The NFL announced the full 16-game slate for the final week of the regular season Sunday night, including the Dallas Cowboys’ season finale against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. The game will kick off at noon CST on Sunday, Jan. 4.
Both teams have been eliminated from playoff contention, meaning that Sunday’s game will only matter toward draft pick positioning. The Cowboys could pick as high as No. 11 in the first round with a loss or as low as No. 18 with a win, depending on other results around the league.
While a final determination hasn’t been indicated by head coach Brian Schottenheimer, the Cowboys could elect to sit starters such as quarterback Dak Prescott in the finale. After the Cowboys’ Christmas Day win over the Washington Commanders, Prescott said he is under the impression that he will finish off his Pro Bowl season with a 17th start.
“In my mind and the conversations I’ve had with [Schottenheimer] and anybody about it, it would be that I’m playing,” Prescott said.
Weather could play a factor in the finale as well, as the forecast on Sunday predicts freezing temperatures and potential snow in New Jersey.
Here is the full slate for Week 18 across the NFL (all times Central):
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3:30 p.m. Saturday)
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (7 p.m. Saturday)
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (12 p.m. Sunday)
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals (12 p.m. Sunday)
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans (12 p.m. Sunday)
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants (12 p.m. Sunday)
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons (12 p.m. Sunday)
Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars (12 p.m. Sunday)
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos (3:25 p.m. Sunday)
Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders (3:25 p.m. Sunday)
Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles (3:25 p.m. Sunday)
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills (3:25 p.m. Sunday)
Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots (3:25 p.m. Sunday)
Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams (3:25 p.m. Sunday)
Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears (3:25 p.m. Sunday)
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers (7:20 p.m. Sunday)
This story was originally published December 28, 2025 at 10:43 PM.
Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.
Up 14-3 and pinned deep in their own territory after a strong punt from the Commanders’ Tress Way, the Cowboys were looking to put together a long scoring drive to take the air out of Northwest Stadium. However, an incomplete pass from quarterback Dak Prescott and a 1-yard loss set the offense back even farther for a third-and-11 from its own 14-yard line.
The Cowboys deployed top two receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens on the outside, while speedster KaVontae Turpin was put in the slot. Expecting a disguised form of Cover 2 (technically called Tricky 2) where the opposing defense shows like they have one safety deep just to roll the second safety back after the snap, the Cowboys’ plan was to take advantage of that by having Turpin run right by the rolling safety.
“I think everybody knows my speed,” Turpin said. “When they see me flying down the middle and nobody is touching me, they know it’s over with by the time Dak throws the ball. They know it’s over with.”
Turpin streaked across the middle of the field right by the rolling safety, and Prescott put it on his chest around the 50-yard line. From there, Turpin, with his world-class speed, ran untouched to the end zone for the Cowboys’ longest play all season.
“They went to what we call Tricky 2, where they’re trying to ask guys that probably aren’t used to running with guys that run 4.2 [40-yard dash time like Turpin] down the middle of field,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “And we’ve repped that quite a bit. We’ve talked about that quite a bit.”
In fact, they’ve repped it so much that you only have to go back to last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers to see where the Cowboys tried to run the same concept. Facing another third-and-long situation with roughly seven minutes left in the game, the Chargers’ defense ran a form of Tricky 2 to try and disguise the rolling safety, Derwin James. Turpin got a bad start and couldn’t find the hole and instead pulled up early. Prescott threw the ball, and it fell incomplete 10 yards away from Turpin.
“Similar type of deal, cover two, the difference was Derwin [James] kind of genuinely stays on top of the safety,” Schottenheimer said. “And [Turpin] just felt like he couldn’t get there. We give those guys a chance to kind of read it. And when they can certainly go, sometimes they go. When they can’t, they have other responses that they can do, but it’s exactly the same type of thing. Another third-and-long call, expecting Tricky 2. I mean, that’s really cool, exactly a similar situation.”
The Dallas offense ran a very similar play last week in an exact third-and-long situation that didn’t convert against the same coverage look.
Here’s what Brian Schottenheimer said postgame about the similarities:
That play ended the drive and, for all intents and purposes, ended a comeback attempt for the Cowboys in Week 16. One week later, it helped give Dallas a three-possession lead that the team would not relinquish.
“Great play-calling knowing that they’re going to a Cover 2 or some kind of Tricky 2,” Prescott said. “The key to that one was they actually jumped offsides, and we pulled the ball faster. It ended up turning into the same play: Three guys just going vertical. I think with the jump offsides, and those guys trying to panic and get back, Turpin did a good job of getting over the top and I saw it. With a guy like that, you just want to put it down the middle and give him a chance, and he went and did the rest.”
“That’s what you love about him in the slot,” Schottenheimer said. “Because if they do want to try to double the outside studs, [Turpin] could hurt you in so many ways. I knew he wasn’t getting caught, by the way. The way he caught it, it was like bye, bye. It was like Forrest Gump, and it was like, yeah, they aren’t catching him.”
Game schedule dates, times, locations
Dec. 22 at New Orleans, 7 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Dec. 23 vs. Denver, 7 p.m., NBC
Dec. 25 at Golden State, 4 p.m., ABC, ESPN
Dec. 27 at Sacramento, 4 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV
Dec. 29 at Portland, 9:30 p.m., NBC
Dec. 29 vs. Jackson State, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 3 vs. Baylor, 1 p.m., TNT
Jan. 6 at Kansas, 8 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Jan. 10 vs. Arizona, 3 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Jan. 14 at BYU, 10 p.m., ESPN2
Dec. 31 at BYU, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 3 at Utah, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 7 vs. Oklahoma State, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 11 vs. Arizona State, 4 p.m., ESPN+
Jan. 14 at West Virginia, 6 p.m., ESPN+
Dec. 23 at Detroit, 5:30 p.m., TNT, truTV, Victory+
Dec. 27 vs. Chicago, 7 p.m., Victory+
Dec. 31 vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m., Victory+
Jan. 1 at Chicago, 7:30 p.m., Victory+
Jan. 4 vs. Montreal, 1 p.m., Victory+
Alamo Bowl
Dec. 30 vs. USC (at San Antonio), 8 p.m., ESPN
New Mexico Bowl
Dec. 27 vs. San Diego State (at Albuquerque, N.M.), 4:45 p.m., ESPN
Jan. 3 or 4 at N.Y. Giants, TBD
End of season
May 1 NASCAR Truck Series: SpeedyCash.com 250
May 2 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Andy’s Frozen Custard 340
May 3 NASCAR Cup Series: Wurth 400
This story was originally published December 26, 2025 at 12:35 PM.
Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.
In the Dallas Cowboys’ final home game of the season, the playoff-bound Los Angeles Chargers entered AT&T Stadium and came away with a 34-17 win to move to 11-4.
The loss ensured Dallas (6-8-1) will finish without a winning season for the second consecutive year.
The first half was a points bonanza, with the Chargers taking a 21-17 lead into the halftime break after both teams found offensive success. However, the defenses adjusted in the second half — one better than the other — and the Chargers blanked the Cowboys’ offense over the final 30 minutes for the win.
Just two games remain in the Cowboys’ season, and the team is already showing signs of looking to the future.
Here are five takeaways as Dallas begins to put its offseason plans together:
Could a change come before the end of the season?
In Sunday’s game, defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus coached from the booth for the first time this season in a move that the staff hoped would allow the defense to make quicker adjustments throughout the game. Well, different approach, same result.
The Cowboys’ defense allowed over 400 yards (452) for the sixth time this season, while Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert threw for more yards (300) in this one than he had in any game in the past two months. The Los Angeles offense averaged 7.3 yards per play and scored over 31 points for just the second time all season.
It’s become a troubling trend for a Cowboys defense that hasn’t been able to stop anything over the course of the season — much less an offense for a team destined for the playoffs.
As Eberflus’ job comes more into focus in the final two weeks, could Dallas elect to make an early decision on his future? It most likely won’t happen on a short week with a game on Thursday, but one final game with an interim coordinator in place could give Dallas a jump-start at evaluating a future candidate.
Brian Schottenheimer will need work in the offseason, too
As a play-caller, Brian Schottenheimer has mostly found success with his unit.
It has been far from perfect, but he has a 4,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers in his first season calling plays for the Cowboys. However, some situational play-calling has to get cleaned up.
After a strong performance in the first half that saw Dallas put 17 points on the scoreboard and 216 yards of total offense together, the second half saw the first-team offense go scoreless and finish back-to-back drives with fourth-down misses.
On the first, a fullback dive to Hunter Luepke was read the whole way by the Chargers’ defense. On the second, a third-down deep shot to KaVontae Turpin set up a fourth-down play that didn’t allow for any movement toward Prescott’s strong side as he scrambled.
Schottenheimer has been keen on looking at postgame tape to see how he can get better, referring to them as “after-action reports.” An after-action report on the whole season could benefit his play-calling as well.
Again, the George Pickens noise was silly
While the offense certainly had its issues in the second half of this game, George Pickens was the one constant.
After his worst two-game stretch as a member of the Cowboys — posting just 70 yards on eight receptions — Pickens exploded for a 130-yard day on seven receptions. The highlight came on a 38-yard go-ball score that saw him beat one-on-one coverage off the line and streak the sideline for the easy score.
The performance etched Pickens into the top 10 of single-season receiving totals in franchise history, as he now sits eighth in team history with 1,342 yards.
The noise that he took from the two lackluster performances was worth pointing out, but it wasn’t deserving of the effort concerns or long-term questions that began to circulate. In conclusion, Pickens will be just fine.
Tyler Smith sustains value at left tackle
For most of the season, the Cowboys have had issues at both tackle positions. At left tackle, Tyler Guyton has started 10 games and has allowed 31 quarterback pressures, while Nate Thomas has started four games and has allowed 23 pressures. At right tackle, Terence Steele has started every game and has allowed 43 pressures.
With Guyton missing his fourth consecutive game with a high ankle sprain, the Cowboys opted to push Tyler Smith from left guard out to left tackle against the Chargers, a position he has started at in 20 of his 60 career games.
The official pressure numbers won’t be available until the morning after the game, but Smith provided much more reliable protection to Prescott’s blind side than what we’ve seen throughout the season.
With the Cowboys no longer having a financial reason to keep Smith inside at left guard after he signed an offseason extension, maybe the Fort Worth native could be a long-term option at left tackle. Considering Guyton’s college position was right tackle, a move could make sense for the Oklahoma alum if the team decides to move on from Steele.
Cowboys won’t have a WR3 problem in 2026
When wide receiver Ryan Flournoy went down in the second quarter with a knee injury, somebody needed to step up into the third pass-catching role. Needless to say, that didn’t happen.
Pickens and Lamb sustained their productive afternoons, but they failed to get any supplementary help from the receivers behind them on the depth chart when Flournoy exited the game. It’s a reminder of how productive Flournoy has been when the ball has gone his way this season.
On the team’s first drive, he fought through a tackler on the goal line for his fourth touchdown of the season, and he should have had another if it weren’t for a Tyler Smith holding call on a play that ended in Flournoy hauling in a tough touchdown grab.
As the Cowboys look to the future down the stretch, one thing they don’t have to worry about with Flournoy: They have their WR3.
This story was originally published December 21, 2025 at 2:56 PM.
Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys still face long odds in trying to rally for a spot in the playoffs.
They won’t be short on confidence with a win over last season’s Super Bowl runner-up just four days after beating the defending champs.
Prescott threw for two touchdowns, Malik Davis sprinted 43 yards for a score and the Cowboys overcame two fourth down TD throws from Patrick Mahomes in a 31-28 Thanksgiving Day victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday.
The Cowboys (6-5-1) have won three straight and dropped the defending AFC champion Chiefs (6-6) back to .500 in a matchup of playoff-chasing teams.
Dallas is 3-0 since 24-year-old defensive end Marshawn Kneeland was found dead of an apparent suicide during the club’s open week. The Cowboys came back from the emotion-filled break with a 33-16 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
“On top of where we put ourselves right before these games and just the place that we’re in, having to get these wins against two elite teams,” Prescott said. “I mean, two teams that played in the Super Bowl last year. Last year’s last year, but you’re talking about two organizations that obviously know how to win and we just beat them both in two great games.
“On top of everything that we’ve been through.”
Mahomes had four touchdown passes in his first professional game at the home of the Cowboys, where he played three times for Texas Tech not far from his East Texas roots.
“They’re the same desperation that we are and they play better over four quarters than we did,” said Mahomes, who threw for 261 yards and was sacked three times, twice by Jadeveon Clowney. “So even though we have good plays here and there, we have be more consistent at the end of the day.”
Travis Kelce caught Mahomes’ first fourth-down TD toss on a 2-yarder, and Rashee Rice’s second scoring catch came on fourth-and-3 early in the fourth quarter.
Kansas City was down 10 when Mahomes was almost tripped in the backfield by Quinnen Williams but kept his feet and found Xavier Worthy wide-open down the field for 42 yards, setting up a 10-yard scoring toss to Hollywood Brown with 3:27 remaining.
Prescott and company didn’t give Mahomes another chance.
After two pass interference penalties gave Dallas first downs, Prescott hit George Pickens for 13 yards and a clinching first down at the two-minute warning. Prescott knelt three times after that.
The Chiefs had five pass interference penalties, one that was declined, and another defensive holding that gave Dallas a first down. Kansas City finished with 10 penalties for 119 yards.
“Bottom line is we’re having too many penalties, and we have to make sure to take care of that,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “No excuses with it. We’re going to clean it up.”
Rice had eight catches for 92 yards, his first score coming on a 27-yard catch-and-run on the sideline two plays after Prescott was intercepted by Jaylen Watson on the first Dallas possession.
Davis had just three carries, but his long run gave Dallas its first lead at 17-14 late in the second quarter. Lead running back Javonte Williams scored on a 3-yard catch early in the fourth quarter, and Pickens’ catch on a 2-point conversion put Dallas back in front 28-21.
The Cowboys were 10th in the NFC entering the game, same as the Chiefs in the AFC coming off nine consecutive AFC West titles. The schedule doesn’t get much easier, although two of the next four opponents — all playoff teams from a year ago — aren’t in the postseason picture at the moment.
“We’ve got to continue with the same mentality,” Lamb said. “Obviously it’s been a short week. Now we get a little time to rest, a regular week so to speak. We get our bodies back, relax, build, grow, get better and on to next week.”
Injuries
Chiefs: The Chiefs lost two offensive linemen to injuries after beginning the game without RG Trey Smith, who was inactive because of an ankle injury. RT Jawaan Taylor injured an elbow, and rookie LT Josh Simmons went out with a wrist injury. … S Bryan Cook injured an ankle in the first half.
Cowboys: CB Caelen Carson, who had started the previous two games, was inactive after being listed as questionable. He was added to the injury report during the week. … CB DaRon Bland injured a foot in the second half.
Up next
Chiefs: Play host to Houston in prime time on Dec. 7.
The Kansas City Chiefs saved their season. The Philadelphia Eagles gave critics more fuel. The Los Angeles Rams made a dominant statement.
There were more questions than answers Sunday in the NFL.
Patrick Mahomes did just enough to rally the Chiefs to a 23-20 overtime victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Kansas City’s dominant defense gave him the opportunity.
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unit forced the Colts to go three-and-out on their final four possessions. The Chiefs shut down the NFL’s leading rusher, holding Jonathan Taylor to 58 yards on 16 carries. Colts coach Shane Steichen inexplicably gave Taylor the ball only once on the last three drives of regulation.
Mahomes threw for 352 yards but didn’t have any touchdowns. He looked skittish at times under pressure, rushing his reads and hurrying his passes.
The Chiefs (6-5) couldn’t afford another loss as they fight to make the playoffs after winning nine straight AFC West titles, reaching eight consecutive conference championship games and winning three Super Bowls.
They’ve got a long way to go and a tough game at Dallas (5-5-1) coming up on Thanksgiving Day. Mahomes and the offense need to get in sync for Kansas City to have a shot.
“We’re still not where we want to be at but this was big,” Mahomes said. “Getting that win against a really good football team and kind of proving it to (ourselves) that we can play this kind of football game where it’s not always pretty. I think now we just have to build off that momentum. It’s going to be a short week. We’re playing a good team in the Cowboys, and they can score some points and they have a lot of great players. It’s about rebounding fast, trying to be better, even better this next week going into a big environment, big game and trying to get that win.”
The Colts (8-3) have gone from 7-1 to a team that is going to have to battle to win the AFC South. They’ll face division rivals Jacksonville (7-4) and Houston (6-5) four times over the remaining six games. Their other two opponents are Seattle (8-3) and San Francisco (7-4).
Steichen trusted Daniel Jones to win the game in Kansas City, electing to put the ball in his hands down the stretch instead of giving it to Taylor to protect a lead. Jones couldn’t deliver. He was 3 for 9 for 17 yards on the final four possessions.
“I felt there was a lot of stuff that I wanted to get called that I felt good about in the pass game and we just weren’t efficient doing it and it starts with me,” Steichen said.
Eagles collapse
The reigning Super Bowl champions built a 21-0 lead in Dallas and looked like they were on their way to snapping Dak Prescott’s 18-game winning streak at home against NFC East opponents.
Jalen Hurts was connecting with A.J. Brown and it seemed Philadelphia would quiet some of the drama surrounding the two superstars.
But the offense regressed, giving Prescott and the Cowboys an opportunity to come back and win 24-21.
The Eagles (8-3) have a comfortable lead over Dallas (5-5-1) and are in position to become the first repeat champion in the division in two decades. But Philadelphia fell behind the Rams (9-2) in the race for the No. 1 seed.
A sluggish offense isn’t playing up to its standard. Saquon Barkley ran for only 22 yards on 10 carries, and the passing attack just hasn’t found its rhythm.
Rams dominate
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were no match for Matthew Stafford and the Rams.
Stafford continued his MVP-caliber campaign with another stellar performance against an overmatched defense and Los Angeles cruised to a 34-7 victory over Tampa Bay.
The 37-year-old Stafford has thrown 30 touchdown passes and only two interceptions this season.
“I got great teammates. I get to throw to a bunch of great players, stand behind a good o-line and watch these guys hunt on defense,” Stafford said.
That defense overwhelmed the Buccaneers, knocking Baker Mayfield out of the game.
Jared Verse and Kobie Turner each had two sacks and Los Angeles is the team to beat in the NFC.
First to 10
Drake Maye and the New England Patriots are the first team to reach 10 wins this season after holding on for a 26-20 victory in Cincinnati.
The Patriots have a 2 1/2-game lead over Buffalo (7-4) in the AFC East with eight of their wins coming against teams that have a losing record.
With three of their last five games against teams that are currently 8-26 combined, New England is in position to win its first division title since Tom Brady left and has an inside track to earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
But the Patriots still have a lot to prove, especially against more experienced playoff teams.
Then the second half happened like chapters three and four in Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight.
In other words , downhill really, really fast.
Thirty years after a Dallas Cowboys Dynasty dominated the NFL, the Eagles were in position to take one step closer to establishing their own with a complete game of their own on Sunday. Three weeks after Jerry Jones made certain that Philadelphia could not obtain Micah Parsons during a trade to Green Bay , it didn’t seem to matter at all, at least not during the 1st two quarters.
Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
The Eagles’ 2025 season woes didn’t seem to follow them on the fight to Texas at all as the Eagles jumped out to a 21–0 advantage at AT&T Stadium as Philadelphia opened the scoring with a sixteen-yard connection from Jalen Hurts to A.J. Brown. A healthy dose of Hurts to Brown continued as Jalen Hurts ran for two additional scores — one after a long drive directly preceding a Turbin fumble. That would be the end of the Eagles’ scoring.
The rest of the game would see the Eagles turn the football over twice, amassing ninety-six yards in penalties as the Dallas defense continued to pick away at the Eagles’ defense , tying the game at 21, thanks to 354 yards passing from Dak Prescott, and finally leading to a 42-yard Brandon Aubrey Field Goal.
The only saving grace — the Eagles play again against Chicago in five days.
By all measures, the Cowboys played their worst 20 minutes of football all season on Sunday.
In the first quarter of Sunday afternoon’s clash with the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium, the Cowboys received to open the game. A 13-yard slant to wide receiver George Pickens set up a golden opportunity to get points on the scoreboard to open the ballgame, but the offense stalled out.
Staying on the field on fourth-and-3, quarterback Dak Prescott led an out route a bit too far to running back Javonte Williams, as the pass fell incomplete. Dallas immediately gave Philadelphia its first possession at the 50-yard line. The Eagles took advantage with the game’s first touchdown six plays later.
On the next offensive drive, the Cowboys picked up a first down via defensive penalty, but then stalled out again with just four yards in the next three plays. Punt.
The Cowboys’ defense appeared to respond with a quick three-and-out, but the Eagles benefited from a roughing the punter penalty against wide receiver Ryan Flournoy that kept the drive going. Although a replay showed Flournoy tipping the ball, making the contact on the punter legal, the officials said postgame that they did not see that angle, and the drive continued.
Later on the same drive, the Cowboys appeared to get off the field again, but a Jadaveon Clowney offsides call on third down kept the drive alive. A few plays later, the Eagles cashed in on another touchdown.
The disastrous start continued for Dallas on the next offensive possession, as after the Cowboys were able to stack some first downs together for the first time, wide receiver KaVontae Turpin took a designed handoff, stumbled over his own feet and coughed the football up right into the defense’s hands. Turnover.
Then, another Eagles touchdown. The lead was 21-0 with 11:32 left in the second quarter.
Just to add to the disaster, Prescott threw an interception in the end zone on a ball that fell flat for CeeDee Lamb and was picked off by Eagles safety Reed Blankenship.
The bar was already low with some of the bad performances this season, but somehow the Dallas Cowboys moved it even lower with its worst 20-minute stretch of football all year.
With confidence low and long faces on the home sideline, the Cowboys were in desperate need of a spark.
A jolt of energy in the locker room
The energy in AT&T Stadium was low. The good amount of Eagles fans in the stadium were the only noises coming from the over 93,000 fans that filled up the building Sunday afternoon.
A quick defensive three-and-out paved the way for the Cowboys’ offense to get on the board right before half with a six-play, 72-yard drive that ended in a 1-yard Prescott to George Pickens touchdown. Dallas went into the break trailing 21-7 with the Eagles set to get the ball to start the third quarter.
“One, we just got that touchdown,” Prescott said. “If we didn’t get that touchdown right before half, maybe the energy and the confidence I’m speaking with isn’t quite there. But we did that, and you realize that in all of the other [first-half] possessions, we just hurt ourselves.”
Any professional player would tell you that the “halftime adjustment” cliché is just that: a cliché. In reality, it’s a 10-minute period to grab some water, grab a banana, change socks and return to the field. But on Sunday, there were a lot of spirited conversations mixed in, and it came from every which way.
“It was coming from all over,” defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku said. “It was a great sign.”
The defensive leaders especially came forward. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, safeties Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson and linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. were some of the ones that stepped forward, according to player comments after the game.
“During halftime, we came in here and made a stand,” Overshown said. “We set the standard of being the best defense in the league. Whether we’re doing by 21 or down by 14, we got to go one drive at a time and let the game take care of itself.”
On the other side of the locker room, the offense was going through its usual routine, but took notice to what was being said by the defensive side.
“The defense had their own thing going, and I heard them,” Prescott said. “It gave us confidence.”
The comeback
Whatever was said in those defensive exchanges, it worked.
The Cowboys’ defense forced three consecutive punts to allow the offense to work through a three-and-out and a rare Brandon Aubrey missed field goal by scoring on its final possession of the third quarter with a Prescott to Brevyn Spann-Ford 4-yard touchdown. Going into the final frame, the deficit was just seven points.
“When we came in at half, we preached just ‘one play at a time,’” Overshown said. “That’s what you got to do, and everything will take care of itself. When you have 11 guys with pure execution, that’s what it is.”
The execution, as Overshown put it, continued in the fourth.
While the defense bent at times with back-to-back drives of allowing 30 or more yards to the Eagles, it never broke. The Eagles answered with a missed field goal of their own before Dallas took the solid starting field position and drove down the field to tie the game on a Prescott rushing score from 8 yards out. Saquon Barkley then fumbled in plus-territory on the next drive.
Even when things started to go right for Philadelphia, it swung right back to Dallas.
The momentum carried the Cowboys to an opportunity to kick the game-winning field goal as time expired. From 42 yards away, Aubrey had the opportunity to eradicate the previous miss with a walk-off score.
“You just try and move on from it,” Aubrey said. “You just push it away. The game-winning field goal was just like any other field goal. You just execute like you have your whole career.”
The kick was pure as the clock hit 0:00, as the Cowboys finished off a 21-point comeback — tied for the largest rally in team history — for their fifth win of the season. After the game, the players were quick to credit that change of energy at the halftime break for being a big reason why the contest flipped on its head.
“Our guys were being leaders,” Ezeiruaku said. “That speaks to the character of who we are on that side of the ball. I’m very appreciative that these guys are my vets. It gives us that hope, belief and faith.”
Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Police in a Dallas suburb say 24-year-old Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland was found dead of an apparent suicide after evading authorities in his vehicle and fleeing the scene of an accident on foot.
Frisco police said Thursday they are investigating the possible suicide. They said Kneeland didn’t stop for Texas Department of Public Safety troopers over a traffic violation in a chase that was joined by Frisco police on Wednesday night.
Authorities lost sight of the vehicle before locating it crashed minutes later. During the search after Kneeland fled the crash site on foot, officers said they received word that Kneeland might be suicidal. He was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound early Thursday morning, about three hours after the crash, police said without specifying where Kneeland’s body was found.
___
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org. Helplines outside the U.S. can be found at www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts. ___
Kneeland was in his second season with the Cowboys. He was a 2024 second-round draft pick out of Western Michigan.
“I am shattered to confirm that my client and dearest friend Marshawn Kneeland passed away last night,” Kneeland’s agent, Jonathan Perzley, said in a statement that asked for privacy. “Marshawn poured his heart into every snap, every practice and every moment on the field. To lose someone with his talent, spirit and goodness is a pain I can hardly put into words.”
Kneeland’s rookie season was off to a promising start before he was sidelined for five games by a knee injury.
Kneeland had his first career sack in the season opener this year against Philadelphia. He played in seven games this season, missing two with an ankle injury.
“Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization,” the Cowboys said. “Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.”
The Cowboys have frequently sought pass rushers and other defensive linemen in the first two rounds of the draft. Kneeland was drafted a year after defensive end Sam Williams was taken by Dallas in the second round. Williams blocked the punt that Kneeland recovered against the Cardinals.
Kneeland’s mother, Wendy Kneeland, died suddenly while he was preparing for the draft. He had his mother’s ashes in a necklace he wore after joining the Cowboys, according to The Dallas Morning News.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the passing of Cowboys’ Marshawn Kneeland,” the NFL said. “We have been in contact with the Cowboys and have offered support and counseling resources.”
Miami Dolphins receivers coach Robert Prince, who had the same position with the Cowboys when Kneeland was a rookie last year, had tears in his eyes as he met with reporters Thursday.
“We spent a lot of time (together) when he was injured and working out in the weight room,” Prince said. “We’d shoot the breeze. He was a Western Michigan kid and I coached with the Lions for a while so we had some Michigan-type stories. Good kid. I’m sorry to hear that about him.”
Kneeland had a career-high 57 tackles along with 4 1/2 sacks in nine games as a senior at Western Michigan.
“My heart is absolutely broken over the loss of Marshawn Kneeland,” Western Michigan coach Lance Taylor said. “His leadership, energy and smile were infectious, and he left a lasting impact on everyone in our program. Having coached him during my first season here, we developed a special bond that went far beyond football.”
Tributes poured in from around the NFL, including Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who raised the topic of suicide awareness with a reporter during training camp this year.
“It sucks seeing the news of our NFL brother!” Simmons wrote on X. “Even when someone is carrying the biggest smile, make sure to just check in on them. You just never know man. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, we all go through things that we sometimes hide!”
Two of Kneeland’s Dallas teammates, quarterback Dak Prescott and defensive lineman Solomon Thomas, had siblings who died by suicide and have foundations supporting suicide awareness and prevention. Thomas’ sister, Ella, was the same age as Kneeland.
Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green called Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott a “bum” on his “Why Is Draymond Green Talking About Football?” podcast.
“Dak’s a bum. … He getting some numbers, and they stink,” Green said. “… They’ll never win with Dak. … I won four championships … so you gotta understand when I say bum, I’m not saying Dak Prescott isn’t a good NFL quarterback. … But I’m saying when the money’s on the line, when it’s for all the marbles, who are you? He a bum. … What has he done in those moments?”
Former Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Marcus Spears hit back at Green on ESPN, reminding him that he was lucky enough to play with NBA superstars Steph Curry and Kevin Durant to help earn his four championships with Golden State.
“It’s just the respect of calling a dude a bum that has played football at the level at which he’s played. If you’re just attributing it to the playoffs, being a bum is kinda crazy, that’s kinda crazy to say,” Spears said. “And it’s a bit rich coming from Draymond Green, who’s played with arguably a top-five player to ever play in the NBA, to come out and say that like he’s been the catalyst. He’s been very important. He’s been a big part of what they’ve done championship-wise, not taking that away from him, but Dak Prescott would be the Steph Curry to the team.”
Spears also pointed out the differences between competing for championships in the NBA and NFL and how it might not always be the quarterback’s faults for his team’s postseason failures.
Lawrence Dow is a digital sports reporter from Philadelphia. He graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from USC. He’s passionate about movies and is always looking for a great book. He covers the Texas Rangers and other sports. Support my work with a digital subscription
Even the most pessimistic of Dallas Cowboys critics could not foresee some of the lows that they have experienced halfway through the season.
Holding a 3-5-1 record, the Cowboys have now suffered three losses to teams with losing records and are preparing to enter a stretch of opponents in the back half of the season that aren’t nearly as friendly.
After a 27-17 loss to backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett and the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night in front of a sold-out home crowd, the Cowboys are hanging onto the season’s postseason hopes my a mere thread to, now, even the most optimistic critics. But even if Happy-Go-Lucky Charlie still sees a path for the Cowboys to crack into the NFC’s top seven, it will take some major changes during the team’s bye week.
“I’m not commenting on what type of adjustments that might be made,” owner Jerry Jones said after the game. “We made adjustments last week. … And this week we made adjustments for this week, and I’m sure there will be some adjustments this coming week. But the nature of them, whether it’s on personnel, whether it’s offense, defense, I’m not pinpointing tonight at all. I did not plan on sitting here addressing some of the issues that we had tonight, but obviously it is what it is, so we’ll address it.”
The thing is, after each loss since Week 3 this season, change has been discussed.
Following the loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 3, it was about scheme on defense. Following a loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 6, it was about personnel. Then, blitz packages. Then, injury replacements. The list goes on.
With so many “changes” already being tried out, is there anything else that can be thrown out there?
“As far as numbers of changes,” Jones said. “When you say personnel, you’re limited on what you can change. … [I’m] tremendously disappointed for our fans. I thought we would play better than this.”
Change is now starting to permeate to the offensive side of the ball as well. After a disappointing start to his career, backup running back Jaydon Blue was subbed out of the active lineup for Malik Davis on Monday night. It could signal the first of multiple modifications coming on offense after a two-game stretch that has seen the first-team offense average just 13.5 points per game.
“Number-one for me and the offense is we got to score in the red zone,” quarterback Dak Prescott said. “We got to score touchdowns, not just field goals. Just finding ways to get our guys the ball simpler, that’s probably number one. After that, it’s just about however we can win games.”
“I think [the bye] gives you time to find answers and find solutions and ask more difficult questions and look at everything,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “You’re looking at where you stand at this point. And again, I see a team that’s very inconsistent, and that starts with me.”
Maybe some food for the optimists: The Cowboys have been here before — very recently.
In 2023, the offense dragged its way to a Week 7 bye before a come-to-Jesus meeting with multiple offensive staffers and personnel helped right the ship coming out of the break. In the next seven contests, the Cowboys won six of them and eventually earned the No. 2 seed in the NFC.
“I think that was a great week of figuring out what your issues were and having answers to solve them,” Prescott said. “We were very solution-oriented, and that was something that [Schottenheimer] just spoke about in the locker room. He was a huge part of that, so I have no doubt that it’s something that we can do again.”
To even have a shot at inching into the playoffs, theory would tell you that Dallas will need to find a way to finish 6-2 in the final eight games. But even then, they would need some help at 9-7-1.
The big picture isn’t lost on the Cowboys, as Prescott emphasized a need for “urgency” coming out of the bye because of that very reason. But to even find that spark, a lot of questions will have to be asked in the mirror in the bye.
Even more will have to be answered.
“That’s what this bye week is for,” Prescott said. “We’ve got to figure it out.”
Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.
The Arizona Cardinals have finally snapped their five-game losing streak, doing so in convincing fashion with a 27-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cardinals, who started 2-0, are now 3-5, while the Cowboys – blown out by the Denver Broncos last week – fell to 3-5-1 heading into their bye week.
All eyes were on the Cowboys entering this game after that brutal loss at Mile High, but the Cardinals also came into this game desperately needing a win to not only get the vibes high in the locker room again but keep the season afloat.
It was Jacoby Brissett once again starting for Arizona, as Kyler Murray remains out with his toe injury. Brissett, though, was the man for the job from the jump, and Marvin Harrison Jr. was his right-hand man.
Marvin Harrison Jr. of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates his touchdown with Elijah Higgins against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter in the game at AT&T Stadium on Nov. 3, 2025 in Arlington, Texas.(Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The second-year receiver had a fantastic night, tallying seven catches and 96 yards in the first half with the game’s first touchdown on a beautiful release that left cornerback Da’Ron Bland flat-footed.
However, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys’ offense – averaging over 30 points per game this season – couldn’t find a rhythm against the Cardinals’ defense. They turned it over on downs on their opening drive and came away empty-handed.
After a Cowboys punt, Harrison’s touchdown made it 10-0, and tight end Jake Ferguson’s fumble in Arizona territory killed another promising Dallas drive. But the Cowboys’ special teams answered when Sam Williams blocked a punt that ricocheted off his helmet and rolled into the end zone, where Marshawn Kneeland recovered it for a touchdown.
Brissett and the Cardinals responded immediately, marching 74 yards in 11 plays before Brissett snuck one across at the goal line.
When the third quarter began, Michael Wilson immediately put the Cardinals in plus territory as he caught a ball from Brissett and ran 50 yards to Dallas’ 24-yard line. A few plays later, tight end Trey McBride made it 24-7 with a nice snag on the right side of the colored paint.
Jacoby Brissett of the Arizona Cardinals on the line of scrimmage against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter in the game at AT&T Stadium on Nov. 3, 2025 in Arlington, Texas.(Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Dallas added a field goal, then Prescott connected with Ryan Flournoy for a short touchdown to cut the deficit to 10. Given how Arizona’s recent losses came down to one score, this one still felt far from over.
Dallas got another stop on defense, but it was the Cardinals’ defense that came away with a massive play during the ensuing drive. Prescott was blitzed and threw the ball immediately to running back Javonte Williams, who wasn’t ready for a Cardinals defender to hit him right away. During the tackle, the ball was ripped out of Williams’ arm and Akeem David-Gaither recovered it before it went out of bounds.
That play came with 4:46 left in the game, and just when it seemed like there was a chance for another epic collapse, Arizona finally came through with the play they needed.
In the box score, Brissett was 21-of-31 for 261 yards with two touchdown passes despite getting sacked five times by the Cowboys. McBride finished with five catches for 55 yards, while Emari Demercado led the way on the ground with 79 yards on 14 carries.
Jacoby Brissett of the Arizona Cardinals throws against the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter in the game at AT&T Stadium on Nov. 03, 2025 in Arlington, Texas.(Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
For Dallas, Javonte Williams totaled 83 yards on 15 carries, but turnovers doomed the offense. Prescott went 24-for-39 for 250 yards with one touchdown and one interception, the latter coming on the Cowboys’ final drive.
CeeDee Lamb finished with 85 yards on seven catches, while George Pickens added six receptions for 79 yards.
Following a 44-24 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday that brought the Dallas Cowboys back below .500 for the fourth time this season, head coach Brian Schottenheimer pointed to a plethora of self-inflicted wounds, including 12 penalties and two turnovers.
“The biggest thing that came out of this game was that I was just disappointed,” Schottenheimer said. “We beat ourselves a lot. On both sides, we really did. We beat ourselves with penalties, we beat ourselves with mental errors, we beat ourselves with lack of communication on defense in some regards. And knowing you played a damn good football team like Denver, in a place where they’re really good at winning, you can’t do that and win in the same way.”
Of the 12 penalties, seven came before the snap in front of a raucous Broncos crowd that affected the Cowboys’ pre-snap communication throughout the game. Despite the gaudy defensive stats that included giving up 426 total yards, seven scoring drives and an average of 7.5 yards per play, Schottenheimer is keeping confidence in his group to find consistency in what has been a topsy-turvy season. Through eight games, the Cowboys have yet to find back-to-back wins.
“It’s trusting the process,” he said. “No one wants a win streak more than anybody in this locker room and in this team room, players and coaches. We want to have a winning streak. To win a game and lose a game and win a game and lose a game sucks. Nobody wants that. It’s who we are right now.”
Offensively against Denver, things weren’t much better. Quarterback Dak Prescott threw two interceptions for the second time this season while the first-team offense put together only two touchdown drives on the day.
“You can sit there and be frustrated by it, which believe me I didn’t sleep a wink last night,” Schottenheimer said. “I played the game over in my mind 1,000 times, things I could have done differently and things I could have done better. I know a lot of our players did that as well, certainly some of the coaches. At the end of the day, you have to trust the process.”
The Cowboys will look to rebound with a home game against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday, Nov. 3 in their final contest before their bye week. After the break, Schottenheimer’s group will go back on the road for another Monday night clash against the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 17.
“It’s a one-game season,” Schottenheimer said. “Because we want to find a way to beat Arizona and then go into the bye sitting here at 4-4-1. “
Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.
The Broncos suffered a massive injury scare not five minutes into Sunday’s game against the Cowboys.
On a second-and-1 from the Broncos’ 1-yard line, star cornerback Pat Surtain II went up high against the Cowboys’ George Pickens, knocking a pass from Dak Prescott away. After hitting the turf, Surtain popped up just fine in celebration — but after a couple steps, fell back to the turf and began clutching at his lower right leg.
Trainers came out to examine Surtain, who appeared in obvious pain on the turf at Empower Field. Eventually, two Broncos staffers helped Surtain limp gingerly off the field, the star cornerback seemingly unable to put much weight on his leg.
He went immediately to the Broncos’ sideline medical tent, and exited after a few minutes, appearing to test out his leg with some dropback work on the sidelines. After missing just the final couple plays of Denver’s first defensive drive, though, Surtain grabbed his helmet and walked back to the Broncos’ sideline, appearing to grab at his right ankle in a small conversation with safety Talanoa Hufanga.
He returned on Denver’s second defensive drive.
Surtain previously missed a chunk of the Broncos’ Week 2 matchup with the Colts after suffering a left-ankle injury, a performance that ended up standing as one of the worst single games of his career. Since, he’s authored a dominant follow-up to his 2024 Defensive Player of the Year campaign, holding a slew of star receivers — from the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase in Week 4 to the Jets’ Garrett Wilson in Week 6 — in check with each passing week.
Krull undergoes surgery on foot: Reserve tight end Lucas Krull, who suffered a Jones fracture in his foot and was placed on injured reserve in early October, appears set to miss more significant time. Krull is undergoing surgery to repair the fracture, a source confirmed to The Denver Post on Sunday. Krull has just two catches for 15 yards this season, but played a significant 30% of Denver’s snaps through three games before going down.
The Dallas Cowboys made their third trip to Charlotte in as many years to take on the Carolina Panthers, and suffered their third loss of the season on a back-and-forth affair that finished with the Panthers kicking a 33-yard field goal as time expired to win 30-27.
The Cowboys’ passing offense performed well once again, as Dak Prescott and George Pickens connected for a lethal attack, although the run game could not find any established momentum with just 31 yards on the day.
Former running back Rico Dowdle combined for 239 total yards for the Panthers on his way to an early season explosion for the Carolina offense.
Cowboys fall to 2-3-1 on the season, as they search for answers defensively.
Here are the five takeaways from the game.
Another troubling loss on the road
Three weeks ago, it was a loss to the under-repair Chicago Bears, this time it was the Carolina Panthers stealing one from the Cowboys for another demoralizing result on the road.
There has been optimism at times with this Cowboys team powered by the top offense in the NFL, but the defense just continues to falter at the worst moments at crucial points in close games. As a result, it’s hard to see a reality where the Cowboys right the ship and make this a successful season after dropping to 2-3-1 during a stretch of games that Dallas would have had every right circling some wins around in the beginning of the year.
Dak Prescott shining vs. zone coverage
Going into the game, Dak Prescott ranked first in the NFL in EPA (expected points added) per play against zone coverage, making for a good matchup against a Panthers defense that runs more Cover 3 zone than any team in the league. Well, what was expected, happened.
Prescott found holes in the Panthers zone throughout the day on his way to a 261-yard day on 25-for-34 passing. Without CeeDee Lamb and KaVontae Turpin, Prescott got multiple receivers involved as the game carried on. His favorite target proved to be George Pickens who finished with nine receptions for 168 yards.
It was yet another notch in what has been a phenomenal start to the season for Prescott, who remains second in the NFL in passing yards with his performance on Sunday.
George Pickens just made a lot of money
When CeeDee Lamb went down in Week 3 with a high ankle sprain, the offensive game plan pivoted to George Pickens in the receiving game, and he answered the call.
With the Cowboys planning to get Lamb back on the practice field this week in hopes of a return against the Washington Commanders next week, there’s a chance Pickens’ increased responsibilities will dial back after a stretch of games that saw him post 24 receptions for 427 yards and five touchdowns in the three-plus games without his receiver running mate.
In the final year of his rookie contract, Pickens will have a pretty solid selling point no matter what happens the rest of the season because of how he stepped up when Lamb was out. That type of insurance in the NFL is a premier luxury, and you can bet that Pickens will have that to bring to the table in the offseason.
Rico Dowdle backed up the talk
Former Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle made it known very early in the week that Dallas better “buckle up” for their matchup fresh off his 206-yard performance and NFC Player of the Week honor last week. Well, he backed it up — and then some.
Dowdle tore through the Cowboys defense throughout the day in both the run and receiving games, finishing with 183 rushing yards and 56 receiving yards. He became the first former player to rush for 100 yards against the Cowboys in franchise history.
In the win, Dowdle put the Panthers on his back and backed up some heavy talk from early in the week to move his team to 3-3.
Time to trade for a linebacker
The NFL trade deadline is quickly approaching on Nov. 4, and Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones has said that the team is open for business in the weeks leading up to the deadline.
One position that needs some big time help is linebacker. The pass defense continues to struggle because of issues at the safety and linebacker position, but the lack of athleticism from Kenneth Murray and Jack Sanborn (did not play Sunday with a concussion) along with the zone coverage mistakes from Marist Liufau and Shemar James require the need for a better player in the middle.
A safety that has a lot of experience with zone concepts also would be a welcomed addition, but an improvement at the linebacker may be a bigger necessity with the pass issues and increasingly worrisome issues in the run game.
Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.
The NFL has fined Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones $250,000 for making an obscene gesture which Jones said was “inadvertent” and meant to be a thumbs up at MetLife Stadium following a game against the New York Jets on Sunday.The news was first reported by NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero on Tuesday and confirmed by the NFL to CNN Sports on Wednesday.In a video which was widely shared on social media, Jones could be seen giving a thumbs-up to the crowd from a box before raising his middle finger and pointing lower in the crowd while mouthing a few indiscernible words. The gesture occurred late in the Cowboys’ 37-22 road win over the Jets.Jones has until Friday to appeal the decision and, though neither the Cowboys nor Jones have yet formally done so, it is likely he will, according to Pelissero. The three-time Super Bowl-winning owner offered his explanation for the “unfortunate” fan interaction on Dallas radio show 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday.“I just put up the wrong show on the hand, but that was inadvertently done,” Jones said. “The intention was thumbs up.”When asked about the exchange, Jones said it occurred in front of Cowboys fans, not Jets fans, amidst the excitement after quarterback Dak Prescott threw a four-yard pass to Javonte Williams for Dallas’ final touchdown of the game.“There was a swarm of Cowboy fans out in front, not Jets fans, Cowboy fans,” Jones emphasized. “That was inadvertent on my part because that was right after we’d made our last touchdown and we were all excited about it.“There wasn’t any antagonistic issue or anything like that.”This is not the first time Jones has faced a fine from the league. He faced his first fine in 2008 for criticizing a referee and another in 2009 for violating an order from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to stop executives and owners from discussing league labor issues.
The NFL has fined Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones $250,000 for making an obscene gesture which Jones said was “inadvertent” and meant to be a thumbs up at MetLife Stadium following a game against the New York Jets on Sunday.
The news was first reported by NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero on Tuesday and confirmed by the NFL to CNN Sports on Wednesday.
In a video which was widely shared on social media, Jones could be seen giving a thumbs-up to the crowd from a box before raising his middle finger and pointing lower in the crowd while mouthing a few indiscernible words. The gesture occurred late in the Cowboys’ 37-22 road win over the Jets.
Jones has until Friday to appeal the decision and, though neither the Cowboys nor Jones have yet formally done so, it is likely he will, according to Pelissero.
The three-time Super Bowl-winning owner offered his explanation for the “unfortunate” fan interaction on Dallas radio show 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday.
“I just put up the wrong show on the hand, but that was inadvertently done,” Jones said. “The intention was thumbs up.”
When asked about the exchange, Jones said it occurred in front of Cowboys fans, not Jets fans, amidst the excitement after quarterback Dak Prescott threw a four-yard pass to Javonte Williams for Dallas’ final touchdown of the game.
“There was a swarm of Cowboy fans out in front, not Jets fans, Cowboy fans,” Jones emphasized. “That was inadvertent on my part because that was right after we’d made our last touchdown and we were all excited about it.
“There wasn’t any antagonistic issue or anything like that.”
This is not the first time Jones has faced a fine from the league. He faced his first fine in 2008 for criticizing a referee and another in 2009 for violating an order from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to stop executives and owners from discussing league labor issues.
When Brian Schottenheimer took the stage in the lobby of The Star in Frisco in January to be introduced as the Dallas Cowboys’ head coach, the word “culture” was one of the first to come out of his mouth.
Just a few months later, he was spotted on social media doing a Greek dancing routine in a room full of players and their families. It was a unique scene, but it was exactly what he was talking about.
“It’s just being together,” Schottenheimer said in June. “We spend time in the building. When you do something outside the building, it’s different. There’s a different feeling. You’re more engaged to be around the different people. That’s what’s life is about, man.”
Fast forward to Sunday, he needed that culture more than ever.
On a warm afternoon in New Jersey, Schottenheimer’s Cowboys took the field without five starters and three crucial rotational players to try and get a much-needed win after a couple of weeks when his team couldn’t find one.
Even though it was against the winless New York Jets, the lack of starters available, along with a continuous struggle defensively in the first four weeks of the season, created a reality where the Jets were favored by 1.5 points when Brandon Aubrey sent the ball downfield for the opening kickoff.
That would be the last time that it really felt like the Jets had a chance.
The Cowboys (2-2-1) used a big second quarter to take a 23-3 lead at halftime that would allow them to coast in the second half to a 37-22 victory. The offense was efficient in the pass game with four Dak Prescott passing touchdowns, and the run game success continued behind Javonte Williams’ 135 yards and two total touchdowns.
Brian Schottenheimer’s ‘next man up mentality’
Despite Dallas missing four of its starting five offensive linemen to injury, Schottenheimer’s emphasis on the “next man up mentality” and building a brotherhood throughout the offseason showed up Sunday. When the Cowboys needed a boost, they got it from within.
“I’m just so proud,” Schottenheimer said. “We went in there with four new offensive linemen, receivers that are still learning and growing. The defense, what they did to [Jets quarterback] Justin Fields today. We talk about it all the time, it’s all about winning. And we found a way to win.”
The defense generated five sacks on Fields after just five in the first four weeks and allowed a season-low 22 points.
“We just leaned on our physicality and how we practiced,” defensive tackle Kenny Clark said. “That’s all we’ve been talking about. Just accountability, coming in with the right mindset, and getting better each and every day. That’s what you want to do, just get better each and every game. I’m proud of our heart and how hard we played.”
Ownership has leaned on the off-the-field aspect of Schottenheimer’s early tenure being so impressive as to why they see wins coming for the team in the future, even if only one was in the column through four weeks. The win over the Jets continued to reaffirm that thinking.
“This was a coaching staff win today,” owner Jerry Jones said. “I haven’t been a part of a team Band-Aided up as much as we were to come play this game. Of course, Dak played outstanding. But this was done by a lot of guys we weren’t counting on playing. I can tell you firsthand, that’s coaching.”
Schottenheimer’s first answer in the postgame press conference didn’t see him take any credit for the win. Instead, he deferred it to the players. Prescott made it more inclusive.
“It’s credit to these coaches, these players and this organization,” he said. “Everybody. There’s not many teams that can put four guys that don’t start into the game [on the offensive line] and feel confident about going and winning a game, especially on the road. These guys don’t see themselves as backups, as they shouldn’t. They’ve just been waiting on their opportunity.”
Even if Schottenheimer wants to deny it, a lot of the grit that players and the owner pointed to that was shown in the game goes right back to him. Even as the leader of the locker room, Prescott saw the effect his environment created.
“It was evident,” Prescott said. “For those guys that don’t normally get in to play like starters, to own their roles and play at the standard we did. Staying consistent, the belief in every one of those guys, [Schottenheimer] is doing a hell of a job building this culture. He deserves a lot of respect and credit.”
Similar game awaits next week at Carolina Panthers
The Cowboys will make another road trip next week to take on a similarly down-on-their-luck Carolina Panthers team. Dallas is expected to get starting left tackle Tyler Guyton, starting left guard Tyler Smith and backup running back Miles Sanders back from injuries. As for starting right guard Tyler Booker, returner and wide receiver KaVontae Turpin and linebacker Jack Sanborn, question marks remain. Starting safety Malik Hooker and starting center Cooper Beebe will remain out.
While the Cowboys try to battle back to full health, they will have one win on their belt that shows they can get it done when they’re not at full strength.
“This team knows who we are and what we’re capable of doing,” Prescott said.
“Our guys expected to play well, they expected to win,” Schottenheimer said. “I think that’s important, because that’s what we’re trying to build.”
Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.
As he knocks on the door of both passing yards and touchdowns, it will be a question he will have to answer quite a bit as the next couple of seasons carry on. Potentially, with the pace he’s on to begin 2025, he could reach both by the end of this season.
“It’s awesome,” Prescott said. “It’s something I never take for granted. It’s not something that I’m patting myself on the back for, but it’s something that I understand the history before me.”
Prescott has had, let’s say, a unique relationship with Romo. For one, he did essentially retire the onetime Cowboys decade-long starter in the span of 15 weeks in 2016. Now, their careers have almost completely mirrored each other.
Romo was 78-49 as a starter, Prescott is 77-48-1. Neither has made the NFC championship game. Both dealt with factors both in and out of their control that led to a general lack of playoff success. Romo was 2-4 in the postseason, Prescott owns a 2-5 playoff record.
As the record books also start to reflect their careers against each another, Prescott is acknowledging the impact Romo had in Dallas. But in finishing his answer about passing the former four-time All-Pro in completions, he implied that his sights are set higher.
“I understand the players who have come before me and it’s an honor,” he said. “But at the end of the day, I want to win games and I want to chase Roger [Staubach] and Troy [Aikman] and the accomplishments they have.”
What do those two quarterbacks have that no other Cowboys starting quarterback can claim? Super Bowls. Five between them, to be exact.
While it might seem like a dig at his predecessor, Prescott should have every right to feel that way. The Cowboys have been plagued by a lack of playoff success since Aikman left the building, and there’s nothing from Romo’s career in the win column that should be worth emulating.
And that’s nothing against Romo. He had a spectacular career that a lot of quarterbacks in the NFL could only dream of. It’s just the facts. It’s why he won’t hear his name called at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It’s likely why he won’t have his name in the team’s Ring of Honor.
So while Prescott still has the opportunity to reach those heights, why should he set his sights lower? He’s playing some of the best football of his career to begin the season, and if this team can ever get its defensive issues figured out, it will have Dallas sniffing playoff contention once again.
“The experience is paying off,” Prescott said about this stage in his career. “On top of the film study, my preparations, and then just the clear communication on when a play’s being not only called for, but what that play’s been designed for and how we feel like getting to attack this and attack that. I think it’s just resulting in me knowing all of that and putting it all together. I’m feeling good out there.”
The confidence is coming through from the Cowboys’ on- and off-the-field leader. And he shouldn’t have to apologize to anybody for how high he lets that confidence get, as long as it results in, well, results.
“[I’m] as confident as I’ve ever been,” Prescott said. “I would say I am … I think that’s why every year I feel like I’ve gotten better, making strides, and never getting complacent in every part of my game. I know sometimes the numbers and things don’t always show that, but I think right now they are.”
This story was originally published October 2, 2025 at 5:52 PM.
Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.
Despite being big underdogs in front of the home crowd at AT&T Stadium on Sunday night, the Dallas Cowboys played the Green Bay Packers to an unusual 40-40 tie Sunday night.
The result was representative of how both sides of the ball performed, as the offenses were unstoppable from the second quarter on, and the defenses could not buy a stop.
In one of the more unique games in the Cowboys’ franchise history, here are six takeaways from the result:
Without a defense, Cowboys will continue to falter
When the second half became a heavyweight fight with haymakers being thrown by both sides, the Cowboys’ defense just needed to find one stop any any point with how the Dallas offense was performing behind Dak Prescott and George Pickens.
Instead, Green Bay scored points on every possession after the halftime break, including the game-tying field goal in overtime.
With the offense scoring points in flurries and keeping Dallas in games, it won’t matter if the defense cannot stop a nosebleed. That proved evident Sunday night.
With three of the next four opponents having offenses ranking in the bottom 10 in yards per game, the time is now for the Cowboys’ defense to figure out its issues before the gauntlet that awaits in November and December. If it doesn’t, this will be a season wasted for an offense that simply deserves better.
Dak Prescott carried this team
This offense has had to play at an elite level to get a win and a tie this season with a supporting defense that, well, doesn’t support. But with Dak Prescott at quarterback, the Cowboys continue to find the timely plays in big situations to hang with opponents.
Statistically, Prescott is in the upper echelon of passers in the league through four weeks, and his timely play on Sunday night gave Dallas the plays when it was needed. In the second half, Prescott threw for 206 yards and two touchdowns to power the Cowboys to a tie. As he puts the team on his back — so much so that he was actually getting his back treated in the second half after taking a hard hit — he continues to find tight windows and open receivers in the smallest of fractions.
This defense may not do Prescott any favors all season, but in a season where his experience is really paying off in a league starved for consistent quarterback play, it could lead to an historic season for the 10th-year signal-caller.
Every team needs its gamer. And with Prescott, you can’t ever really count this team out from contention.
Brian Schottenheimer put his money where his mouth is
Throughout the week, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer mentioned that changes would be coming on the defensive side of the ball after a putrid couple of weeks defending the pass, and we saw some of those changes from the start.
Cornerback Trevon Diggs did not draw the start, as DaRon Bland’s return saw Diggs get exchanged out of the starting lineup instead of slot cornerback Reddy Steward. Also, rookie linebacker Shemar James was made active for the first time in his NFL career in place of Damone Clark. Marist Liufau drew the start instead of Clark and played his most snaps of the season.
It was a big change for a defense that was in dire need of something, anything, different after a really bad couple of weeks from defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ group. We’ll see how many of the changes remain going into Week 5 at the New York Jets.
George Pickens is showing his value
With wide receiver CeeDee Lamb out for multiple games, this will be Pickens’ best opportunity all season to prove his value ahead of an offseason where he will be clamoring for a new contract. With his rookie deal expiring at the season’s end, the Cowboys could franchise tag him or re-sign him to a new deal.
On Sunday, it took Pickens until roughly the five-minute mark of the second quarter to get his first reception, but the production came in a flurry afterward. In the final five minutes of that first half, Pickens hauled in five receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown in the final seconds from Prescott to give Dallas its first lead. In the final minute of regulation, a huge catch and run gave Dallas a 28-yard touchdown and the lead with 43 seconds remaining.
He’s not Lamb, but the Cowboys don’t need him to be. With his big play ability and strong hands, the Dallas offense showed that it can still move through his services while it awaits Lamb’s return.
Micah Parsons goes quiet in return
In what was hyped up as arguably the most intriguing return of a former player of the Dallas Cowboys in franchise history, Packers defensive end Micah Parsons was held relatively quiet in his first game at AT&T Stadium as an opponent exactly one month after being traded.
The Cowboys dedicated blocking help to his side throughout the night, as he failed to generate consistent pressure on Prescott. The game finished with Parsons technically getting a sack on a Prescott scramble that got back to the line of scrimmage.
Parsons briefly left the field in the third quarter and went to the medical tent with a back issue that he’s been battling since his time in training camp with Dallas. He returned and recorded just one tackle in the fourth quarter.
Coaching staff hires paying off up front
On the offensive line, the Cowboys were down two starters against the Packers as Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass got the starts at center and right guard, respectively, because of ankle injuries to Cooper Beebe and Tyler Booker. As the Cowboys have heavily relied on the interior for running lanes through three weeks, they kept with the same game plan and continued to find success.
The Cowboys rushed for 117 yards and did not allow a sack against a ferocious Green Bay front. With so much working against the offensive line group, Dallas still found rhythm up front, something that has to be attributed to the insight and game-planning from offensive coordinator Klayton Adams and offensive line coach Conor Riley.
Both came in with a wealth of experience in creating running lanes with varied offensive line movement in their recent stops, and that has carried over in their first year with the Cowboys. When it comes to building a coaching staff that complements what he does as a play-caller, Schottenheimer hit a home run this offseason.
This story was originally published September 28, 2025 at 11:27 PM.
Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.
The Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers battled each other in an absolute slugfest on Sunday night, and it ended in a 40-40 tie.
The stakes were already heightened coming into AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, as Micah Parsons was making his return to play his former team. While his impact was felt, it was the offenses that really came to play.
The last two minutes of regulation underscored that.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) celebrates with Terence Steele (78) and others after catching a touchdown pass in the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in Arlington, Texas.(AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
The Cowboys needed to respond to a Packers touchdown. KaVontae Turpin returned a kickoff to near midfield. It only took four plays for Dak Prescott and the Cowboys to find the end zone. Following a 19-yard pass to Jalen Tolbert, he found George Pickens for a 28-yard touchdown.
Dallas drove 54 yards in 62 seconds to get the go-ahead score.
Green Bay was quick to get back up the field. Packers quarterback Jordan Love led the team down the field in seven plays to set up a game-tying 53-yard field goal for Brandon McManus.
In overtime, the Cowboys got the ball first. Prescott found Tolbert coming back to the ball to make an incredible catch on the sideline. Somehow, Tolbert got both of his feet in bounds to set Dallas up in the red zone. The Cowboys couldn’t get into the end zone. Parsons possibly saved a touchdown with a sack of a scrambling Prescott. It was Brandon Aubrey who hit the chip shot to go up 40-37.
It was Love’s turn to lead the charge. On third down, the Cowboys may have gotten away with a defensive pass interference call. But it didn’t deter Love. The quarterback found Matthew Golden to keep the drive alive.
The Packers nearly ran out of time to make a final throw to the end zone. But he was left with one second on the clock. McManus came onto the field to kick the game-tying field goal.
Love was 31-of-43 with 337 passing yards and three touchdown passes. Each of his touchdown passes went to Romeo Doubs. The wide receiver had six catches for 58 yards.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) throws a pass under pressure from Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons (1) in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Josh Jacobs was a menace on the ground. He had two rushing touchdowns to go along with 86 yards on the ground. He had four catches for 71 yards as well.
The Cowboys showed that they weren’t going to roll over and let the Packers walk all over them in their house.
Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons lines up against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in Arlington, Texas.(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
First, Dallas picked up a crucial two points when they blocked a Packers extra-point attempt in the second quarter. Markquese Bell returned the ball for the two points.
Then, the Cowboys took advantage as the Green Bay offense appeared to get complacent toward the end of the first half. Cowboys linebacker James Houston caused Love to fumble. He recovered it and gave Dallas a chance to score before halftime. Prescott then found Pickens in the end zone. Dallas had a 16-13 lead at halftime.
Pickens had an incredible game for the Cowboys. He had eight catches on 11 targets for 134 yards and two touchdowns.
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) runs the ball and holds off a tackle attempt by Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trikweze Bridges (25) in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Prescott was 31-of-40 for 319 yards and three touchdowns. He was only sacked once.
