Dallas Cowboys receive disappointing midseason grade from NFL analyst

We’ve reached the halfway point for the Dallas Cowboys, who are heading into a well-timed bye week.

Dallas made waves on Tuesday by trading for defensive tackle Quennen Williams and linebacker Logan Wilson at the NFL trade deadline. Their hope is that their arrival will help them improve in the second half of the season, which they must do if they want any chance at making the playoffs.

MORE: Ex-teammate of new Cowboys LB Logan Wilson praises his leadership, character

Through their first nine games, the Cowboys are just 3-5-1, leading to a low midseason grade from SI.com’s Gilberto Manzano. He says head coach Brian Schottenheimer was dealt a bad hand by Jerry Jones when the owner traded away star pass rusher Micah Parsons.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on in the first half against the Arizona Cardinals. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

”To no one’s surprise, the defense has failed to adjust without its best player, with an inconsistent pass rush putting more stress on the secondary, which was already expected to have issues this season. Those defensive woes have also put more pressure on Schottenheimer’s offense to score at a rapid pace, which has mostly stepped up in the first half of the season,” Manzano wrote.

”With an uneven team, the Cowboys practically begged to be an eight- or nine-win group. Being a middle-of-the-pack team should be unacceptable, especially with Dak Prescott earning $60 million per year. Jones has no one else to blame but himself if this defense doesn’t make vast improvements as soon as possible.”

Manzano gave the Cowboys a C-minus, which feels fair given their struggles on defense throughout the season, as well as their inconsistency on offense the past two weeks.

Will a second-half surge be enough for the Cowboys?

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott looks to pass against the Arizona Cardinals. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

With the NFC loaded with talent, a second-half surge might not be enough for the Cowboys to make the postseason.

Dak Prescott and the offense kept them competitive in several games, but they’re still 11th in the conference. For them to make a run, they’ll not only need to get hot in a hurry, but they’re going to need multiple teams to struggle as well.

Crazier things have happened, but Dallas might have dug too deep a hole to get out of.

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

3 free agents Cowboys could sign to fill remaining holes on defense

Cowboys' projected depth chart after Quinnen Williams, Logan Wilson trades

List of Cowboys' 2026 NFL draft picks after trade deadline

3 facts about new Cowboys DL Quinnen Williams you need to know

Re-examining Dallas Cowboys' Micah Parsons haul after trade deadline

Meet Camille Sturdivant: Star of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Netflix docuseries