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.”