Updates: Carson cleared to return; Micah, Bland out :: The Mothership
Parsons will miss yet another game after not practicing all week with a high-ankle sprain. Bland was returned to the 53-man roster this week but will have to wait a while longer to make his season debut. Carson, however, has been medically cleared to take the field after sitting out four games with a shoulder injury suffered against Baltimore.
Cowboys: CB Trevon Diggs has calf muscle tear; will be gametime decision vs Atlanta :: Cowboys Wire
Jerry Jones revealed Friday that his star cornerback has been dealing with a tear in his calf muscle, leading to a week of DNPs for the two-time Pro Bowler. Diggs himself thought it was just tightness early in the week; Mike McCarthy says he’s shown improvement but will need to be able to perform some “specific drills” on Saturday if he’s going to play Week 9 versus Atlanta.
Zack Martin, Eric Kendricks among questionable Cowboys :: Ed Werder
Falcons injury report: Chris Lindstrom questionable vs. Dallas Cowboys :: Atlanta Falcons
Two of Atlanta’s starting offensive linemen- guard Chris Lindstrom and center Drew Dalman- are officially listed as questionable for Sunday’s game as they return from injury; both were full participants on Friday. Rookie linebacker JD Bertrand and first-year defensive lineman Ruke Orhorhoro are out; linebacker Troy Andersen is also questionable.
Jerry Jones on Cowboys’ 3-4 start: ‘Rougher go than I anticipated’ :: ESPN
The owner admitted Friday that he may have been looking through rose-colored glasses ahead of the 2024 season. “I did not anticipate the challenges that we’re having with this team,” he said, even going so far as to call this Sunday’s Week 9 game a must-win scenario for the 3-4 Cowboys. “A lot of season left, but the first start to be able to say that confidently is getting back even.”
Dak Prescott’s contributions won’t save Cowboys’ running game. So what is the solution? :: The Athletic
Prescott says he can still be an effective ball carrier, but Joe Flacco and Andy Dalton presently have more rushing yards. The Cowboys’ run game as a whole is minus-130 in yards over expected, more than twice as bad as the second-worst team in the league. Rico Dowdle, of all people, seems to be the team’s best hope at getting something going on the ground.
4 things wrong with the Cowboys offense :: NFL.com
Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner says there are multiple culprits as to why the Cowboys are struggling offensively. For starters, the O-line is missing basic assignments up front and allowing pressure to get to Dak Prescott. Some of Prescott’s receiving targets aren’t helping him, either, with poorly-executed routes, and the tape shows flaws in many of Mike McCarthy’s critical play designs. Prescott has to shoulder his share of the blame, too, though, for frequently making bad decisions in the passing game.
Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb, Dak Prescott find ‘rhythm’ during WR’s breakout game vs. 49ers :: CBS Sports
Prescott says there was a moment when Lamb told him during the San Francisco game, “Yeah, we’re back,” and then went on to catch two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Now that they’ve apparently found it, the two hope to keep the connection going against a star-studded Falcons secondary. “We play confident and fast; we can score with anybody, and I feel like that’s been our thing,” Lamb said. “We get to the red zone and don’t put up enough points, so just finishing our drives and ending the drives with seven, not so much three.”
All 32 NFL teams (including the Cowboys) ranked by FPI ratings :: Cowboys Wire
ESPN’s Football Power Index is declaring the Lions the top-performing team in the league, with the Cowboys sitting at a lowly 23rd. The FPI rating uses predicted offensive, defensive, and special teams efficiency, as measured by expected points added per play; Dallas is a full point below average. This weekend’s opponent, the Falcons, are six-tenths of a point above average, signaling a possibly close game on Sunday.
Cowboys-Falcons expert predictions: Could road trip to Atlanta be what Dallas needs? :: Dallas Morning News
Given that all three of this season’s wins come as the visiting team, maybe a visit to Atlanta to face Kirk Cousins- who has historically struggled against the Cowboys- is exactly what they need. Three of the DMN‘s six columnists and beat writers have Dallas topping the Falcons in their own building.
Falcons offer Cowboys interesting example in soft rebuild that seems to be working :: Cowboys Wire
Atlanta managed to do what the Cowboys’ front office hinted at: attacking the offseason with both the present and the future in mind. Look no further than them signing Kirk Cousins and then drafting Michael Penix Jr. less than six weeks later. Once criticized heavily, it suddenly doesn’t look so crazy. The Cowboys aren’t in the same situation at QB, but that big-picture strategy has proved (thus far) that it’s possible to reload for the long-term while still very much competing in the here and now.
Stephen Jones offers Cowboys trade deadline update, shows change of tune :: SI.com
Might the Cowboys make a move before Tuesday’s trade deadline after all? “We’ll do business as usual. We’ve got a lot of good players that are going to be coming back over the next 3 or 4 weeks,” Stephen Jones said. “If the right deal pops itself up, then we’ll certainly look at that.” That may not be much, but it cracks the door open at least a tiny bit for Cowboys fans who are hoping the team can still salvage the season with a veteran acquisition.
Way-Too-Early Cowboys 2025 Mock Draft 3.0: 4-round mock brings WR, RB, DT, OT :: Cowboys Wire
Most Cowboys fans have accepted that the 2024 campaign is now about the 2025 draft slot. This projection assumes a 13th overall pick for Dallas and a whole bunch of areas of need come draft weekend. In this exercise, the Cowboys get Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. with their first round selection and Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams in the second. Wideout help comes in the third via LSU’s Kyren Lacy, and the team looks for its next RB in the fourth with Kansas senior Devin Neal.
How did Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey end up on a jury for a felony case in the middle of the season? :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
If Aubrey’s recent situation seemed unusual, that’s because no pro athlete has ever had to sit for jury duty during a season. In fact, the Cowboys kicker had gotten it pushed back once already, and then he assumed he wouldn’t be chosen due to his public status. It made for very long days, with Aubrey making a long commute every night after a full eight hours in court just to practice his kicks in the dark. “The story was a sad one,” Aubrey said of the case, which ended with a guilty verdict and a 65-year prison sentence for the defendant. “It was very depressing and dragged on longer than anybody expected it to, so [I’m] glad it’s over.”
