Blogging The Boys
Losing is never fun, but it is a far better teacher than winning when it comes to the National Football League. The Dallas Cowboys have an entirely new coaching staff in 2025 under first-year and first-time head coach Brian Schottenheimer. To say consistency is not a strong suit of this year’s team would be an understatement. They are the first Cowboys team to go this deep into a season without winning at least two games in a row since the 6-10 team in 2020, also the first year of Mike McCarthy’s tenure.
The Cowboys are preparing for their remaining eight games as if a playoff push is still possible. This makes the self evaluation they do during the bye to tweak their lineups with players acquired at the trade deadline or returning from injury deeply important. Whether it’s for the remainder of this season, or future seasons, the Cowboys are simply looking for the players they can win with under new guidance.
After identifying some of the things the Cowboys have done right in winning efforts to build on, it’s time to look at both expected and unexpected things that happened in early losses to the Eagles, Bears, and Panthers that are the tough but crucial parts of self scouting.
Philadelphia Eagles 24 Dallas Cowboys 20
Here is how we thought a Cowboys loss in the opener might play out:
Playing to not let Barkley beat them is on the table for the Cowboys should they choose to do so, but it won’t come without a cost in an already questionable secondary.
The Eagles’ best form of ball control in this game may not be pounding the rock between the tackles. Surprisingly, it may actually be using the run game just enough to draw the attention of the Cowboys’ defense, and create very high percentage throws for A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith.
This prediction proved true in nearly every way. Jalen Hurts’ 82.6% completion percentage was the second highest of his career, and the Cowboys issues in the secondary also included tackling.
It was the rushing threat of Hurts much more than Saquon Barkley that broke this game for the Cowboys. The Cowboys revamped defensive tackle group did great against the interior runs from Barkley, with Kenny Clark and Solomon Thomas leading the way. This group will have even more help after the bye with the trade deadline addition of Quinnen Williams, as well as welcoming back Demarvion Overshown at linebacker.
The Cowboys offseason trades and more recent deadline trades to really hone in on defensive tackle depth shows a clear vision within Matt Eberflus’ defense to win up front with just four linemen. Which personnel will make up their “best four” at any given time will be a fun development to follow, especially with the rematch against the Eagles looming one game after the bye.
The Cowboys blitzed the Eagles just to keep Hurts...
