Cowboys Still Kicking: Two Players Who Deserve a Bigger Role in Crucial Matchup vs. Vikings
After the Philadelphia Eagles stumbled against the Chargers on Monday night, the Dallas Cowboys find themselves with a sliver of playoff hope still flickering. It’s a long shot, no doubt - Dallas has to win out and hope the Eagles collapse down the stretch - but in the NFL, stranger things have happened.
For the Cowboys, the margin for error is now razor-thin. Last week’s loss to the Lions was a gut punch, and if Dallas wants to stay in the hunt, they’ll need to clean things up fast.
That starts with smart personnel decisions. Two players, in particular, showed enough in Week 14 - or have been underutilized for too long - to warrant a bigger role this Sunday against the Vikings.
1. WR Ryan Flournoy: The Next Man Up Who Delivered
There wasn’t much to celebrate in Dallas’ loss to Detroit, but Ryan Flournoy gave the Cowboys something to build on. When CeeDee Lamb exited the game with a concussion, Flournoy didn’t just fill in - he stepped up and became the most productive receiver on the field for Dallas in the second half.
Flournoy finished the night with a career-best nine catches for 115 yards and added the third touchdown of his NFL career. But it wasn’t just the numbers - it was how he got them.
He looked confident, decisive, and unshaken in a moment that demanded poise. For a 26-year-old receiver who’s been flying under the radar, that kind of performance should turn heads in the Cowboys’ coaching room.
No, Flournoy isn’t on the same level as Lamb or George Pickens, but he’s making a strong case to be the team’s No. 3 option in the passing game. He’s big, physical, and showed he can win contested catches - something this offense could use more of, especially in critical downs.
Even if Lamb clears protocol and returns this week, Flournoy needs to stay in the mix. There’s simply no reason KaVontae Turpin should be eating into those snaps in passing situations. Turpin brings speed and return value, sure, but Flournoy offers something this offense is lacking - a strong possession receiver who can move the chains and make plays downfield.
If Dallas wants to keep the offense humming against a tough Vikings defense, Flournoy should be on the field, not watching from the sideline.
2. LB Logan Wilson: Time to Make the Switch
The Cowboys’ linebacker rotation last week left a lot of people scratching their heads. Kenneth Murray stayed on the field for nearly the entire game despite struggling mightily against the run - poor fits, bad angles, and getting washed out of plays with little resistance.
The entire defense had a rough night, so it’s not all on Murray. But when the same issues keep popping up and the coaching staff refuses to adjust, it raises real questions. Especially when Logan Wilson, a veteran linebacker with starting experience, was mostly left on the bench.
Wilson played just 26 defensive snaps, and nearly half of those came in the second half when the game was already slipping away. He’s not the same player he was a few seasons ago, but he still brings a level of experience and awareness that Dallas is sorely missing in the middle of the field.
At this point, Wilson doesn’t need to be a game-changer - he just needs to be steady. Know your assignment, fill the right gap, and make the tackle.
That’s it. And based on what we’ve seen recently, that alone would be a noticeable upgrade.
This week against Minnesota, the Cowboys need to make the switch. Whether it’s Wilson or one of the younger linebackers waiting in the wings, it’s time to pull the plug on the Murray experiment - at least for now. Dallas can’t afford to keep losing battles at the second level, especially with their playoff hopes hanging by a thread.
Bottom Line: The Cowboys have no room for hesitation. If they want to keep their postseason dreams alive, they need to lean into what’s working - and that means giving more run to Ryan Flournoy and Logan Wilson. With the Vikings up next, it’s time to make the right calls and let the best players play.