Dallas Cowboys Notebook #DALvsNE | Week 6

Game-time Decision For Diggs?

Starting cornerback Trevon Diggs will continue to receive treatment on his injured ankle into the weekend and will probably be a game-time decision for Sunday's game against the Patriots, the Cowboys announced Friday.

Diggs was able to finish last Sunday's game against the Giants despite the first-quarter ankle injury and recorded his sixth interception of the season, a league-best total. He didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday. 

The Cowboys are holding their normal walkthrough Friday, and Diggs' estimated participation would be limited, the club announced.

The Cowboys are optimistic about Diggs' availability Sunday if the ankle keeps progressing. Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan he believes Diggs and starting left tackle Tyron Smith (neck) will be "ready to play" against New England.

-Rob Phillips (10/15)

Malik Hooker's Journey Back

This time last year, Malik Hooker was just starting his recovery from a torn Achilles' tendon as a member of the Indianapolis Colts.

A year later, the veteran safety is back healthy and contributing to an impressive start by the Cowboys' revamped defense.

"This is probably the best, both playing and physically, I've felt in a while. It's like I'm back out there having fun again," Hooker said Friday. "… For me to finally be back mentally, emotionally and physically at where I'm at now, I couldn't ask for better."

The Cowboys signed Hooker early in training camp and he gradually worked back into practice. Active for each of the last four games, Hooker has 12 tackles (one for loss) and a pass breakup in the secondary rotation. His playing time has continually risen, up to roughly 50% of the snaps in last Sunday's win over the Giants.

-Rob Phillips (10/15)

Ready For The Curve

The go-to line about the New England Patriots under Bill Belichick is that they're going to take away what you do best. As Dak Prescott said on Thursday, they're good at taking away your fastball.

That raises an obvious question, though. For a team with so many options on offense, what exactly is the Cowboys' fastball? Prescott suggested it's more about attitude than personnel.

"I think if anything, it's our selflessness," he said. "Guys just being unselfish and wanting to see the team have success. That could be our fastball."

The Cowboys have been running the ball better than just about anyone in the league the past month, accumulating 804 yards on the ground during this win streak. But as they showed in the season-opening loss to Tampa Bay, they're plenty capable of airing it out. That selfless attitude should come in handy as they figure out on Sunday what will be required to come out with a win.

"It depends on the game and that's credit to the coaches and men in the locker room," Prescott said. "We prepare week in and week out, obviously come in with an approach to be balanced run and pass and if we need to lean on one more than the other, we're going to do that."

- David Helman (10/14)

Diggs' Impressions Of Mac

Trevon Diggs faced one former Alabama teammate, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, in Week 3. Sunday, Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones is on the schedule.

Diggs said he didn't face Jones much in practice at Alabama because Tua Tagovailoa was the starter at the time. But he's impressed with Jones' skill set.

"He's a very smart quarterback," Diggs said. "Very smart, really accurate, can make all the intermediate throws, short throws. … He has tons of ability. This year it seems like he's grown tremendously."

Diggs has not practiced yet this week due to an ankle injury from the Giants game, but Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said the injury is "not of high concern" heading into Sunday.

-Rob Phillips (10/14)

Kazee OK

Starting safety Damontae Kazee expects to play Sunday against the Patriots despite a hip issue from the Giants game that flared up this week.

Kazee worked with the injury rehab group again Thursday but says the injury is improving.

"It just felt a little weird, but I'm good now," he said. "I've just got to take it one day at a time."

-Rob Phillips (10/14)

*Pro's Pro *There doesn't seem to be much faith from the outside that this Cowboys team can keep its focus during such a dizzying winning streak. Anecdotally, it seems like 50% of the questions thrown their way have been about avoiding a letdown.

Amari Cooper offered some interesting perspective on the matter when he said he doesn't get wrapped up in success because he prepares for it.

"Every team expects to have success every year. I always look at it, if you expect to have success then you're not surprised and you're not letting anything get to your head because this is what you expect," he said. 

That's not to say the coaching staff hasn't stressed the importance of focus. But with the amount of veteran leadership on this roster, it's not something Cooper sounded worried about.

"We've had conversations in team meetings with the coaches telling us to be aware of not getting on that high horse," he said. "I think we're all pros and we know better."

- David Helman (10/14)

Helmet For DQ

How many coaches have you seen wear a helmet for a practice drill?

Put Dan Quinn on that short list.

The Cowboys' defensive coordinator has a strong reputation as a hands-on coach and teacher, often working with players one-on-one during practice. Wednesday, Quinn donned a helmet to give the defensive line an up-close look at cut blocks as part of this week's preparation.

"Today was his first time. He usually wears the mitts or the arm sleeves," linebacker Micah Parsons said. "That tells what type of hands-on coach he is. 'He's like, "I want to give you the best look possible, no matter what.'"

-Rob Phillips (10/13)

Climbing The Mountain

In the first five games, the defense found ways to produce despite playing without multiple starters and key rotation players. Rookies Micah Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa have been impact starters during this 4-1 start.

"It just says that we keep climbing that mountain," Parsons said. "Each time we come out and play, every time we practice, to the meeting room, we take a step closer to what we're trying to do at the end of the year.

"The Super Bowl is Mount Everest, and we're still at the bottom right now."

-Rob Phillips (10/13)

Collins' Suspension Stands

U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant III denied Cowboys offensive tackle La'el Collins' request for a temporary injunction to block the remainder of his five-game NFL suspension, according to reports.

That means Collins still has one game left on his suspension and will not be available to play Sunday at New England.

Collins disputed the league's suspension for what was termed a violation of its substance abuse policy. Judge Mazzant heard Collins' appeal last Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

The Cowboys haven't publicly commented on Collins' suspension other than to express support for him. Collins recently has been cleared to work out and attend certain meetings at The Star while suspended, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said last week.

Terence Steele has started at right tackle in the first four games of Collins' suspension, which took effect Sept. 10, the day after the Cowboys' season opener against Tampa Bay.

-Rob Phillips (10/12)