Surgeon talks Prescott, mock-draft WRs, OL ranking plummet all headline Cowboys news
Moving forward from one of the difficult-to-watch season openers in recent memory is difficult for fans of the Dallas Cowboys, but the team itself must. If there’s one glimmering hope for the public to look forward to it’s linebacker Micah Parsons and the defense. Thinking back to when quarterback Cooper Rush took over against Minnesota in 2021, the defense stepped up and they will have to again for the next month to keep any hope alive while Dak Prescott is sidelined.
On the offensive side, running back Ezekiel Elliott had an efficient first outing, but the lack of volume hurt what could’ve been a big game for the Dallas workhorse. With Rush needing help on offense, a consistent Elliott could smooth out the process after the Cowboys managed to be the only team without a touchdown after Week 1.
Defensive end Tarell Basham is the most recent Cowboy to be added to the group out for Week 2 while the Cincinnati Bengals have nine players on their injury report as they head to AT&T Stadium coming off a tough loss to Pittsburgh. Storylines for Cowboys-Bengals, updates on wide receiver Michael Gallup and more in today’s news and notes.
Dak Prescott’s hand injury: Orthopaedic surgeon breaks it down and timeline for his return :: The Athletic
Link (paywall)
After Jones announced that Prescott won’t go to injured reserve, many are wondering when’s the earliest the Cowboys can get their quarterback back on the field to potentially salvage the season. Jon Machota brings in the opinion of an orthopaedic surgeon to break down the timeline of the injury and the risks at play if Prescott rushes back into the game.
Cowboys WR Michael Gallup limited at practice Wednesday, closer to return :: Cowboys Wire
Following a brutal start to the season for the Cowboys offense, there could be a glimmer of hope. Gallup is participating in practice in some group capacity and could be a week or so away from his return.
Cowboys DE Tarell Basham to join Prescott, Kearse, McGovern in missing Week 2, McCarthy confirms :: Cowboys Wire
One week into the 2022 campaign, Dallas will be missing some key pieces and now defensive end Tarell Basham is added to the list of Cowboys out for Week 2. After suffering a thigh injury in the fourth quarter, Mike McCarthy confirmed Basham is out against Cincinnati.
Cowboys must keep rushing success to maintain 4-game win streak over Bengals :: Blogging the Boys
Especially without quarterback Dak Prescott, the Cowboys will have to rely heavily on the run game to make life easier for Cooper Rush in his absence. In Week 1, running back Ezekiel Elliott was efficient on the ground, but a higher volume will be key to any success for the Dallas offense in Week 2.
NFL Week 1 Offensive Line Rankings :: Pro Football Focus
All of the attention was on rookie Tyler Smith replacing Tyron Smith at left tackle, but when Connor McGovern went down with an injured knee after just seven snaps, the problems really began. Second-year player Matt Farniok coughed up six pressures and earned a 26.7 PFF pass-blocking grade; he looks like a concern on the interior.
The Cowboys may have the ability to shuffle again if they activate Jason Peters and move Tyler Smith back to guard, but if they don’t, the current lineup could be overwhelmed by the Bengals this week.
Cowboys WR progress, Bengals have 9 players on initial injury report :: Cowboys Wire
On the Wednesday injury report, the Cowboys have five players on the injury report while the Bengals have a long list of nine players. Thankfully for Cincinnati, five of those players were full participants and wide receiver Tee Higgins was limited as he looks to return from a concussion.
Jason Peters could help Cowboys cut down on penalties, team “will have a spot for him” per Jerry :: Blogging the Boys
With the offensive line room slimmer by the day, the value of Jason Peters to the group rises exponentially and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones sees that. Jones noted that the team will have a spot for him and he can help smooth out the process after the injury to Connor McGovern will make life harder in Dallas.
What Micah Parsons Did In Cooper Rush's Last Start :: The Mothership
If there’s any silver lining as hope in Dallas sputters, it’s linebacker Micah Parsons and Nick Eatman breaks down how he can make up the difference yet again after a magnificent outing when Prescott was out in 2021.
Big Picture: 5 Storylines for Bengals & Cowboys :: The Mothership
As two teams that had disappointing starts to the season approach a key matchup in Week 2, the storylines for Cowboys-Bengals key in on Joe Burrow and the Dallas defense. After Burrow surrendered the ball five times and Dan Quinn’s crew held Tampa Bay to 19 points in a game where the offense never got going, a takeaway-heavy day in Week 2 could give the Cowboys hope.
Did Lack of Touches for Ezekiel Elliott Sunday Hurt the Cowboys? :: Inside the Star
In recent years as Prescott and the dynamic offense that heavily included running back Tony Pollard trended up in Dallas, Elliott has gotten the short end of the stick but his lack of touches may have played heavily into their opening loss. Looking forward, the efficiency shown against the Buccaneers offense could translate into a calming run game for Rush as he takes over the quarterback spot for the next month.
It is Now or Never for McCarthy to Prove His Worth :: Inside the Star
As injuries and the lack of improvement in the offseason begin to crack the Cowboys, McCarthy likely has his one last hope as the Dallas coach. On thin ice, McCarthy has to prove his worth or else he may be warming the seat for a new coach in 2023.
'Our theme this year is resilience': Dak Prescott's injury already testing Dallas Cowboys' plan :: ESPN
The T-shirts were hung at their lockers at The Star on Friday with a clear message in white letters: RESILIENCE.
This was more than 48 hours before quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a broken right thumb in the Dallas Cowboys’ 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but coach Mike McCarthy has been around long enough to know a season’s path is never smooth.
“Our theme this year is resilience,” McCarthy said Monday. “We knew we were going to have challenges. You can’t get to where you want to go without them. We got a bunch in Week 1. We’re just charging forward.”
2023 NFL Mock Draft: Every team’s highest-drafted player from PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator :: Pro Football Network
Not quite sure how any projection currently has Dallas making the playoffs, but:
23) Dallas Cowboys: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
Looking for a wide receiver that can instantly give your quarterback more room for error? Quentin Johnston is the guy for the job. A 6’5″ nightmare to cover in 50/50 ball situations, Johnston’s also being used in different ways this year. Sonny Dykes has utilized his speed on jet sweeps to add a new wrinkle to the TCU offense to showcase something we haven’t seen before.
Adding Johnston to a receiver group that includes Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb would give Dak Prescott plenty of weapons downfield. There’s no reason they wouldn’t be one of the best offenses in the league next year.
Wideouts taken ahead of Johnston (with more realistic placements for the Cowboys were Ohio State’s Jaxson Smith-Njigba going to Jacksonville at No. 7 overall, LSU’s Kayshon Boutte to Carolina at No. 8 and USC’s Jordan Addison to Houston at No. 12.
