3 Cowboys whose stock is falling after ugly win vs Titans

Unless their opponent resides in Minnesota, it’s never easy with the Dallas Cowboys. With the Titans resting a cavalcade of starters, including Derrick Henry and Jeffery Simmons, with an eye on their win-and-in finale against Jacksonville, all signs pointed to Dallas putting things in cruise control pretty early.

Instead, the Cowboys made fans sweat out a victory in Nashville. While a win is ultimately all that matters — it keeps their hopes to win the NFC East and notch the No. 1 seed alive — the performance served as more evidence for cynics who preach every Monday that Dallas will falter come playoff time.

With the playoffs arriving in two weeks, Mike McCarthy can’t afford to continue playing mistake-prone players. While injuries will force the head coach’s hand at some positions, these three players deserve less snap after they turned in duds Thursday night.

These Cowboys players stock is falling after Week 17 win vs Titans

3. Noah Brown, WR

Brown was indispensable early in the season before and after Michael Gallup returned to the lineup. In the first four games, Brown caught 18 passes for 274 yards and a touchdown, including a 91-yard, one-touchdown effort in the narrow win over the Bengals in Week 2 with Cooper Rush starting.

Brown followed an 85-yard showing vs the Texans with a clutch two-touchdown performance in the overtime loss to Jacksonville. Of course, that display was marred by his overtime drop that bounced into the hands of a Jaguars defender, who housed it for a walk-off defensive touchdown.

On Thursday, Brown had another case of the drops. After drawing an early pass interference, the former fifth-round pick dropped two passes. Both targets hit Brown square in the hands. To put the throws into context, you’d expect an NFL receiver to catch them with his eyes closed. They were that routine.

While neither drop was consequential, they won’t help Brown’s case for more snaps behind CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and now TY Hilton. Brown’s work as a blocker in the running game is wildly important, and largely goes unnoticed. We might see more of him in that role after this two-drop dud in primetime.

2. Peyton Hendershot, TE

How many of Dak Prescott’s interceptions this season have come on perfect throws that bounced off his receiver’s hands? Before Week 16, a whopping six of Prescott’s picks came on non-turnover-worthy plays, according to PFF.

That number undoubtedly jumped to seven on Thursday night after Prescott hit Peyton Hendershot in the chest in traffic. Hendershot bobbled the pass right into the welcoming arms of safety Kevin Byard, who intercepted Prescott twice in the first half.

To make matters worse, Hendershot’s gaffe came with the Cowboys’ driving and the Titans on the ropes trailing 10-0 with three minutes left in the second quarter. The turnover lighted a spark in Tennessee, which responded accordingly by closing the half with two field goals to cut Dallas’ lead in half and then some.

Hendershot’s had some nice moments as an undrafted free agent. Coming into Thursday, the Indiana product logged 11 catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns. However, there’s only so many snaps to go around behind Schultz, the recipient of both of Prescott’s TD throws on the night, and fellow rookie Jake Ferguson figures to be the beneficiary of Hendershot’s costly error.

1. Nahshon Wright, CB

This pains us, because Wright was instrumental in the comeback win against Philadelphia on Christmas Eve. Thrust into a prominent role, the second-year CB allowed five catches on seven targets, but they went for just 35 yards, and he contributed two pass breakups, a tackle for loss, and eight total tackles.

Not only that, but Wright broke up pass in the end zone intended for DeVonta Smith, who caught everything within his vicinity in the game, on the final drive of the game with the Eagles needing just a touchdown and an extra-point to win the game. Wright added a tackle for loss on third down to boot.

Thursday night was a different story for Wright. Pro Football Focus’ coverage stats aren’t released yet, but seemingly every time Titans spot-starter Josh Dobbs found success through the air, he targeted Wright’s receiver. He allowed an explosive play in the first quarter, and a poor tackle attempt on rookie Treylon Burks allowed Tennessee to get in field goal range with seconds left in the first half.

The Cowboys probably can’t afford to bench Wright following the injuries to Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis, but the 2021 third-round pick did anything but bolster his case for more playing time in Dallas’ depleted cornerback room.

Wright redeemed himself with a fourth-quarter interception, but don’t let that paper over what was a disappointing night in coverage.

Cowboys star Micah Parsons wearing club on injured hand vs Titans

Cowboys star Micah Parsons is wearing a club cast on his injured hand against the Titans on Thursday Night Football. How concerning is this?