It’s way too early to draw sweeping conclusions from an early August joint practice, but the Dallas Cowboys’ performance against the Los Angeles Rams raised some early red flags.
The team’s run defense looked porous, and the ground game on offense didn’t fare much better.
While there’s still plenty of time to correct both issues before Week 1, the struggles beg an uncomfortable question: what if this is what the Cowboys are in 2025?
If so, it could mean Dallas will need to lean heavily on its passing attack, and that opens the door to a potentially historic season for quarterback Dak Prescott.
Chasing Romo
In 2012, Tony Romo set the Cowboys’ single-season passing yardage record with 4,903 yards.
It was a prolific year, full of shootouts and narrow finishes, but it ended in disappointment as the Cowboys finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs.
Fast forward to 2019, and Dak Prescott came heartbreakingly close to that mark, throwing for 4,902 yards: just one yard short.
Like Romo, Prescott’s impressive individual numbers couldn’t overcome the team’s inconsistency. The Cowboys again finished 8-8 and failed to make the postseason.
If the run game sputters in 2025 the way it did against the Rams in practice, Prescott could be positioned to shatter Romo’s long-standing record, but the Cowboys and their fans know from experience that gaudy stats don’t guarantee wins.
Still, records are records, and if nothing else, they would signal that Dak is still playing elite football in his 10th NFL season.
Dynamic Duo
Even if the rushing attack led by Miles Sanders, Javonte Williams, or the rookie duo of Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah doesn’t materialize into a consistent force, the Cowboys’ passing game is equipped to carry the load.
WR CeeDee Lamb continues to prove he’s one of the top receivers in football, and the offseason addition of George Pickens gives Dallas a true outside threat who can win one-on-one matchups and make contested catches.
This duo has the potential to be one of the best receiving tandems in the NFL.
Add in Jake Ferguson at tight end and a deep group of slot receivers and young playmakers, and there’s little doubt that Dallas has the firepower to light up the scoreboard through the air.
If the coaching staff leans into this aerial identity, Prescott will have every opportunity to not only break Romo’s record but possibly flirt with the 5,000-yard mark.
Playing From Behind
The darker side of this potential breakout year for Prescott is what it might say about the rest of the team, specifically, the defense.
If the Cowboys can’t stop the run, it could lead to long drives, early deficits, and more time spent trailing on the scoreboard.
That means throwing the ball more, which might boost Prescott’s numbers but also increases his exposure to sacks and turnovers.
No team wants to rely on a shootout every week, but if the defense can’t hold up and the run game falters, Dak Prescott may have no choice but to shoulder the entire load.
That could make 2025 a record-setting year, but at what cost?
Only time will tell if this offense becomes legendary, or just lopsided.
The issue on defense is the obsession with pass rush. You can’t sign all pass rush guys then ask why they do not stop the run. Osa is bad against the run yet was paid 20/year. The draft brought a Parsons clone to rush the passer . Only a 7th round afterthought draft pick is there there to stop the run— as if opponents would obligingly run at the ‘run stopper’ every play. Opponents run over Parsons and Osa. That is by design. You can’t buy fish and complain that it tastes ‘fishy’.
The offense line doesn’t run block well because the Boys simply are not good teaching that. Schotty was the OC last season and the offense line was terrible. Schotty is HC now so why should the line be better? Again, Jerry bought a fish and it smells as a fish.
You really don’t know what your talking about!! Just because Schotty was the offensive coordinator, it doesn’t mean the offensive line was bad because of him!! Learn how coaching works!! Schotty was the offensive coordinator, no doubt, but he was just a guy standing on the sidelines!! He has nothing to do with the offensive line!! That’s what the offensive line coach is for!! The offensive line coach is the one that coaches the offensive line, hints the name “offensive line coach”!! It’s not that hard to figure out!! Schotty was just a guy that had the position of offensive coordinator, but didn’t do anything!! Mike McCarthy called the plays, the offensive line coach coached the offensive line, the RBs coach coached the RBs and so on!! That’s how it works!! So like I said, Schotty didn’t really do anything!! So the offensive line play had nothin to do with him!!
a Dallas Cowboys fan, since the 70’s that’s all Dak Prescott is being known for breaking Cowboys records Dak Prescott is all ready known for chocking in the playoffs
And yet another idiot that don’t know what he’s talking about!! All you idiots say Dak CHOKES in the playoffs because he throws interceptions here and there, but the facts are that every QB throws interceptions in the playoffs, not just Dak!! That’s why you people saying Dak chokes because of that sound so stupid!! Dak ain’t the only one that throws interceptions in the playoffs!! Just look at the Super Bowl last year!! The so called goat threw 2 or 3 just in the Super Bowl!! But Dak is no good when he does it!! Smh!! Like I said…. Stupid!!
a Dallas Cowboys fan, since the 70’s how much is Jerry Jones is paying you