Jones a trade deadline buyer, respect Lurie, Texans D mess, Ravens COY flub, reason JD Vance right on Bengals

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones welcomes Steve Doocy into his home in Dallas for an exclusive tour. Jones showcases his three Super Bowl trophies and reflects on his nearly four decades leading the legendary NFL franchise.

Days before the Dallas Cowboys broke a two-game losing skid against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, team owner Jerry Jones stood in a New York City hotel lobby and spoke about playing better and making the team better.

"Not only do I have expectations," Jones said of his high hopes for the remainder of the season, "I have really sound basis of saying, we're better than [what we've shown], and we can improve in the areas that have really frustrated us, especially last week."

The Cowboys find themselves at 3-4 and within sight of the NFC East-leading New York Giants.

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Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer and owner Jerry Jones listen to a question during a news conference following the first round of the NFL Draft at The Star in Frisco, Texas, on Thursday, April 23, 2026. (Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News via Getty Images)

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And Jones is going to spend the next two weeks until the NFL trade deadline trying to add help.

"Yeah, I don't have a specific," Jones said. "But I'll be real clear: I would be active if we could get a chance to help the team this year."

The trade deadline is 4 p.m. on Nov. 10.

The Cowboys will be buyers.

Jeff Lurie an Eagles Hall of Famer and national leader

Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie was inducted into the Eagles Hall of Fame on Monday and that's logical because the club has won two Super Bowls during his ownership tenure and he is promising more despite the team's struggles this season.

"The Eagles Hall of Fame honors those who have made exceptional contributions to the history of this organization and the National Football League," former Eagles quarterback and legend Ron Jaworski said. "Among Jeffrey ’s many qualities, it is his unique ability to lead others that has allowed this team to have sustained success over a long period of time."

Let me tell you a different reason Lurie deserves this honor – and your respect.

President Donald Trump honors the Super Bowl LIX champion Philadelphia Eagles at The White House in Washington D.C., on April 28, 2025. (Josh Morgan-USA TODAY via Imagn Images)

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After the Eagles won the Super Bowl in February of 2025, there was considerable pressure on Lurie to turn down an invitation to visit the White House.

Although he has in the past donated to politicians of both parties, most people understand Lurie is primarily associated with the Democratic Party.

But against that backdrop, the Eagles visited President Donald Trump in April 2025 to celebrate their Super Bowl victory. If Lurie hadn't approved the trip, it would not have happened.

But Lurie did what was right in honoring the highest office of the land, regardless of his personal views, and provided everyone a snapshot of national solidarity on behalf of his franchise and the NFL.

New York Knicks owner James Dolan speaks during a championship celebration and Key to the City ceremony at City Hall Plaza after a ticker-tape parade honoring the team's NBA Finals victory in New York City on June 18, 2026. (Angela Weiss/AFP)

Others have fallen short of that mark. The White House contacted the Seattle Seahawks about a similar visit this year. But, nothing.

The Seahawks officially say they never heard from the White House. They absolutely got an invite via back channels and declined, but rather than paint it as a snub, the White House dropped the issue.

The New York Knicks were invited to the White House and club owner James Dolan, a 30-year Trump friend, immediately accepted. And yet, nothing has moved forward.

Lurie's decision benefitted the NFL and showed unity to the country by respecting the office of the President – even if he might not have necessarily agreed with the office's occupant.

That is leadership.

JD VANCE SEES BENGALS MAKING 'A RUN' BUT THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE BECAUSE HE'S A FAN, ESPECIALLY OF JA'MARR CHASE

JD Vance and Dexter Lawrence chat at Cincinnati Bengals practice. (X/@VPRapidDirector)

VP Vance might be right about his Bengals

Vice President JD Vance told everyone he thinks the Bengals are about to make a playoff push following their victory over the Baltimore Ravens and, of course, everyone figures Joe Burrow will have to lead that charge if it's going to happen.

Maybe. But not completely.

The Bengals have gotten Dexter Lawrence to dominate on their defensive line for that run and his impact makes Vance's prediction plausible.

The Giants never wanted to move on from Lawrence in the offseason. But when he got ornery that defensive line coach and mentor Andre Patterson was not retained on John Harbaugh's new staff, and became frustrated with his contract status, and didn't show up to the offseason program, and gained weight beyond his enormous 350 pounds, the Giants sent Lawrence to the Bengals for the No. 10 overall selection in last April's draft.

Great move so far the Bengals.

Lawrence has four sacks from his interior defensive line spot and has seven tackles for loss. He was gobbling burgers in the offseason but is eating up double-team blocks inseason.

The Ravens on Sunday managed only 3.1 yards per carry against the Bengals. Derrick Henry rushed for only 45 yards on 17 carries. That happened against a Bengals defense that was the NFL's worst run defense last season.

They are No. 19 against the run this season and if Lawrence can lead that continued improvement, Vance is going to be proven correct.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase catches a touchdown pass as Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. looks on during the first half of an NFL football game in Houston on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (David J. Phillip)

NFL's most disappointing unit

You can argue which team has been the most disappointing so far this season – the Colts, the Chargers, the Saints, the Rams – and that can change week to week.

But the most disappointing unit in the NFL has not changed since Week 1: The Houston Texans defense.

That unit opened the season yielding 36 points to the Bills and has since given up 31 points in a game twice and 27 points to the New York Giants on Sunday despite facing J.J. McCarthy in his first start for a team he joined 27 days ago.

That performance came despite the fact DeMeco Ryans took over the defensive play-calling a couple of games ago without much improvement to show for it.

"Honestly, not to boil this down to simplicity, it comes back to basic fundamentals and techniques," general manager Nick Caserio said. "Tackling is tackling. You're either a good tackler or you're not. We can do some things relative to hidden yardage in some of the areas.

"But one of the worst penalized teams in the league, one of the worst tackling teams in the league."

The Texans are 20th in the NFL in fewest points allowed per game. That's bottom-third in the league for a unit that was second in the NFL in fewest points allowed last season.

The Texans have lost four games this season – against Buffalo, Dallas, Indy and the Giants – on the last possession. On defense.

"We put ourselves in a position to win those games," Caserio said. "We just haven't really in the end executed and made enough plays to win."

Indianapolis Colts' Daniel Jones throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Quickies: Daniel Jones, Steve Bisciotti, undefeated Vikings

The Vikings: They're the NFL's only remaining unbeaten team but they're not the NFL's best team by any stretch (the Bills would like a word) and it says here the Perfect Season Miami Dolphins have nothing to worry about. The next month brings games against the Lions, Bills, Packers and 49ers. The Vikings have a great defense, but have scored only five touchdowns in their last five games. Not. Sustainable.

Steve Bisciotti: The Ravens have lost consecutive games and their fans think it's all because of Lamar Jackson's absence, but we train the microscope on the club's owner who fired John Harbaugh and most of his staff, including offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Harbaugh with the Giants and Monken with the Browns are both Coach of the Year candidates right now.

Myles Garrett: Tick tock, sir. The NFL season has begun. It is time to join the fun and the Rams are optimistic it starts this week.

Daniel Jones: Barring a major and unexpected individual rally, he is playing his last season with the Colts. He is signed through next season but the Colts can save $11.6 million in cap space on a pre-June 1 release next offseason or $38 million in cap space on a post-June 1 release. Does the next Colts GM take one of those cap savings options or keep an inconsistent QB who hasn't lived up to his current $88 million contract? Bye, Daniel.

ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!

LeBron James of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during a game against the New York Knicks on Oct. 20, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

Non-NFL Thought of the Week

As a Miami resident I was compelled to root for LeBron James when he played for the Heat years ago, but it was hard because he is unlikable for countless reasons that include he's not a clutch player. That was over a decade ago when he was still good.

Now?

The only thing that keeps James relevant on the national stage is the ghost of his past abilities and his political antics that make him newsworthy when he does things like practice his golf swing during the national anthem.

LeBygone is today nothing more than the NBA's 69th leading scorer, 42nd leading rebounder, an old man who has already missed one of his team's first four games because of back soreness, and the owner of the league's 102nd best field goal percentage.