Every week, we gather to discuss the latest news about the Dallas Cowboys and seek our writer’s perspective on each headline. Welcome back to the roundtable. This week we have Sean Martin, Jess Haynie and Tom Ryle.
The Cowboys have to win out, the Eagles have to lose out for Dallas to make the playoffs. Do we see that happening?
Mike: Short answer here is it’s alive, but it’s a parlay I’d never bet. Winning out is hard enough, asking the Eagles to simultaneously lose out multiplies the improbability across every remaining week. Could it happen? Sure, football is noisy, injuries pop, and weird December games swing
on a bounce. Let’s also not forget that the Eagles have failed at this stage of the season before. But the realistic stance is to treat this as a one-week season. If Philly stumbles once, great. If not, Dallas’ focus switches to the draft, my favorite time of year, including Christmas.
Sean: Sadly, not at all. Enjoying the Eagles slide was fun while it lasted, but we can’t lose sight that the best thing that happened during it was that the Cowboys were also playing well. Without that element, there is no enjoyment in rooting for a team to limp into the playoffs, and that’s exactly what Dallas would be doing if a miracle happens in these last games. I do think the Cowboys will beat the Commanders and Giants to end the regular season on a win streak, but whether its two games or three with how they’ve played at home is hard to say going into the final home game versus a hot Chargers side.
Jess: Their Buffalo game feels like a loss, but Washington sweeping Philly with a division title on the line just isn’t in the cards. And even if that miracle happens, this Cowboys team may not even win their next game. It feels like segments of the team have checked out this season. I think many of us are ready to do the same.
Tom: TBH, I wish they were eliminated already. I’m tired of finding a way to hope when my more rational side has known for weeks if not months that this Dallas team is just too flawed to be a contender. I’m not going to let myself get sacked back in again.
After the collapse against Minnesota, do you see Matt Eberflus as defensive coordinator next season, or does he get fired?
Mike: I’d lean toward a narrow second chance, with guardrails, and I know the readers will be going mad over that sentiment. The collapse last week was about repeatable fixes with rush-lane integrity, tackling technique, and explosive-play prevention. Midseason changes with Logan Wilson and Quinnen Williams gives Eberflus tools he didn’t have in September. If Eberflus returns, it should be with clear benchmarks and cleaner communication toward his plan. Miss those standards early next year and Brian Schottenheimer should pivot, but meet them and you’ve stabilized a unit that has potential.
The Cowboys have been churning through defensive coordinators the past seven years, and getting another next season would make that six different coordinators in eight years, and that is only going to disrupt cohesion further. I now hide under my desk while the readers take shots.
Sean: The larger sample size points towards Eberflus not returning, in my opinion. This was a near consensus opinion through the fanbase through the early-to-mid portion of the season, and now that feeling has returned after getting shredded by J.J. McCarthy and the Vikings. Without a single win against his former division, I just don’t think there’s enough Eberflus can point to in defending his job status for next season.
Jess: This team needs a defensive coordinator who will adapt to his players, and who has actually shown a consistent acumen for the job in the last five years. Eberflus seems to have been figured out in most league circles. He isn’t adaptable enough, either to the talent at his disposal or to what opponents are showing. Wrong guy for the job, probably for any team at this point.
Tom: While the offense has some issues, the defense has just outright failed on multiple occasions. So many games we had to watch the opponents just march down the field in the fourth to get a win, while the defense radiated confusion. If Schottenheimer gets to make the call he can’t hesitate. Frankly, I don’t think it matters who decides because Jerry has to be disgusted, too.
What’s the biggest improvement you want to see this week against the L.A. Chargers?
Mike: The biggest improvement needs to be in consistency. That means winning early downs, finishing drives in the red zone with touchdowns instead of field goals, and playing defense with disciplined rush lanes so Justin Herbert doesn’t get free extensions that become explosives. If Dallas can keep their penalties down, get the ball out on time, and stop the chunk plays on the back end, the Chargers game is winnable.
Sean: Getting George Pickens involved somehow, and not with an arbitrary bubble screen. For as long as I can remember covering the Cowboys in this capacity, this team can field a number one offense without getting the chemistry at WR correct enough to make it mean anything. There have been few common denominators, but no shortage of talent. The duo of Lamb and Pickens was too good in too many games this season to not continue trying, but they have to show more starting in this Chargers matchup.
Jess: Forget improvements; it’s time to prepare for 2026. Give Klayton Adams a crack at calling plays. Give more reps to the likes of Brevyn Spann-Ford and Ryan Flournoy. Even if you’re not going to fire Eberflus, give Aaron Whitecotton some opportunities to handle more responsibility. And of course, more playing time for Joe Milton.
Tom: Exactly, Jess. It’s hard to throw in the towel this early, but as you also said, that may be happening already. As bad as things are, it would be far worse for one of the stars to be seriously injured in an eventually meaningless game. Time to use every minor ding possible to sit the vets and work the young ‘uns.
Rapid fire section
Who scores first for Dallas?
Sean: Malik Davis
Jess: Brandon Aubrey
Tom: Aubrey
If the Chargers sit in two-high, pound light boxes with Javonte, or stick with Dak and the quick-game?
Sean: Too many empty yards in the passing game right now. Lean on the defense more with the run.
Jess: Pound the rock and let your offensive line do what it’s actually good at.
Tom: Count me in for some ground and pound.
If Derwin James lurks as a robber, attack the perimeter or still hunt seams?
Sean: Winning on the perimeter is a must to winning games.
Jess: One of their best weapons is the RAC ability of all of their WRs. They need to do more with short passes: slants, crossers, etc. Whether it’s Lamb, Pickens, Flournoy, Turpin, give these guys space to work with and get the ball out of Dak’s hands quick.
Tom: Quick passes all day. Don’t have Dak holding the ball at all.
CeeDee Lamb receiving yards, over/under 89.5
Sean: Over
Jess: Over
Tom: Under
Javonte Williams rushing yards, O/U 80.5
Sean: Over
Jess: Over
Tom: Under
Cowboys third-down conversion rate, O/U 44%
Tom: Under
Sean: Over
Justin Herbert passing yards, O/U 280.5
Sean: Under
Jess: Under
Tom: Under
