The Dallas Cowboys have stumbled through their preseason opener with consecutive defeats that have fans questioning what lies ahead.
Back-to-back losses to the Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens by scores of 31-21 and 31-13 have exposed troubling trends on both sides of the ball.
While preseason results typically carry little weight with starters seeing limited action, the manner of these defeats has caught attention across the league.
Colin Cowherd recently delivered a harsh assessment of Dallas during a segment on The Herd, painting a bleak picture for the upcoming season.
“Dallas’s defense is a sieve — it’s bad. And I’ve got to tell you something right now: they’re opening against Philadelphia on NBC in front of 32 million viewers. This isn’t opening up against Carolina on the road in that 1 o’clock window. So if the Cowboys are bad, it’s going to get ugly fast. This isn’t a panic button — this is the doomsday clock.”
"This is not panic button, this is doomsday clock."@colincowherd thinks the Dallas Cowboys are in for a rough season pic.twitter.com/TaUAU9lvrS
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) August 18, 2025
The defense that Cowherd criticized finished as one of the worst units in the NFL last season.
Key players Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs are reportedly unhappy and may not suit up for the season opener.
The unit lacks depth across multiple position groups.
Offensive concerns compound the defensive issues.
Tyler Guyton is dealing with injuries, while the running back room remains thin.
Dak Prescott is working his way back from another injury setback.
Cowherd also took aim at Jerry Jones and his coaching philosophy.
He argued that Dallas coaches often need Jones more than he respects them, contrasting this dynamic with past successful partnerships involving Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells, who maintained independence from ownership interference.
The analyst did acknowledge former head coach Mike McCarthy’s three consecutive 12-win seasons and division titles.
However, he suggested McCarthy may have recognized the organization’s trajectory and chosen to step away before things deteriorated further.
NEXT: Cowboys Get Unfortunate Injury Update On Wide Receiver