#What on earth is wrong with the Dallas Cowboys?

Week 4 had an ominous cloud lingering over it, as the first two COVID-related postponements of the 2020 season dominated the headlines. The NFL had to postpone the Titans’ game against the Steelers until later in the season, while Cam Newton became the first legitimate star to test positive, pushing the Patriots-Chiefs matchup back to Monday.

But there were still games, and Sunday’s slate provided plenty of intrigue. Here are some of the major storylines that emerged as the NFL reached its’ quarter-season mark:

Cowboys lose to the Browns, 49-38: what is wrong with this team?

If you just looked at the Cowboys’ stat sheet, you might think they had a good day. Dak Prescott threw for a staggering 502 yards and four TDs, Amari Cooper had 132 yards and rookie first-rounder CeeDee Lamb caught two touchdowns. The team scored 38 points. That’s all good, right?

Wrong. Nothing is good in Jerry World after the defense allowed Baker Mayfield, Odell Beckham and the Cleveland Browns to put up 49 points on their defense, which has been all kinds of awful through four games. Dallas has allowed the most points per game (36.5) by a whopping margin and the third-most yards (430.5). Their high-priced pass rush isn’t generating enough pressure, and their secondary can’t cover anyone without Byron Jones. They’re now 1-3, and might have been 0-4 if not for an epic Atlanta Falcons collapse in Week 2.

Still miraculously only a half-game out of the NFC East lead, the team that was expected by many to run away with the division has a host of problems without any clear solutions. New coach Mike McCarthy was supposed to bring discipline where Jason Garrett could not, but the Cowboys lead the NFL in turnovers (tied with the Eagles, so at least that’s something to assuage the fans in Big D). McCarthy’s handpicked defensive coordinator Mike Nolan hasn’t been a DC since 2014 (with the Falcons, where he had limited success), and looks in over his head. Dallas’ offense will continue to put up huge numbers, but until they can stop anybody, this team will be all sizzle and no steak.

Texans drop to 0-4 against Vikings: is there any hope?

Much was made over the Houston Texans’ brutal schedule to start to the season. Someone in the Houston organization must have angered the NFL’s schedule makers, because they faced off against the Chiefs, Ravens and Steelers – two of three on the road – to begin the year. Finally, they got what appeared to be a reprieve, facing the winless Minnesota Vikings at home, and had a chance to prove they were still good despite losing DeAndre Hopkins in the offseason.

So much for that. Houston lost 31-23 to Kirk Cousins, and at 0-4, their chances of repeating as AFC South champions appear slim to none. Dalvin Cook tore through the Texans’ swiss cheese defense to the tune of 130 yards and two TDs, while Cousins had his best game of the season and the Vikings had two 100-yard receivers (Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson). Without Hopkins, Houston’s receivers continue to fail to gain separation on defenders, and their offensive line remains a liability.

The only positive thing that has happened in the past eight months for Houston was locking up superstar QB Deshaun Watson, but even he looks uninspiring with the lack of weapons around him. With playoff hopes fading and a limited amount of talent on the roster, most teams would turn to the draft, but Bill O’Brien has no first-or-second-round picks in 2021. They also have $191 million tied up in cap space next season, with big contracts due to average players like David Johnson, Zach Cunningham and Brandin Cooks. It’s rare that a team with a bona-fide franchise QB has an outlook this bleak, but it’s hard to imagine them finding a way to contend for a championship before Watson’s four-year extension expires.

Browns make a statement: is this a playoff team?

Ending on a positive note, if any team shattered expectations in Week 4, it was the Cleveland Browns. For the reasons listed above, any offensive explosion against the Dallas Cowboys must be taken with a grain of salt, but it’s hard to deny that this team looks vastly improved compared to the Freddie Kitchens-led mess of 2019. Odell Beckham had his best game in a Browns uniform, tallying 150 total yards and three TDs, while the Browns tallied over 300 total rushing yards despite losing Nick Chubb to injury in the first quarter (an injury that could sideline him for several weeks, an obvious damper on the day).

Despite being 3-1, the Browns remain in third place in their division, thanks to the dominance of the Ravens and the Steelers thus far in 2020. If the season ended today, they would get the seventh and final playoff spot, pending the Patriots’ result on Monday night. The question is – can they stay there?

A playoff berth would probably be dependent on consistent – perhaps better than consistent – play from Mayfield. He has largely avoided mistakes (two interceptions) but hasn’t been asked to do much, ranking 32nd in the NFL in passing yards per game. The Browns’ game plan has been extremely run-heavy, but Cleveland won’t be playing Cincinnati, Dallas and Washington every week, and Chubb’s injury may throw a wrench into their plans. The Browns play the Colts’ No. 1 defense Week 5, and if Mayfield can lead his team to victory, it will be time to start talking about the Browns as for real.