CeeDee Lamb addresses behavior during Cowboys’ loss to Ravens, more :: The Mothership Link Saying “I fully take accountability,” Lamb said he was upset with himself during Sunday’s loss and admitted that he let his fumble get into his head. He also acknowledged that neither his body language nor his attitude on the sideline helped change the outcome of the game. The wideout added, “I know that’s not the teammate I am. … I will be better in the future. And it’s gonna be fine.” As for his heated exchange with Dak Prescott, Lamb said “there’s no craziness” between the two, calling himself and his quarterback “brothers.” Prescott, Lamb with opportunity to get Cowboys back on track vs depleted Giants CB corps :: Cowboys Wire Link Injuries to Adoree’ Jackson and Dru Phillips could open the door for Prescott, Lamb, and the Cowboys offense to have a big night on Thursday. Neither Giants corner practiced Monday or Tuesday. Their absence would put added pressure on Deonte Banks, the former first-round pick who got “torched” by Cleveland’s Amari Cooper on Sunday. Updates: Carson, Bell gametime decision vs. NYG :: The Mothership Link Caelen Carson’s shoulder and Markquese Bell’s ankle will keep them out of walkthroughs this week and make both players gametime decisions. Mike McCarthy said they’re getting better and revealed that Carson “is closer” to being ready to suit up. If he cannot play, however, Israel Mukuamu and/or Andrew Booth will see extra action. Jerry Jones says Dalvin Cook unlikely to play vs Giants, but would he even help Cowboys run game? :: Cowboys Wire Link Jones told a radio audience that the short week would likely keep the team from elevating Cook to the gameday roster. The current Cowboys RB committee has been woefully ineffective, but there’s actually nothing in Cook’s stats to indicate that he’ll be the immediate upgrade some fans are counting on. And the offensive line that Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle are both struggling behind is the same shaky unit that Cook would be working with. What’s plaguing the Cowboys? Ranking their 5 biggest issues through 3 games :: The Athletic Link Only five? Well, it’s a start. Rough first quarters are killing this team (and not just on defense), and the running game is downright terrible. But there’s actually also very little depth in the passing attack. And Mike Zimmer’s defense is currently no good at stopping either the pass or the run. And with a significant upgrade in personnel unlikely at this point, it falls on this group of players and coaches to get better… and fast. Cowboys 53-man roster, practice squad for Week 4 vs Giants; LB loses eligibility :: Cowboys Wire Link The Cowboys will have to make a move if they want Nick Vigil to see the field again this season, while defensive end Carl Lawson has two gameday elevations remaining. The short week is unlikely to bring any roster changes, but the mini-bye that follows Thursday night’s tilt could bring some shuffling. Cowboys’ Mike McCarthy snaps at reporter’s question on player post-game comments :: Cowboys Wire Link The coach got uncharacteristically nasty on Monday with a local reporter (who had worked for the team until very recently) over a fair and well-considered question about addressing the concerns that some Cowboys players have raised in their own interviews. The exchange, which played out in front of the media pool, hints at the added pressure and short tempers around the facility in the wake of a third straight blowout loss at home. (McCarthy reportedly apologized later to the reporter.) Prescott brushes off media on Tuesday :: Todd Archer NFL’s 12 highest-salaried QBs, from Dak Prescott to Kirk Cousins, off to rough starts in 2024 :: Cowboys Wire Link They say money can’t buy happiness or love; maybe it doesn’t automatically buy wins for NFL quarterbacks, either. Of the 12 highest-salaried passers in the league, none is undefeated through only three games. Two are winless, and six others also have losing records thus far. Eagles player responds after Micah Parsons calls him out for calling the Saints pretenders :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram Link Parsons took C.J. Gardner-Johnson to task for comments made after Philadelphia beat New Orleans by a field goal in Week 3. “I don’t know who C. J. Gardner think he is, bro,” Parsons said on his podcast. “I’m not taking away anything, but Derek Carr has been a Pro Bowl quarterback.” The Eagles safety fired back on X, going so far as to drag the Cowboys’ recent playoff record into the argument. How Cowboys’ Brandon Aubrey is preparing for what could be a rainy day at MetLife Stadium :: Dallas Morning News Link The Thursday forecast in New York is calling for rain showers. While the Cowboys practiced with wet footballs on Tuesday, Aubrey said he and the special teams unit went through their normal routine. His first game as a Cowboy was also in the rain at MetLife Stadium; Aubrey missed his first extra point try but connected on everything after that. Stock Up, Stock Down: What’s there in Cowboys Land to invest in besides Aubrey? :: Cowboys Wire Link The Cowboys’ cold-blooded killer of a kicker and emerging wide receiver Jalen Tolbert are about the only positives in the locker room right now. The arrow is pointing down on just about everyone else, but CeeDee Lamb and all the team’s offensive tackles look like especially bad buys at the moment. Jason Pinnock compares Giants-Cowboys to sibling rivalry :: Giants Wire Link The 25-year-old safety says the Giants’ six straight losses to Dallas have no bearing on the team’s readiness to battle on Thursday. “My analogy goes towards my big brother,” Pinnock said. “He probably beat on me for 12 years, but that 13th, I’m going to bust your [expletive]. It is what it is.” NFL Week 4: Cowboys currently have top-10 draft pick; projected 2025 compensatory picks :: Cowboys Wire Link If the season were to
Grades for the Cowboys in narrow Week 3 loss to Ravens
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images Last week’s report card was (shocker here) not great for the Cowboys. The Cowboys are reeling after a second-straight loss dropped them to 1-2 on the season. The Ravens were well on their way to a blowout win, but a mad dash for a fourth quarter comeback resulted in a three-point lipstick-on-a-pig type loss for the Cowboys. So who did well in this one? Let’s hand out some grades. Quarterback It took a while for Dak Prescott to get settled in this game – though his offensive line didn’t make things easy on him – but this turned into a vintage Prescott performance. His 52.9% completion rate doesn’t tell the full story in this game – one that saw him pressured a season-high 14 times with three drops, three throwaways, and a pass batted at the line of scrimmage – but Prescott was surgical in this game. He recorded three big time throws, including a perfectly placed touchdown strike to KaVontae Turpin, and ran in a score on top of his two touchdown passes. Prescott piled up 379 passing yards on the day and was the driver of this offense in the fourth quarter. It still wasn’t enough, but if the Cowboys can get that performance consistently going forward, they’ll be in good shape. Grade: A- Running backs Just like last week, the Cowboys got down so big so early that their running backs rarely had a chance to carry the ball. That makes it difficult to truly grade them in this one, but Rico Dowdle once again flashed real potential. Ezekiel Elliott and Deuce Vaughn competed for snaps behind Dowdle, as the pecking order of this running back room has become a little more clear now. Whether that results in a good rushing game or not remains to be seen, as we’ve gotten very few snaps with these runners in normal game situations. This Sunday, though, was extremely average in overall production. Grade: C Pass catchers The pass catchers had an interesting day. CeeDee Lamb put up one of his worst performances of his career, with three drops and a fumble inside the 10-yard line. He still finished with four catches for 67 yards, but Lamb knows he left meat on the bone. Outside of Lamb, though, things were pretty good. Turpin caught all three of his targets, Jake Ferguson nearly hit 100 yards receiving, and Jalen Tolbert stacked another reliable game on top of last week’s performance. Even Hunter Luepke flashed, in particular with a big 24-yard catch-and-run late in the game. This is rare to say, but the pass catcher group was held back by Lamb this week. Grade: B- Offensive line This was a pretty lousy game for the offensive line. Prescott was under constant duress, getting sacked three times and the offensive line allowing 11 of the 14 pressures on the day. Each starter on the line gave up at least two pressures, and Zack Martin actually led the team with three pressures allowed. The offensive line struggled in run blocking too, rarely opening up holes for any of these running backs. That’s somewhat understandable against this Baltimore defensive front, but it was an otherwise all around bad day for this unit. Grade: D Pass rush The Cowboys’ pass rush had a very quiet day in this one. They tallied just eight pressures on the day and came away with zero sacks. Half of those pressures came by way of Micah Parsons, who was the only defender to get a hit on Lamar Jackson. In fairness, though, the Ravens offered exceedingly few chances to even rush the passer. Jackson had just 17 dropbacks in this game, with six of them being either play-action or a screen pass. Still, this talented pass rush should be able to do more. Grade: C- Run defense The run defense proved once again to be unreliable, as the Ravens built their lead through a heavy dose of read-option plays with Derrick Henry. The powerful runner carried the ball 25 times for 151 yards and two scores, with five carries going for 10 yards or more. Jackson also ran the ball 14 times for 88 yards and a score. The defense did figure things out in the second half, making several stops against the run in the second half of the third quarter and beyond. That helps them earn a non-failing grade here, but it still wasn’t enough to get the job done. Grade: D Pass coverage The grade here is similarly impacted by the lack of passing attempts in this game. Baltimore smartly opted for a run-heavy attack, but their few passing plays were methodical. Jackson threw the ball 15 times, but only one of them went beyond 10 yards past the line of scrimmage; that was the touchdown pass that came on a broken coverage play with Jackson on the move. Other than that, Jackson took a dink-and-dunk approach that perfectly complemented the Ravens’ lethal rushing attack, and there was very little the Cowboys could do to stop it. That doesn’t earn them any brownie points, but it does make it hard to grade them too harshly. Grade: C- Special teams Another week, another high grade for the Cowboys special teams unit. Brandon Aubrey has officially laid claim to being the best kicker in the league, and he did so in a game that included Justin Tucker. Aubrey’s 65-yard field goal broke a franchise record and earned him the distinction of second-longest field goal in history. Aubrey took things up a notch with an expertly executed onside kick that the Cowboys recovered, which allowed Dallas to make a meaningful comeback attempt. Had the defense been able to make a stop on the last drive, Aubrey almost certainly would have had a chance to drill a ridiculous game-tying field goal. Alas, the Ravens succeeded in keeping the Cowboys’ best player (in 2024, at least) off the field in that critical moment. Grade: A+ Coaching
Stock Up, Stock Down: What’s there in Cowboys Land to invest in besides Aubrey?
Stock Up, Stock Down: What’s there in Cowboys Land to invest in besides Aubrey? Cameron Burnett Winning at AT&T Stadium used to be a near certainty for the Dallas Cowboys. Recently it’s looked nearly impossible with three straight opposing assaults at home. Week 3 saw a more competitive finish, but that’s all it was with the hometown club falling, 28-25, to the previously winless Baltimore Ravens. There were a plethora of issues that plagued the Cowboys in their descent to 1-2 on the young season. While finding a complementary option in the receiver room, Dallas’ star wideout had his own forgettable day. The defensive issues mirrored Week 2 and yet again. Here’s the stock report heading into a short week with Thursday Night Football against the New York Giants. Stock Down: WR CeeDee Lamb Sep 22, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins (2) and Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) defend a pass intended for Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) during the second half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images CeeDee Lamb is often the man carrying the load in the wide receiver room, and his chemistry with Prescott has turned the pair into an elite duo. His performance and antics that followed in Week 3 were the complete opposite. On the face, Lamb finished with four catches for 67 yards. The problems came with a fumble in the Cowboys’ lone trip to the red zone in the first half and late drops during the comeback effort. The game could’ve gone far differently without those miscues. As things unraveled for Lamb, his body language mirrored and the star was on the sideline too often during Prescott’s heroic efforts. Emotion can be a good thing in football, but as the star of the Cowboys offense, this just isn’t a good look. Stock Up: K Brandon Aubrey Sep 22, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys place kicker Brandon Aubrey (17) kicks an onside kick during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images There’s one consistent thing about the Cowboys through three games and that’s Brandon Aubrey. The star kicker easily made a 65-yard field goal before making a 51-yarder look like a chip shot. While the offense may struggle at times, reaching midfield is nearly a guarantee for three points. That’s a weapon you can’t put a value on, which makes this McCarthy decision even more infuriating. If that wasn’t enough, his sidewinder onside kick led to some late drama. If Dallas manages to find its rhythm as a team, Aubrey’s value will become even more obvious. Stock Up: WR Jalen Tolbert Sep 22, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (1) catches a touchdown pass during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images While Lamb was the talk of the day in the wide receiver room, Jalen Tolbert quietly displayed a ton of confidence and chemistry with Prescott. He scored a 15-yard touchdown on one of the better route combos of the day, slamming the brakes before finding himself wide open in the middle of the endzone to make the game competitive. The passing game is heavily dependent on the trio of Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Jake Ferguson. Tolbert proving himself as a legit option can add a different gear to this offense. Stock Down: Offensive Tackles Sep 22, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Terence Steele (78) lines up during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images Letting Tyron Smith walk in free agency continues to look puzzling. RT Terence Steele has struggled mightily and Tyler Guyton is dealing with growing pains on the left side. Prescott was hit seven times and the run game was nonexistent with 16 carries for 31 yards. Nnamdi Madubuike bullied Steele on many occasions. That’s an issue for the whole unit but the tackles were a major liability in the loss to the Ravens. When the quarterback is uneasy and missing on throws while there’s nothing working on the ground, it’s no wonder the offense couldn’t find its footing. Steele is contracted through 2028 and that investment looks more dicey by the day. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Cowboys vs. Giants: New York gets their first win of the season heading into TNF
Scott Galvin-Imagn Images The Cowboys and Giants will meet on Thursday in a battle of teams who have already beaten the Browns this season. Giants show ‘resiliency on the road’ for first win – Michael Eisen, Giants.com New York finally put forth a winning effort this season. CLEVELAND – A game that could not have started worse for the Giants could not have ended better. Trailing by seven points just 11 seconds into the game – the fastest they had fallen behind since the 1970 merger – the Giants rallied to take a 14-point halftime lead and survived a scoreless second half because the defense dominated the final 10 minutes of the game. The result was the Giants’ first victory of the season, a 21-15 decision against the Cleveland Browns in Huntington Bank Field. Now 1-2, the Giants have little time to celebrate; they host the Dallas Cowboys Thursday night. “It feels good to get on the board, to get rid of that donut,” said linebacker Brian Burns, who got his first sack with the Giants, forced one fumble and knocked down two passes. “We needed that going into the short week against the division opponent, so it’s good to get that off the board.” “I think it was a big win for us,” said defensive tackle and captain Dexter Lawrence, who had 2.0 sacks and four quarterback hits. “We were making a lot of mistakes in the first two games. And the mindset in this game was just going out there and having fun, enjoying every moment that you have, and having intense focus every single snap that you have. And it showed out there.” “…I think, in terms of being on the road, it’s cranking there, a touchdown right after the fumble, just to stay locked in and committed to the next-play mentality,” coach Brian Daboll said. “(It) doesn’t always turn out your way and today it did. I give our guys a lot of credit.” Breaking Down Giants’ Top 5 Performers vs. Cleveland Browns – Victoria Jonach, Bob Folger, Sports Illustrated New York’s first-round pick had his “Coming Out” party in Week 3. 3. WR Malik Nabers – 83.8 Nabers’ performance was both impressive and record-breaking. He reached the end zone not once but twice, making him the youngest wide receiver in NFL history to score two touchdowns in one game. The rookie contributed eight receptions for 78 yards. With 23 career receptions to his name, Nabers is the first player in the league’s history with 20+ catches and three touchdowns in his first three games. On the offense’s 93-yard scoring drive, Nabers caught passes of 13 and 28 yards. On the 28-yarder, he leaped over a defender along the sideline, out-fighting him for the ball, and kept both feet in bounds. Nabers then finished off that drive with a leaping 3-yard touchdown catch in the corner of the end zone, once again masterfully getting both feet down at the last instant. A short while later, Nabers finished a short drive by shaking free in the back of the end zone for an 8-yard score and a 21-7 halftime lead. Daboll also commended Nabers on breaking up a pass from Jones that could have resulted in an interception. New York Giants won’t commit to PK Greg Joseph vs. Dallas Cowboys – Ed Valentine, BigBlueView.com There were some blemishes on the Giants’ Week 3 win. Could Greg Joseph be one-and-done as the New York Giants’ placekicker? Signed off the Detroit Lions’ practice squad last week to replace the injured Graham Gano, Joseph badly missed a 48-yard field goal on Sunday with 3:00 to go that would have secured the Giants’ eventual victory over the Cleveland Browns. “We’ll sit down and, and talk personnel stuff later today,” said head coach Brian Daboll. “You’d like him obviously to make that kick. He didn’t, but he’s done a good job when he was here in practice. And we’ll talk about what we’re going to do here.” The Giants have a short week facing the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night. That might make it difficult to change kickers. Four kickers worked out for the Giants last week before the Giants plucked Joseph from the Lions. One of those was Randy Bullock, who made 5 of 6 field goals over six games for the Giants last season, including a 56-yarder, while subbing for an injured Gano. The 34-year-old Bullock remains unsigned. 40-0 The Cowboys embarrassed the Giants at MetLife Stadium in last season’s season opener, winning 40-0. Daboll said he isn’t using that as motivation this week. “I think each individual person is motivated by different things. My main focus is getting ready to play this team in 2024,” Daboll said. “The team that’s just played these first three games — different players, different schemes, making sure that we’re prepared, doing a good job in our walkthroughs and our meetings and our communication. “Our focus is on the task at hand.”
After further review: Cowboys run defense remains atrocious, offense not helping Dak
Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images Last week was tough. The Dallas Cowboys went out on Sunday and laid another egg in a 28-25 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. While the final score shows a three-point game, this game was a hot mess from the onset and stayed that way through three quarters. The Cowboys offense finally got going late and the defense also made some stops to keep them in it, but eventually, they ran out of time and couldn’t complete the epic comeback. Since we spent most of this game in agony, we’re not going to let them slide and act like they don’t have some big problems. It was a poor display on both sides of the ball and today, we’ll try to figure out what we can learn after further review. DEFENSE Once again, the defense was the main story as they continued to show no ability to stop the opposing offense. The Cowboys allowed 294 rushing yards, which is the most they’ve allowed in four years, and that says a lot as they’ve given up some doozies in recent years. It was bad in every aspect. The Ravens did a great job with the run designs, providing more blockers than the Cowboys had defenders, but there was still so much of this that was self-inflicted. Can’t set the edge The defense lacks the discipline to stick to their responsibilities. Either Mike Zimmer is not saying the right things or his players aren’t smart enough to carry out the plan. Again and again, defenders will be out of position and have very little chance to make a play. So, much of this is mental. Whether they’re leaning too far inside or being picked at the point of attack, the Cowboys’ defense is really bad at setting the edge. Runners continuously pop outside and just race down the sideline. Easy yards. pic.twitter.com/i8UbfnA0Ak — Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) September 23, 2024 Taking the bait It’s hard to know what everyone’s job is on every play, so playing the blame game can be difficult, but what’s not hard is seeing that the team is not doing what they’re supposed to be doing. Defenders are crashing inside on players who don’t have the ball while leaving no one else on the outside to go after the actual ball carrier. The Ravens had the Cowboys’ defense guessing wrong all afternoon. They talked about playing too much “hero ball.” Defenders get their eye on the prize rather than sticking to their assignments. Micah Parsons is their best defender, but sometimes he just can’t help himself. pic.twitter.com/Dy858mxGDN — Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) September 23, 2024 From Hero to Zero. Donovan Wilson makes a great tackle in the backfield on a potential jet sweep play, except Zay Flowers doesn’t have the ball. You can’t be the hero if you’re tackling the wrong guy. pic.twitter.com/6fFR8FWTVy — Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) September 23, 2024 Not bringing the fight The mental element is one thing, and it’s certainly a big one. They can’t make a play if they’re scurrying about in the wrong direction. But the problem doesn’t stop there. This team is lacking the physical presence they once had under Dan Quinn. Now, that’s not to say that Zimmer is breeding softness into this group as some of these same guys we’ve seen lay down the smack are the same ones now tackling as if they’re capturing a greased pig. The effort feels weak and they’re just not bringing guys down. A normally sound tacking team is suddenly having all sorts of issues. In recent years the Cowboys’ defense has been a physical group, but not so much this season. The tackling has been piss-poor and they’re getting manhandled out there. I don’t recognize these guys. pic.twitter.com/Gm4cmwc42u — Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) September 23, 2024 OFFENSE The defense was bad, but they don’t deserve all the blame. The offense was nowhere to be found through most of this one. They had some drives, but like they did in the first half of last year, they struggled to close the deal. Fumbles and penalties turned potential touchdowns into three points or no points as the team couldn’t answer and keep the game manageable. The only thing fans could get excited about in the first half was whether or not their star kicker was going to set a new NFL record for the longest field goal (he came close, it’s just a matter of time). It’s hard to understand why a normally potent offense is having so much trouble. We talked about the running game last week, and it’s still a big problem, but the team struggled quite a bit in the passing game as well. There weren’t many easy plays for Dak Prescott and it left us wondering if he’s not seeing the field well or if the offensive playcalling is setting him up for failure. You decide. Too many tight window throws The broadcast team spoke about this quite a bit and it was a real issue. When you look at the All-22 tape, there weren’t a lot of open windows for Dak to work with. Bad playcalling or bad quarterbacking? Let’s play the 2.3-second game and see what Dak had available. Did he make good decisions with the football? pic.twitter.com/ADD2H6gell — Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) September 23, 2024 Check out the average separation of the pass-catchers in the game. Every Ravens’ pass catcher had greater separation than every Cowboys’ pass catcher. Data courtesy of NFL Pro Dak had some zingers When you evaluate all of Prescott’s throws, there were some misfires. Some throws were high, some were behind, and some deflected off a defensive lineman. It happens. But there were also some right-on-the-money throws from Dak and many of them came when he was given just a smidge of separation in the secondary. Of course, if you give Dak a little bit of space, he can hurt you. This is what a good passing attack looks like. pic.twitter.com/FaCKfORyCk — Dan
Prescott, Lamb with opportunity to get Cowboys back on track vs depleted Giants CB corps
Prescott, Lamb with opportunity to get Cowboys back on track vs depleted Giants CB corps Todd Brock After getting taken to the woodshed in back-to-back weeks, the Cowboys are looking for something- anything- to feel encouraged about heading into a suddenly-very-important Week 4 game. They may have found it in the Giants secondary. Third-round rookie Dru Phillips and veteran Adoree’ Jackson, two of New York’s top cornerbacks, sat out the team’s Tuesday walkthrough- the second straight DNP for both- with calf injuries per the Giants website, and head coach Brian Daboll didn’t sound overly optimistic that either would be ready to suit up Thursday night. “We’ll see. Go all the way to the end like we normally do,” Daboll told New York media on Tuesday. “We’ve got a couple more days; we’ll see where everybody’s at tomorrow night, Thursday morning.” Jackson played just 17 defensive snaps in Week 3, while Phillips logged seven. Daboll said he doesn’t believe either player will have to go on injured reserve, but that will be of little solace as Dak Prescott comes to town. The Cowboys quarterback enters the game as the NFL’s passing yards leader through three games. Granted, a significant chunk of his 851 yards have come as the offense played from way behind against both the Saints and the Ravens, but Prescott won’t complain about facing a depleted secondary as Dallas looks to get back on track in their first divisional tilt of the season. The Giants’ CB shuffle could put extra pressure on Deonte Banks, their 2023 first-round pick out of Maryland. This past Sunday, the 23-year-old was tasked with covering a five-time Pro Bowler. It did not go well. Banks got “torched by Amari Cooper and looked lost on the field” versus the Browns, according to Giants Wire. Cooper caught seven balls and scored twice in a game the Giants ended up winning. It’s the kind of game film, though, that could have Cowboys star receiver CeeDee Lamb salivating in anticipation after a very frustrating day last week. Lamb sits one spot outside the league’s top 10 in receiving yards but was mostly stymied last Sunday after a costly red-zone fumble early in the game. Him returning to form (and quickly) will be absolutely critical if the Cowboys are to have any long-term success this season. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Daboll admitted that finding a scheme to shut down Lamb has already been a focus for his staff during this short week. “Tough opponent, really good player, CeeDee,” the coach said. “They’ve got a lot of really good players. So we’re burning it pretty good here.” Giants cornerback Nick McCloud may also provide some relief for after missing Weeks 2 and 3 with a knee injury. He was listed as limited both Monday and Tuesday, but Daboll expressed “hope” that McCloud would be able to go Thursday. Cor’Dale Flott, Tre Hawkins, and Art Green could also figure into the mix for the New York defensive backfield. They have one career interception among them. Given the early struggles from the Cowboys’ run game, Mike McCarthy may be asking his running backs to help the offensive line with pass protection, letting Prescott and Lamb go to work on turning things around against a Giants CB corps already on the short end of the injury stick. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Cowboys injury report: Caelen Carson, Markquese Bell are game-time decisions
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images Your latest Cowboys injury news. Still handling the fallout from their disappointing loss against the Baltimore Ravens, Cowboys Nation and the NFL world watched Monday as the Washington Commanders beat the Cincinnati Bengals in primetime. Led by a spectacular performance by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, Washington’s win places the Cowboys in last place in the NFC East ahead of Thursday’s game against the New York Giants. Some may characterize Thursday as a must-win and the Cowboys must answer back to shake the sting of two defeats early in the season. Here’s where the Cowboys are regarding injuries after the second day of practice this week. Cowboys CB Caelen Carson (shoulder) and S Markquese Bell (ankle) will be “game-time decisions” for Thursday night’s game against the Giants, according to Mike McCarthy. He says that Carson is closer than Bell at this juncture. — Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) September 24, 2024 Markquese Bell (ankle) and Caelen Carson (shoulder) did not practice again today. If Carson cannot play, Dallas will reach into their depth for someone to start opposite Trevon Diggs. Head coach Mike McCarthy has stated that both will be game-time decisions with Carson closer to playing than Bell. We’ll update this when the full injury report comes out. DT Dexter Lawrence still limited on the Giants’ estimated injury report today. pic.twitter.com/MbBuGwOLQ8 — Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) September 24, 2024 For the second consecutive day, Giants cornerbacks Adoree Jackson and Dru Phillips did not practice with respective calf injuries. There is pessimism whether either will be able to play against Dallas. Another cornerback, Nick McCloud, was limited at practice Tuesday, but the team is cautiously hopeful that he’ll play Thursday. A foot injury again limited interior defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence. Tight end Lawrence Cager did not practice, and head coach Brian Daboll said Cager is likely headed to injured reserve. Darius Slayton (thumb) was designated as a limited participant on Tuesday. Along their offensive line, John Michael Schmitz (neck) and Jermaine Eluemunor (thumb) practiced fully today.
2024 NFL Week 4 Power Rankings: Dallas Cowboys continue to fall after another loss
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The Cowboys look like one of the worst teams in the NFL right now. Three weeks of the NFL season have flown by and much of what we thought has been validated. Of course there are things and realities that we did not anticipate, the NFL is the best reality show on television for a reason. Among the things that have at the very least happened so far has been the Dallas Cowboys falling flat in certain areas. It can be argued that these things were predictable across the offseason and the proverbial chickens are coming home to roost. Where do the Cowboys stack up across the rest of the league after their latest debacle? As always we have put together our power rankings of all 32 NFL teams and curated where outlets across the internet have Dallas ranked. You can view last week’s power rankings right here. 1 – Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 1) It remains their world until it isn’t anymore. 2 – Buffalo Bills (LW: 3) I’m guilty of burying the Bills in the past. But my goodness do they look incredible. 3 – Baltimore Ravens (LW: 9) They host Buffalo on Sunday night! What a treat. 4 – Minnesota Vikings (LW: 12) Every year there is the weird team that we are surprised to see be dominant. Two years ago it was the Vikings. This year it is the Vikings! 5 – Seattle Seahawks (LW: 15) I’ll say now that I anticipate that they will beat Detroit on Monday night. 6 – Houston Texans (LW: 2) There is no need to panic as of yet. But imagine if they lose to the Jaguars (they won’t). 7 – San Francisco 49ers (LW: 4) It turns out Christian McCaffrey was kind of important. 8 – Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 10) It sucks to admit, but wow that was an impressive win last week. 9 – New Orleans Saints (LW: 5) OF COURSE THEY LOST TO THE EAGLES IN DISAPPOINTING FASHION AFTER DESTROYING THE COWBOYS BECAUSE OF COURSE THEY DID. 10 – Detroit Lions (LW: 7) I’m lower on the Lions than most and already picked the Seahawks to beat them on Monday. Prove me wrong. 11 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 6) Losing so handily to the Broncos was a tough scene. 12 – Green Bay Packers (LW: 19) Some of us have argued in the past that Aaron Rodgers’ greatness disallowed anyone from giving Mike McCarthy any kind of credit in Green Bay. The same is true with Matt LaFleur. What they are doing is so impressive. 13 – Los Angeles Rams (LW: 16) It is also worth not burying this team. What a fight last week. 14 – Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 14) If Justin Herbert is banged up for a while things could get dark. 15 – Arizona Cardinals (LW: 11) I’ll take all of the Cardinals stock that anybody is willing to give up. 16 – Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 13) Undefeated and that is impressive, but does anyone feel intimidated by this team? The defense is clearly outstanding, but that offense is going to limit them. 17 – Washington Commanders (LW: 22) Jayden Daniels is officially a problem. 18 – New York Jets (LW: 24) They appear to be getting it together. 19 – Dallas Cowboys (LW: 8) Sigh. 20 – Denver Broncos (LW: 29) That was easily the best win in the Sean Payton era, right? 21 – New York Giants (LW: 31) Malik Nabers has the potential to take over the league. 22 – Indianapolis Colts (LW: 26) They are so weirdly interesting. Rooting for Anthony Richardson to get it together overall. 23 – New England Patriots (LW: 17) Yikes. 24 – Atlanta Falcons (LW: 18) I want to believe, but if not for one amazing drive this would be a winless team. 25 – Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 20) The good times are fading fast. 26 – Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 21) DEFCON 2. 27 – Chicago Bears (LW: 23) The panic over Caleb Williams is obviously way too premature. That being said, it is not great to see it so tough so early on. 28 – Carolina Panthers (LW: 32) Shout out Andy Dalton! 29 – Tennessee Titans (LW: 30) Nothing they do is creative. Arguably the most boring team in the NFL to watch. 30 – Miami Dolphins (LW: 25) It is a tough situation here right now. 31 – Cleveland Browns (LW: 27) The quarterback seems to be holding them back. 32 – Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 28) Maybe Doug Pederson is way overrated! NFL.com: 17 (LW: 11) Here we go. A disturbing formula has emerged over the past two games where the Cowboys can’t stop the run and can’t generate big plays offensively until they’re down big. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry often had a head of steam before any Cowboys could touch them in Sunday’s defeat, as the Ravens stayed ahead of the sticks most of the afternoon. Baltimore had one third-and-long situation all game prior to the end of the third quarter. When that happens, the Cowboys’ great pass rushers are neutralized. Running the ball on offense also has been a problem for Dallas, as the RB triumvirate hasn’t come close to combining for 100 ground yards in any of the three games so far. Dak Prescott was held down for three quarters before a furious rally that came up just short. Dallas isn’t completely down and out, but it’s feeling mighty shaky all of a sudden. ESPN: 16 (LW: 14) They also added a biggest issue on offense for each. Biggest issue on offense: Running back by committee Coach Mike McCarthy can harp on the lack of rushing attempts — just 49 by running backs in three games — but when Rico Dowdle, Ezekiel Elliott or Deuce Vaughn have carried the ball, it has not been good enough. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, the Cowboys have picked up minus-74 rushing yards
Jerry Jones says Dalvin Cook unlikely to play vs Giants, but would he even help Cowboys run game?
Jerry Jones says Dalvin Cook unlikely to play vs Giants, but would he even help Cowboys run game? Todd Brock Cowboys fans expecting running back Dalvin Cook to step in and inject some life into the moribund Dallas ground game will have to keep waiting, it seems. The 29-year-old, signed just prior to the start of the season, will apparently remain on the Cowboys practice squad for yet another gameday when the team travels to MetLife Stadium to take on the New York Giants in a divisional showdown on Thursday night. That’s the report from Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, anyway. “We’ve got a short week here, and I don’t think this is the time that you have any real serious roster adjustments in at that particular time,” Jones told Shan & RJ on 105.3 The Fan during a Tuesday morning phone-in. “So I don’t think so, because of the short week, for sure.” Cook signed with Dallas on Aug. 28 after spending the summer working out on his own as a free agent. The four-time Pro Bowler was originally a second-round draft pick of the Vikings in 2017 and spent six seasons in Minnesota before playing for the Jets last season and making a brief playoff appearance for the Ravens this past January. The Cowboys have not yet used a gameday elevation on Cook. Head coach Mike McCarthy gave no indications one way or the other when asked about Cook’s status. “I’m not here to make any decisions or proclamations on what’s next,” he told reporters at his Monday press conference. The Cowboys’ rushing attack has been largely stuck in neutral through the first three games of the season. The team ranks 30th out of 32 in both rushing attempts (62) and rushing yards (221), and only three clubs currently have a lower yards-per-carry average than Dallas’s 3.6. But honestly, would Cook provide a tangible improvement? He posted lots of the typical gym workout videos to social media during his offseason of unemployment, but the stats don’t necessarily point to him being some savior-in-waiting for the Cowboys. Cook saw only sparse action last year in a Jets offense that had to be completely retooled after the season-opening injury to Aaron Rodgers. As a result, his last objectively strong performance came a week before Christmas 2022, when he carried the ball 19 times for 95 yards and a 5.59-yard average in a Vikings win over Indianapolis. His last rushing touchdown came the week before that, and his most recent 100-yard game was mid-November of that year. And Cook hasn’t tallied back-to-back 100-yard outings since December 2020. Compare that to Ezekiel Elliott, once again wearing the silver and blue after one season in New England. He did post a last strong showing in Week 3 last year, totaling 80 yards on 16 carries in a Patriots win (over, ironically, Cook and the Jets). But Elliott’s last 100-yard day came in October 2021, nearly two calendar years ago; it was also the second of his most recent back-to-back 100-yard games. Rico Dowdle is currently the Cowboys’ leading rusher heading into Week 4, though that’s not saying much. Dowdle’s 88 yards through three games ranks just 49th leaguewide; Elliott (62 yards) is in 63rd place. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] The Cowboys have been unable to commit to the run thanks to early deficits in consecutive games, but they also have yet to show any real ability to be effective when they do run. The offensive line that Elliott and Dowdle are both struggling behind is the same shaky unit that Cook would be working with. The most optimistic of Cowboys faithful may cling to a belief that Cook- who received almost no notable interest from any other club all summer long- is the missing piece that will get the Dallas offense finally clicking. But in truth, there’s little reason to believe that’s true. And, per Jones, there’s no reason to believe Cook will even get a chance Thursday night. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Bill Belichick says the Cowboys have the talent to turn their season around
Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images Bill Belichick seems to have thoughts on the Cowboys of the moment. The Dallas Cowboys suffered their second-straight defeat on Sunday, losing 28-25 to the Baltimore Ravens. Don’t let the score fool you however, this game was not close. The game felt very similar to the previous two games played in AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys continued to get dominated on the ground, allowing 274 yards rushing. They allowed 6.1 yards per carry, which is a losing formula in the NFL. Ravens RB Derrick Henry had his best game of the season, rushing for 151 yards on 25 carries. He also scored twice. As a free agent this past offseason, Henry was widely seen as an ideal fit for the Cowboys. Henry even discussed the possibility back in April, saying he felt it was a “perfect situation for him.” Despite this, the Cowboys never even reached out to him. When asked after the game about Henry’s performance, Jerry Jones told the media that the team couldn’t afford him. “We couldn’t afford Derrick Henry. I don’t know. Why can’t you buy a mansion when you live in a different kind of house? We couldn’t afford it. We can’t make that all fit. That’s as simple as that.” Well, one reason the team may have been unable to “afford him” was that the team dragged on a potential contract extension with both WR CeeDee Lamb and QB Dak Prescott. Not only did the Dallas defense continue to look weak on Sunday, their run game continued to be inefficient. They ran for just 51 yards on 16 attempts, averaging a mere 3.2 yards per carry. Despite the unimpressive start to the season, six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Belichick believes the team can get it fixed. “This is the same thing they ran into last year. … Look, the draft is over, free agency is over, I wouldn’t expect a lot of big trades here. I think there’s enough talent in Dallas to get things straightened out. But they got to look in the mirror and look each other in the eye and say we’re gonna do it.” It’s interesting that Belichick noted that the Cowboys have the talent to make it work, almost as if the reason they haven’t succeeded is coaching related. Belichick has made it publicly known he would like another chance at coaching. If the Cowboys continue to lose, and Mike McCarthy’s seat continues to get hotter, a Belichick to Dallas push by fans and the media could gain some steam.
