The Dallas Cowboys swore up and down they were making changes after that embarrassing Week 5 loss to Tampa Bay, but after their 23-13 defeat in Green Bay, the snap counts are in, and honestly? It barely looks like anything shifted.
Offense: Same Old Story, With a Couple New Faces
You know how the Cowboys promised to shake things up? Well, tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford did technically get the starting nod over Jake Ferguson on the first snap. So, sure, a *technical* change. But don’t go celebrating too fast. Ferguson, who’d been getting roasted for some fumbles lately, still ended up with way more offensive playtime than Spann-Ford. That said, the undrafted rookie Spann-Ford *was* targeted more in the passing game, which could be a tiny glimpse into the future. It’s not exactly a seismic shift, though.
The wide receiver rotation got a forced reshuffle early on when KaVontae Turpin went down on the opening kickoff and didn’t come back. That meant Ryan Flournoy and Jonathan Mingo saw a few more snaps on offense than they’re used to. Again, not exactly a planned revolution, more like an injury-induced bump.
Defense: Where Were Those “Bigger Personnel Swaps”?
Everyone was buzzing about defensive personnel swaps after that Bucs game, but just like on offense, the “changes” felt mostly ceremonial. Rookie Malachi Lawrence got his first pro start over Donovan Ezeiruaku, which sounds big on paper. But by the end of the night, their usage pretty much evened out. Lawrence saw an uptick, Ezeiruaku a dip, but it wasn’t the dramatic overhaul we were led to believe was coming.
Then there’s Joey Porter Jr. He said he was over being sick from last game, no pitch count needed. But then he reportedly rolled an ankle, making everyone wonder if he’d be scratched again. He played 36 snaps, just under half the defensive plays, and was seen getting sideline attention. So much for no pitch count! Dee Winters did snag the Cowboys’ first interception of the season, which was huge, but then he got hit with an Achilles strain after just 16 defensive reps. That immediately meant a bump in playtime for linebacker Shemar James, who hit a season-high 59 snaps. Jaishawn Barham also saw his most action this season, continuing his green-dot duties.
And Von Miller? His snap count has been a talking point, with folks split on whether he needs more time to make an impact or less because he hasn’t yet. He had 13 snaps Sunday night, right in line with his season average, but hey, he did record his first tackle for loss of 2026. Juanyeh Thomas led all special-teamers again, and even saw his defensive playtime jump from one snap against Tampa to 11 versus Green Bay.
Bottom line? For all the talk, Week 6 felt like the Cowboys mostly kept shuffling the same deck, with a few new cards thrown in out of necessity rather than a grand strategy. After two losses in a row, you gotta wonder if these “changes” are really gonna get them where they need to go.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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