Through six games, the Dallas Cowboys head into their Week 7 bye with a confusing and rather frustrating 3-3 record. After Sunday's 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions, the Cowboys are now 0-4 at home in 2024, including the wild card loss back in January.
While injuries have plagued the team at the worst possible time, the struggles occurred even before the loss of several key starters.
Dallas currently ranks last in rushing yards per game (77.2), eighth in rushing yards allowed (143.2), and is currently the fourth most penalized team in football (47). Defensively, the Cowboys have allowed 180 yards rushing or more in half of their games, while reaching the 100-yard rushing mark on offense just twice.
Adding to the concern, Dallas has been outscored 110-35 at halftime in their last four home games and has trailed by two or more possessions in those matchups.
The road ahead will be a challenging one most notably for head coach Mike McCarthy, whose seat is growing increasingly hot. As the team prepares for a difficult stretch after the bye week, the veteran coach be under immense pressure to find solutions and turn the season around.
Following the bye week, McCarthy and his team will play two away games back-to-back against the San Francisco 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons.
The 49ers despite an unusual start to their season, have gotten the best against the Cowboys in the past three seasons, including the postseason where San Francisco has eliminated Dallas from the playoffs in 2021 and 2022.
Meanwhile the Falcons led by quarterback Kirk Cousins are 4-2 and the current leaders in the NFC South.
Following the road stretch, will be two games at home against the Philadelphia Eagles who defeated the Cleveland Browns 20-16 and the red hot Houston Texans who at 5-1 are riding a three game winning streak.
The remaining schedule includes games against the current NFC East leaders, the Washington Commanders, followed by the New York Giants on Thanksgiving, the Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Eagles, and Commanders.
While matchups like the Giants and Panthers are games the Cowboys will likely be favored to win, the rest of the schedule presents a challenge for a team whose owner in Jerry Jones seems to be growing more impatient as the losses pile up.
“We’re disappointed that we're 3-3," Jones told reporters following the Week 6 loss. "I don't necessarily totally blame it on McCarthy. The players will tell you they had something to do with it, too. His other part of the staff will tell you, and the owner sure will tell you he had something to do with it.”
Dallas needs a mid-season run to salvage their season, otherwise new faces could be seen roaming the sidelines in 2025.
On a positive note, the Cowboys could possibly welcome back All-Pros Micah Parsons and DaRon Bland for Week 8 to give the defense an uplift, followed by the eventual return of Pro Bowl defensive end Demarcus Lawrence.
