The NFL season is here. Don't miss any of the action with our daily updates: news, notes and more throughout the Cowboys' 2019 season. Presented by Sleep Number
Oct. 31 Updates
4:21 p.m. – The Cowboys have restructured new defensive lineman Michael Bennett's contract, which is now a one-year deal.
Bennett originally had two years remaining on his contract before the Cowboys traded a conditional seventh-round pick to the Patriots for the 33-year-old veteran pass rusher. He's now eligible to be an unrestricted free agent in March of 2020.
Bennett has participated in both practices this week as the Cowboys prepare for Monday's road game against the Giants.
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4:12 p.m. – Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (neck) was limited in Thursday's practice, along with four other players: starting tackles Tyron Smith (ankle) and La'el Collins (knee), starting guard Zack Martin (back/ankle) and cornerback Anthony Brown (hamstring). Only backup swing tackle Cam Fleming (calf) did not practice.
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12:01 p.m. – The Cowboys appear to be in much better shape injury-wise coming off the bye week.
Only backup swing tackle Cameron Fleming (calf) was not on the field during the open portion of Thursday's practice, though it remains to be seen how much work linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (neck) and cornerback Anthony Brown (hamstring) will get.
Defensive tackles Antwaun Woods and Trysten Hill were back at practice after both reportedly were sent home Tuesday for being late to a meeting.
The team signed cornerback D.J. White to the practice squad to replace cornerback Mike Jackson, who signed with the Lions.
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Oct. 30 Updates
4:01 p.m. – The Nov. 4 Giants game is a quick turnaround for new defensive lineman Michael Bennett, who just arrived from the Patriots. But Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett believes Bennett will adjust quickly, having played in a scheme with the Seahawks that had some similarities. Bennett played for Cowboys passing game coordinator Kris Richard in Seattle.
"It helps a lot to have a coach who has been around him, who has seen him on a daily basis in practice and meetings, how he plays in games, how he responds to different situations," Garrett said. "We also had a chance to coach him in the Pro Bowl a couple of different times. He's just been a really good football player for a long time. We're excited to have him here."
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10:36 a.m. – The Cowboys have lost the first member of their 2019 draft class.
The Detroit Lions announced Wednesday morning that they'd signed Mike Jackson to their active roster, plucking him off the Cowboys' practice squad in the process.
Jackson was one of two fifth-round draft picks out of Miami back during the spring, along with defensive end Joe Jackson. He didn't make the 53-man roster coming out of training camp, but the Cowboys liked him enough to keep him on their practice squad for the first eight weeks of the season.
By poaching him off another team's practice squad, the Lions are required by NFL rules to keep Jackson on their roster for three weeks – which means Jackson will be in attendance when the Cowboys face the Lions on Nov. 17.
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Oct. 29 Updates
1:28 p.m. – Jerry Jones was hopeful the Cowboys would have had a better record at the bye than 4-3. But he still believes they can be contenders in the NFC.
"I think that we have the potential," the Cowboys owner/GM said Tuesday morning on 105.3 The Fan. "I don't think the way that we have played so far will get us there, on balance, the good and the bad.
"But I think that where we are with our health and where we are with how we can play as you go through the position groups, as you go through what we've put together relative to how we're going to play defense, our strategies, and just our approach, and I look at the competition – yeah, I think we've got a chance to get to the playoffs and if we do and we're healthy I think we've got a chance to advance."
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9:22 a.m. – The Cowboys have already made one trade. Could they make another before Tuesday's 3 p.m. Central deadline?
Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan "anything is possible" in the final hours leading up to the deadline.
"We're always looking, and that's plenty of time. Let's say we have consideration in the mill. We're giving it thought," Jones said without elaboration.
The Cowboys recently traded a conditional 2021 seventh-round pick to the Patriots for defensive lineman Michael Bennett.
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Oct. 28 Updates
1:39 p.m. – The Cowboys have completed the trade with the Patriots for defensive end Michael Bennett. The veteran pass rusher will wear No. 79 for Dallas.
The Cowboys agreed to send a conditional 2021 seventh-round draft pick to the Patriots for Bennett. Last Friday they released defensive tackle Justin Hamilton to create an open roster spot for Bennett.
"He gives us outstanding position flex in terms of adding some pass rush or some pressure, whether it be outside at defensive end or inside at what we call our three technique," Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. "He's just an established inside guy. The thing about Michael is he's got great motor. He plays with a lot of passion and enthusiasm.
"He's really a great personality, a great guy, but when he gets in those football pads he's after it. That's exciting."
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Oct. 25 Updates
5:09 p.m. – The Cowboys have released defensive tackle Justin Hamilton, creating an open spot on the 53-man roster.
The Cowboys on Thursday agreed to trade a 2021 conditional seventh-round draft pick for defensive end Michael Bennett, though the deal is not yet officially finalized.
Hamilton was signed earlier this month for defensive line depth after the Cowboys placed Tyrone Crawford (hip) on injured reserve.
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10:54 p.m. – Cowboys kicker Brett Maher's NFL-record third career field goal of 60-plus yards is now immortalized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame announced that Maher's jersey and kicking shoe from last Sunday's win over the Eagles are now on display in its Pro Football Today Gallery.
Maher's 63-yard field goal against Philly set a franchise record and tied the second-longest conversion in league history.
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Oct. 24 Updates
2:18 p.m. – The bye week wasn't without some setbacks, as it turns out.
Cam Fleming left Thursday's practice with a calf strain. The veteran offensive tackle got an MRI, but the magnitude of the injury remains to be seen.
Offensive tackle has been a trouble spot for the team this season. Tyron Smith has been battling an ankle injury the past three weeks, while La'el Collins sprained his knee Oct. 6.
Both starters returned last week against Philadelphia, and they figure to be available when the Cowboys return from the bye week. If Fleming is out, it could fall on Brandon Knight to step in at swing tackle.
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10:47 a.m. -- Head coach Jason Garrett says linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (neck) and defensive end Robert Quinn (rib) will not take part in Thursday's light bye-week practice, "but we anticipate those guys hopefully being ready to practice next week."
Both defensive starters were injured against the Eagles. The Cowboys are resting several veterans in practice this week, giving some of the younger players an opportunity to get reps.
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Oct. 23 Updates
2:38 p.m. – A good portion of the starting lineup is being rested during Wednesday's abbreviated bye-week practice, including quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott.
Left guard Connor Williams was the only starting offensive lineman practicing during the portion open to the media. Others not practicing included Michael Gallup, Amari Cooper, Jason Witten, Randall Cobb, Maliek Collins, Anthony Brown, Byron Jones, Xavier Woods, Leighton Vander Esch, Jaylon Smith, DeMarcus Lawrence, Robert Quinn, Sean Lee and Jeff Heath.
The Cowboys have one more light practice scheduled Thursday before taking the weekend off.
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He didn't start practicing until Friday, and still managed to play Sunday night. That alone, is quite the accomplishment for tackle La'el Collins.
But according to owner/GM Jerry Jones, Collins did more than just play the game.
"La'el Collins played, I think, the best game I've ever seen him play," Jones said on 105.3 "The Fan" this week.
Collins, who had suffered a sprained MCL two weeks before but only missed one game, controlled the Eagles' pass rush and limited Brandon Graham to just three tackles and no sacks.
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7:30 a.m. - After hitting a franchise-record 63-yard field goal on Sunday, kicker Brett Maher has been named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Maher became the first player in NFL history to have three career field goals of 60 yards or more. Maher also made two other field goals on Sunday and all four extra point attempts, along with five touchbacks in the 37-10 win over the Eagles.
Maher is now the fifth player in Cowboys history to win this award three times, joining Chris Boniol, Billy Cundiff, Dwayne Harris and Dan Bailey.
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Oct. 22 Updates
9:14 a.m. – Although it's a less hectic week for the team, Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones doesn't view the bye necessarily as a factor in moving forward contract negotiations on the roster.
"That's ongoing," Jones told 105.3 The Fan. "When the games are going on, if you have business, in this particular case contract business, that can be ongoing if it's happening.
The Cowboys would still like to get long-term deals done with top players such as quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Amari Cooper. Asked specifically about Cooper who, like Prescott, is in the final year of his current deal, Jones said, "I have no reason to think that Amari Cooper won't finish his career with the Dallas Cowboys."
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Oct. 21 Updates
5:27 p.m. -- Head coach Jason Garrett said Monday afternoon the team is optimistic linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (neck) and defensive end Robert Quinn (rib) won't be out long.
"We'll see on both those guys. We think the reports are good for them to both have speedy recoveries," Garrett said. "Don't anticipate them doing a lot this week. But hopefully they'll be ready to go next week."
The Cowboys will have a shorter work week on their bye before returning to a more normal practice schedule next week in preparation for the Giants.
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10:44 a.m. - Pass-rusher Robert Quinn was ruled out of the second half of Sunday's win over the Eagles with a rib injury. However, it sounds as if Quinn will be fine moving forward, only dealing with spasms in the rib area.
The Cowboys are off this week with a much-needed bye and Quinn, like many others, will use this time to rest.
Quinn leads the Cowboys with six sacks, despite missing the first two games due to suspension.
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Oct. 20 Updates
11:59 p.m. – Quarterback Dak Prescott is part of some legendary company.
In the fourth quarter against the Eagles, Prescott passed Hall of Famer Roger Staubach for the most career touchdown runs by a Cowboys quarterback (21).
"Zeke (Elliott) did a great job of stretching (safety) Malcolm Jenkins there and I saw a lane and tucked the ball and went for it," Prescott said. "To have a record is an honor, especially in this franchise with the great amount of success that the quarterbacks ahead of me have had."
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11:53 p.m. - Ezekiel Elliott extended a couple of streaks on Sunday night. His first-quarter touchdown marked the fourth straight game Zeke has scored, establishing a new career-best. Zeke has rushed for scores against the Saints, Packers, Jets and now Eagles.
And with the win, Zeke now improved to 5-0 all-time against Philadelphia. He didn't play in the 2017 loss at home due to a suspension and was held out of the 2016 season finale in Philly.
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11:43 p.m. – Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch said he's feeling fine after injuring his neck late in the first half against the Eagles.
Vander Esch did not return to the game but called the injury a "minor stinger" afterward.
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11:40 p.m. – It sounds like it'll be wait-and-see on the Cowboys' injury front.
Two defensive starters, Leighton Vander Esch and Robert Quinn, left Sunday night's win against Philadelphia. Vander Esch suffered a neck injury, while Quinn hurt his ribs. Team owner/general manager Jerry Jones said both players are being evaluated.
"Vander Esch as well as Quinn are getting additional checks, getting additional information," Jones said. "We'll have more data after they've done some different checks with the doctors and everything."
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Robert Quinn has been ruled out for the rest of the game with a rib injury. Quinn recorded a sack in the first half, but will not be able to continue, keeping the Cowboys down another defensive end as Dorance Armstrong is also out.
Rookie Joe Jackson is playing more along with Kerry Hyder and DeMarcus Lawrence.
Quinn joins Leighton Vander Esch (neck) has defensive starters that have been ruled out Sunday night.
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9:00 p.m. – Brett Maher's 63-yard field goal just before halftime against the Eagles set a franchise record for the longest in team history. It's also tied for the second-longest in NFL history.
Maher tied the franchise record with a 62-yarder last Sunday against the Jets. He's now the first NFL kicker ever to make three from at least 60 yards.
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8:39 p.m. – Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is questionable to return with a neck injury sustained late in the second quarter against the Eagles.
Vander Esch appeared to get injured while tackling Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert. He laid on his back for a few minutes before sitting up and walking off the field on his own with the athletic training staff. Vander Esch had three tackles in the first half.
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7:45 p.m. - The Cowboys were hoping to get more creative with the play-calling and early on, they did just that with a nifty change-of-direction option pitch Tavon Austin, who did the rest. The speedster juked former Cowboys corner Orlando Scandrick in the open field for a 20-yard touchdown run.
It was Austin's 10thcareer rushing score, and the first since 2017 when he was a member of the Rams. Austin is the first Cowboys wide receiver to rush for a touchdown since Miles Austin in 2010.
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5:55 p.m. – Against all odds, the Cowboys have sorted out their injury concerns.
Heading into this Sunday night tilt against the Eagles, they have officially ruled that Randall Cobb, Amari Cooper, Tyron Smith, La'el Collins and Byron Jones will all be active.
The only injury concerns from last week who won't be playing are Anthony Brown and Dorance Armstrong. Brown couldn't practice during the week with a strained hamstring, and Armstrong was limited by a stinger.
The full list of inactives features Brown, Armstrong, Devin Smith, Luke Gifford, Adam Redmond, Brandon Knight and Justin Hamilton.
It's pretty amazing to see Knight and Smith on the inactives list, given the injuries facing the Cowboys' receivers and offensive tackles. Tyron Smith and Collins have missed the last two weeks, and Cooper could only play three snaps against the Jets last Sunday.
Consider that a testament to the hard work the players and athletic trainers have done to get these guys back onto the field – which could go a long way against Philadelphia.
The Eagles are dealing with plenty of injuries of their own, as DeSean Jackson, Avonte Maddox, Darren Sproles, Nigel Bradham, Nate Herbig, Jason Peters and Tim Jernigan have all been ruled out. Six of those seven players are starters.
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Oct. 18 Updates
The Cowboys have had a lengthy injury all week, but on Friday, just cornerback Anthony Brown has been officially ruled out for Sunday's game with the Eagles. Brown injured his hamstring against the Jets last week and hasn't practiced.
But still, the Cowboys have eight other players as questionable for the game, including Tyron Smith, La'el Collins, Byron Jones and Amari Cooper.
12:13 p.m. – The Cowboys could be getting healthier just in time for Sunday's division showdown against Philly.
Head coach Jason Garrett said he's hopeful that three injured players – cornerback Byron Jones (hamstring) and wide receivers Amari Cooper (ankle/quad) and Randall Cobb (back) – can practice on some level for the first time this week.
Garrett is also hopeful offensive tackles Tyron Smith (ankle) and La'el Collins (knee) can do a little more in a limited fashion after returning to practice on Thursday. Guard Zack Martin (back/ankle) should be back today, too, after sitting out Thursday.
Cornerback Anthony Brown (hamstring) and center Joe Looney (back) weren't practicing during Friday's open portion.
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12:10 p.m. – Quarterback Dak Prescott took eight hits and one sack in last Sunday's loss to the Jets, but he's not on the injury report this week and appears to be feeling fine, head coach Jason Garrett said.
"He seems good," Garrett said. "He's a tough guy. He's physically tough. He's mentally tough. I thought he really stood in there well in the game and made a number of good decisions and good throws as the game wore on and he's handled that stuff well.
"I'm sure he was sore after the game, but no ill effects yesterday in practice and he'll be ready to go."
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Oct. 17 Updates
11:34 a.m. - Although both will probably be listed as "limited" on the injury report, it was encouraging to see offensive tackles La'el Collins and Tyron Smith going through individual drills during Thursday's practice.
Smith, who has been out since the end of the Saints game on Sept. 29 with a high-ankle sprain, got some work during the early portion of practice on the left side. He was anchored by Collins on the right side, who has missed the end of the Packers game and all of last week's game with the Jets with a sprained knee.
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11:02 a.m. - The Cowboys will have center Travis Frederick back for Thursday's practice after he missed on Wednesday for personal reasons. But as far as the injured guys, coach Jason Garrett didn't expect a lot of change.
It didn't sound as if Amari Cooper, Randall Cobb, Byron Jones or Anthony Brown will do much on Thursday, if anything.
The official injury report will be announced later Thursday afternoon.
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Oct. 16 Updates
5:12 p.m. -- The Cowboys' offense knows it needs to start faster, having gone without a touchdown in the first half of all three losses.
But running back Ezekiel Elliott said successful drives will come if the group plays its normal brand of efficient football.
"You can't press. You can't go out there tense. You can't go out there and force a big play," Elliott said. "You've got to be yourself. You've got to trust your training and go out there and play ball and let it happen."
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3:18 p.m. – Seven Cowboys players did not practice today: CB Anthony Brown (hamstring), WR Randall Cobb (back), T La'el Collins (knee), WR Amari Cooper (ankle/quad), C Travis Frederick (not injury related), CB Byron Jones (hamstring) and T Tyron Smith (ankle).
DE Dorance Armstrong, who suffered a neck stinger against the Jets, had limited participation.
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12:29 p.m. – Six weeks into the season, wide receiver Noah Brown (knee) is now eligible to begin practicing while on the Physically Unable to Perform list but isn't ready yet.
Once Brown returns to practice, the Cowboys will have a three-week window before they'd have to activate him to the 53-man roster.
"He's done well. He's getting closer and closer," head coach Jason Garrett said. "We'll see what his status is here in the next couple weeks and hopefully he gets better and better. But he's worked hard at it."
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Rookie offensive lineman Connor McCovern (pectoral) also isn't quite ready to practice. He's eligible to be activated from injured reserve after eight weeks.
"He's been completely engaged with us and both those guys have been in meetings, working hard on their own and getting themselves back," Garrett said.
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11:01 a.m. - The Cowboys have replaced Tyrone Crawford's spot on the roster with defensive tackle Justin Hamilton. The 6-2, 315-pound lineman has been with a few teams since entering the league in 2015, most recently with the Chiefs.
Hamilton was cut by Kansas City at the end of camp and has not been with a team since early September. He's played eight games in his career, five with the Chiefs and three with the Eagles.
The Cowboys moved Crawford, who is having surgery on his hip, to injured reserve.
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Oct. 14 Updates
6:12 p.m. – Starting right tackle La'el Collins said his sprained knee is "getting better," though it remains to be seen if he'll return to practice this week.
"Obviously I would love to be out there with my team, but at the same time I wouldn't do anything to hurt my team," he said. "We're going to take it one day at a time and just grind it out."
Collins sprained his MCL against the Packers. He did not practice last week or play against the Jets. Rookie Brandon Knight started in his place.
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6:03 p.m. – The Cowboys' cornerback depth could be tested this week with Byron Jones and Anthony Brown both suffering hamstring injuries against the Jets.
"Byron's dealing with a hamstring, so we'll see what his availability is," Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said. "Don't know what it will be right now. A.B. the same way. He's probably a little bit behind. He's the one that I don't know when he's going to be able to practice. Hopefully this week at some point."
Jourdan Lewis played 37 snaps in extended work against the Jets and had an interception in the second half.
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2:33 p.m. - The Cowboys were without one of the NFL's best receivers on Sunday for the majority of the game after Amari Cooper went out with a quad injury.
While he never seemed close to getting back on the field against the Jets, Cooper might have a shot to play against the Eagles this Sunday.
Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said "hopefully we'll get Amari back this week. But if not, certainly after the bye."
Jones said the same about Randall Cobb (hip/back) and described the rest of the team's injuries as "all short-term."
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Oct. 13 Updates
9:19 p.m. - Despite missing the first two games of the season due to suspension, Robert Quinn continues to rack up the sacks, recording two more on Sunday.
Quinn leads the Cowboys with 5.0 sacks, after posting his 14thcareer multi-sack game of his career.
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9:02 p.m. - His fourth-quarter touchdown run nearly brought the Cowboys back from a 21-3 deficit. However, a failed two-point conversion attempt gave the Jets a 24-22 win.
Prescott is no stranger to rushing touchdowns. In fact, even six games into his fourth pro season, he is now tied for the most rushing scores by a Cowboys quarterback with 20. Prescott pulled even with Roger Staubach, who played 10 seasons in Dallas.
Prescott's 20 rushing TDs are the most by any NFL quarterback since he entered the league in 2016.
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8:54 p.m. - Had the Cowboys been able to come back and win, the tide-turning play likely would've been Jourdan Lewis' interception late in the third quarter with the Jets driving near the goal line.
Lewis' pick, his third of his career, prevented more points for the Jets, who led 21-9 at that point.
"Just playing the game … understanding what needs to be done and have vision on the quarterback and making a play," Lewis said. "At the end of the day, its not enough to get the win. We didn't do enough, myself included."
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8:48 p.m. - Short-handed or not, Ezekiel Elliott didn't make excuses for not having both starting tackles and two wide receivers on offense.
"It's football … next man up," Elliott said. "We've got the players. It's just about execution. We've got to execute."
Despite the Cowboys' struggles to move the ball consistently, Zeke still recorded over 150 all-purpose yards, including 105 rushing yards and another rushing TD for the third straight week.
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8:32 p.m. - While he was supposed to be the team's fourth receiver heading into the game, Wilson found himself in most of the three-wide packages after Amari Cooper went down with a quad injury on the first drive.
Wilson recorded his first stats of his career, hauling in five catches for 46 yards on six targets.
The only blemish on Wilson's game occurred in the third quarter, when he was flagged for offensive pass interference that negated a touchdown pass to Jason Witten. The Cowboys had to settle for a field goal.
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5:24 p.m. – Amari Cooper will not return to the Jets game due to a quad injury.
The Pro Bowl receiver has not been in the game. Quad and ankle injuries limited his work in practice during the week.
Cornerback Anthony Brown (hamstring) is officially questionable to return.
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Last week, Brett Maher was one of the Cowboys' biggest question marks after two big misses. This week, he's the only bright spot for the Cowboys against the Jets.
Maher has the only points Sunday, including a 62-yardfield goal to end the half. That not only ties his own team record for longest field goal, but Maher becomes just the third player in NFL history with multiple field goals made of longer than 60 yards. Watch Now!
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4:01 p.m. – Amari Cooper has been on the sideline since the Cowboys' second offensive series against the Jets due to a quad injury.
He's officially questionable to return to the game.
Cooper was limited in practice this week due to ankle and quad injuries but started the game here at Metlife Stadium. The Cowboys are already without fellow receiver Randall Cobb (inactive; back).
Defensive end Dorance Armstrong is being evaluated for a neck injury.
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After missing two field goals last week, Brett Maher made a much-needed kick for both his confidence and perhaps the Cowboys' confidence in him.
A 50-yard kick early in the second quarter put the Cowboys on the board. It was his longest made kick of the season.
He was 0-2 heading into this game from 50 yards or more.
2:16 p.m. – The Cowboys will be without both of their starting offensive tackles for this Week 6 game against the Jets.
Tyron Smith was considered a game time decision heading into the weekend, and that decision is a no. Smith tried to work out his injured ankle on Sunday morning, but he's ultimately not quite recovered from the sprain he suffered two weeks ago.
Smith will be joined on the inactive list by La'el Collins, who sprained his MCL last week. With both starters sitting out, the Cowboys will turn to Cam Fleming at left tackle and Brandon Knight at right tackle.
Randall Cobb is also inactive after injuring his back earlier this week. That means Cedrick Wilson will be active to help Tavon Austin handle punt return and slot receiver duties.
The Cowboys' other four inactives are Devin Smith, Joe Jackson, Adam Redmond and Trysten Hill.
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1:35 p.m. - One of the surprises players to make the roster back in early September, rookie Brandon Knight is now expected to start his first game at right tackle on Sunday.
Knight, an undrafted rookie from Indiana, should replaced La'el Collins on the right side against the Jets. He filled in for Collins (knee) in the third quarter last week against the Packers.
The Cowboys are now down to their third and fourth tackles with Cam Fleming expected to replace Tyron Smith (ankle).
The official inactive list comes out 90 minutes fore kickoff.
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Oct. 11 Updates
3:12 p.m. – Wide receiver Randall Cobb (back) and starting offensive tackles Tyron Smith (ankle) and La'el Collins (knee) are officially listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Jets.
Smith did not play against the Packers or practice this week. He worked on the side during Friday's practice.
Collins sprained his knee against Green Bay and did not practice this week, either. Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones told 105.3 The Fan that it's looking like a game-time decision for both players, as well as Cobb, whose back tightened up Thursday. He has not practiced the last two days.
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11:34 a.m. – It looks like the availability of the Cowboys' offensive tackles will be a question going into the weekend.
Tyron Smith and La'el Collins were not at practice again on Friday, meaning that neither tackle has had a practice day heading into this Week 6 matchup. If either player gets into Sunday's game against the Jets, it will be without the benefit of practice reps.
Asked about it Friday morning on 105.3 FM The Fan, Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said it could be a late decision, but he thinks he'll see at least one of his starters get into the game.
"It's down to today and it even could be as late as tomorrow before we will know," Jones said. "I think it's safe to say we'll get half of them, one way or another."
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11:32 a.m. - The Cowboys might not have the services of Randall Cobb on Sunday after the veteran receiver missed Thursday's practice and wasn't on the field for the start of Friday's session.
Jason Garrett said if Cobb practiced at all Friday, it would be limited but it doesn't appear as if he will be out there, suffering from both a hip and back injury.
If Cobb doesn't play, expect more in the slot from Tavon Austin, and perhaps Devin Smith, a former draft pick of the Jets who is facing his former team for the first time.
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9:26 a.m.- The last time Jarwin played at MetLife Stadium, he had not only a career day, but one of the best performances in Cowboys history by a tight end.
Against the Giants in the 2018 season finale, Jarwin caught seven balls for 119 yards and became just the second tight end (Billy Joe DuPree) in franchise history to catch three touchdowns in a game. Jarwin was also the first Cowboys tight end to win NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Perhaps the familiar setting can help Jarwin get back on track after he went without a catch last Sunday for the first time this year.
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Oct. 10 Updates
4:19 p.m. – It'd be understandable if Brandon Knight was a bit taken aback by the situation he found himself in last weekend.
When La'el Collins left the game with an injured knee, the rookie offensive lineman was called onto the field and asked to block Green Bay's pass rush in his first-ever regular season action.
If it was a big moment for Knight, he didn't show it to his linemates.
"It's kind of his personality since he's been here, is he's very even-keeled," Zack Martin said. "He doesn't get over emotional, really in any situation. He didn't really say anything, he just did his job."
Knight played most of the second half and seemed to handle himself well. It remains to be seen if he'll be needed again in Week 6, but he impressed the All-Pro next to him.
"I was very proud of him," Martin said. "That's a hard situation to be in – let alone being a rookie and never suiting up for a game. I was very proud of how he came in and didn't blink."
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3:07 p.m. – Add wide receiver Randall Cobb to the list of key players who didn't practice Thursday.
Cobb sat out because of a back issue. He was a full participant in Wednesday's practice despite a hip issue, according the injury report.
Defensive tackle Antwaun Woods was a full participant in Thursday's practice, an encouraging step toward returning from a sprained MCL that has sidelined him the last three games.
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3:06 p.m. -- The Cowboys' defense didn't meet its own standard of stopping the run last Sunday, yielding 107 yards and a franchise-record 4 touchdowns to Packers running back Aaron Jones.
They're locked in on being assignment sound this week against the Jets' Le'Veon Bell, one of the league's best backs.
"Obviously it wasn't our best effort. We acknowledge that," passing game coordinator/defensive backs coach Kris Richard said. "The cool part about our guys is we have men of great character. When we have an issue, we come in, we address it, we show them, and everybody has an understanding of what we need to do.
"We have a ton of respect for Bell, really all their backs, (Ty) Montgomery. They run tough. ... We know, or at least believe, that they'll be intent on running the football and we should at least anticipate a repeat of a lot of the runs that have had success on us already. It's just going to come down to our discipline and the consistency of us doing things right."
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11:18 a.m. – Although he is not scheduled to be a full participant in Thursday's practice, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is feeling better from an illness that kept him out of Wednesday's practice, according to Jason Garrett.
Vander Esch was on the field for the start of Thursday's warm-up session, but went through the conditioning part without his helmet, suggesting he wouldn't be running through individual or team portions of practice.
LVE could return by Friday and is still expected to play on Sunday.
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11:14 a.m.- Tyron Smith is believed to have the best chance to play this week among the two starting tackles that are banged up. But Smith, who missed last week with an ankle injury, did not practice again Thursday. Head coach Jason Garrett said Smith is improving and has a shot to practice Friday with a chance to even play in the game Sunday against the Jets.
Right tackle La'el Collins (knee) is also not practicing and could be a game-time decision for Sunday. Cam Fleming and Brandon Knight are the two tackles for Thursday's practice.
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Oct. 9 Updates
3:21 p.m. - The Cowboys were without both starting tackles for Wednesday's practice, but the bigger surprise was the absence of Leighton Vander Esch.
The second-year linebacker was held out because of an illness. The Cowboys don't seem overly concerned for his availability the rest of the week or Sunday's game against the Jets.
Vander Esch is the Cowboys' second-leading tackler with 49 tackles.
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Oct. 8 Updates
12:05 p.m. – Wide receiver Michael Gallup was expected to miss two-to-four weeks following a mid-September knee scope. After rehabbing diligently with the athletic training staff, he came back after two games and caught 7 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown against the Packers.
"It reaffirms what you're finding out about him. He's demonstrated that for us since we've gotten him," head coach Jason Garrett said. "He stands up to adversities and comes out the other end of them. I think this is just another example of that. He's shown that to us. He's shown physical toughness. He's shown mental toughness. He certainly performed well in the game."
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12:04 p.m. – With Michael Gallup back in the lineup last Sunday, head coach Jason Garrett explained why fellow receiver Devin Smith was inactive against the Packers.
Smith played the first four games, catching 5 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown.
"(Wide receiver) Ventell Bryant was up in the game because (safety) Kavon Frazier was out (placed on injured reserve)," Garrett said. "We needed someone to compete at that flyer spot opposite C.J. (Goodwin). So that was a big factor in that, role on special teams.
"Devin has done a nice job for us. When he's gotten opportunities, he's certainly come through for us. But it was much as a special teams decision as anything else."
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3:59 p.m. -- Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan he's optimistic that starting nose tackle Antwaun Woods can return this week from a sprained MCL that has sidelined him the last three games.
"Well, he's got to have a good week of practice, but it looks like he can have that," Jones said. "I think we've got a good chance to have him."
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10:14 a.m. – The Cowboys won't practice until Wednesday, but the early word is hopeful on Tyron Smith.
Asked about Smith's recovery from a sprained ankle Tuesday on 105.3 FM The Fan, Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said he was optimistic.
"Tyron is looking promising. We'll see how this week goes," he said.
Smith missed last week's game against Green Bay, but it would be remarkable if he could get back onto the field after missing just one week.
Oct. 7 Updates
5:09 p.m. – Rookie running back Tony Pollard "banged up his knee a little bit and also his ankle" in the Cowboys' 34-24 loss to the Packers.
"Hopefully he'll be OK this week," Garrett said.
Pollard had four carries for 19 yards and three kickoff returns for 73 yards.
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4:06 p.m.- Right tackle La'el Collins wasn't able to finish the game on Sunday, after sustaining a knee injury late in the third quarter. Coach Jason Garrett said the Cowboys received some good news regarding Collins' MRI on Monday.
"We'll take him day by day. He hurt his knee in the game and didn't finish the game," Garrett said of Collins. "He's a tough game. The MRI was fine today. We'll just see how he does day by day"
Collins was replaced by rookie Brandon Knight, whom Garrett said was "pretty good for his first action."
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4:02 p.m. - Despite missing two field goals on Sunday, including a 33-yarder in the final two minutes to cut the Packers' lead to 7, Brett Maher appears to be the Cowboys' kicker moving forward.
Jason Garrett was pretty firm in his reasoning for his support.
"Because he's made a lot of big kicks for us. We believe he can make big kicks for us again," said Garrett, who was asked if there are many reliable kickers available if they decided to go in a different direction. "We haven't really gotten to that point. We believe (Maher) can do a good job for us moving forward."
This year, Maher is just 4 of 7 in field goals, but nothing longer than a 36-yard kick.
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Oct. 6 Updates
8:26 p.m. – Starting right tackle La'el Collins hurt his MCL in the second half against the Packers, Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones said.
"I think he's fine. That's an MCL," Jones said after the team's 34-24 loss to Green Bay. "I didn't talk to any trainers or doctors, but he didn't think it was going to be an ongoing problem for him."
Collins went to the locker room for further evaluation and did not return to the game, but he did test out his knee on the sideline, an encouraging sign that the injury was not serious.
The Cowboys were already without starting left tackle Tyron Smith (sprained ankle) Sunday. Cameron Fleming started in Smith's place. Collins was listed as questionable on Friday because of a back issue that kept him out of practice for two days.
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8:02 p.m.- Not only was the rookie activated for the first time all season, but Brandon Knight found himself playing right tackle for most of the second half after La'el Collins (knee) went out.
Knight, who was injured for most of training camp, was considered a surprise to make the roster, mainly because of his limited practice work. The Cowboys certainly liked what they saw to keep him, and Knight seemingly held his own at right tackle. All of Dak's three sacks occurred before he entered the game.
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While he admitted that his first-quarter drop that led to an interception was costly, Amari Cooper bounced back to record one of the greatest statistical games in franchise history.
His 226 receiving yards is the fourth-most in franchise history.
He also became the first Cowboys player ever to record two 200-yard games with the team. He had a 217-yard performance against the Eagles last year.
Still, Cooper has only played 14 games with the Cowboys.
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2:00 p.m. – Tyrone Crawford is back.
The Cowboys announced their seven inactives Sunday afternoon prior to kickoff against Green Bay, and Crawford was not among them. After missing two games with a hip injury, Crawford figures to play at both defensive end and defensive tackle against the Packers.
That should help offset the absence of Antwaun Woods, who is still at least a week away with a knee injury. The full list of inactives features Cedrick Wilson, Devin Smith, Joe Jackson, Luke Gifford, Adam Redmond, Tyron Smith and Woods.
Most of that list isn't too surprising. Tyron Smith was ruled out on Friday with an ankle injury, and everyone else is a healthy inactive. With Michael Gallup returning to the lineup on Sunday, Wilson and Devin Smith were downgraded to inactive.
La'el Collins is also active after battling a back injury for most of the week.
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Oct. 4 Updates
2:46 p.m. -- Left tackle Tyron Smith has officially been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Packers due to an ankle injury. Not a surprise since Smith did not practice all week. Cameron Fleming is expected to start in his place.
Four Cowboys are officially listed as questionable for Sunday: right tackle La'el Collins, defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford, wide receiver Michael Gallup and defensive tackle Antwaun Woods. All practiced Friday on a limited basis.
The Packers have ruled out wide receiver Davante Adams (toe), and cornerback Kevin King (groin) is doubtful to play.
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1:54 p.m. -- It's no secret Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones has strong belief in Dak Prescott's long-term potential.
Friday on 105.3 The Fan, Jones didn't make a direct comparison between Prescott and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, but he believes the two QBs have something in common.
"He will evolve and is evolving into a guy that will beat you," Jones said. "And he will beat you with different circumstances and different players and different type teams. He will be on teams that have better defense than others. He will be on teams that have better protection than others. I think we got us one in Dak."
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1:36 p.m. – Defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford has practiced the last two days after missing the two previous games with a hip injury.
The Cowboys will announce their final injury report of the week later today. If Crawford is active Sunday, he expects the staff to monitor his workload.
Crawford has worked with the athletic training staff to manage the hip issue since the offseason. He played only 18 snaps in Week 2 against Washington and hadn't practiced until Thursday this week.
"It's been frustrating, but it is what it is. I've got to deal with what I've got and it's going to be painful all season. It is what it is."
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12:02 p.m. -- Starting right tackle La'el Collins is expected to practice in some fashion Friday, head coach Jason Garrett said -- an encouraging sign for Collins' status this Sunday against the Packers.
Collins sat out the first two practices of the week with back soreness. The Cowboys have been without left tackle Tyron Smith (sprained ankle) in practice this week, and backup Cameron Fleming would start in Smith's place Sunday if the team rules him out.
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Oct. 3 Updates
4:09 p.m. – Dak Prescott has tremendous respect for Aaron Rodgers, but he doesn't view Sunday's game as a head-to-head quarterback duel. He's focused on the Packers' defense.
"I've got to go in there and do the best I can to get this offense orchestrated down the field and putting up points," Prescott said. "I trust our defense. I know what our defense is capable of doing. It's about us going out there and just playing complementary football."
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3:54 p.m. – For the first time in nearly three weeks, Cowboys defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford (hip) practiced on a limited basis.
Crawford, the Cowboys' starting right defensive end in Weeks 1 and 2, missed the Dolphins and Saints games after his hip flared up. It's an issue he's been managing since the offseason.
Right tackle La'el Collins did not practice for the second straight day, but head coach Jason Garrett said Collins' back is improving -- a positive sign with another practice still left this week.
Davante Adams, the Packers' lead receiver, did not practice for the second straight day because of a toe injury.
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3:15 p.m. -- Robert Quinn leads the Cowboys with 3.0 sacks in two appearances this season, and passing game coordinator Kris Richard says the veteran pass rusher brings so much to the defense.
"He loves what he does. We love what he does," Richard said. "He has fantastic energy. He prepares his butt off and then he goes out there and he executes."
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10:47 a.m. - The Cowboys will already be without one starting offensive tackle. They're just hoping it's not both of them.
Right tackle La'el Collins did not practice on Wednesday and head coach Jason Garrett said that will be a similar approach on Thursday.
"I don't expect LC to do much today. I do think he's getting better," said Garrett, who provided some of the background in Collins' latest injury. "He just came in Monday and said his back was bothering him. We just addressed it from there."
The Cowboys will probably be without Tyron Smith (ankle) at left tackle, where Cameron Fleming would start. Without Collins in practice, rookie Brandon Knight is working on the right side on Thursday, after Connor Williams took most of the reps Friday. That could be a sign that Collins is expected to be ready and Williams needs his work at guard for this week.
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Oct. 2 Updates
3:58 p.m. -- Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (knee/shoulder) was among six Cowboys players who had limited participation in Wednesday's practice.
Also limited were WRs Amari Cooper (ankle) and Michael Gallup (knee), punter Chris Jones (back), guard Zack Martin (back) and DT Antwaun Woods (knee).
For the Packers, lead receiver Davante Adams (toe) did not practice.
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3:17 p.m. – Randall Cobb is focused on this Sunday's matchup against the Packers, not the eight years he spent in Green Bay before signing with the Cowboys in March.
But the storyline still prompted an age-old question: Did Dez Bryant catch that pass ruled incomplete by officials in the Cowboys' 2014-15 playoff loss to the Packers?
"I was waiting on that," Cobb said, laughing. "I've been getting that a lot since I've been here. We didn't know what the (catch) rules were back then. It's probably a catch nowadays."
Cobb says facing his old team doesn't provide any extra motivation. He just wants to help the Cowboys get to 4-1.
"What is this, Week 5? Just Week 5, man," Cobb said. "Another game, another opportunity for us to go show what we're all about."
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3:15 p.m. – Amari Cooper is feeling fine.
The Pro Bowl receiver dealt with a left heel issue in training camp, and he's been a limited participant in the last few practices, including Wednesday, with a sore right ankle.
"I'm fine. They're healing up," Cooper said. "I'm healthy enough to go out there and perform."
Cooper had five catches for 48 yards in last Sunday's loss to the Saints.
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12:01 p.m. – After placing safety Kavon Frazier on injured reserve, the Cowboys have activated wide receiver Ventell Bryant from the practice squad.
Bryant, undrafted out of Temple this year, could provide a boost to the Cowboys' special teams if active on game day.
Safety Josh Jones, a former second-round pick of the Packers, has taken Bryant's place on the practice squad.
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11:03 a.m.- The Cowboys are going to use Connor Williams at right tackle for practice on Wednesday and perhaps more this week. Williams, a tackle in college, has played left guard since being drafted but the Cowboys are in need of tackles with both Tyron Smith (ankle) likely out this week and La'el Collins missing practice with a back injury.
In Williams' spot, the Cowboys will use Xavier Su'a Filo and Joe Looney, and also have Adam Redmond and Brandon Knight as backups. Knight can play tackle as well, if needed.
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11:01 a.m. - The Cowboys have added Josh Jones to the practice squad with a chance he could eventually move himself onto the roster at the safety spot.
Jones, a former second-round pick (61stoverall in 2017) of the Packers, played in 29 games for Green Bay with 12 starts.
While he still has practice squad eligibility, Jones should have the talent to compete for playing time on the 53-man roster. The Cowboys have lost Kavon Frazier for the season and currently have just Darian Thompson and Donovan Wilson as backups.
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Oct. 1 Updates
9:05 a.m. – Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones believes left tackle Tyron Smith can return from a sprained ankle in relatively short order, though it seems "unlikely" Smith will be able to play Sunday against Green Bay.
"We got the best news we could possibly get," Jones told 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday. "It's unlikely that we'll see him this week, but I don't know that. But on the longer-term basis, which is beyond this week, we couldn't have asked for better news. Looking forward to having him back out there quick."
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Sept. 30 Updates
1:48 p.m. -- Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence played fewer snaps in the second half and only 39 total against the Saints. It was his lowest snap count since the season opener against the Giants, when he was on a bit of a pitch count in his return from offseason surgery.
Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones told 105.3 The Fan that Lawrence tweaked his shoulder (not the surgically-repaired side) but "but hopefully that's not going to be an issue" moving forward.
Jones also said safety Kavon Frazier has a pectoral injury that the team might have to address. It's unclear at this point whether it will require surgery. Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett will have injury updates at his daily press conference Monday afternoon.
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Sept. 29 Updates
11:57 p.m. - Despite recording a sack in the fourth quarter, Lawrence wasn't on the field for several key snaps, including the start of the Saints' final possession.
Lawrence, who seemingly rotated with Kerry Hyder for parts of the second half, got back in the game late in the fourth and had to be helped off the field with an injury.
After the game, when asked about both Lawrence's rotation and his injury, head coach Jason Garrett only would say that Lawrence's injury was not deemed to be serious.
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11:22 p.m. - Robert Quinn tied a Cowboys record last week with seven QB pressures in one game.
This week, he became just the second player in team history – and the first in a non-strike year – to record a sack in each of his first two games with the team. Quinn's two sacks on Sunday night, coupled with last week's sack vs. Miami, gives him the team lead with three, edging out DeMarcus Lawrence, who got a sack to give him 2.5.
Quinn joined Randy Watts as the only player in team history to record sacks in each of his first two games. Watts only played five games for the Cowboys, including three in 1987 season as a replacement player during the strike.
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11:15 p.m. – Starting left tackle Tyron Smith suffered an apparent ankle sprain on the final drive of the Cowboys' 12-10 loss to the Saints and left the field on a cart.
Immediately after the game, Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones confirmed that Smith hurt his ankle. The Pro Bowl lineman will be re-evaluated when the team returns to Dallas.
Smith left the Superdome with the team in a boot, walking under his own power.
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9:44 p.m. - After four games, Dak Prescott's third-quarter magic is certainly not a coincidence or a fluke. He continued his hot streak coming out of halftime once again, completing all six of his passes en route to the team's only touchdown drive.
For the season, Dak is now a perfect 28 of 28 for 457 yards, three touchdowns and no picks for a perfect passer rating.
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8:25 p.m. – Backup safety and core special teams contributor Kavon Frazier has been ruled out of the game with a pectoral injury.
Frazier was limited in practice during the week with an Achilles injury but was active tonight.
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8:15 p.m. - If Jason Witten's fumble was a surprise to see, it's because it just doesn't happen that often. The veteran tight end lost just his sixth career fumble in the second quarter after a 16-yard catch against the Saints.
It's the first time since the 2016 season against the Bucs that Witten has lost the ball. The fumble was just his eighth overall of his career, with him recovering the ball once and another going out of bounds.
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7:35 p.m. - The Cowboys were one of just five teams heading into the weekend without an interception. But that changed on the first defensive drive with Chido Awuzie catching a deflected pass in the first quarter.
Saints Pro Bowl WR Michael Thomas had it jarred loose by Jeff Heath and Awuzie hauled it in on the sideline for just his third career interception.
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6:05 p.m. – There's not much drama with the Week 4 inactives.
Michael Gallup, Tyrone Crawford and Antwaun Woods were all ruled out on Friday afternoon, so most of the Cowboys' injury concerns had crystalized heading into this primetime game against the Saints.
In addition to those three, the team also ruled Donovan Wilson, Luke Gifford, Adam Redmond and Brandon Knight inactive for Sunday night.
It was always a long shot Gifford would be available this week, as Wednesday was his first practice in roughly six weeks after injuring his ankle on Aug. 10. Wilson, Redmond and Knight are all healthy scratches to make room for veteran players.
Tavon Austin is active for the first time since suffering a concussion in Week 1, while Xavier Woods is returning to the lineup after hurting his ankle during the Week 2 win in Washington.
