The Cowboys are struggling on kickoff returns this season

"Thankfully that season is behind us, but these current times are a bit somber as well. Dallas was riding high during their three-game winning streak before it all came crashing down following Thursday night's loss to the Detroit Lions. At least it feels that way. The Cowboys still carry mathematical (and somewhat legitimate) hopes for the playoffs, but given that they were 3-5-1 it was always going to be hard to pull off a Turpin-like return, so to speak."

"That moment at Washington was a big one and incidentally the first and still only kickoff return that Turpin has ever had that went for a touchdown. It highlighted the notion that he was the best returner in the NFL, there are also punt returns to consider in this overall conversation to be clear, and he was rewarded by the Cowboys in the offseason with a three-year, $18M deal."

"Below is a listing of every Dallas Cowboys possession this season (through the Lions game) that began off of a kickoff. This does not include possessions that started as a result of a punt, turnover, blocked field goal, you get the point. Also, if it isn't obvious, this list also includes possessions that were ultimately touchbacks. This is not a listing of every return that Turpin has had on a kickoff this season, just so we are clear."

KaVontae Turpin returned a kickoff for a touchdown against the Washington Commanders that catalyzed an improbable Cowboys comeback. The Cowboys rode a three-game winning streak before losing to the Detroit Lions, leaving playoff hopes mathematical but still possible. Turpin has only one kickoff-return touchdown this season and also contributes on punt returns and in offensive snaps. The Cowboys signed Turpin to a three-year, $18 million contract in the offseason. A listing covers every Cowboys possession this season (through the Lions game) that began with a kickoff, totaling 78 such possessions and including touchbacks while excluding possessions that started from punts, turnovers, or blocked field goals.

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