What We Know About the Cowboys After Week 2
Where they stand and what that says
Dallas is 1-1 after a lightning-delayed opener in Philly and a 40-37 overtime win over the Giants. Brandon Aubrey tied regulation from 64 and won it from 46, and Dak Prescott went for 361 with two scores while New York piled up yards through the air.
Offense looks modern and organized.
Brian Schottenheimer’s group actually looks different. Dallas used motion at the snap on 42% of plays in Week 1, a big jump from last season that shows up in spacing and easy throws for Dak. The team’s numbers piece calls out that 42% figure. KaVontae Turpin is clearly someone they want involved on offense and in the return game, and the RB split makes sense with Javonte Williams as the tone setter and Miles Sanders as the change-up. The line has mostly held up, with zero sacks allowed in Week 1, though center Cooper Beebe’s ankle is worth monitoring.
CeeDee + Pickens is a real duo.
The passing game now has an obvious 1-2. Bleacher Report ranked the Lamb–Pickens pairing No. 6 among NFL WR duos right after the trade, and I’m predicting they finish top five by year’s end. CeeDee Lamb remains the volume engine, and George Pickens gives Dallas a true outside complement who can win late in the down and in the red zone. Pickens already made his mark with a late touchdown versus New York, and the pairing has been framed internally as two WR1 types rather than an A/B setup. Lamb put it simply: “We’re both WR1”.
Front seven by committee
Life after Micah is about depth. The line is creating pressure with a rotation, the run defense looks sturdier than in recent seasons, and they finished the Giants game with the kind of situational stop that matters most. The overarching defensive personality still leans on momentum changers and takeaways, which showed up in overtime on Donovan Wilson’s interception to set up the winner.
Secondary and situational defense
There were coverage leaks against New York, especially on downfield big plays. Per Next Gen Stats, Russell Wilson went 7 of 11 for 264 yards on deep throws, the most deep passing yards by any QB in a game since at least 2016. That is the tape and the data agreeing on where clean-up is needed. Even so, the red zone defense showed real teeth: the Giants finished just 1-of-5 inside the 20, a massive swing in a three-point game. ESPN’s team stats log the 1-of-5 vs. Dallas, going 3-of-3.
Big picture
The identity is forming. More motion and misdirection on offense, a legit Lamb–Pickens tandem, a kicker who changes endgame math, a front that can still squeeze pockets, and a secondary that has to tighten its deep ball answers. If the pass rush keeps finishing drives and the back end cuts down on big plays while maintaining that red zone standard, this reads like a playoff contender.