The slight adjustment that took the Dallas Cowboys from 6 points to 34 in last week’s win over Texans

Cowboys tight ends are a problem in the run game

Something else jumped off the film: the Cowboys’ tight ends really struggled as run blockers.

Interestingly, head coach Brian Schottenheimer said on Monday they ask their tight ends to do a lot of difficult stuff when it comes to blocking, giving the group some grace. But even that felt like an acknowledgement that things aren’t going well.

That goes particularly for starting tight end Jake Ferguson, who continues to get the vast majority of the reps. Right now, Ferguson is a liability in the run game, and Dallas should be worried about it.

I do wonder if Brevyn Spann-Ford Spann-Ford deserves a bigger role. He wasn’t perfect by any means. But when Spann-Ford blocks well, he does so with force, and he has mostly thrived in the run game early in his career. I’d like to see a lot more of him.

Tyler Booker was always looking for work

Tyler Booker had a heck of a football game and was the best Cowboys OL on Sunday.

The Texans want to rush with four as much as they can. They don’t want to blitz you. That left the Cowboys with five blockers against four rushers in the trenches, and when Booker didn’t have anyone to block, he was delivering blows and helping out his teammates.

That intensity is contagious. There’s a viral play of Tyler Smith running downfield after a completion to keep blocking for his teammates, and it captures the attitude of this group. As for Booker, he’s only in his second year and already showing why he’s on the leadership council. He played lights out.

Quick thoughts on the Cowboys defense

Joey Porter Jr. had the kind of game we thought he had. A stat emerged that Porter wasn’t targeted all game, according to Summer Sports, and the film backs it up.

He played sticky coverage, particularly against crossing routes, and stayed on top of Texans receivers no matter who lined up across from him. Those are flashes of the boundary eraser Dallas wants him to be.

Schottenheimer said Monday that Porter will likely play a little more on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Porter said Sunday it was a lot to get ready in time, and learning a scheme that quickly was a massive mental effort. A short week after his Cowboys debut isn’t ideal. But Dallas needs him, and it needs him badly.

Lastly, the Cowboys have to manufacture more pressure. Defensive coordinator Christian Parker dialed up a couple of timely blitzes, and Quinnen Williams had his best game of the season, including his first sack. But when Dallas rushes four, it isn’t getting home often enough.

The Cowboys rank 23rd in pressure rate, per Summer Sports. If you ask me, that feels high compared to what we’ve seen, and it may have more to do with quarterbacks holding the ball longer than anything else.

For now, one thing is clear on film: the pass rush has to get better.