FRISCO, Texas – As if anyone needed another reason to be impressed with Trevon Diggs.
As Quinn revealed, Diggs pulled that off in a week when he was dealing with pinkeye.
"He really had a tough week," he said. "Battling the pink eye, both eyes, gunk and nastiness flowing out of his eyes. Big shade on it at practice, going and battling and getting ready, knowing he needed the reps."
Again, it's not that anyone was doubting Diggs' accomplishments to this point in a breakout year. But it's just an added exclamation point on what continues to be one of the most impressive stories in this young NFL season.
"It really shows this is a true competitor," Quinn said.
Quinn's interview was part of Monday's scheduled media session with all three coordinators. Here are some of the highlights from Quinn, Kellen Moore and John Fassel.
- Three-game homestands aren't the norm, but the Cowboys made the most of it, winning all three games to get to 4-1. Now, it's back on the road again, where they opened the season for two straight weeks against the Bucs and Chargers. Kellen Moore said the Cowboys should expect Sunday's game in New England will be a tough challenge, especially if there are weather elements like the Cowboys faced in 2019 with a steady rainfall.
"I think these are awesome, awesome opportunities for us to take the next step," Moore said. "We took care of the home portion of it, but now we get to go on the road. It will be big." The Cowboys have not won a game at New England since 1987 but unlike the last three meetings in Foxboro, there won't be Tom Brady on the other side as the Pats went with rookie Mac Jones, who is 2-3 as a starter this year. - Jabril Cox made the first big play of his NFL career when he stopped Daniel Jones short of the goal line on a crucial third down in the second quarter. Quinn said Cox was ready for the opportunity, and he also hinted at how his role might grow as the season continues.
"He's ready for the moment for sure. He prepares hard. Works at it hard," Quinn said. "He's another one that goes through his role how are we trying to develop him. Some of it is on special teams now we're into the goal line and as the season goes, I'm sure there will be some spaces for him on some third downs as well."
- Special teams coordinator John Fassel has been criticized this season for a few issues in the kicking game, but on Sunday against the Giants, the Cowboys had no problems. They made all kicks in the kicking game, recovered an onside kick, had a 17-yard punt return and covered kicks all game. :I was excited to see the film, although there's a few things to tighten up, like always," said Fassel, who applauded the "hamstrings" of his guys such as C.J. Goodwin and Cedrick Wilson for getting down quickly on several occasions to cover kicks.
- Quinn had an interesting nugget when asked about working toward his players' strengths. The question was specifically about balancing between listening to what his players want and coaching them up in other areas, Quinn stressed the importance of finding out what his players do well and focusing on that – even to the point that he'll throw a play out of the game plan if he feels it isn't ready.
"There was an example not this past Saturday but there previous Saturday where a player -- 'Hey, Dan - can we repeat that one?' No need, it's out," he said. "That was me saying I'm not going to repeat a play on a Saturday to see if we can get it right. There's too much at stake, too much at hand for me to do that. If it's not game ready, doesn't mean we're not working on things this week and next week, maybe we play it against New England or in the game after that. But until it's game ready, sometimes you've just got to keep stirring it and getting it right." - Fassel was asked what he's like about rookie fullback Nick Ralston, who has been active on game-day the last three weeks. "Just about everything. He came out of nowhere," Fassel said of Ralston, a do-it-all player who was an undrafted rookie from Louisiana. "At training camp he just came a reliable, very versatile, he just found a niche where he proved he was reliable wherever you wanted to put him. We got him up, we have to play you here, move you over there. He's got really good football savviness." However the Cowboys have called him up from the practice squad three times now and will have to put him on the active roster now to use him again in the games.
