Dallas Cowboys player labeled as ‘bust’ is rapidly improving :: SI.com
Don’t look now, but Mazi Smith is turning into a force. The first-rounder’s PFF grades have climbed steadily and significantly over the past three games, from a 55.9 in Week 11 to a 69.6 in Week 12’s win in Washington, and finally a 79.9 against New York on Thursday.
Brandin Cooks felt the “trust” from his coach, QB in first game back :: The Mothership
No one was happier to have Cooks back in the lineup than the veteran receiver himself. “It’s always frustrating when you’re not playing the game that you love,” he said after Thursday’s game. And despite missing seven weeks, Cooks clicked right back into place within the Cowboys offense, even though he had a new quarterback throwing him the ball. “I think that’s huge to trust me in the situation like that,” said Cooks of his third-down grab late that moved the sticks and iced the game. “Coop trusts me and Coach trusts me with the play call.”
Cowboys’ DeMarvion Overshown hits turbo button for two takeaways en route to historic performance vs. Giants :: CBS Sports
Overshown didn’t have just a great outing Thursday, he had one that put him in rarefied air. He became the first Cowboys player with a pick-six and a fumble recovery in the same game since 2002, back when safety Roy WIlliams did so in a Week 17 game at Washington. Overshown is now just the fifth player in Cowboys history to accomplish the feat in a single game.
Overshown shines, Dowdle among Cowboys winners, loser in the secondary :: Cowboys Wire
Overshown was clearly the biggest winner, thanks to his do-it-all pick-six play that will be shown on highlight reels for years to come. Rico Dowdle, Mazi Smith, Luke Schoonmaker, and Carl Lawson turned in outstanding efforts as well. Cornerback Josh Butler came out on the short end of things after his unfortunate injury, and we all lost when it was revealed that some mystery contingent of the team had a star-shaped chicken nugget celebration planned with the big red kettles in the end zone… only it didn’t happen.
Cowboys sideline exclusive: Dallas defense feasts, boosts points-off-turnover ratio :: Dallas Morning News
Sideline reporter Kristi Scales notes that with Thursday’s victory, McCarthy tied Bill Parcells for 14th place in all-time regular-season wins. McCarthy’s next win will be his 173rd, which will tie him with Jeff Fisher for 13th place. That’s as high as the Cowboys head coach will be able to climb this season; Mike Tomlin is next on the list, but he’s nine wins ahead of McCarthy.
Tom Brady ripped for not actually eating a Turkducken during Fox Thanksgiving broadcast :: New York Post
The Fox broadcast made a big deal of going to a shot of Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady in the booth on Thanksgiving so that Brady could get his first official taste of “turducken,” the holiday mashup popularized by the late John Madden. Brady milked the moment and mimicked ripping a huge bite off the leg (though he actually took just a nibble) to then exclaim, “That’s good. That’s really good,” in an attempt to show what a normal, regular guy he is. Only problem? None of the duck meat or chicken meat that actually makes it a turducken is stuffed inside the leg; Brady’s baby bite was plain turkey.
Baylor distracts Kansas kicker with a little help from Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium sunlight :: Dallas Morning News
As Kansas lined up for field goal in their game Saturday, their Baylor hosts put a shot of AT&T Stadium’s blinding sunlight glare on the end-zone jumbotron just behind the goalposts to distract the Jayhawks kicker. It worked; Tabor Allen missed the 38-yard try. The Bears went on to win, 45-17.
No shade: Why the Cowboys’ sun issues are unique to Dallas :: ESPN
AT&T Stadium is one of just two NFL venues built on a northeast-southwest axis and the only one with a transparent end zone to the southwest, creating the much-talked-about sun issues during certain portions of late-afternoon games for several months of each season. It’s a known issue for other teams, too, who spend time scouting the sun’s exact positioning long before they come to Dallas. It absolutely factors into which direction smart teams that happen to lose the coin toss choose. But data shows that this knowledge isn’t necessarily helping anyone; neither the Cowboys nor their visiting opponents are any worse at AT&T when it comes to dropped passes or fumbled punts.
Top 50 NFL Player Sales List, March 1 – August 31, 2024 :: NFLPA
For the sales period that basically encompassed the 2024 offseason, three Cowboys landed in the top 50 of player-branded merchandise, and all three were in the top half of the list. Micah Parsons came in at No. 9, CeeDee Lamb was at No. 15, and Dak Prescott finished in 25th place. That’s saying something, considering Lamb and Prescott both had tenuous futures with the club as they went through contract negotiations during the same timeframe.
Tyron Smith placed on IR, likely ending year and maybe Jets career :: ESPN
The ex-Cowboy has been placed on injured reserve with an apparent neck issue that’s been left somewhat unexplained by the Jets. He’ll technically be eligible to return for the last two games of the season, but with the team all but officially out of playoff contention, it’s unlikely. Smith went to eight Pro Bowls as one of the all-time Cowboys greats, but he didn’t have a strong 2024 season protecting Aaron Rodgers in New York. He’s a shoo-in for Canton one day, but this may be how Smith’s 14-year NFL career ends.
NFL puts a dent in Bobby Wagner’s Thanksgiving holiday after hitting him with news he doesn’t want to hear :: A to Z Sports
The veteran linebacker has been fined $16,883 for a blow he delivered to Cooper Rush during the Cowboys’ Week 12 win in Washington. On an early fourth-quarter play, Wagner went low on Rush, contacting him below the knees. He was flagged for roughing the passer, turning a seven-yard Dallas gain into an automatic first down.
Washington Commanders release 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes :: Associated Press
Dan Quinn’s Commanders have released the 16th overall pick from last year’s draft. Forbes was a healthy scratch twice this season (including Week 12 versus Dallas) and did not get on the field in two other games. The Mississippi State product was benched last season by then-head coach Ron Rivera, too. Given his high draft status, though, it’s likely some DB-needy team will give him another chance. He has two interceptions and 12 passes defended in 20 games.
