead to some big plays being made.
Nick: I think with the addition of Logan Wilson at linebacker and Overshown coming back, I'd like to see Shemar James mostly as a nickel linebacker. I think keeping him fresh but using him on passing downs would be a "less is more" strategy for a rookie who has plenty of talent.
Hey rook, show me what you've got …
Tommy: I know we're trying not to be repetitive here, but I'm with Patrik on Shavon Revel. I don't think you'll see him starting on the outside from day one because he hasn't played a single NFL snap yet, but if they can settle him in and he looks like he did on 2024 ECU tape pre-injury, things could get much better for this secondary.
Nick: I've pointed this out before but DeMarcus Ware had 4 sacks his rookie season until the 15th game. Now he got four in the final two and finished with eight. Would love to see Donovan Ezeiruaku make that leap and maybe with the inside help the Cowboys have, the rookie can make that jump.
Patrik: Hello there, Shavon Revel. As a rookie third-round pick, there are a lot of expectations but they've been paused due to the recovery from the torn ACL suffered in college. As Revel's debut approaches post-bye, all eyes will be on him going forward to see if he's as advertised.
Best addition in 2025 will be …
Tommy: Javonte Williams. Folks were clamoring all offseason for the Cowboys to draft a running back, or make a move to acquire a more experienced one, but Dallas trusted what they saw in Williams and he has repaid them for it and then some. His ability to establish the run early has opened a lot in the play action game, which can make this offense explosive.
Nick: My answer is Quinnen Williams, because I don't know if I can guarantee the others (Pickens, J. Williams, Clark) will even be on the team. They probably will be but I know Williams is here and he's going to be the centerpiece of it all. He might not have the best stats of the contenders but Quinnen will be the best addition.
Patrik: Hmm … I'll go with George Pickens here. Javonte Williams, Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams are contenders, but Williams hasn't played a snap yet while Pickens was helping to carry the offense for much of the season. Let's just say he's earned himself a lot of money in upcoming free agency.
Expectations for second half of the season …
Patrik: That's tough to say, and for a couple reasons. On one hand, they have a gauntlet waiting for them on the other side of the bye and a defense that's been the worst in the league. On the other hand, they just added Logan Wilson and Quinnen Williams, and Overshown is on his way back. What do I expect? Hell, a wild ride.
Tommy: It's easy to see the moves that Dallas has made defensively and say, 'Alright, this team is going to make a run.' They very well could, but I think the issues in the secondary combined with the gauntlet of a schedule ahead is still pretty daunting. I don't think this is going to be a playoff team, but it will be a team that can compete in just about every game down the stretch and we'll see where it goes from there.
Nick: Given the recent events and the heavy hearts they're going to be playing with after the tragedy, I fully expect the Cowboys are going to make a run. I don't know if it'll be enough to fully climb the hill and make the playoffs. At this point, finishing 6-2 in the final eight games only puts them at 9-7-1 and that's probably not enough. But I bet they make it interesting.
