The Cowboys have four games left in their regular season and earning a playoff spot, as remote as it seems now, is quite possible.
Coach Brian Schottenheimer said the team must win and “stay in the moment, and [we] can’t control what anybody else does, but you can control the way you process and prep.”
Schottenheimer said Monday he’ll peek at the Eagles-Chargers game, which has some playoff implications should the NFC East-leading Eagles lose.
Over the next four weeks, the Cowboys have to figure out a few things about their present and future.
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Here are 10 questions the Cowboys must resolve in the next four weeks:
Is Tyler Guyton the starting left tackle?
For now, it’s Tyler Guyton. He’s played well at times from the left tackle spot. Overall, he has a bright future, but whether it’s at left tackle is uncertain. Nate Thomas took over for Guyton (ankle) against the Lions last week and didn’t perform well. Thomas was an ascending player coming out of training camp, but you wonder if the Cowboys can rely on him long-term.
This brings us to right tackle Terence Steele. He’s played better than what some would have you believe. Going into Week 12, Steele had a 93% pass-block win rate according to ESPN Analytics. The Cowboys could move on from Steele in 2026. He’s got a base salary of $13.2 million with an $18.1 million cap number. If he’s a post-June 1 release, the Cowboys create $14 million in cap savings. If you let Steele go, you could move Guyton to right tackle and use one of those two first-round picks in 2026 for a left tackle. In the next month, the Cowboys need to see if Guyton is their future left tackle or someone to move to the right side.
What is Sam Williams’ future?
Unless something changes, defensive end Sam Williams will finish with a career low in sacks and quarterback hits. He’s got just one sack this season, Oct. 5 at the New York Jets, and four quarterback hits. Over the last three weeks, Williams has blocked a field goal, recorded eight tackles, one quarterback hit and a tackle for loss. Williams, a former second-round pick, enters free agency hoping to secure something long-term from not only the Cowboys but another team. Williams’ production has gotten better in the last few weeks, but with the emergence of 2025 second-rounder Donovan Ezeiruaku, and the possibility of drafting a pass rusher next season, Williams’ future is a question.
Can Shavon Revel get more playing time?
Shavon Revel, the rookie cornerback from East Carolina, has played 183 snaps in four games in his return from a torn ACL suffered in college. Revel is still learning the zone scheme and is better suited to play man-to-man, which is why the Cowboys drafted him in the third round in the first place. Whether Trevon Diggs returns from his own knee issues in the next four weeks, the more snaps Revel gets, the better. Future starters at corner are DaRon Bland and Revel for 2026, so why not get the rookie more PT?
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Is Ryan Flournoy the No. 3 wideout?
The untold story of Ryan Flournoy, the Cowboys’ sixth-round pick from 2024, is that Jalen Tolbert and Jonathan Mingo have been surpassed on the depth chart as the No. 3 wideout. Flournoy has 29 catches for 349 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games and is clearly the No. 3 wideout. Tolbert has played in 11 games and has just 14 catches. Mingo, whom the Cowboys traded a 2025 fourth-round pick to Carolina for, has been active in just two games. Mingo began the season on injured reserve with a knee injury that slowed his opportunities to showcase himself. But he can’t get on the field thanks to what Flournoy has done. If the Cowboys can re-sign George Pickens, which is their goal, CeeDee Lamb, Pickens and Flournoy are the top three receivers for 2026. Flournoy must finish the season strong to maintain that.
Can George Pickens improve his off-the-field antics?
Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer visits with wide receiver George Pickens (3) before practice at The Star in Frisco, November 14, 2025.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
George Pickens has been fantastic this season. He’s got four 100-yard games and produced a career-high 1,179 receiving yards. Off the field, we’ve seen problems with being late to meetings, missing a team bus to a game, and having his hustle questioned by former player Richard Sherman, among other things. Pickens is slated to get a huge contract extension in the range of close to $30 million per season. Pickens, however, has to make some changes off the field. It’s understandable he would clap back at Sherman, which he did in a social media post that was later deleted. But you need him to show up on time for meetings and, of course, not miss the team bus. Brian Schottenheimer has handled it well, fining him and holding one-on-one meetings when necessary. For the contract he’s expecting, being on time for meetings and showing better effort on the field isn’t much to ask in the next four weeks.
Will Joe Milton see some playing time?
If the Cowboys are out of the playoff race in the regular season finale, then Joe Milton should start at quarterback against the Giants. Dak Prescott is one of the leading candidates for Comeback Player of the Year, and maybe that last game can help him win that award. In the big picture, getting Milton some regular-season snaps would be beneficial. Milton played in the regular-season finale last year with the Patriots, leading them to a victory. Why not do the same with the Cowboys?
Is Javonte Williams the 2026 starter at RB?
As much as Pickens’ return is a topic of discussion, so is running back Javonte Williams’. He’s rushed for a career-high 1,022 yards and nine touchdowns with four games left in the season. Williams has carried the ball 215 times and broken 24 tackles. The pounding he’s taken is something the front office must think about when it comes to offering him a contract for next year. Williams is on target to reach career-highs in carries and broken tackles and a strong finish only helps his case.
Will Matt Eberflus return?
Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus (left) and head coach Brian Schottenheimer look on from the sidelines during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in Denver.
Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer
The Cowboys have employed a different defensive coordinator for the last three seasons. And the current coordinator, Matt Eberflus, has had mixed results with his zone-heavy scheme. To his credit, Eberflus has tweaked it to play more man-to-man and is using a five-man front with three hard-charging interior defensive tackles. Stephen Jones, the Cowboys’ co-owner, told 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM) a few weeks ago that he wants Eberflus to return. The Cowboys gave up 44 points in their loss to the Lions last week to end a three-game win streak. It was a disappointing performance for the defense, because it had played so well. The remaining four games look favorable to the Cowboys, and if Eberflus’ defense responds with some positive play, there is no question he should return.
Better starts?
The Cowboys have trailed early in each of their last five contests. Dallas’ biggest deficit in the first half during this stretch was 21-0 to Philadelphia. Brian Schottenheimer said the team likes to defer when they win the opening coin toss. It allows the Cowboys to start second halves off on a positive note. That wasn’t the case in their loss to the Lions, where, after trailing 20-9 at halftime, they started the second half with a turnover, making any comeback attempt harder. Schottenheimer likes to see improvement with his teams and getting off to stronger starts is something the Cowboys need to see in the last few weeks of the season.
Where are the takeaways?
On the season, the Cowboys are minus-8 in the takeaway/giveaway department. Over the last three weeks, the Cowboys have six turnovers with just two takeaways from the defense. Part of having a strong defense is creating turnovers, and that hasn’t been the case this season as the Cowboys have just 10 takeaways. Brian Schottenheimer said he’d like to see that minus-8 number improve. The possible return of Trevon Diggs at corner might help, and more playing time for Revel is something to watch as well. But taking care of the ball — tight end Jake Ferguson’s fumbles — are about fundamentals.
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