Dallas, TX
The best Cowboys players from Week 18, according to PFF
The Cowboys accomplished their mission – beating the Commanders – and were rewarded with an NFC East title. They won big too, with a 38-10 score to give Dallas the second-best point differential in the NFL for the season.
They did that with a few standout performances from their standout players. Here are the highest graded players from the game, according to Pro Football Focus.
Offense puts up a strong performance on the road
The Cowboys’ struggles on the road have been well-documented this year, and much of that has revolved around the offense. That wasn’t the case at all against the Commanders, though, as Dallas put up 440 total yards of offense and averaged 6.4 yards per play.
WR CeeDee Lamb – 86.0
CeeDee Lamb had a great finish to the best year of his career. He caught all 13 of his targets for 98 yards and two touchdowns, doing just about whatever he wanted against the Commanders secondary. Seven of his receptions went for a first down, and 41 of his yards came after the catch.
RB Tony Pollard – 80.7
Tony Pollard hit the 1,000 yard mark in this game, which is good enough on its own, but Pollard had one of his best games of the year too. He totaled 70 rushing yards on 17 carries with a touchdown, providing several very good runs. It’s just the latest in a string of games where Pollard has looked like his former self.
Since Week 9, Tony Pollard ranked 3rd in PFF rushing grade, 5th in yards after contact and 3rd in missed tackles forced.
TP playing his best ball when it matters most. #Cowboys
— John Owning (@JohnOwning) January 8, 2024
TE Jake Ferguson – 80.6
CeeDee Lamb wasn’t the only Cowboy with a perfect catch percentage in this game. Jake Ferguson was targeted six times and caught all six of them for 69 yards. His 44 yards after the catch was crucial in moving the chains, which he did on all but one of his receptions.
QB Dak Prescott – 80.4
It’s crazy to think that Dak Prescott only comes in fourth on offense in player grade, but it also speaks volumes about the performance of the three guys ahead of him. Prescott completed a ridiculous 86.5% of his passes for 282 yards with four touchdowns. While he did throw an interception, Prescott finished the day with zero turnover worthy plays, a reflection of how the tipped pass turned pick wasn’t his fault.
Defense recovers from sluggish start to dominate
Things started out poorly for the Dallas defense, as they got beat repeatedly on the Commanders’ opening drive before making a stop on fourth down. Then, they gave up a touchdown on a short field. But from that point on, this defense put a foot in the ground and dominated, with 10 different players recording a player grade above 75.0 for the game.
CB DaRon Bland – 91.1
What a way for DaRon Bland to cap his 2023 regular season. As has been the case lately, Bland wasn’t thrown at much, with just three targets all night. That was all it took, though, and Bland came up with an interception on a deep shot late in the game. It marked his league-leading ninth interception of the year, a great end to a great season.
S Donovan Wilson – 89.9
Donovan Wilson has been on a heater lately, with his three best player grades of the season coming in the last five weeks. He was great against Washington, tallying five tackles and a pass breakup in addition to a pretty impressive interception.
EDGE DeMarcus Lawrence – 85.3
DeMarcus Lawrence turned in a classic performance on Sunday, not dominating in any one area but playing stout defense in every facet. He had a pressure, a hit, a batted pass, and two run stops on the day, once again showcasing his all-around talent.
CB Jourdan Lewis – 83.1
Much like Donovan Wilson, Jourdan Lewis is hitting his stride at the perfect time. After being picked on for most of the year, Lewis has clamped down in coverage while his physicality in the run game has returned. His signature play on Sunday saw Lewis rip the ball out of the running back’s hands and then recover it right away for an impact takeaway.
EDGE Micah Parsons – 83.0
Crazy but true: Micah Parsons had the lowest pass rush grade on the team in this game. His 55.2 score was also the lowest pass rush grade Parsons has had all year long. He registered exactly one pressure on the day, but it did result in a sack. Where Parsons made his impact, though, was in the run game: he had one run stop and graded out as the third best run defender in the game. That’s a positive step for Parsons after some struggles in run support earlier in the year.
Dallas, TX
Death penalty off the table for man accused of beheading Dallas motel manager, prosecutors say
In need of help on the edge, the Dallas Cowboys tried to make a huge move this offseason. They made multiple attempts to trade for Las Vegas Raiders superstar Maxx Crosby, but were never able to get a deal done.
Once that one was off the table, they decided to send a fourth round pick to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for veteran Rashan Gary. The move was criticized, which is rather confusing when you think about it. Dallas gave up a mid-round pick, and reworked his contract to where it hardly makes any impact on a salary cap. They also filled a position of a great need with a player who might not threaten to lead the league in sacks, but is well-rounded and can help against the run just as much as he does when rushing the passer.
Gary is entering his eighth season in the league and has 271 tackles and 46.5 sacks. He’s coming off another solid campaign, which is why he’s No. 9 on our list of top 10 players on the Cowboys’ roster.
Rashan Gary 2025 review
Gary’s numbers in 2025 were respectable, but could be misleading. He was on pace to record 18 sacks, as he had 7.5 through the first seven games of the year. He then disappeared for the final nine games, recording no sacks while struggling to generate pressure.
That led to his season as a whole being considered rather disappointing, which is why the Packers were willing to move on. It’s also why Dallas was able to convince him to take a pay cut after he joined their team. What was most frustrating for Green Bay was the fact that they needed him to step up when Micah Parsons suffered a torn ACL late in the year and Gary was unable to do so.
Rashan Gary 2026 prediction
One thing critics of the move are failing to see is the fact that Dallas doesn’t need Gary to record double-digit sacks. They need him to be the veteran voice for a group of young pass rushers who are trying to find their footing in the league.
Second year player, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and rookie Malachi Lawrence both have the talent to be game-changers off of the edge. What they don’t have, is the experience. That’s where Gary comes in.
As those two continue to develop, Gary will be the stabilizing veteran force who can make plays on early downs, while also being disruptive as a pass rusher. We can’t ignore the struggles that he had in 2025, but perhaps the change of scenery will give him some motivation to turn back the clock. And Dallas didn’t have to give up much to give him that opportunity.
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DALLAS – Former Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa announced that he is running for Mayor of Dallas on Monday.
Hinojosa says the city needs experienced leadership to address the budget challenges and pro sports teams leaving Downtown Dallas.
Addressing Dallas’ budget and pro sports team
Local perspective:
Michael Hinojosa served two stints as superintendent of Dallas ISD, totaling 13 years. He told FOX 4 that he officially filed paperwork to enter the race and plans to formally launch his campaign at a Tuesday morning news conference at Dallas City Hall.
Hinojosa points to financial track record at Dallas ISD
What they’re saying:
Hinojosa cited his tenure leading Dallas ISD as evidence of his financial management experience, saying the district’s reserves grew from about $32 million when he took over in 2005 to nearly $1 billion in obligated and unobligated fund balances by the time he left.
“I think that it’s really important for this community to know that we’re at an inflection point and that the city and the community need a strong, proven leader,” Hinojosa said.
He pointed to the city’s budget shortfall, employee furloughs and concerns over major sports franchises potentially leaving downtown as examples of challenges facing Dallas.
He said solving the city’s challenges would require coalition-building and pledged to focus on issues important to residents, taxpayers and businesses.
“I believe that a vision is a dream with a deadline,” Hinojosa said, adding that if elected he would aim to address the city’s biggest challenges within two terms.
Campaign announcement at Dallas City Hall
What’s next:
Hinojosa said he will outline his priorities during a 10 a.m. campaign announcement on Tuesday, July 14, at Dallas City Hall.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by an interview conducted by FOX 4’s Shaun Rabb.
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