STEVE CRAIGLAS VEGAS, NV
The game between the Eagles and Giants on Monday night should give the Cowboys some confidence going forward, shouldn't it?
David: It's certainly encouraging that the Cowboys' next opponent looked so very beatable in Monday night's loss to Philadelphia. It's also worth pointing out that the team on top of the NFC East standings, Philadelphia, has two division losses already, while the Cowboys have none. If they can handle business this weekend in New York, they'd be in an enviable spot with a 3-0 division mark. Division games are hard to predict, though, and I think it'd be unwise to assume the Giants will fall so flat two weeks in a row.
Rob: Gotten that vibe from Cowboys fans this morning. Hey, y'all deserve a silver lining after these last few weeks. As it relates to this Sunday at the Meadowlands, the Giants will have to address their pass rush with Greg Hardy and Co. coming to town – Eli Manning got sacked three times and pressured by Philly over and over. I believe it's a week-to-week league, though – the Giants and Eagles played an ugly game Monday and might play terrific the next week. New York can take these positives: They're still essentially tied for the division lead, Odell Beckham played well, and they still have the Cowboys and Eagles at their place. As for the Eagles, Sam Bradford struggled but their defense was outstanding and they got DeMarco Murray going in the run game. I expect all three teams to compete for the division into December.
EDWARD TOERNERLAFAYETTE, LA
How is the rehab coming along for Chaz Green and Mark Nzeocha? What will the team do with these players once they are eligible to begin practice?
David:Both of those guys are constants in the weight room, but I'm curious to see if either of them plays a role this season. Green is eligible to come off the PUP this week, and the Cowboys now have a three-week window to evaluate him and decide if they should activate him to the 53-man roster or send him to injured reserve for the season. Nzeocha is only just now hitting the one-year mark in his recovery from a torn ACL. Given his rookie status, I expect the Cowboys to use this as a redshirt year and get him ready to contribute in 2016.
Rob:Both have been working hard with the athletic training and strength and conditioning staff. Jason Garrett made a key point last week when asked about Green's progress. It's really a three-step process: Getting healthy, getting his conditioning right once he's able to practice, and then getting acclimated to the scheme. The same probably goes for Nzeocha on defense. With Green out since late spring and Nzeocha yet to practice, it might be tough to expect contributions from either rookie this year.
