Tag: 2023 Week 15

Cowboys 55-man roster for Week 15: Elevations reveal needs in run game, defense

The Cowboys have added both a running back and a DT in preparation for the rain-soaked field in Buffalo. Here’s a look at the full roster.

The Cowboys are looking within their own ranks to fill the hole left by last week’s injury to Johnathan Hankins.

The team has elevated Carl Davis to the game-day roster for Sunday’s showdown with the Buffalo Bills. The 31-year old veteran defensive tackle was signed to the practice squad in mid-November.

The 335-pounder, a former third-round draft pick, has been with seven teams over five years; he is now poised to make his Cowboys debut in Orchard Park.

Running back Malik Davis has also been called up from the Dallas practice squad, given Rico Dowdle’s seemingly ongoing ankle issue. The 2022 undrafted free agent out of Florida saw action in 12 games last season; he’s played just 15 special teams this season, all in Week 6’s win over the Chargers.

Davis will help provide depth behind starter Tony Pollard on a day when game-time conditions in Buffalo are expected to be wet.

Quarterbacks (3)
Running Backs (4)
Wideouts (6)
Tight Ends (4)
Offensive Tackles (3)
Offensive Guards (4)
Centers (2)

Defensive Ends (4)
Defensive Tackles (5)
Linebacker (4)
Cornerbacks (6)
Safeties (6)

Special Teams (3)

 

 

Scouting the Bills: A Cowboys peek at personnel, tendencies and strengths

What offensive personnel Buffalo prefers, what their tendencies and effectiveness is in each group and what it means for the Cowboys. From @ReidDHanson

In Week 15 the Cowboys will test their hot streak against one of the best teams in the AFC. For only the second time in the Dak Prescott era, the Cowboys face the Bills. This game will mark the first time Prescott has played in Buffalo and offer Dallas a chance to stay in the hunt for homefield advantage in the playoffs.

While the Cowboys are well versed with many of their top NFC opponents like Philadelphia and San Francisco, AFC teams like the Bills are somewhat foreign. They boast the second-best offensive success rate in the NFL with the fourth-best EPA/play. They have one of the league’s premier WRs in Stephon Diggs and they have a perennial MVP candidate at QB with Josh Allen.

But how do the Bills win? What personnel do they like to use and what are their tendencies in those given personnel groups?

We dive into all of that today, scouting the Bills for the Cowboys’ Week 15 showdown.

 

Week 15 Final Injury Report: Cowboys rule out Hankins, Bills Hyde while illness threatens others

A look at the final roll call of the walking wounded ahead of Sunday’s tilt between two of the best from their respective conferences. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys knew they were going to be without their key run stopper when they travel in Week 15. Friday’s game designations just made it official. The Cowboys will be without defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, who suffered a high ankle sprain in Sunday’s win over the Philadelphia Eagles. That leaves them a bit shorthanded in trying to stop the Bills ground attack, from an offense that appears to be really healthy.

Despite having three key members on this week’s injury report, none of them received a game designation and that includes quarterback Josh Allen who is nursing a right shoulder injury. Meanwhile the Bills will be without two of their own key defenders while also having a third questionable. Dallas has two members of their starting secondary questionable as both Stephon Gilmore (illness) and safety Malik Hooker (ankle) received the designation.

Gilmore is one of four Cowboys dealing with a sickness that started going through the team last week and led to Micah Parsons receiving a late-week designation before koickoff against Philly. He played through that and carries no designation itno this game. For a full accounting of all of the players listed with nicks, bruises, coughs or sniffles throughout the week, check out the countdown below.

Relax, snowflake: Cowboys dodging major bullet vs Bills in Week 15

It’s safe to say the Cowboys caught a break in weather conditions for their Week 15 matchup with the Bills in Buffalo, even if things won’t be ideal. | From @ReidDHanson.

When the Cowboys first learned they were slated to play the Bills in Buffalo this season, it was immediately clear the final details of the match-up would matter significantly. Playing in one of the northernmost outdoor stadiums in the league, a Buffalo game in September would look wildly different than a Buffalo game in December.

Buffalo just happens to be the snowiest city in the NFL and a late season meet-up with America’s Team might be too good for NFL schedule makers to pass up. So it was really no surprise when the 2023 schedule was released the Cowboys had a date with destiny, taking on one of the AFC’s most elite teams, in their snowiest month of the year.

For the first time in eight years the Cowboys will travel to Buffalo to take on the Bills. And wouldn’t you know it, eight years ago the Cowboys played the Bills in December as well. The temperatures that day were just above freezing, with rain in the morning but mostly clear skies throughout the contest. Schedule makers didn’t get their dream of seeing the Cowboys in the snow that day and according to forecasts, they won’t get that wish in 2023 either.

While the likelihood of precipitation is now high, the temperatures all but guarantee there will be no meeting with Jack Frost in Week 15. Weather can be a nasty equalizer in football and when you’re the better team, the weather is something you want to avoid. Teams like Dallas who thrive on fast surfaces and neutral weather conditions usually don’t respond well to sub-zero weather and everything that comes with it (i.e. sleet, snow, frozen ground). It appears the Cowboys dodged a major bullet this go-around.

With now a high chance of rain throughout the day, with forecasts calling for 90% in the area and around a quarter of an inch total, Dak Prescott and his guys will still have to contend with poor weather.  Temperatures in the mid-40s mean the field will remain unfrozen. More importantly, it keeps both sleet and snow off the table. It’s a big win for a Buffalo game scheduled in the middle of December, even if the ball will be slicker than normal.

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Road Worriers? Cowboys have yet another nasty narrative to change

With three upcoming road games remaining the Cowboys have a chance to charge their narrative on the road and help their cause in the process, says @ReidDHanson

We’ve been hearing it all season. “The Cowboys can’t beat a team with a winning record.” Dallas responded by beating the Seahawks. “The Cowboys can’t beat an actual contender.” Dallas answered with a decisive victory over the Eagles. “The Cowboys don’t play well on the road.” Dallas gets their chance to respond here in Week 15.

At 10-3, the Cowboys are tied for the best record in the NFL. But their .500 battling average on the road looms large and threatens to undermine an otherwise extremely successful season. Philadelphia still controls their own destiny and if they win out, they will claim the division crown and bump the Cowboys back down to the fifth seed. Such a playoff seeding would set Dallas up for a life on the road in the postseason, and possibly another disappointing finish.

Current odds give the Cowboys a 55 percent chance of getting the fifth seed, and only a 42 percent chance of a top-two seed. That means the odds are likely Dallas goes on the road for most, if not all, of the postseason.

Cowboys vs Bills: 6 things to know about Week 15 opponent

Josh Allen and an opportunistic defense are among the things to know about the Week 15 opponent for the Dallas Cowboys, the Buffalo Bills. | From @BenGrimaldi

All the fun from last week is over. Now the Dallas Cowboys need to prepare for the next test in Week 15. This week’s challenge comes from traveling way up north to play the Buffalo Bills, who are already in playoff mode.

Last time out was a big win for the Cowboys, but they’ll now be on the road for the first time in a month and playing in the windy conditions of Highmark Stadium.

For now, the forecast doesn’t call for extreme cold or precipitation, but that can change in a flash in Buffalo. The Bills are used to the weather and are coming into the game on a high after taking out one of their rivals on the road themselves. Taking down Seattle and Philadelphia to continue a five-game win streak was a good start to a tough stretch of games for Dallas, but it doesn’t get much easier from here on out. Here are six things to know about the Week 15 opponents for the Cowboys.

Three-peat? Turnover crown again within striking distance for Cowboys defense

The Cowboys defense is playing their best ball of the season and have moved within striking distance of the 2023 turnover crown. | From @ReiDHanson

When the Cowboys concluded the 2022 season with 33 forced turnovers on their ledger, they did something no NFL team had done since the Steelers in the early 70s. They led the NFL in the category in back-to-back seasons. Turnovers are generally regarded as an unstable stat which rely on too many outside variables to offer any consistency long-term. Yet low and behold, the Cowboys accomplished such feat, winning the race with a +3 margin over their closest challengers.

Entering Week 15 of the 2023 season, Dallas is pacing just 27 turnovers on the year, far behind their previous respective totals of 34 and 33. Six teams lead them in turnovers this season and with only four weeks to make up ground, they’ll be hard-pressed to reclaim their title a third season in a row.

Much like Brandon Aubrey’s field goal streak, all good things must come to an end. Also, like Brandon Aubrey’s field goal streak, that time has not yet come for the Cowboys.

After stealing three turnovers against Philadelphia on Sunday, Dallas’ defense is starting to heat up. And as a result, the league turnover crown has come back into striking distance for Quinn’s ball savvy crew.

Only three turnovers separate the Cowboys (21) from the top spot in the turnover ranks. Both Denver and Jacksonville stand at 24 today; on pace for 31 on the year. Assuming 32 turnovers will win the crown, the Cowboys need to average 2.75 turnovers the rest of the way. It’s a lofty goal but not an impossible goal.

The Dallas defense has logged three or more turnovers four times this season. And based on their upcoming opponents, they may get the chance to double that down the stretch.

The Commanders (fifth) and Bills (eighth) are both in the NFL’s top-10 in giveaways. Currently tied for 11th, the Lions and Dolphins aren’t far behind.

While Dallas’ most recent takeaways came from stripped ball carriers, the majority of turnovers are a byproduct of the pass defense. Between fumbles created from the pass rush and interceptions created from the secondary, pass defense is the most likely avenue for turnover success. It just so happens three of their remaining four opponents are top-10 in early-down pass frequency, indicating turnovers could be there for the taking.

Is reclaiming the turnover crown likely?

No, but it wasn’t likely last season either and still Quinn and company found a way to make it happen. With turnover-prone pass-heavy opponents on the remaining schedule and a defense playing arguably their best ball of the season, the Cowboys have a real shot at getting that crown a third time.

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These 2 Cowboys have enormous opportunity thanks to injury

The Cowboys have lost Johnathan Hankins for the foreseeable future opening up a big opportunity for a couple very different Dallas players. | From @ReidDHanson

The Cowboys enjoyed a complete victory in their second matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles this past Sunday. The offense, defense and special teams all combined to issue a decisive win that felt over by halftime. Their 33-13 win not moved Dallas up the charts in playoff seeding, but it showed they are one of the most complete and well-rounded rosters in the entire NFL.

While the Cowboys high-stepped out of Week 14 with a win, they didn’t make it out unscathed. Lost in the celebration of victory, was the loss of a key member of their defense. On their first defensive series of the third quarter, interior lineman Johnathan Hankins fell to what we later learned to be a high ankle sprain.

Hankins will be evaluated in coming days, but he’s generally expected to be out of commission at least 1-2 weeks. Even minor high ankle sprains take time and the science behind an individual’s recovery is anything but exact. Whether he’s out one week or four weeks, the Cowboys have a hole to fill. And based on the size of Hankins, that hole is enormous.

Hankins is a unique piece in Dan Quinn’s defensive puzzle. The 6-foot-2, 330-pound tackle is stouter than a pint of Guinness. As the primary 1-tech, he’s the immovable object in the middle, two-gapping and occupying so his leaner and more explosive teammates can fill the stat sheet. His loss is significant because a clear back-up option behind him doesn’t exist.

“The options would come from within the team,” Quinn said of Hankins’ spot. “For us, it’s probably too early to know where that sits, for this weekend’s game anyway.”

The Cowboys don’t want to look outside the organization to fill the hole at 1-tech. Quinn himself has pointed to his own roster as the solution until Hankins can return.

DTs Osa Odighizuwa, Chauncey Golston and Willington Previlon all play interior defensive line but they’re also sub-300-pounds and are ill-suited to play 1-tech. Neville Gallimore is a DT over 300-pounds, but he’s not as stout against the run as his size indicates and is actually used on more passing downs than he is running downs.

Mazi Smith, Dallas’ top pick in the 2023 draft, is the most obvious answer.

At 6-foot-3, 337-pounds, Smith fits the mold that was once affectionately called “a trashcan full of dirt.” But Smith is a project player. He has decent snaps this season but also has some truly terrible snaps. The DT position is a position even top-10 draft picks have a tough time acclimating to in the NFL. He’s definitely in the mix but to expect him to pick up where Hankins left off is unfair and probably dangerous.

Looking at the roster, newly-signed Carl Davis might be the best man for the job.

Davis, a journeyman DT signed to the practice squad in November, is 6-foot-5, 320-pounds. He’s a career 1-tech with skins on the wall. He’s not flashy in any regard, but last seen, he’s effective. The Cowboys should be able to build a rotation of Davis and Smith and be able to tread water in their defensive interior.

For Smith, it’s a great opportunity for growth. If Davis gets elevated, it’s a great opportunity to show he belongs on the active roster this winter. For everyone else, it’s a test in mettle since Hankins isn’t there to do the dirty work and free them to make plays.

Hankins’ absence is a blow to the defense but at the same time an opportunity for others.

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Cowboys 53-man roster, elevation-eligible players vs Bills in Week 15

A look at the Cowboys’ roster for Week 15, who is on the practice squad and how many call-ups remain, plus an update for guys on IR. | From @KDDrummondNFL

On to Buffalo. Cowboys Nation has been floating on Cloud 9 since Sunday night, but the job is not done. Week 14’s victory over the Philadelphia Eagles placed Dallas in a tie atop the NFC East, with a temporary tiebreaker advantage that still needs help to hold on. Dallas can lose another game and win the division, but even if they win out they need another Eagles’ loss to accomplish that feat.

Meanwhile, the hunt for the No. 1 NFC seed likely requires perfection plus help to catch the San Francisco 49ers. That means Sunday’s game in Buffalo is another in a series of most-likely-must wins. The Cowboys escaped the Week 14 win with just one major injury, but it could shuffle how they approach their game-day elecations.

Here’s a look at who is currently on the 53-man, the practice squad and injured reserve and their statuses for the upcoming game.

 

NFL Week 15 Playoff Picture: Cowboys take lead of NFC East, but not control

With one of the two Monday night games having NFC playoff implications, the Week 15 setup is now finally locked in. The Dallas Cowboys’ fifth straight victory shook things up quite a bit, giving them a temporary lead in the NFC East. Meanwhile …

With one of the two Monday night games having NFC playoff implications, the Week 15 setup is now finally locked in. The Dallas Cowboys’ fifth straight victory shook things up quite a bit, giving them a temporary lead in the NFC East. Meanwhile Philadelphia’s loss handed the inside track to the No. 1 seed to San Francisco.

At the bottom of the playoff picture, things shuffled a little as well. The NFC South has a new leader despite all four teams sporting records below .500. The wild-card teams shuffled as well, setting up an interesting four-game race to the finish line. Here’s a look at the NFC playoff picture as it currently stands.