No CeeDee Lamb, no Tyler Smith, and no Tyler Guyton. No problem. Despite the Dallas Cowboys being down so many starters on offense, they marched into MetLife Stadium and had an offensive eruption against
the New York Jets. By halftime, the Cowboys had jumped all over New York and walked into the locker room comfortably ahead, and clearly the better team, despite multiple injuries and several starters being inactive on Sunday.
The defense also had a much better showing, buckling down in the red zone and generating some pass rush. The defense also did a great job of keeping Justin Fields in the pocket and not allowing him to get going with his rushing attempts. Dallas took their foot off the gas in the second half, but came out with a convincing win. With the victory, the Cowboys draw even to a record of .500 and can feel good about where they are once they get healthier. Here are the key stars that helped the Cowboys ground the Jets.
Ryan Flournoy
Without CeeDee Lamb and KaVontae Turpin, some expected Jalen Tolbert to see an uptick in opportunities. However, it was Ryan Flournoy who was the beneficiary of extra chances, and he certainly made the most of them. Flournoy was Dak Prescott’s go-to guy in the passing game. Flournoy caught six of his nine targets for 114 yards. He had two plays of over 40 yards.
One was off a catch and run where he was able to shrug off a defender and nearly take it the distance. Then on another play, Flournoy did a great job of angling himself back to the football before again almost getting away from the defense for a score. Once Lamb and Turpin return, along with Jonathan Mingo, the Cowboys are going to have excellent depth at the position, and Flournoy certainly earned some more snaps with his terrific day against the Jets.
Javonte Williams
Don’t look now, but the Cowboys have a running game. While Javonte Williams isn’t a speedy runner, he has proven that he has the power and the elusiveness to find hidden yardage on the field. On the Cowboys’ first touchdown drive, the Cowboys were facing a 3rd-and-1 from the Jets’ 28-yard line. The Jets did a great job getting in the backfield and had Williams in their grasp. Williams was able to spin away and pick up the first down.
On the following play, the Cowboys found the end zone to break the 3-3 tie and never looked back. It also doesn’t hurt when you can break a big run too, as Williams had a 66-yard breakaway run late in the second quarter. With Williams, the offense is explosive, yet balanced, and his presence makes the playaction passing game more effective.
Jake Ferguson
After not finding the end zone all of last season, Jake Ferguson has made a home in the end zone over the last three weeks. He scored twice against the Jets. His first score of the day was set up by a well-executed screen, and Ferguson navigated his blocks perfectly to find his way to a touchdown. In his last three games, Ferguson has 27 receptions and has been targeted 48 times this season. He’s an impact player for the offense in the short and intermediate range of the field. With a patchwork offensive line for the Cowboys, it’s paramount that Prescott has a safety valve underneath, and Ferguson has delivered time and time again this season.
James Houston
James Houston joined the Cowboys relatively late in the offseason. However, since joining the team, he has provided a spark rushing off the edge and has followed a strong preseason with an excellent start to the regular season. He recorded 1.5 sacks versus the Jets, bringing his 2025 total to 3.5 sacks in five games. Houston has the speed to capture the edge and the flexibility to flatten his path to the quarterback once he gets around the offensive tackle.
Shemar James
The defense was flying all over the field, and one player who flashed multiple times was Shemar James. With Jack Sanborn leaving the game early due to a concussion, James was pressed into a more prominent role. The rookie linebacker was terrific. He led the team in tackles with a staggering 15, along with eight solo stops. He can support the run and can play from sideline to sideline. Over the past few weeks, the Cowboys’ defense has been much-maligned, with the linebacker position brought into question. With games like this, James could be an answer to help turn around the defense on a positive trajectory.
