The Dallas Cowboys’ season isn’t over if they lose to the San Francisco 49ers this week, but a drop to 3-4 in a competitive NFC could put them in a tough playoff situation.
Even at full strength, the Cowboys have several weaknesses. With numerous injuries, they’ve struggled to secure wins against the Steelers and Giants.
Dallas aimed to recover during the bye week, but the additional rest might not have been sufficient for defensive stars Micah Parsons and DaRon Bland, who both participated in rehab again on Thursday. DeMarcus Lawrence and standout rookie Marshawn Kneeland remain on injured reserve, leaving Mike Zimmer’s defense potentially short-handed once more on Sunday night.
While Cowboys fans await reinforcements, one player returned from injury—though he is one of the team’s most divisive figures.
Cowboys open 21-day practice window for DT Jordan Phillips
Phillips was placed on IR after the second game of the season due to a wrist injury, although the veteran defensive tackle has claimed he wasn’t hurt, leading to some confusion. This week, Phillips stated he still doesn’t understand why he was put on injured reserve.
Regardless, he practiced fully on Wednesday and Thursday. By activating Phillips’ 21-day practice window, the Cowboys now have three weeks to decide whether to promote him to the active roster or end his season.
Given the current state of Dallas’ defensive line, it seems likely that Phillips will be activated for the game against the 49ers. However, he appeared to be on thin ice with Zimmer before his IR stint, playing only 34 snaps in the first two games and showing subpar performance.
This was particularly evident in Week 2 when Phillips opted to hit an already-tackled Saints offensive lineman instead of pursuing quarterback Derek Carr. Carr capitalized on the clear pocket, connecting with tight end Foster Moreau for a long touchdown, which was fortunately called back due to a penalty. This incident exemplified Phillips’ struggles early in the season.
At the time he was placed on IR, Phillips had the lowest grade among interior defensive linemen according to Pro Football Focus, with a score of 29.2.
It will be intriguing to see what the Cowboys decide regarding Phillips. They traded a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Giants in August for the 32-year-old, and this front office typically avoids admitting failure on trades, but they may reconsider for Phillips.
We’ll find out soon enough.
