3 Dallas Cowboys’ players facing the most pressure in Week 9

There is a sense of dread looming over the Dallas Cowboys players, fanbase, coaching staff, and front office, and it’s not just from the Halloween season.

Simply put, things are bleak right now for the Cowboys, and it’s easy to see why. The team is 3-4, they rank third in the NFC East, injuries are piling up, and not a single guy is over-performing.

NFC East standings update! Any surprises here? 🔥 pic.twitter.com/GIVE4eIYX3
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 30, 2024

After a big win in Pittsburgh, Dallas was crushed by the Lions at home, and handled by the 49ers on the road.

Now, they start a three-game stretch against three teams that are either leading their division, or in second place. It’s the 5–3 Falcons this week, the 5–2 Eagles in Week 10, and the 6-3 Texans in Week 11.

If the Cowboys players can’t grind out a win this week to both stop the bleeding and build momentum, this thing could be over really soon.

So, with that in mind, let’s talk about the three guys who are under the most pressure to do just that in Week 9 against the Falcons.

Dak Prescott: Season On His Shoulders

The answer to this question about which Cowboy is facing the most pressure starts with Dak Prescott. There is no way around that.

As the leader of the franchise, as the guy who finished second in MVP voting last season, and as the highest paid player in NFL history, he must play better and get back to his 2023 form.

Now, I am not in the boat with the fans and analysts saying Prescott has been horrible. He hasn’t been. In fact, he is the reason the Cowboys are in games most of the time.

What Prescott hasn’t been is great, or good enough to where his performance single-handedly elevates Dallas to wins. That’s a tall task, especially considering how weak his surroundings are, but it’s what you need from a guy with his salary.

Prescott needs a big week, and perhaps more importantly, a “clean” week.

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott said Sunday’s game against the Falcons is a must-win game for Dallas.

Prescott on his INTs: “I’ve got to be better, simple as that.”

Dak said there was a moment in last Sunday’s game where CeeDee Lamb told him “We’re back.” And it was before the 2 TD… pic.twitter.com/PYO9ZHNB4B
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 31, 2024

We can’t have the same highs and lows moments from him that we’ve been getting. We can’t have the big drive, just for the big turnover in the red zone to kill it.

Put more simply, Dak Prescott needs to have his best performance of the season in Week 8.

Trevon Diggs: In Need Of Redemption

It’s been a very interesting season for the Cowboys All-Pro Cornerback, Trevon Diggs. We’ve seen him make his return from a torn ACL, we’ve seen his first interception back, and now we have seen him jabbing at a reporter immediately after a loss.

That whole frenzy was quite frankly ridiculous on the part of Diggs, especially considering the circumstances of having just lost the game.

Both him and WFFA’s Mike Leslie have since made up, but the focus on Diggs’ performance is now elevated for the rest of this season. All eyes will be on him if he plays this week.

Trevon Diggs talked with the media today. He apologized to @MikeLeslieWFAA, saying that he let his emotions get the best of him.

He also gave him a gift… nuts, of course. pic.twitter.com/ySOaRDiAEd
— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) October 30, 2024

Diggs is battling a sore calf, and he has not participated in practice this week, though he says it is just a minor thing.

So, for the sake of this, let’s assume he plays.

He now has a six-game streak without an interception, he is ranked near the bottom of the league by PFF among all cornerbacks, and his tackling woes are a real sore spot for the Dallas defense.

With his contract, controversy, name-recognition, and role, few Cowboys players need a strong week more than Trevon Diggs. The question is, can he still deliver that?

Terence Steele: Fleeting Time As Starter

There is no way to sugarcoat Terence Steele’s performance this season. He has just been bad, and last week’s game against Nick Bosa highlighted this fact.

The career trajectory of Steele is a fascinating one, and he came out of nowhere as an undrafted free agent to show significant promise, before tearing his ACL and getting paid a massive contract before he was fully recovered.

To say he has yet to live up to that contract would be an understatement.

In 2023, it was understandable to give him a pass as he was still making that recovery, but there are no excuses this season.

We’re now almost two years removed from his injury, and the pre-ACL tear Steele has yet to reappear.

Nick Bosa continues wreaking havoc on Terence Steele tonight. pic.twitter.com/VSE9lzAc6C
— All-22 (@All22_PFF) October 28, 2024

Steele has been one part of an under performing offensive line in total, but he has definitely been the weakest link. That is saying a lot, considering two of the Dallas starters are rookies that are still far from their ceiling.

If Steele is going to get on track, it has to start in Week 9, not just because of his time as the starter potentially fleeting, but because of the matchup at hand.

No team has recorded fewer sacks than the Atlanta Falcons. If he goes out there and allows one or more, it would be the lowest point yet for the former Texas Tech Red Raider.

There may not be a Cowboys’ player with more to lose this week than Terence Steele, and he needs to meet that moment with fire.