3 Dallas Cowboys With Most to Prove Entering Week 9 vs. Colts

There’s a lot on the line for the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9, but these three are feeling the most pressure.

Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams carries the ball against the Arizona Cardinals. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Fresh off their latest worst loss of the season, the Dallas Cowboys will be on the road in Week 9 to face the Indianapolis Colts.

Indianapolis is entering the week with a record of 2-6 and they’ve been sellers as the NFL trade deadline approaches. They’ve traded away guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner as they have their sights set on the 2027 season. That doesn’t mean the players on the field aren’t going out there trying to win.

That’s why the Cowboys, who are just 3-5 and boast one of the worst defenses in the league, can’t treat this game like an easy win. They need to understand the urgency they’re facing and no one knows that more than the following three Cowboys who are under the most pressure.

Javonte Williams, RB

Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams fumbles the ball during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

During the Week 7 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, Javonte Williams looked like the player we saw in 2025. He ran for a career-high 155 yards while averaging 6.2 yards per attempt. In Week 8 against the Cardinals, it was a completely different story.

Williams had just 56 yards on 24 attempts, which is an average of 2.3 yards per rush. That was a major reason the Cowboys couldn’t close the game out and Williams will be feeling the pressure to turn things around this week against an Indianapolis defense that’s ranked 27th against the run.

Caleb Downs, S

Dallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs leaves the field with trainers during the fourth quarter against the Arizona Cardinals. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The entire Dallas defense has been awful this season, but Caleb Downs has to be feeling more pressure than most players on that side of the ball. The 11th overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft has struggled in coverage and is coming off a rough outing against the Cardinals. He was targeted three times and surrendered a catch each time. In all, he gave up 49 yards and a touchdown.

On the year, he’s now surrendered 20 receptions on 22 targets for 211 yards and three touchdowns. Opposing quarterbacks have a rating of 146.2, which is concerning. It’s tough on any defensive back when the front seven struggles to generate pressure consistently, but Downs knows he has to be better going forward for this team to turn things around.

Brian Schottenheimer, Head Coach

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer on the sidelines against the Arizona Cardinals during the fourth quarter. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

No one in Big D has a bigger bullseye on their back right now than Brian Schottenheimer. The second-year head coach has a roster loaded with talent but is just 10-14-1 overall. What’s worse is that the team seems to regress each week and they continue to play to the level of their opponent.

Dallas has no real identity on offense and their defense is arguably the worst in franchise history. The calls for his job continue to grow loud and if he’s unable to deliver a win against the Colts, there could be a riot from the fan base.

—Sign up for the Cowboys Daily Digest newsletter for more free coverage from Dallas Cowboys on SI—