Cowboys have an every 5-week jinx that just sidelined Dak Prescott K.D. Drummond Things have gone from bad to worse for the Dallas Cowboys in 2024, and it all started way back in August. First, the recent news. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott was forced to leave Sunday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Initially, fan and media concern centered around his throwing hand, which FOX cameras intially caught bleeding following what is now known as his final drive for a while. Soonafter though, it was shown how on his last pass, Prescott was seen grimacing as he attempted the throw, and favoring one leg. It was quickly reported to be a hamstring injury and Prescott was ruled out for the game. The speed of the decision along with Prescott’s own words post-game led many to believe it would be a multiple week injury and now those thoughts are confirmed. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero is reporting he will indeed be out for weeks, and for Cowboys fans who believe in such things, it’s the latest entry in the 5-week jinx of the 2024 season. Prescott was injured in the club’s eighth game of the season, but Week 9. And though it hasn’t yet been confirmed whether there will be long-term impact, WR CeeDee Lamb suffered a shoulder injury in the game as well. Going back five weeks to Week 4 was when the Cowboys lost LB Micah Parsons, DE DeMarcus Lawrence and WR Brandin Cooks in the 20-15 win over the New York Giants. That game was on September 26. Five weeks prior? DaRon Bland was suffering from foot discomfort on August 21 and ended up having surgery on August 26. He still has yet to return to the mix, though he was close to returning prior to the bye week before suffering a setback. It’s an uncanny rhythm to a season that has been ridiculously dysfunctional since January’s blowout loss to the Green Bay Packers during the wild-card round. For those counting at home, the Cowboys inducted Jimmy Johnson into the Ring of Honor 45 weeks ago… nine times five. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb gets encouraging news on shoulder injury Todd Brock While the hamstring injury suffered by quarterback Dak Prescott in Sunday’s loss will cost the Cowboys multiple games without their leader, the team’s top offensive weapon appears to have dodged a bullet. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb played through a shoulder injury for most of the game and even caught a two-point conversion late in the contest despite being in obvious pain. Lamb has a sprained AC joint, according to multiple reports, news that would confirm the team’s early suspicions. Last season’s receptions leader will have a sore shoulder, but the injury is not considered serious. He is being called “week-to-week” and may not even miss any time. https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1853519376403882241/ “I’ll be out there,” Lamb told reporters. “I’ll be playing.” The initial injury came in the second quarter after a hard fall to the turf while making a catch. A fourth-quarter dive on a deep ball aggravated the injury further, causing him to stay down momentarily and even miss several plays. https://twitter.com/NFLonFOX/status/1853175757385679298/ He was able to return. Lamb totaled eight catches on 12 targets Sunday, gaining 47 yards and that two-point conversion from backup passer Cooper Rush in the waning moments of the 27-21 loss in Week 9. Now it appears that Rush will take over in Dallas, barring a surprise roster change by the team to go with third-stringer Trey Lance. But assuming Rush gets the gig, there may not be the dropoff for Lamb that many fans would expect at first blush. The 30-year-old quarterback out of Central Michigan has started six games as a Cowboy, and Lamb’s receiving numbers in that relatively small sample size are… actually… just fine. Tgt Rec Yds TD 2021 at MIN 8 6 112 0 2022 vs CIN 11 7 75 0 2022 at NYG 12 8 87 1 2022 vs WAS 8 6 97 1 2022 at LAR 8 5 53 0 2022 at PHI 10 5 68 0 In Rush’s six starts, Lamb has averaged six catches on 11 targets for 82 yards per outing. Over 74 career games, Lamb has averaged six catches on nine targets for 78 yards per outing. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] If Lamb is to play this Sunday when the Eagles come to Arlington, he’ll likely need a positive week of rehab work with the Cowboys training staff and at least one full practice under his belt by the weekend. “It hurts, no need to shortchange it,” Lamb said of his right shoulder. “But that’s no excuse for my performance. I could have played better overall, and I’ll be better. I’m not going to put so much emphasis on it as far as me catching the ball because overall, that’s my job, but yeah, it definitely hurt.” Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

‘Something I’ve never felt’: Cowboys’ Prescott details Week 9 hamstring injury Todd Brock When the Cowboys lost Dak Prescott at the end of the third quarter of Sunday’s game versus Atlanta, a hamstring injury was the official reason given. But it may not be the only costly hit the quarterback took in the 27-21 loss. TV viewers saw the team’s training staff tending to Prescott’s throwing hand on the sideline as the fourth quarter got underway, with blood visible around the knuckle where the right pinkie meets the hand bones. Within minutes, Prescott was announced out of the game… but with a hamstring issue. Prescott himself told reporters about a sensation he felt while trying to evade a sack by Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss on the final drive of the third quarter. “I felt it when I was getting it up from the run,” Prescott said in his postgame press conference. “I can’t even say that I felt it running. Maybe the tackle, maybe something on the tackle, I don’t know. But standing up from that, I felt something, but actually, I didn’t think it was much.” Prescott seemed to realize otherwise, however, on the very next play. As he stepped through a throw to the far sideline- a 10-yard completion to Jalen Brooks- he pulled up noticeably. Replays show Prescott’s face contorted in pain. “I felt a pull, felt something I’ve never felt,” he explained. He dumped out of a pass on the next snap, a third-down play, and looked rather gimpy doing it. “Tough to walk on it at that point,” Prescott would say later. “Saw the medical team and asked, ‘Could I make it worse?’ At that point, they said I wouldn’t be able to protect myself, and they made the call to hold me out.” The quarterback had been under fire for weeks for not using his rushing and scrambling skills more often. Prior to the injury on Sunday, he was credited with three runs for 30 yards, his highest ground total since Week 6 of last season. Prescott was scheduled for an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the leg injury, but the apparent harm done to his throwing hand is worth following up on as well. https://twitter.com/NFLonFOX/status/1853168839875330519/ Prescott was not asked about his hand during his Sunday afternoon presser, nor did he bring it up. But the few images broadcast from the sideline seemed to show a very swollen right hand. The passer missed five games in 2022 after breaking the thumb on that same hand in a Week 1 game versus Tampa Bay. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] The bigger worry is that hamstring. Owner Jerry Jones told reporters, “I am concerned about that. It concerned me when I saw the play, or saw him have a reaction to any weakness there.” Backup Cooper Rush came on in relief and went 13-for-25 passing, compiling 115 yards and a touchdown in a comeback effort that fell short and sent the Cowboys to 3-5. Rush has a 5-1 career record as the Cowboys starter. His only loss came in his most recent start, 2022’s Week 6 visit to Philadelphia, the last game that Prescott’s thumb injury caused him to miss. The Cowboys are set to host the Eagles next Sunday. No matter what Monday’s tests reveal about Prescott hamstring and hand, Rush will almost certainly be taking extra snaps as a precaution. Prescott, for his part, hopes to be able to suit up without missing any time at all. “I would say that I’ll be out there next week. I’ve got to see. Luckily, I can say I’ve healed fast, I’ve progressed fast on injuries and things, so I’m thankful for that,” Prescott said. “It’ll take a lot for me not to be out there, I’ll tell you personally.” Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Video of cameras catching Cowboys QB Prescott giving blunt assessment of how bad things have gotten Todd Brock Dak Prescott was only repeating the conclusion most Cowboys fans had already come to themselves. It was late in the fourth quarter of the team’s 27-21 loss in Atlanta, and the Dallas quarterback was watching from the sideline as backup Cooper Rush was embarking on his third series with the offense. Down two touchdowns when he came in, Rush had started 8-of-15 for 54 yards in relief to that point. Upon tossing another incomplete pass to Jalen Brooks to bring up a third down, TV cameras caught Prescott- clad in a baseball cap and done for the day with a hamstring injury- sharing his observation of things with third-string emergency option Trey Lance. “We [expletive] suck,” Prescott seemed to say with a shake of his head. Yep, that pretty much sums it up. The loss dropped the Cowboys to 3-5, looking way up at both the Commanders and Eagles in the NFC East.Team owner Jerry Jones made a rare away-game locker-room visit to address the team and called the Cowboys’ current situation “bleak.” Already perilously thin due to injuries on both sides of the ball, the Cowboys now face the very real possibility of Prescott missing time, too. Last year’s leader in completions and touchdown passes will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of his injury, which he apparently suffered on a five-yard scramble late in the third quarter. He told reporters he felt something not during the run or even the tackle, but when he got up. On the next dropback, he said, he “felt something I’ve never felt.” Though he wanted to return to the field, Prescott was told by trainers that he wouldn’t be able to protect himself and was pulled in favor of Rush to start the fourth quarter. Over his three quarters of action, Prescott went 18-of-24 passing for 133 yards and a touchdown. Rush finished 13-of-25 for 115 and a score. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] As the leader of the team and face of the franchise, Prescott will no doubt face criticism for his NSFW assessment of the Cowboys’ outlook. He’ll likely own the moment and suggest that his teammates all feel the same way about how they’ve performed thus far this season. He’ll explain that it was an honest response to a disappointing day, but he’ll point out that his job- and the responsibility of every man in the Dallas locker room- is to now flush the loss, turn the page, leave that negativity in the past, and look ahead to preparing for Philadelphia’s visit to Arlington in Week 10. It’s the right approach. But it doesn’t mean what Prescott said was wrong. Cowboys fans have been saying it for months. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

This just isn’t their year Brett Davis-Imagn Images The Cowboys have won 12 games in three straight seasons, and to do that, sometimes the ball bounced their way. That is not happening this year, where everything that can go wrong has. Injuries were plaguing the team coming into the meeting with the Falcons, and things only got worse. Quarterback Dak Prescott left the game after the third quarter with a hamstring injury, but he also appeared to be favoring his throwing hand on the bench. That led to backup QB Cooper Rush trying to win the game late. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb also was banged up in the loss, hurting his shoulder in the first half, which limited his ability later in the game. Aside from the injuries, the Cowboys had chances to win this game. They couldn’t make plays that decent teams make to pull off the upset. There were mistakes everywhere, and they came from the Cowboys’ best players to cost them a chance at victory. Right guard Zack Martin missed a block that could’ve been a possible score on the offense’s first drive. On the second drive, Prescott missed a wide open Jalen Tolbert streaking down the sideline for what would’ve been an easy long score. Instead, he held the ball and took a sack. Prescott then missed a screen throw to tight end Jake Ferguson, who had to adjust to a bad pass, and wound up short of the first down. Two failed plays to get one yard later and the Cowboys turned it over on downs. Cornerback Trevon Diggs missed a tackle that would’ve forced a punt or a long field goal attempt, instead it resulted in a fourth-down conversion that went for a touchdown a play later when Diggs couldn’t fight through traffic. The confusion came after the Cowboys called a timeout to get themselves together. Return man KaVontae Turpin couldn’t keep his balance on a punt return that should’ve been a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, which was only compounded by Lamb’s drop of a perfect pass from Rush that should’ve resulted in a score a few plays later. The Cowboys were 4-18 on third and fourth downs, a percentage that won’t win many games. We learned this team isn’t good enough to make up for the mistakes and nothing is going their way. Sloppy play isn’t being cleaned up Brett Davis-Imagn Images The Cowboys are one of the most poorly disciplined teams in the league, and that continued in the loss to the Falcons. There were nine more penalties for McCarthy’s reckless group, most of which were mental mistakes. There were false starts and infractions at the worst time to keep the Cowboys from being more competitive in the game. Rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton had three false starts to put the offense behind the chains, but he wasn’t the only player who had issues. On the first play of the second half the right tackle, Terence Steele, false started to put the team behind on down and distance. To try and get some momentum going a few plays later, the Cowboys tried a fake punt, which failed, and Falcons scored five plays later to put Dallas in hurry up mode for the rest of the game. The sloppy play isn’t new for the Cowboys, but the team was unable to overcome the mistakes. That’s been the case for much of the season, McCarthy just can’t keep his team from imploding. Rico Dowdle is the answer at RB Nov 3, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (23) reacts after making a juggling catch for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Much was made of the decision to not allow veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott to travel with the team to Atlanta, but Rico Dowdle was the real story. Dowdle proved he could be the answer at RB, running 12 times for 75 yards and catching his second touchdown pass of the season. The 6.3 yards a carry was by far the best from any RB on the year yet McCarthy didn’t feel the need to give him more carries. The Cowboys were having their most successful game in first down yardage, giving the offense opportunities to run it more, but Dowdle didn’t get the call. This is what McCarthy and Jerry Jones have been talking about since the season began, they wanted to be in position to run the ball more and it was effective early, yet they didn’t stick with it. Dowdle’s juggling touchdown catch was the best play from the offense in the game and proof that he’s a good dual-threat RB. The veteran RB went over 100 total yards for the second time on the season. If it wasn’t clear before Week 9, we learned that Dowdle is the best, and most complete, RB the team has, and he deserves to get the lion’s share of the work out of the backfield. Offensive line isn’t very good Brett Davis-Imagn Images Dallas’ offensive line has been one of the biggest problems with the team this season, and if it wasn’t evident just how bad the unit is that became evident in the Week 9 loss. The Falcons have the worst pass rush in the league, coming into the contest with just six sacks. Somehow, Atlanta’s defense got three more against the porous Cowboys’ offensive line. It was a season-high for the Falcons. Even when they didn’t allow the sack, the offensive line was giving up pressure and throws were hurried. When they weren’t giving their QBs headaches, the lack of discipline was making life difficult. The group upfront had penalties and missed too many blocks that could’ve been sprung the offense for big plays. Guyton’s penalties were an issue, and the right side of the line, including Martin, didn’t play well. We knew the Cowboys’ offensive line wasn’t a great group, but

Cowboys fall to Falcons, 27-21, drop to 3-5 as season is slipping away K.D. Drummond It’s tough for a fanbase to maintain hope for a season when their team isn’t winning. As long as there are games remaining on a schedule, anything is possible, but when a club continues to suffer major injuries to augment their self-inflicted wounds, sooner or later people stop believing. And that’s for the ones who believed in the first place. The Dallas Cowboys lost quarterback Dak Prescott to a hamstring injury in the third quarter of their game against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9. He wasn’t the only one who was knocked out of the contest, either. Wideout CeeDee Lamb had several instances where he was in clear shoulder pain. In the end, it may not have mattered whether they were healthy for the full contest, as the Atlanta Falcons defense was able to corral the Dallas offense while their own O was efficient throughout a 27-13 win. The defeat drops the Cowboys to 3-5 on the season, with back-to-back home dates against the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans next up on the slate. In this contest, Prescott had been playing well, completing 75% of his throws without turning the ball over. Rush acquitted himself well in relief, adding 115 passing yards and a late score to Jalen Tolbert to give Dallas a last-second chance until the on-side kick failed. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Is Trevon Diggs playing today? Injury news update for Cowboys CB K.D. Drummond Update: Trevon Diggs will in fact play on Sunday, he was not one of the inactives. Trevon Diggs has had a trying week. Following last week’s frustrating loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the All-Pro cornerback came out the locker room to confront a media member of a tweet made during the contest. It was a bad look that eventually Diggs made amends for, but that wasn’t the end of Diggs’ time as the center of attention. Diggs also added himself to a ridiculously long list of injured Cowboys when he missed practice on Wednesday with what ended up being identified as a calf tear. Then Diggs missed Thursday, and then Friday.  Duggs was given the game designation of questionable for Dallas’ Week 9 roadtrip to take on the Atlanta Falcons. The Cowboys are now sitting under ,500, at 3-4 on the 2024 season, losers of two games in a row. The team came out of their bye week flat, and needed a fell-short fourth-quarter rally to make their game against the 49ers a respectable effort. Now, that same group is traveling to Atlanta in to take on the Falcons and Kirk Cousins. Already missing all of their top edge rushers, the Cowboys have played all season without Diggs’ counterpart DaRon Bland and the last several weeks without his backup rookie Caelen Carson. With Bland out, stopping Cousins and the Falcons aerial attack without Diggs is probably too big of an ask. Expecting a player who missed all three practices to play at all, much less at a high level, is asking for a lot. Week 9 inactives will be announced approximately an hour and a half before kickoff. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Home woes Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images Ironically, the Cowboys will be playing a team that’s been bad at home this season, just like them. The Falcons are just 2-3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, as opposed to being 3-0 on the road. It was a rough start to the home slate for the Falcons, losing their first two games and scoring a measly 13.5 points a game in defeat. They managed to turn things around to win the next two but got stymied again in their last game in Atlanta, scoring just 14 points in a losing effort. At home this season, the Falcons are scoring 20.6 ppg, a number that jumps to just over 30 points on the road. The Falcons also give up more points a game at home than they do on the road, giving the Cowboys a chance at the upset. McCarthy’s team has played better on the road as well, especially defensively, where they’re giving up over 20 points less a game than when they’re at AT&T Stadium. The Falcons have a losing record at home, while the Cowboys are 3-1 on the road, the hope is that trend continues. No pass rush Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images The Falcons have the worst pass rush in the NFL. That’s not hyperbole, their defense has just six sacks on the season, which is three fewer than the next worse team, it’s that bad. It didn’t start out that way, but with just one sack in the last four games, the Falcons’ defense is struggling to get to the quarterback. Their pass rush was one of their weaknesses heading into the season, which is why the Falcons traded for veteran edge rusher Matthew Judon. However, Judon hasn’t produced enough, and the team has used versatile defensive lineman Grady Jarrett more at defensive end to add some punch to the pass rush. Combined the duo has just three sacks on the season and their 1.5 apiece leads the defense. No other Falcon defender has more than one sack. The Cowboys’ offensive line has been an issue this season, but they’ve also gone up against some of the best pass rushers in the league. That won’t be the case against the Falcons, and if the unit can keep QB Dak Prescott clean, they’ll have an opportunity to put up points. Prescott and the offense will love not having to face an elite pass rush in Week 9. Kirk Cousins and turnovers Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports Along the same lines as playing at home, veteran QB Kirk Cousins has played better on the road than he has in front of the home crowd. Cousins does have a propensity for giving the ball away and he’s tied for the third most interceptions on the season. All seven of Cousins’ picks in 2024 have been thrown at home, including two each in losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks, respectively. It doesn’t all fall on Cousins, but nine of the 10 Falcons turnovers this season have come at home, and eight occurred in their three losses. When Atlanta protects the ball, they win games, when they’re reckless with it, they lose. The Cowboys haven’t done a great job at creating turnovers this season, forcing just five through seven games. That could all change by putting a little pressure on Cousins. One of the biggest factors on who wins and losses in the NFL often comes down to turnovers, and the Falcons have a problem not giving it away at home. The Cowboys have to love their chances to force some turnovers, it’s their best path to claim a win in Week 9. Related Links