Your Sunday morning Cowboys news.
Cowboys’ Trevon Diggs, Zack Martin Out vs. Commanders with Injuries in NFL Week 12 – Jack Murray, Bleacher Report
The Cowboys are going to be down two All-Pro players against Washington.
Nick Eatman of DallasCowboys.com reported that cornerback Trevon Diggs and offensive lineman Zack Martin did not travel with the team and have been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders.
Eatman reported that Brock Huffman or T.J. Bass will replace Martin in the starting lineup while Diggs could be replaced by Josh Butler, Israel Mukuamu or Kermon Hall. Cornerback DaRon Bland is also set to play for the first time in 2024.
In addition to Diggs and Martin, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Cowboys will be without wide receiver Brandin Cooks as well.
Diggs is a two-time Pro Bowler and has played in all 10 games for Dallas in 2024, recording 37 tackles, eight pass deflections and two interceptions. He is dealing with groin and knee injuries, per Eatman.
Martin is an 11-year veteran who has been named first-team All-Pro seven times. He has also started every game thus far for Dallas. Cooks was designated to return from injured reserve but will not make his return this week. He has nine catches for 91 yards and a touchdown this season and has not played since Sept. 26.
Running out of gas among 3 things Cowboys will love about Commanders – Ben Grimaldi, Cowboys Wire
Pump the brakes on the tank? The Cowboys may have a path to upset the Washington Commanders today.
Can’t stop the run
Here’s a rare place where the Cowboys and Commanders are actually competing in 2024; the race to see whose defense is worse against the run. Mike Zimmer’s defense currently holds the title, allowing 151 yards per game on the ground, while the Commanders give up 150.5 yards. That half-yard is all separates the Cowboys in 31st place in the league, just one spot ahead of their rivals in 30th.
The Commanders have given up 13 rushing scores this season, good for eighth-worst in the league, and they allow five yards a carry, third worst in the NFL.
If the Cowboys ever wanted to establish the run, this would be the game to do it. The offense hasn’t had much opportunity this season to run the ball efficiently, but the Commanders will give it up on the ground and it could be a big part of the Cowboys pulling off the upset in Week 12.
It’s a defense that’s struggled against the run, but the Commanders have been getting out to leads in the first half, making their weakness less of a factor. If that sounds familiar, it was the same script when Dan Quinn was the defensive coordinator in Dallas.
If quarterback Jayden Daniels and Quinn hadn’t won seven games, much more would be made of the team’s inability to stop the run. Perhaps McCarthy can make his old DC pay by beating him how Quinn used to get beat when he was with the Cowboys, by keeping the game close and attacking the Commanders with the run game.
Dallas Cowboys 5 Round Mock Draft – Cody Warren, Inside the Star
It’s never too early for mock draft season.
Round 1 Pick: Ashton Jeanty (RB) Boise State
In this mock draft, the Indianapolis Colts offered a trade: pick 9 and pick 147 for the Colts’ picks 10 and 47. Ashton Jeanty has been a name that has come up in numerous draft talks and the Dallas Cowboys. Taking him with a top-10 draft pick may or may not be the way to go. Ashton Jeanty should be the Heisman winner and lead the NCAA in nearly every running back category. Oh, and he can block and catch out of the backfield.
Jeanty’s film study unequivocally demonstrates a generational talent whose skill set surpasses traditional running back norms. His extraordinary vision, unmatched contact balance, and explosive playmaking ability make him the most complete backfield prospect in recent memory.His anticipation and acceleration in zone schemes will leave linebackers flailing, while his decisive cuts and power in gap schemes will dominate even the strongest NFL defenses.
Moreover, Jeanty’s receiving skills and route-running potential allow him to be deployed as a receiver, while his elite pass protection establishes him as the quintessential modern three-down back.Jeanty is a transformative talent that franchises cannot overlook. His immediate impact on an NFL offense is beyond question, and any team selecting in the top five will find it nearly impossible to pass on him.
He is poised to compete for Offensive Rookie of the Year and quickly establish himself among the league’s elite playmakers. The do-it-all back would be the perfect weapon to add to this offense.
Dallas Cowboys scouting report: Breaking down the Commanders offensive scheme-David Howman, Blogging the Boys
Here’s the rundown on what the Commanders’ offensive scheme will present to the Cowboys.
When Daniels came to Washington, his style seemed to perfectly fit with the triumvirate of offensive coaches he’d now be working with. Kingsbury hails from the Air Raid offense of Mike Leach, while Johnson cut his teeth in the Dan Mullen spread option that’s spawned numerous dual-threat legends; Johnson was also responsible for installing the bulk of the Eagles’ option run game with Jalen Hurts. Meanwhile, Lynn brought an exposure to a wide variety of run schemes in the NFL, including the highly successful one that Shanahan has made so popular in San Francisco.
The idea was to meld the traditional NFL schemes with the college schemes that had made Daniels so successful. And so far, through 11 weeks, it’s been a big success. Daniels is completing 68.7% of his passes and ranks third in the league in EPA/dropback. He has 2,338 passing yards on top of 482 rushing yards and has notched 14 total touchdowns to just three turnovers. He leads the league in scramble yards and ranks eighth in yards per attempt while also having the third-lowest turnover worthy play rate among starting quarterbacks.
To put it simply, he’s making big plays with both his arm and legs without putting the ball in jeopardy.
The scheme is partly to thank for that. The Commanders are one of the more run-heavy offenses in the league right now, with only four teams calling a lower rate of pass plays. Two of those teams are Jackson’s Ravens and Hurts’ Eagles, unsurprisingly. The running back duo of Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson has proven effective, and Daniels’ rushing threat has made it difficult for defenses to key in on one player. As a result, Washington is currently second in the league in EPA/rush, behind only the Eagles.
When the Commanders do throw the ball, though, they’re getting big plays: Washington is tied for fifth in pass yards per play on the year. Kingsbury has done his best to make things easier on Daniels too, as the Commanders rank third in play-action and second in screen usage. A year ago, Washington’s offensive line gave up the most sacks of any team. The high rate of play-action and screens this year has helped Daniels with pressure, as the rookie is currently in the middle of the pack in sacks.
