Hogs Haven
Links to stories, pods and pictures to help you keep up with NFC East and the NFL in general
Previewing Philadelphia’s NFC East matchup against Dallas.
The Dallas defense is allowing the second-most offensive points per game in the NFL. What’s the reason for those struggles?
The first reason you have to point to is the injuries. Their top four defensive ends, Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Marshawn Kneeland and Sam Williams have either missed some or all of the season. We are down to the bottom of the depth chart at defensive end. Thus, no pass rush. Combine that with a very weak interior defensive tackle position and you have a front four that gets bullied. The Cowboys have also been missing CB DaRon Bland all year, and his replacement, rookie Caelen Carson, has been injured and had his own struggles when healthy. The safety duo of Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker has gotten exposed in the passing game.
What are some of the biggest positives the Cowboys have going for them right now?
They should get a lot of compensatory draft picks for the 2025 NFL Draft. Okay, a little too cynical? How about linebacker DeMarvion Overshown. He missed his rookie year with an ACL tear, but has come back this year and is looking like a playmaker. He is quick, closes with amazing speed, and can deliver a hit. He is still raw, so there are issues with diagnosing plays and reading his keys, but that should all improve with playing time.
Mike McCarthy is totally getting fired, right? Who will be the Cowboys’ head coach in 2025? And who do you want it to be?
Technically, he won’t get fired, they will just let his contract run out after the season and then go looking for a new coach. But yes, in effect, he will be fired after this season. As for what comes next, the elephant in the room is Bill Belichick. It was somewhat discussed this past offseason although they decided to keep McCarthy. Belichick’s name will definitely come up. I would rather they go in a different direction. A young offensive whiz kid like Ben Johnson at Detroit, or Bobby Slowik at Houston, somebody that fits that mold.
The Cowboys don’t have the roster to compete this season and the reasons why are right in front of them.
For a team that’s enjoyed nothing more than reminding the world they won 12 games in the previous three seasons under Mike McCarthy, this win total is now only achievable by winning out in the final year of McCarthy’s contract. It is hard to even look ahead at the schedule and find any game the Cowboys may be favored in until Thanksgiving...
