The Dallas Cowboys have the luxury of having CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens at wide receiver, but more importantly, they are rooting for each other to succeed. In Week 2, the Cowboys looked better in some ways against the Commanders. However, the Ravens will be a much stronger challenge in Brazil this Sunday.
Getting the defensive unit clicking on all cylinders will take some time, but several rookies have stepped up to take the reins. Dalla was able to even their record at 1-1 last week, but things
like the lack of a consistent running game still need to be addressed.
Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens playing with ‘no egos’ – Todd Archer, ESPN
Lamb and Pickens already had a relationship before the latter made it to Dallas. That has helped them form a selfless bond with one another.
“I don’t think you can get any much closer than we’ve been,” Lamb said. “I feel like at the end of the day, we want what’s best for each other and that’s to be with one another and to grind.
“I feel like we both have that alpha mentality, that alpha dog component to us so just rubbing off on one another and just keeping this thing going. We gotta keep being who we are and at the end of the day prove it to each other every day.”
Cowboys’ evolving defense faces tough questions, difficult challenge in Ravens’ offense – Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning News
Dallas is on Year 1 under Christian Parker as defensive coordinator, and they’re currently working the kinks out. On Sunday, the Ravens will present their biggest test yet.
What the Ravens possess — an elusive quarterback in Lamar Jackson, an elite running back Derrick Henry along with a strong offensive line — seem like dangerous items for the Cowboys defense to handle.
On the season, the Ravens have rushed for 310 yards (fourth-most in the league) with a 5.3 average (third-best in the league). Henry, despite limited work in the second half of the loss to the Saints in Week 2, averages 5.3 yards per carry.
The Cowboys’ defense allows 5 yards per carry.
Cowboys riding the wave of 3 rookies on defense: ‘They don’t repeat mistakes’ – Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Defense was a major issue for the Cowboys coming into this season. In the first two games, three rookies on that side of the ball are leading the way.
In fact, there are more encouraging signs that the Cowboys defense is simply a work-in-progress rather than a lost hope. Among those, three rookies have found key roles on defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s unit: defensive back Caleb Downs, outside linebacker Malachi Lawrence and inside linebacker Jaishawn Barham.
While Downs was the only one among those three to start both games for the Cowboys, Lawrence has played 38-percent of snaps in key pass rush situations and Barham has filled in as the starting green-dot linebacker in the absence of DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring strain).
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3 pressing questions following Cowboys’ season-saving win over Commanders – Jess Haynie, The Landry Hat
It wasn’t pretty, but Dallas was able to beat Washington last Sunday. However, several questions still need answers.
What’s wrong with the run game?
Dallas has yet to crack 4.0 yards-per-carry in either game this year. For an offense that averaged 4.6 in 2025 and brought back every starter and coach, this early-season stagnation is surprising and, after two weeks, increasingly concerning.
The easy answer is LG Tyler Smith’s absence, which will extend through at least Week 4. Going from Smith to T.J. Bass is certainly a detriment to the rushing attack, but would Brian Schottenheimer and Klayton Adams be smart to lay this entirely at Bass’ feet?
Jaishawn Barham looked the part for the Cowboys, but he’s got an urgent problem to fix to reach full potential – Mauricio Rodriguez, AtoZ Sports
Barham had a great bounce-back performance in Week 2 after struggling in his NFL debut. With that said, one thing is holding him back from being even better.
Barham briefly had to exit the game to be checked out by trainers. Later in the game, he was seen puking before a play, missing most of the game after that.
With Barham being one of the best defenders from Week 2, the Cowboys need him to play as much as possible. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer was asked about his conditioning on Wednesday.
“Young player, he has been working actually pretty hard on it,” Schottenheimer said of the rookie’s conditioning. “The best way to get in shape is to play, so he’s working through that.”
Labeled a Cowboys’ Bust, Tyler Guyton is Growing Before our Eyes in 2026 – Cody Warren, Inside The Star
Guyton has been looking for the consistency in his game since he was drafted in the first round in 2024. He’s gradually doing just that this season.
We watched a rookie year marred with penalties and inconsistency, but the penalties were the biggest headache as he committed 18 of them that year.
It seemed like every time the offense did something right, we would see a yellow flag lying on the ground near the offensive line and we knew it was Guyton.
18 penalties is a brutal number for any offensive lineman, especially your starting left tackle. You can survive a bad rep now and then, you can survive pressure, but one thing a young offensive lineman can’t keep doing is wiping out good plays.
