Are Cowboys Still a Playoff Team Despite Loss to Broncos? Stephen Jones Thinks So

The Dallas Cowboys once again failed to secure their first back-to-back win this season as the Denver Broncos steamrolled them on Sunday.

Are Cowboys Still a Playoff Team Despite Loss to Broncos? Stephen Jones Thinks So

Dallas Cowboys EVP and Director of Player Personnel, Stephen Jones (Image: PFSN)

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The Denver Broncos (6-2), current leaders of the AFC West, routed the Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1) on Week 8’s Sunday night at the Empower Field at Mile High Stadium in Denver. The loss put the Cowboys in tenth place in the conference, behind the Chicago Bears (4-3) and the Carolina Panthers (4-4).

After eight weeks, the season is almost halfway. The Dallas Cowboys are currently second in the NFC East group and separated by three wins from the division leaders, the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys have more chances coming through the wildcards than being the divisional topper. However, as it stands, they are far from the playoffs and look more prone to miss them for back-to-back seasons.

The loss was undoubtedly a blow to their chances, but EVP and Director of Player Personnel and owners’ heir Stephen Jones doesn’t think so. He still believes that his father’s team belongs in the qualifying seven of the 16 teams in the NFC.

Speaking to Kevin Hageland and Cory Macgeors at “105.3 The Fan,” Stephen Jones noted that the team’s record isn’t ideal for a playoff contender. However, he admitted that the team could ideally find themselves in the playoffs if the defense, which is still reeling from the absence of Micah Parsons, gets stronger and pulls more stops.

(On chances of Cowboys making the playoffs) Absolutely. We’re gonna continue to grind it. I think offensively we got the pieces to be an outstanding team and we’ve gotta continue to look at the ways to improve the defense and make some stops.

In the interview, Jones addressed a few handful of topics, including their recent defeat to the Broncos. He maintained that, though the injuries have created some pressure, it is more about a lack of execution that has led to the inconsistency in run defense. Furthermore, Jones also revealed that the Cowboys are looking for personnel adjustments on the defensive line.

The EVP also added that the team is in contact with the rest 31 teams in the league. They are planning to reward the team with some good quality options and push stronger to make the playoffs. The director also mentioned that the Broncos had an advantage from the key penalties, like false starts and offsides. However, he did praise them for their game plan to exploit the Cowboys’ weakness.

Dallas Cowboys face grueling stretch as NFC race tightens

The National Football Conference is getting stronger and tighter, with the Green Bay Packers (5-1-1) leading the way, thanks to a tie over the Dallas Cowboys. The Packers are followed closely by the Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2). The Seattle Seahawks take the final home advantage spot, leading the NFC West with five wins and two losses so far.

Dak Prescott
Dak Prescott (Image via D Magazine)

There are three teams with five wins, and they take the wildcard spots. The Cowboys have a straight stretch of games ahead of them, and the fixtures get harder. The Cowboys face the Arizona Cardinals, who are fresh off a bye week. However, the Cardinals haven’t put up much of a fight this season, and the Cowboys can get away (ideally) with a win despite Kyler Murray‘s expected return to action.

They will have a much-needed week of rest in Week 10 before they head to Las Vegas. The Raiders are a great team to start, coming off a bye week.

After the Raiders game, the Cowboys have seven straight games against teams that made the playoffs last year, starting with division rivals and defending champions, the Philadelphia Eagles. In the seven games, apart from the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders, all of them hold a winning record currently. The uproad is very steep, and without a solid defense, the Cowboys will struggle.

As Stephen Jones rightly noted, there have been very less stops. They are ranked thirty-second in yards allowed per game (401.6), and the run-stopping margin is quite low. In the game against the Denver Broncos, the Cowboys had just one sack. An offense cannot single-handedly ensure a win at all times, even if they have a media pundit-approved MVP.

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