Here’s why Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb drew 2 different fines from NFL front office this week Todd Brock Through the first four weeks of the NFL season, exactly 111 plays have resulted in a monetary fine for a player in violation of some infraction. Almost three percent of them have involved CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys wide receiver was fined for two separate plays in the team’s Week 4 win over the New York Giants, it was announced Saturday. Combined, the fines will dock Lamb $25,324, just a week after an unnecessary roughness call (that was not considered a penalty during the Week 3 loss to Baltimore) cost him $22,511. The first incident from last Thursday’s 20-15 win to draw the league’s ire came after a first-quarter catch by Lamb that gained ten yards. After being tackled at the Giants’ 30, Lamb motioned for a first down with a double-handed gesture that mimicked shooting guns. The league office called it unsportsmanlike conduct involving a violent gesture and imposed a fine of $14,069. In the second quarter, Lamb caught a Dak Prescott pass of about 17 yards and then raced another 38 for a touchdown. On his way to the end zone, Lamb turned to stare down New York cornerback Deonte Banks and then flipped the ball toward him once he had scored. That was also deemed unsportsmanlike conduct- taunting, this time- and will cost Lamb $11,255. As in Week 3, neither moment drew a flag from officials in the moment. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] The NFL seems to be making a concerted effort to crack down on the recent trend of players pantomiming shooting guns; five players across the league were fined for it in Week 4 and hit with fines totaling nearly $60,000. Any violations resulting in a fine may be appealed by players, but the decisions are then binding. Collected fines are donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation to support NFL legends in need as well as the NFL Foundation to support the health, safety, and wellness of players across all levels of the sport. Lamb has single-handedly contributed over $47,000 so far this season. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

The Steelers are off to a fast start in 2024. At 3-1 they’re in first place in the highly competitive AFC North. It’s a division many predicted them to outright lose, and proof things can change quickly with the right quarterback under center. The Cowboys come into Week 5 in a much different situation. With losses to Baltimore and New Orleans in the books, Dallas is just 2-2 and struggling on both sides of the ball. Mounting injuries have made their defense a who’s who of “the heck is this guy, while the offense can’t seem to find any weapon outside of CeeDee Lamb. Pittsburgh wants to stay ahead of the surging Ravens while the Cowboys are just hoping to stay in the hunt. Both teams want a win in a rather big way and the hometown crowd in Pittsburgh is sure to make things extremely difficult on the Cowboys offense. Dallas quite clearly needs to put points on the board because their defense is in disarray and will struggle just to get off the field. It’s essential the Cowboys avoid obvious passing situations on third downs because that’s where crowd noise and the pass rush will really make a difference. If Dallas can avoid getting costly pre-snap penalties and dodge obvious passing situations in the process, they may have a chance.   Key matchup No. 1: Mike Zimmer vs Justin Fields Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) draws back to pass Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, during a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Objective No. 1 has to be stopping Fields from running the ball. The Steelers quarterback is arguably the second-best rushing QB in the game today (behind Lamar Jackson) and the Cowboys traditionally have issues stopping mobile QBs. The key to stopping various read options typically lies in edge play and the initial reaction of the defensive end. Playing with two replacement DEs, Dallas will have their work cut out for them on Sunday night. It will take a brilliant plan by Zimmer and flawless execution from the defense to stop fields from running all over the battered Dallas defense. It’s going to take a plan, preparation and practice to make it work. All of that falls on Zimmer this week. Key matchup No. 2: Terence Steele vs TJ Watt . Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images This matchup will go a long way in determining the winner of Sunday night’s game. It will also go a long in determining whether Steele has a future in Dallas beyond 2024 or not. With 210 of his 211 snaps coming off the left side of the defense, Watt is positioned to face Steele at right tackle. Steele has had an up and down season in pass protection and needs to prove he can be a reliable building block going forward. The Cowboys will likely move help in Steele’s direction when they can, but the RT is going to have to do the heavy lifting. Mike McCarthy has been rolling Dak Prescott out to the right to protect the rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton but that may not be possible this week given what’s waiting for him there. With any luck Dallas will avoid obvious passing downs as much as possible, but when that can’t be avoided, it’s up to Steele to keep Prescott upright. Key matchup No. 3: Mazi Smith vs Pittsburgh IOL Michfiesta1 122822 Kd 601 Mazi Smith posted the best game of his career last week against the Giants. Unfortunately, that isn’t saying much. Smith has been a massive disappointment since entering the NFL in 2023 and up until last week appeared to be wandering in “bust” territory.    But if Smith can repeat his Week 4 performance against the Steelers, he may almost singlehandedly save the game. Controlling the front of the pocket and holding up against the Pittsburgh interior would go a long way in controlling the read options and surviving spotty edge play. The Steelers are without their top interior lineman in James Daniels and if Isaac Seumalu can’t make it back, they will be relying on Mason McCormick, Spencer Anderson, and rookie center Zach Frazier to control the middle of the line. Without many other viable options on the roster, the weight falls on Smith’s shoulders. Conclusion Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) The Cowboys are underdogs in this game for a reason. They’re a struggling team on the road who are now dealing with major injuries. Dallas has an unbalanced offense that relies almost solely on one player downfield to move the chains. The Steelers are from an elite team, but they might be just good enough to dominate possession and hold Dallas to under 20 points. If the Cowboys can turn this into a shootout, they increase their odds, but that means making the most of their offensive opportunities when they get them. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Related articles Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports

As has been expected throughout the week, the Dallas Cowboys are going to be down a wide receiver against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Also as expected, it’s going to be a while before Brandin Cooks returns. Already struggling to contribute to the offense with just nine catches for 91 yards in four games, Cooks stayed behind from the team’s road trip in Week 4 against the Giants. He wanted to get his knee checked out in New York and ended up catching an infection, which has resulted in the team placing him on IR ahead of Week 5. His absence is expected to open the door for rookie WR Ryan Flournoy to join the active roster and get his first crack at impressing with Dak Prescott as his quarterback. In a related move the club added LB Nick Vigil, who was elevated the first three weeks of the season from the practice squad and thus out of eligibility, to the main roster. To round out their roster moves ahead of the contest, Dallas elevated DE Carl Lawson for the third time and CB Amani Oruwariye. Oruwariye made the game-clinching interception of Daniel Jones in Week 4. Lawson is a no brainer with Micah Parsons already ruled out and DeMarcus Lawrence going to IR earlier in the week; both results of injuries suffered in the short-rest Thursday contest. The changes put quite a spin on the 55-man roster ahead of Sunday’s announement of gameday inactives. Check out the full roster below. Related: Parsons ruled out in Cowboys vs Steelers final injury report; Diggs, Cooks, LB updates Quarterbacks (3) INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 11: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys throws before a preseason game the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on August 11, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) Dak Prescott Cooper Rush Trey Lance Running Backs (4) INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 11: Ezekiel Elliott #15 of the Dallas Cowboys after a preseason game at SoFi Stadium on August 11, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) Ezekiel Elliott Rico Dowdle Hunter Luepke Deuce Vaughn Tight Ends (4) Dec 24, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (87) runs with the football against the Miami Dolphins during the first quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports Jake Ferguson Luke Schoonmaker John Stephens, Jr. (questionable – hamstring) Brevyn Spann-Ford Wide Receivers (5) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 8: Wide receiver Brandin Cooks #3 of the Dallas Cowboys is tackled by cornerback Cobie Durant #14 of the Los Angeles Rams after making a catch during joint practice at training camp on August 8, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) CeeDee Lamb Jalen Tolbert Kavontae Turpin Jalen Brooks Ryan Flournoy Offensive Tackles (4) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – JULY 30: Offensive tackle Tyler Guyton #60 of the Dallas Cowboys stretches during training camp on July 30, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Tyler Guyton Terence Steele Asim Richards Matt Waletzko Offensive Guards (3) Jun 4, 2024; Frisco, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin (70) runs through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports Zack Martin Tyler Smith TJ Bass Centers (2) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 8: Defensive tackle Kobie Turner #91 of the Los Angeles Rams locks up with center Brock Hoffman #67 of the Dallas Cowboys during a skirmish between the two teams during joint practice at training camp on August 8, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Cooper Beebe Brock Hoffman Defensive Ends (6) Jul 30, 2024; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (90) and linebacker Micah Parsons (11) during training camp at the River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard, California. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports Micah Parsons Tank Lawrence Marshawn Kneeland Chauncey Golston Tyrus Wheat Carl Lawson (3rd of 3 elevations) Defensive Tackles (4) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – JULY 30: Linebacker Micah Parsons #11 and defensive tackle Mazi Smith #58 of the Dallas Cowboys throw punches aa they jokingly spar prior to a training session on July 30, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Osa Odighizuwa Mazi Smith Linval Joseph Carlos Watkins Linebackers (6) Jul 27, 2023; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (35) wears a Guardian helmet cap during training camp at Marriott Residence Inn-River Ridge Playing Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Eric Kendricks DeMarvion Overshown Damone Clark Marist Liufau Buddy Johnson Nick Vigil Cornerbacks (6) Oct 2, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (26) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (7) celebrate after Diggs intercepts a pass against the Washington Commanders during the game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports Trevon Diggs Jourdan Lewis Caelen Carson Israel Mukuamu Andrew Booth Amani Oruwariye (2nd of 3 elevations) Safeties (4) OXNARD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 8: Running back Kyren Williams #23 of the Los Angeles Rams rushes against safety Malik Hooker #28 and Donovan Wilson #6 of the Dallas Cowboys during joint practice at training camp on August 8, 2024 in Oxnard, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Malik Hooker Donovan Wilson Juanyeh Thomas Markquese Bell Special Teams (4) INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 11: Brandon Aubrey #17 of the Dallas Cowboys watches his field goal with Bryan Anger #5, to take a 12-6 lead over the Los Angeles Rams, in a 13-12 Rams win during a preseason game at SoFi Stadium on August 11, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) Brandon Aubrey Bryan Anger Trent Sieg CJ Goodwin

Parsons ruled out in Cowboys vs Steelers final injury report; Diggs, Cooks, LB updates K.D. Drummond Here’s the good news. They got Ezekiel Elliott and Ryan Flournoy some fluids. The veteran running back and rookie WR set to make his debut in Week 5 vs the Pittsburgh Steelers are no longer a concern after dehydrating on Thursday. Here’s the bad news. As expected, Micah Parsons and Brandin Cooks have officially been ruled out for the 2-2 Dallas Cowboys. Parsons’ high-ankle sprain was a virtual certainty, as was Cooks knee after an infection developed. There’s no word when either will return but it could be a minute for both. Also, CB Trevon Diggs left practice on Thursday and did not participate on Friday, but head coach Mike McCarthy says that he’s set to play. Meanwhile, the Steelers will also be without a starting pass rusher and key offensive components. In the final injury report for the week, Pittsburgh ruled out LB Alex Highsmith, RB Cordarrelle Patterson and RB Jaylen Warren. While they’ll still have T.J. Watt to terrorize the young Dallas offensive line, the Steelers struggling run game is going to be without their No. 2 and No. 3 running backs behind the currently plodding Najee Harris. Also out for Pittsburgh is TE MyCole Pruitt. Here’s the designations from both teams. Dallas Cowboys LB Micah Parsons, Ankle | OUT Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Did Not Participate WR Brandin Cooks, Knee | OUT Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: DNP CB Caelen Carson, Shoulder | QUESTIONABLE Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Limited Participant Safety Markquese Bell, Ankle | NO DESIGNATION Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Full Participant CB Trevon Diggs, Ankle | QUESTIONABLE Thursday: Limited, Friday: DNP OT Tyler Guyton, Shoulder | NO DESIGNATION Thursday, Friday: Full RB Rico Dowdle, Wrist | NO DESIGNATION Thursday, Friday: Full RB Ezekiel Elliott, Dehydration | NO DESIGNATION Thursday: Limited, Friday: Full WR Ryan Flournoy, Dehydration | NO DESIGNATION Thursday: Limited, Friday: Full LB Marist Liufau, Quad | QUESTIONABLE Friday: Limited Wednesday NIR Rest Days: Malik Hooker, Eric Kendricks Jourdan Lewis, Zack Martin Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson, Calf | QUESTIONABLE Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: LP RB Jaylen Warren, Knee | OUT Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: DNP LB Jeremiah Moon, Ankle | QUESTIONABLE Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: FP LB Nick Herbig, Ankle | NO DESIGNATION Wednesday: DNP | Thursday: Limited | Friday: Full G Isaac Seumalo, Pectoral | NO DESIGNATION Wednesday, Thursday: FP | Friday: Full TE MyCole Pruitt, Knee | OUT Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: DNP RB Cordarrelle Patterson, Ankle | OUT Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: DNP DL Keeanu Benton, Ankle | NO DESIGNATION Wednesday: LP | Thursday, Friday: Full DT Larry Ogunjobi, Groin | QUESTIONABLE Thursday, Friday: Limited Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Five Cowboys legends are among the former players named as candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 as part of the Seniors category. A roster of 182 nominees was pared down to just 60 names by a specially-chosen screening committee. A separate panel will incrementally whittle the list further over the coming weeks, and three Seniors will be presented as finalists later this fall. To be eligible for the Seniors category, a player’s final game had to have come in the 1999 season or before. Among the notables still in the running for Canton: Jim Plunkett, Roger Craig, Mark Clayton, Sterling Sharpe, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, L.C. Greenwood, Tommy Nobis, Lester Hayes, and Steve Tasker. Here’s a look at the five Cowboys greats who will continue on this year as gold-jacket hopefuls in the Seniors category. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] OL Ralph Neely (1965-1977) Oct 9, 1977; St. Louis, MO, USA; FILE PHOTO; Dallas Cowboys tackle Ralph Neely (73) in action against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Herb Weitman-USA TODAY Sports Neely was drafted by both the NFL’s Baltimore Colts and the AFL’s Houston Oilers in 1965. The Little Rock, Ark. native and Oklahoma product planned to stay in the South and play for Houston… until the Colts traded his rights to the Cowboys. (Resolving the dispute between the two Texas teams over Neely actually became a sticking point in the merger between the two leagues.) Over his 13 seasons in Dallas, Neely went to two Pro Bowls, played in four Super Bowls (winning two), and was named a first-team All-Pro three times. He died in 2022 after battling dementia and the effects of CTE. DE Ed ‘Too Tall’ Jones (1974-1978, 1980-1989) 4 Jan 1986: Defensive lineman Ed Too Tall Jones of the Dallas Cowboys (right) works against Los Angeles Rams offensive lineman Jackie Slater during a playoff game at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California. The Rams won the game, 20-0. At 6-foot-9, the nickname was a little obvious. Jones was the first overall pick in 1974’s draft, even though head coach Tom Landry had no idea what position he should play. After finally finding a home at left defensive end, all “Too Tall” did was dominate the league… until he abruptly retired from football at 28 years old to take up professional boxing. After just six bouts (all wins, five of them by knockout) he returned to the Cowboys for reasons he never publicly shared. Amazingly, he was even better in his second stint, playing another ten years and going to three Pro Bowls. The league began charting pass knockdowns as a stat because of Jones. Only two Cowboys have played in more games. DE Harvey Martin (1973-1983) Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports Martin should be in the NFL record books as the all-time single-season sacks leader, having notched a staggering 23 of them in 1977 (and over just a 14-game schedule, to boot). But sacks weren’t an officially-kept stat then, leaving the feat that earned him Defensive Player of the Year honors largely lost between the cracks of football history. The third-round draft pick out of East Texas State went on to four Pro Bowls over his Cowboys career and was co-MVP of Super Bowl XII, along with Randy White. After retiring in 1983, he went on to a brief second career in pro wrestling. Martin passed away on Christmas Eve 2001, of pancreatic cancer. LB Lee Roy Jordan (1963-1976) MIAMI, FL – JANUARY 18: Lee Roy Jordan #55 of the Dallas Cowboys tackles Franco Harris #32 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during Super Bowl X January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. The Steelers won the Super Bowl 21-17. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) If Jordan had played in a different era, he would likely be widely regarded as one of the best defenders to ever play the game. The sixth overall pick by Dallas in the 1963 draft, the undersized Alabama product was the first Cowboys rookie to ever start a season opener at linebacker. He was a mainstay in the middle of the original “Doomsday” defense for 14 seasons, earning five Pro Bowl berths and a Super Bowl ring. When he retired after the 1976 season, he was the Cowboys’ all-time leader in tackles. Jordan was a Hall finalist in 1988; the following year, he became the first member of the Cowboys Ring of Honor to be inducted by Jerry Jones. DB Everson Walls (1981-1989) LOS ANGELES Ð AUGUST 13: Everson Walls #24 of the Dallas Cowboys stands on the field during a NFL game against the Los Angeles Raiders on August 13, 1988 at the LA Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Dean Steele/Getty Images) An undrafted free agent out of Grambling State, most thought Walls was too slow to play in the NFL, yet by Week 5 of his rookie season, he was starting. He finished that season with a record 11 interceptions. He played nine seasons in Dallas and led the league in picks in three of them. Perhaps unfairly, the four-time Pro Bowler is often remembered as the defender Dwight Clark beat to make “The Catch.” Walls went on to also play with the Giants and Browns, but he has always remained a Cowboy at heart. At 47, he made the incredible choice to donate a kidney to close friend and former Dallas teammate Ron Springs. He was a semifinalist for the Hall in 2023; Walls has called his exclusion “something I struggle with mightily.”

Quiet on Set: Cowboys’ silent count to be tested Week 5 vs Steelers reidhanson The Cowboys are no strangers to loud stadiums. They have to endure yearly matchups against the Giants in New Jersey and the Eagles in Philadelphia, in addition to oddly frequent pilgrimages to the noise chambers in Minnesota, Seattle and San Francisco. Playing on the road is part of the job and in many cases those road games change the job entirely. Crowd noise is meant to stymie communication for opposing offenses. Snap counts, audibles and just about every other verbal communication on the field can be extremely difficult on the road. As such, offenses must learn to communicate through a series of gestures and motions to signal snap counts and audibles. When allowed to communicate openly, the Cowboys have historically been one of the best teams in the NFL. Before their recent home losing streak, Dallas was undefeated within the confines of AT&T stadium. In 2023 they went 8-0 at home in the regular season, compared to just 4-5 on the road. They won their last eight home games of 2022. Crowd noise and its impact on the offense’s ability to communicate likely played a big part in that. Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh is regarded as one of the loudest in the NFL. Ranking top 10 in decibel levels, the Cowboys will have their work cut out for them in Week 5. And adding to the volume of this matchup is the rivalry between the two teams. While players on the field may not feel it, fans in Pittsburgh certainly do. With bad blood going back 50 years, this is not just any old interconference matchup. The primetime nature of Sunday Night Football also adds an element of fervor to the event. More time for day drinking in the parking lot often means an extra jolt of energy from the stands. Plus, the Steelers have started out the season 3-1 and currently have Dallas positioned as the underdogs. They smell blood in the water. The stage has been set for this to be the Cowboys loudest game of the season, so for the sake of the offense, players better be prepared. Right tackle Terence Steele and left tackle Tyler Guyton will specifically be under extra pressure to avoid false starts in these silent count scenarios. The Cowboys can’t be giving away yards this week. Dallas’ ability to survive the noise could make all the difference in this Week 5 showdown. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.