Tag: 2024 Week 12

This Cowboys specialist has punched his ticket to Pro Bowl in Week 12

After another explosive touchdown, Turpin has separated himself from the pack yet again. | From @KDDrummondNFL

It hasn’t been a particularly fun season for the Dallas Cowboys and their players. Starting out 3-2, the club lost several contributors over the first month of the season and that led to a cascading record that turned into 3-7. Along that five-game slide, QB Dak Prescott was lost for the year and the season went down the drain.

From an individual perspective it becomes hard for players to stand out amongst the sullenness of the organization, but Sunday’s electrifying win allowed one player in particular to emerge from the doldrums. Return specialist and (unfortunately only) part-time receiver Kavontae Turpin punched his ticket to the Pro Bowl.

VOTE FOR THE PRO BOWL HERE

In the game’s fourth quarter, Dallas extended their lead to 20-9 when Cooper Rush found Jake Ferguson wide open over the middle for a 22-yard score. Cowboys fans are used to the bottom falling out from under any positive play, and sure enough the Commanders offense woke up and they quickly marched down the field to score their own touchdown.

On the ensuing kickoff with three minutes remaining and a 20-17 advantage, Washington’s Austin Seibert kicked it off to Turpin in the field of play at the five-yard line.

Turpin muffed it; the ball squirted through his hands and legs to the goal line.

But then, magic. Turpin scooped up the ball at the one, turned back upfield and saw magic in the middle. He went into Madden spin mode at the nine-yard line and it was dust.

Turpin has long been the victim of opposing teams not kicking in his direction. After returning this punt for a touchdown opening week, it’s been a ton of frustration as kickers are choosing hang time instead of distance to make sure he doesn’t get a good opportunity to embarrass them.

Turpin’s opportunities are limited. He has only returned 31 on the season and has now scored twice, and is the only NFL returner with both a kick and punt return score this season. Turpin is actually the only player in the NFL with a kick, punt and catch touchdown each at least 60 yards, and has three plays where he’s reached speeds that rank in the top 10 across the league.

Starting to be mentioned with some of the best return men in NFL history through less than three seasons, Turpin is a lock to make this year’s Pro Bowl and it’s only Week 12.

Costly win? Week 12 victory knocks Cowboys outside of NFL draft top 10

The Cowboys’ victory didn’t send them to far down the draft order, but it makes reaching the top far more difficult.

The Dallas Cowboys won, but did they lose in the long run?

That’s how some of their fanbase is feeling following the club’s Week 12 win in Washington. Dallas traveled to the east coast for their annual regular season trek to visit the Commanders in NFC East action. The script was flipped from how things normally go. Dallas has dominated the rivalry in recent years, and they’ve been the better team far more often than not.

Normally when these two teams meet, the Cowboys are jockeying for playoff positioning and Washington fans have circled their calendars as the one game they want to win in a lost season. Dallas ended up 34-26 winners to snaps their five-game losing streak and improve to 5-7. But did they lose by winning?

The victory knocked Dallas outside of the 2025 draft’s top 10 for the time being. Dallas had an outside shot at a top-five selection, but did plenty of damage to those chances with the win.

Of course, fans and the team’s coaches and players differ greatly in their perspective. Coaches and players want to win every time they step on the field. They care nothing about draft positioning and the thought of caring more about the long-term than the immediate.

Players aren’t rooting for a top draft pick. That amateur will be welcomed in the locker room when they arrive but in November, they simply represent taking the job away from a teammate said player is currently in the trenches with.

There’s perhaps some situations where a coaching staff might lean in the other direction, but 2024 in Dallas is certainly not it. Mike McCarthy and staff are almost assured to be sent packing once the final whistle blows; they won’t be anywhere near the Cowboys’ next No. 1 choice.

But for fans? Sure, draft positioning is more important than a single victory in a lost season.

Here’s a look at the current draft order prior to the final two games of the Week 12 schedule: Philadelphia at the LA Rams and Baltimore at the LA Chargers. Only the Rams result will update this current listing.

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9) – SOS: .492
  2. New York Giants (2-9) – SOS .519
  3. Las Vegas Raiders (2-9) – SOS: .538
  4. New England Patriots (3-9) – SOS: .471
  5. Carolina Panthers (3-8) – SOS: .487
  6. Tennessee Titans (3-8) – SOS: .505
  7. NY Jets (3-8) – SOS: .508
  8. Cleveland Browns (3-8) – SOS: .513
  9. New Orleans Saints (4-7) – SOS: .489
  10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-7) – SOS: .489
  11. Dallas Cowboys (4-7) – SOS: .511
  12. Chciago Bears (4-7) – SOS: .558
  13. Indianapolis Colts (5-7) – SOS: .482
  14. Miami Dolphins (5-6) – SOS: .432
  15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6) – SOS .508
  16. San Francisco 49ers (5-6) – SOS: .559
  17. LA Rams (5-5) – SOS: .529
  18. Arizona Cardinals (6-5) – SOS: .538

Jay Z’s and other top photos from Cowboys-Commanders

Beyonce didn’t come with him, but Jay Z’s appearance pregame set the stage for a wild day outside of DC.

The Dallas Cowboys were able to resuscitate 2024 good vibes on Sunday. No, their 34-26 victory didn’t do much to change the disappointment that comes with sitting well under .500 down the stretch of the season. No, they didn’t help themselves in their quest for a top draft pick in a class that doesn’t seem to have too many noteworthy blue-chip prospects.

However taking out their longest-standing rivals and sending their fanbase into a bit of crisis mode did add some warm and fuzzy feelings to Cowboys Nation. And the way they earned the win, with a wild-and-crazy fourth quarter that included them scoring twice on kickoff returns, made it more than memorable. Here’s a great collection of the action, from pre-game to post, with captures from USA Today and Getty Images.

Twitter, social media reacts to Cowboys-Commanders pulling off this crazy NFL first

A wild and crazy Week 12 tilt led to great reactions on social media.

The Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders pulled off an NFL first on Sunday. In their Week 12 matchup, the special teams ineptitude between the two rival franchises was so thick, they managed a level never before seen, so it’s only right that it turned into two different special teams touchdowns in an epic fourth quarter.

Dallas entered the final stanza holding a slim 10-9 lead before the two sides combined for 41 points, including kickoff returns of 99 and 43 yards to keep the Commanders at bay. It’s the first game in NFL history where teams had two missed extra points, a blocked punt and two kickoff returns. That doesn’t even take into account a blocked and two other missed field goal attempts.

Somehow, Dallas escaped Washington with their fourth win of the season, 34-26, to snap their five-game losing streak. As expected, fans were besides themselves in trying to wrap their minds around what they saw on their screens. Here’s a few safe-for-work social media reactions from Twitter and BlueSky.

Me to my Day 1s:

youtube.com/watch?v=bqce…

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— KD Drummond (@kddrummondnfl.bsky.social) November 24, 2024 at 5:19 PM

Death and the Child, by Edvard Munch, 1899, 📸 via @SportsCenter

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— ArtButMakeItSports (@artbutmakeitsports.bsky.social) November 24, 2024 at 4:40 PM

WE GET A SOUNDS OF THE SIDELINES THIS WEEK!!!

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— Dana B (@day-nuh-bee.bsky.social) November 24, 2024 at 4:30 PM

“Hey, you wanna come on my podcast this week?” – Micah, probably

— sarcasmpowered.bsky.social (@sarcasmpowered.bsky.social) November 24, 2024 at 4:28 PM

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— Patrik [No C] Walker (@voiceofthestar.bsky.social) November 24, 2024 at 4:27 PM

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— Mark Gajda (@markguydah.bsky.social) November 24, 2024 at 4:36 PM

I don’t want to be a prisoner of the moment, but I can’t remember EVER watching a game like that in my life.

Not ever. #Cowboys #Commanders

— Patrik [No C] Walker (@voiceofthestar.bsky.social) November 24, 2024 at 4:43 PM

This was quite the note from the FOX broadcast about the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders game on Sunday

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— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa.bsky.social) November 24, 2024 at 5:23 PM

came to steal the dub 📜

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— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys.bsky.social) November 24, 2024 at 5:23 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chaos: Cowboys, Commanders comedy turns into 40-point 4th quarter, Dallas victory

There have been some insane finishes in the Cowboys-Washington rivalry over the decades, but this one might take the cake. After a sloppy, special-teams-gaffe filled first half, Dallas and the Commanders found themselves tied at halftime 3-3. When …

There have been some insane finishes in the Cowboys-Washington rivalry over the decades, but this one might take the cake. After a sloppy, special-teams-gaffe filled first half, Dallas and the Commanders found themselves tied at halftime 3-3. When QB Cooper Rush found Jalen Tolbert in the end zone, the Cowboys scored their first third-quarter touchdown of the season to take a 10-9 lead into the fourth.

And then the fourth quarter happened and it was pure chaos. The two teams combined for 41 points, including touchdowns that went for 99, 86 and 43 yards. Dallas returned two kickoffs for scores and Washington tried their best to pull off another Hail Mary but Jayden Daniels’ pass was tipped into the waiting arms of Israel Mukuamu to seal the 34-26 victory.

The Cowboys improved to 4-7 on the season, breaking their five-game losing streak and handing Washington their third consecutive loss to drop to 7-5.

The game was full of special teams miscues, with Brandon Aubrey having his first field goal blocked, missing his second. Bryan Anger had a punt blocked as well, but the Commanders Austin Seibert wouldn’t let them suffer alone. He missed his own field goal as well as two extra points that set the Commanders back at every opportunity.

Even the things that went right involved mistakes, including Kavontae Turpin muffing a kickoff before racing 99 yards for a score.

Cooper Rush, starting his third straight game after Dallas lost Dak Prescott to a hamstring injury, finished 24 for 32 for 247 yards and two scores, sporting a 117.6 passer rating. He also found TE Luke Schoonmaker for a score in addition to Tolbert. Dallas’ offense was able to run the ball as well, with Rico Dowdle averaging 4.5 yards a carry on his way to an 86-yard day.

The Cowboys defense intercepted Daniels twice as he continues to struggle after a blazing start to his season and his career.

Dallas will now have a short week to prepare for their next division game, their second of the season against the New York Giants (2-9) who released their starting quarterback Daniel Jones earlier in the week. New York fell 30-7 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after falling behind by 30 through three quarters.

 

Is CeeDee Lamb playing today? Injury news update for Cowboys wide receiver

Here’s the latest status for the Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb for Week 12 against the Washington Commanders.

The Dallas Cowboys will be going at things on Sunday with the dwindling hope of being competitive. No longer is the primary goal to win a football game, but merely not embarrassing themselves is the new bar.

Lowered expectations happen when a team is 3-7. With no Dak Prescott under center, the offense has been unable to maintain any semblance of a rhythm, forcing the defense to return to the field quickly, even on the rare occasions when they are able to corral an opponent. Against Washington in Week 12, that means limiting Jayden Daniels as a dual-threat quarterback, something they don’t handle well.

In order to compete, Cooper Rush will need weapons at his disposal. Fortunately, a mid-week “Did Not Participate” for back and shoulder injuries will not prevent CeeDee Lamb from playing on Sunday.

The star wide receiver will play against the Commanders on Sunday. The fifth-year wideout has 67 catches for 774 receiving yards and has scored four touchdowns on the season.

With Rush at quarterback things started off slow, but Lamb was targeted on 12 of Rush’s 55 throws in Week 11, catching eight for 93 yards.

With both Brandin Cooks and Jake Ferguson missing for Week 12, having Lamb will allow Dallas to still appear to be a professional offense. At times.

Is Jake Ferguson playing today? Injury news update for Cowboys tight end

Here’s the latest status for the Cowboys’ Jake Ferguson for Week 12 against the Washington Commanders.

The Dallas Cowboys are running out of targets. The club, already down their franchise quarterback Dak Prescott for the remainder of the year, has struggled to get their downfield targets involved. CeeDee Lamb was just coming out of his early season funk when Prescott was lost in Week 9. He wasn’t getting much help.

Brandin Cooks had just nine catches through four games when he was placed on IR with a knee injury. The scheme has been unable to make Kavontae Turpin a serious inclusion in the offense more often than not. The development of third-year wideout Jalen Tolbert, second-year man Jalen Brooks or rookie Ryan Flournoy has been slow. The one guy who was established, TE Jake Ferguson, seems to have regressed from his Pro Bowl 2023.

And this week against the Washington Commanders, they won’t even have him as a concussion suffered Monday night against Houston will sideline him for Week 12.

The third-year man out of Wisconsin caught 71 targets for 761 yards and scored five touchdowns in 2023. He’s failed to reach the end zone so far in 2024, disappointing fantasy owners left and right.

In his wake, Dallas will tun to second-year, second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker, along with 2024 UDFA Brevyn Spann-Ford. Schoonmaker had his finest game as a pro Monday after Ferguson was lost; he’d been relegated to afterthought with Spann-Ford usurping his snaps.

Schoonmaker saw a career high 10 targets and set a career high with 56 receiving yards in Week 11. Spann-Ford did the same with four catches for 42 yards.

Is Brandin Cooks playing today? Injury news update for Cowboys wide receiver

Here’s the latest status for the Cowboys’ Brandin Cooks for Week 12 against the Washington Commanders.

The Dallas Cowboys will once again try to put a halt to their losing streak, which has now reached five games. This time, they’ll go against division rival Washington as the Commanders have bubbled up under new head coach Dan Quinn to a 7-4 record. With no Dak Prescott to steward the ship, the team turns to Cooper Rush for the third straight game, amidst hopes the coaching staff can unlock the offense; something they’ve failed to do so far this season.

WR CeeDee Lamb has been trying to hold things together on offense, without much help. Brandin Cooks struggled to begin the season and when he went for a knee inspection following the team’s Week 4 win in New York, it appeared an explanation was available. Only Cooks suffered an infection in that doctor’s visit and ended up on IR.

This week the club opened his 21-day practice window in hopes of activating him for Week 12. Despite being given the designation of questionable, that will not happen just yet. Cooks was not activated from IR on Saturday when the team did so with OL Chuma Edoga and DE Marshawn Kneeland.

Cooks is a pending free agent following the season. He had a mediocre first season with Dallas in 2023, catching 54 passes for 657 yards, but scoring eight touchdowns. This season has been a total failure for the 11-year veteran.

Through four games he had just nine receptions for 91 yards and one score. Cooks has six career 1,000-yard receiving seasons across his career.

This Cowboys starter playing for job in Week 12 with backup breathing down his neck

Cooper Rush is on a week-to-week basis at QB because fan interest in the Cowboys dwindles by the day. | From @ReidDHanson

Dak Prescott is out for the season and Cooper Rush is the Cowboys starting quarterback. It was true the moment Prescott went down with a hamstring tear three weeks ago and it remains true after owner Jerry Jones affirmed as much earlier in the week when he said Rush gives Dallas “the best to win.”

But what was true yesterday and is true today isn’t necessarily true for tomorrow. No assurances were given by Jones that Rush would remain the starting QB beyond Week 12, and if the veteran backup puts up another uninspiring performance against the Commanders, a QB change could be in the cards for the Cowboys.

After passing for just 45 yards in Week 10, Rush bounced back with a 354-yard performance against the Texans a week later. Based on pure yardage his second game looked strong but in an effort that only produced 10 points, it was far from satisfactory. Rush averaged -0.25 EPA/play against Houston posting an embarrassing -12.1 completion percentage over expected (CPOE).

Trey Lance, the QB behind Rush, brings with him extremely modest expectations of his own. At no point in his Cowboys tenure has he looked like a capable NFL QB, and unless the offense fundamentally changes its scheme with him under center, he’s unlikely to be any better than the veteran ahead of him.

What’s working in Lance’s favor is the same thing working against Rush: Mystery. Cowboys’ fans know exactly what they have in Rush. The 31-year-old has played in 32 games with Dallas. He’s a bus driver type who can hit some big passes on occasion but generally needs a strong supporting cast around him to succeed. He had that in 2022 when he went 4-1 as a starter. He doesn’t have that in 2024 as he currently stands winless.

Lance, on the other hand, is more of a wild card. With so little film on record, Lance could perform a variety of different ways if given a chance to start. He may not be the pocket passer Rush is, but his athletic ability adds intrigue to a completely unintriguing offense.

As much as Jones talks about Rush giving the Cowboys “the best chance to win,” Jones’ actions as of late suggest winning isn’t always his highest priority. Fair or not as an accusation, the Cowboys willingly downgraded their roster over the past offseason. NFC East rivals like Philadelphia and Washington took big steps to improve while Dallas took big steps to cut costs. Throughout the last 12 months Jones has repeatedly spoke of the marketability of the franchise and how much he values being in the news.

Creating and maintaining fan interest has been Jones’ biggest challenge in 2024 and it’s a battle he’s currently losing less than a week away from the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving showcase on national television. If Rush can’t get things done at the QB position on Sunday, Lance may very well get the start on Thursday.

Boring is bad word to Jones and the Cowboys offense has been certifiably boring under Rush. Lance may be a disaster but at least he’s not boring.

The Cowboys have become Jerry Jones’ nightmare – boring – putting Cooper Rush on notice and Trey Lance on standby.

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Cowboys facing potential dubious playoff distinction in Week 12

A look at the playoff elimination scenarios facing the Cowboys in Week 12.

The goal of almost every NFL team is to win the Super Bowl each year. Sure, there are a handful of teams that enter a season on a rebuild trajectory, but by and large every team wants to end of representing their conference in The Big Game. For years, the easiest path to the Super Bowl is to host the NFC Championship Game, and the easiest way to do that is to finish the regular season with your respective conference’s best record.

Things have gone woefully awry for the 2024 Dallas Cowboys as they sit with a 3-7 record through 11 weeks. And with the Washington Commanders sitting at 7-4 entering their Week 12 battle, Dallas is in danger of being eliminated from that top regular season objective. Everyone knows they aren’t going anywhere this year, but an officially elimination scenario is now on the table.

There are five scenarios where the Cowboys can be eliminated from contention for the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

  1. Dallas loses to Washington
  2. Dallas and Washington tie, while the Detroit Lions win
  3. Dallas and Washington tie, Detroit and Indianapolis tie, Minnesota wins
  4. DAL/WAS tie, Minnesota wins, Green Bay wins
  5. DAL/WAS tie, Minnesota wins, Green Bay ties

Any of the above five scenarios means that Dallas starts losing paths to the playoffs as early as Week 12.

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