The Dallas Cowboys have put their disappointing loss to the New Orleans Saints in the rearview mirror as they prepare for a Week 3 meeting with the Baltimore Ravens. It's going to require a full team effort to beat Lamar Jackson & Co. as the Cowboys are currently the 1.5-point home underdogs to the Ravens on DraftKings Sportsbook.
If the Cowboys want to avoid back-to-back losses, a stronger effort is needed than what they showed in Week 2. While certain Dallas players have played up to expectations, several individuals need to step up their game to help turn the ship around.
Here's a look at seven Cowboys players who've gone missing to begin the 2024 NFL season.
1-3. RBs Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, & Deuce Vaughn
Each of these running backs could've occupied their own spot in this article, however, I figured it'd be easier to group them all together.
The ground game was one of the Cowboys' strengths in recent years only to become one of their biggest offensive weaknesses in 2024. Through two weeks, Dallas is only averaging 23.0 carries (23rd) and 85.0 rushing yards (25th) per game. The situation is even worse when you realize the team hasn't scored a rushing touchdown since five minutes into the second quarter of Week 1.
While Tony Pollard was disappointing as the Cowboys' lead back in 2023, re-signing him would've been a massive upgrade over the current situation. Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, and Deuce Vaughn have turned a combined 36 carries into just 117 rushing yards and one TD in the first two games. They've also turned 10 receptions into 66 more yards, so it isn't as if they're making an impact in the passing game either.
For comparison, Pollard has tallied 144 rushing yards, 52 receiving yards, and one touchdown in his first pair of appearances with the Tennessee Titans. In other words, he's essentially outperformed Dallas' entire backfield on his own.
None of the trio is even doing much to rise above the competition. Elliott looks slow and washed up, Dowdle has regressed from his solid 2023 performance, and Vaughn likely wouldn't be on the 53-man roster if the Cowboys had a better RB3 option. As it stands, Malik Davis — who only played three games last year — and a declining Dalvin Cook are the only practice squad options.
4. Brandin Cooks, WR
After being traded from the Houston Texans to the Cowboys last year, Brandin Cooks went on to have a solid performance for America's Team. While his 657 receiving yards were one of his personal lows, the ex-Oregon State wideout still found the end zone on eight of his 54 receptions (14.8%).
Cooks was solid in his 2024 debut with four catches for 40 yards with a touchdown against the Browns. Much to his dismay, though, he couldn't replicate that success against the Saints, catching just two catches for 19 receiving yards despite playing 57 offensive snaps — seven more than the previous week. It's even more disappointing when you consider that the Cowboys were trailing for most of the game, which usually results in more passing opportunities.
Although it's a small sample size, it isn't difficult to see that Cooks might not be the player he once was. A glance at his receiving yards per game averages illustrates how his production has declined throughout the last five seasons.
Season | Receiving Yards Per Game |
|---|---|
2023 | 29.5 |
2022 | 41.1 |
2021 | 53.8 |
2020 | 64.8 |
2019 | 76.7 |
There's still plenty of time for Cooks to turn things around, so let's hope the slow start to the season is behind him. If he can start rolling with some crucial receptions, the Cowboys' aerial attack will improve because of it.
5. Mazi Smith, DT
Mazi Smith's 2023 rookie season was nothing short of a bust, but that was supposed to change this year. After all, the Cowboys encouraged the former first-rounder to regain some weight over the summer while defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer was seen as someone who could help Smith finally realize his potential.
Smith entered training camp with more size and strength than before, ready to show the world what he was capable of doing in Year 2. Fast forward to the third week of the 2024 campaign where Dallas fans are still waiting on the ex-Michigan defender to make an impact.
Despite playing 56 defensive snaps through two games, Smith has failed to record a single tackle. The Saints proved in Week 2 that teams can have zero issues blowing by the 23-year-old on the ground, which played a role in Pro Football Focus giving him a 27.9 run defense grade after two outings — the third-worst mark among 112 eligible interior defenders.
If that isn't bad enough, Smith's 28.9 overall defense grade ranks second-worst at his position.
The Cowboys expected Smith to be a reliable starting presence on their defensive line this season, so it's up to the former Wolverine to turn things around. A strong performance against the Ravens this weekend would likely land him back in the fanbase's good graces.
6. Jordan Phillips, DT
The Cowboys did little to address their defense earlier in the offseason, instead waiting until August to acquire a handful of veteran defenders. One of those happened to be Jordan Phillips, who was shipped to Dallas from the rival New York Giants in a trade that featured two draft picks.
Even if Phillips' best days are behind him, Cowboys fans expected the 6-foot-6, 330-pound defender to at least provide reliable support to the D-line. Instead, Phillips barely moved the needle through the team's first two outings, registering a single assisted tackle across 34 defensive snaps.
Much like Smith, Phillips hasn't earned any respect from analytic lovers like PFF. His 29.6 defense grade is the third-worst mark at his position while his 26.2 run defense grade is the second-worst.
Making matters worse is the fact that Phillips will remain invisible after being placed on the injured reserve with a wrist injury. Considering how bad the Cowboys' run defense has been with the former 2015 second-rounder in the lineup, time will tell if his absence improves or further worsens the situation.
If the team's ground defense does improve while he's sidelined, it's going to be tough for Phillips to earn playing time upon his return (barring a major turnaround).
7. Brevyn Spann-Ford, TE
The Cowboys' offense took a blow when starting tight end Jake Ferguson injured his knee in the Week 1 victory over the Cleveland Browns. With Ferguson on the sidelines for the foreseeable future, Dallas was forced to give more pass-catching responsibilities to Brevyn Spann-Ford and Luke Schoonmaker in Week 2.
Even though the Cowboys lost to the Saints, Schoonmaker had a respectable outing as he hauled in all six of his targets for 43 receiving yards. Meanwhile, Spann-Ford did anything but take advantage of the situation, failing to catch his lone target (which came in the fourth quarter when the game was out of reach).
It'd be different if Spann-Ford was at least making an impact as a blocker, but that hasn't been the case either. PFF is only giving the 2024 undrafted rookie a grade of 46.8 as a pass blocker while his receiving marks come in at 47.8.
Yes, Spann-Ford is a rookie and could improve, but that doesn't mean that he will. The Cowboys can't afford to keep giving him opportunities as long as he keeps failing to make an impact. Hopefully, Ferguson will rejoin the lineup soon so that Spann-Ford can work on improving his game.
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