Cowboys news: CeeDee Lamb, DeMarvion Overshown part of key matchups in Week 8

The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys is here.

High 5: Pay attention to these five matchups – Kyle Youmans, DallasCowboys.com

These matchups will go a long way in determining who wins when the Cowboys and 49ers play.

5) CeeDee Lamb vs. Deommodore Lenoir – The criticism around CeeDee Lamb’s performance this season has centered around his lack of efficiency. Where his numbers have taken a steep drop in multiple areas like catch percentage, yards per target, and more. This week, he should see Deommodore Lenoir more than any other cornerback in the San Francisco secondary. A player who has struggled at times throughout his career with allowing the big play but has not done so as much this season. Lamb’s efficiency is down, Lenoirs is up. Should be an interesting battle.

4) Demarvion Overshown vs. George Kittle – Even if Eric Kendricks is available for the Cowboys linebacker room, Demarvion Overshown will be tabbed with doing multiple things for this defense. Sometimes, that’ll be blitzing off the second level and aiding in run support by running downhill. On other occasions, he’ll be asked to drop into coverage and help blanket on of the best tight ends in the game. Kittle made Dallas pay in the redzone with three touchdown grabs last season. Overshown will be a big part of not letting that happen again.

3) Jourdan Lewis vs. Ricky Pearsall – Like the Lamb and Lenoir matchup, Jourdan Lewis and Ricky Pearsall will become very familiar with each other this Sunday. Pearsall will carry the load for this passing game that could be without three or four of their top targets because of injury. He has worked his way back, in miraculous fashion, from a gunshot wound suffered earlier in the season from a robbery attempt and will be needed to show his first-round skillset in a big way this weekend.

All eyes are on Dak Prescott as Cowboys face 49ers Sunday night – Todd Archer, ESPN

Dak Prescott is approaching the game versus the 49ers with laser focus.

FRISCO, Texas — What did quarterback Dak Prescott do during the Dallas Cowboys’ bye week?

He got engaged.

But he did much more than that. He was at The Star a couple times and got some work in off-campus with receivers, including CeeDee Lamb to try to improve after a so-so start to the season.

“I can’t be stagnant. It’s hard for me to be, so I’ve got to work,” Prescott said. “If there’s times that there’s a couple hours within the day that I can fit it in, especially whether it’s the bye or whatever, I’m going to make sure I can do that. Obviously just the self-scout, wanting to figure out what I need to do better personally, individually, to make this team better, this whole unit better, I wanted to get ahead of it.”

It was no surprise to the coaches that Prescott would be around.

“If anything with Dak you probably worry about him overworking and overtraining,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said.

As the Cowboys (3-3) open what head coach Mike McCarthy calls the “second trimester,” of the season Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), all eyes will be on Prescott. They always are, but as the highest-paid player in NFL history, thanks to his four-year, $240 million extension signed hours before the season opener, the scrutiny grows.

Dalvin Cook ‘in position’ to make debut for Dallas Cowboys against San Francisco 49ers – Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Dallas needs a spark in the running game, and Dalvin Cook might be their last hope.

The Dallas Cowboys are “in position” to elevate four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook off the practice squad for Sunday night’s game against the San Francisco 49ers. Cook could make his Cowboys debut after being signed to the practice squad on Aug. 28.

If activated, Cook will work alongside Rico Dowdle, Ezekiel Elliott and Hunter Luepke in the team’s backfield as the Cowboys look for a spark in a rushing offense that is last in the NFL with 463 total rushing yards entering week eight. Cook can also provide a lift to the receiving game, as running backs have only accounted for 272 of the team’s 1,654 receiving yards this season.

“Dalvin is ready,” head coach Mike McCarthy said on Friday. “I really like the work that he’s putting in. I think he’s clearly crossed over the threshold of the communication and the understanding [of the offense].”

The Florida State product spent six seasons in Minnesota and earned all four of his Pro Bowl nods with the Vikings on the back of four seasons that saw him account for more than 1,100 rushing yards.

Cowboys injuries: Micah Parsons, DaRon Bland ruled out vs. 49ers – LP Cruz, Blogging The Boys

The Cowboys will be without two major defensive pieces on Sunday.

The Dallas Cowboys had their final week of practice in preparation for their primetime game against the San Francisco 49ers. San Francisco and Dallas have one of the more historic rivalries in the NFL’s history. However, as of late, the 49ers have had the Cowboys’ number, beating them in their last three meetings, with the last being a 42-10 blowout last season. Although the 49ers are managing injuries and don’t seem as dominant, it’ll take a full-team effort to beat San Francisco. Here is how the Cowboys are looking after their final injury report of the week.

The Cowboys were hopeful that Micah Parsons could play this week after suffering a sprained ankle against the New York Giants in Week 5, but Parsons hasn’t done enough to get healthy enough to play. Unfortunately, Parsons will not be available in this crucial game. After practicing before the bye week, DaRon Bland (foot) seemingly had a setback and sat out this week of practice before being ruled out. Linebacker Eric Kendricks (calf) practiced in a limited capacity on Friday, and his status for this week is questionable. Despite missing practice Friday, kicker Brandon Aubrey is expected to play. Caelen Carson is questionable.

Cowboys desperately need return of explosive ingredient to fix their offense – Reid Hanson, Cowboys Wire

Dallas must find ways to get chunk yardage at some point this season.

The Cowboys have no shortage of problems in 2024. From their 24th ranked offense to their 30th ranked defense, their troubles on the offensive line to the catastrophe that is their DL. From their lame duck coaching staff to their problematically talkative owner, they have problems on all corners of this hexagon of doom.

The running game in particular has been an issue in Dallas. Not only has the offensive line struggled to execute blocks and lead runners to the second level, but the runners themselves have been unable gain access to the open field in 2024.

While the Cowboys’ passing game is trying it’s damnedest to carry the offense and create big plays, the running game isn’t remotely carrying its weight. In fact, based on the standardized measurement of 15+ yards, the running game has yet to chart a single explosive play in 2024.

Even when adjusting for play type, which charts an explosive pass as anything 20 yards or greater and an explosive run as anything 10 yards or greater, things don’t look much better.

Outside of scrambles and runs with CeeDee Lamb, the only Dallas rushers with explosive plays between 10-15 yards this season are Deuce Vaughn and Rico Dowdle. Vaughn hasn’t been active since September so unless someone is added at the trade deadline, the onus falls completely on Dowdle.