Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images
After three straight losses, the Dallas Cowboys were in must win mode and needed to put up a good fight against the Philadelphia Eagles. On this day the Cowboys came through and absolutely dominated the Eagles from start to finish. The final score was 37-10 and was the largest margin of victory the Cowboys have had over the Eagles since 1998. With this win, the Dallas Cowboys now sit alone a top of the NFC East.
The Good
The good from Sunday night's game for the Cowboys was their ability to get off to a fast start. Slow starts were becoming the norm for the Cowboys after three straight losses, so it was a sight for sore eyes to see the Cowboys get two turnovers early in the first quarter. Dak Prescott finally looked like the Dak of the first three weeks of the season. He went 21-27 and threw a touchdown, and had one rushing touchdown in the 4th quarter. He did have one interception, but played with more confidence and composure than he did in the previous three weeks.
The Bad
The Dallas Cowboys are one of the most penalized teams in the NFL. According to The Football Database, the Cowboys rank seventh in the NFL in penalties and yesterday was no exception. Sunday's game saw six penalties for 65 yards. The Cowboys absolutely need to clean up this area of their game.
The Ugly
Injuries are becoming a concern. Tyron Smith obviously is still injured, and maybe needs another week off to fully recover. Luckily, the Cowboys are going to enter their bye-week and that should give him time to recuperate. The O-Line is a completely different unit when he is on the field, and he gives Prescott that extra line of security to give him more time in the pocket. In addition to Smith, Robert Quinn, Leighton Vender Esch and Jeff Heath all left Sunday's game with injuries. If key players keep getting hurt, it could have negative long-term ramifications for the rest of the season.
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The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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