This stat a very good reason for 3-4

There are a multitude of troubling Dallas Cowboys stats responsible for this 3-4 start, now a smidgen short of the halfway point to the 2024 season.

Start with average rushing yards per game: 74.1, ranking 32nd in the NFL.

Then opponent average rushing yards against: 154.6, ranking 31st.

Then touchdowns scored: 14, averaging two per game, and just five teams with fewer entering Week 9 of the season.

And then there is the Cowboys' inability to score touchdowns in the red zone: 8 of 19, just 42.1 percent, ranking 31st. Only the Giants are worse at 36.4 percent with the NFL average at 56.5 percent.

That they are 3-4 heading in Sunday afternoon's game in Atlanta against the 5-3 Falcons and winners of four of their last five might be remarkable, considering the injury absence of three Pro Bowl starters on defense, another on offense and two other players forced into starting roles this season.

But this stat might be the most glaring one detrimental to success, and it's having to do with the ball:

Turnover differential: minus-8, ranking 30th in the NFL. Only two teams are worse, both at minus-13. Las Vegas is sitting there at 2-6 and Tennessee at 1-6. The Cowboys have turned the ball over 13 times, nine interceptions and four lost fumbles, only three teams have more (Carolina 14, Tennessee 16, Vegas 17).

As former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett used to say, "The ball, the ball, the ball."

And this is what Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said of the troubling stat, "Personally, I'm very frustrated. If you want to be known for something as a football team, it's taking care of the football and taking it away. I think my experience in this league would reflect that, and I'm thinking Marty Shottenheimer is turning over in his grave watching us play being minus-8."

Especially for a team first in 2021 with a turnover differential of plus-14; second in 2022 at plus-10; and fifth in 2023 at plus-10, the first time in franchise history the Cowboys have finished at least plus-10 in three consecutive seasons and the first in the NFL to do so since Kansas City (2015-17).

So what's the what?

Let's address takeaways first. Just five, four interceptions and one fumble recovery.

Then giveaways, 13, nine interceptions and four lost fumbles.

And those two categories have become increasingly disproportionate during this two-game losing streak. No takeaways and seven giveaways for a minus-7 against Detroit and San Francisco, meaning over the first five games the Cowboys were a minus-1, a tad short of mediocre.

Question is where do we go from here? Have a great day hive...