The Dallas Cowboys must pick themselves up off the mat following a last-second loss in Brazil. They have a winnable stretch of games coming up, starting with a date with the 0-3 Texans in Houston this Sunday.
Falling to 1-3 would leave Dallas with little margin for error, so everyone, especially Brian Schottenheimer, must be on top of their P's and Q's against what is sure to be a desperate team.
Following a long travel weekend, the Cowboys had Monday and Tuesday off. They'll return to the practice field Wednesday, which should give us a much better idea of which injured players, if any, could return this week.
In the meantime, let's dive into the latest news surrounding America's Team.
- The latest on Shavon Revel's knee injury
- Depleted Cowboys sign two DBs
- Must-see Brian Schottenheimer quotes
- Cowboys stories from around the web
The latest on Shavon Revel's knee injury
Brian Schottenheimer said on Tuesday that Revel (right knee) could work back into practice this week, adding that the second-year cornerback is "actually doing pretty good." It was the left knee that Revel was rehabbing last year, so it's a huge relief we're talking about his right knee.
Revel's injury looked pretty rough on the CBS broadcast. His knee appeared to buckle or hyperextend as he went flying out of bounds while chasing a Ravens ball carrier. He landed awkwardly and stayed down for a minute before eventually walking off under his own power.
Revel did not return to the game and was replaced by Caelen Carson and Ameer Speed. The former was the closest defender on Baltimore's go-ahead touchdown with 1:30 left in the fourth quarter. Carson had not played a defensive snap before Sunday, so it's hard to be overly critical of him.
Cobie Durant is expected to miss at least another week with a hamstring strain. Having Revel available would be a big boost, but Dallas shouldn't rush him back if the knee isn't ready or if the injury would compromise his effectiveness.
All in all, though, this is good news.
Depleted Cowboys sign two DBs
It's almost unfathomable how many injuries Dallas is dealing with in the secondary. Revel's Week 4 status is still up in the air, but here's a list of the players who are currently on the shelf: Malik Hooker, Jalen Thompson, Cobie Durant, P.J. Locke, and potentially Revel.
That is five of their top seven defensive backs. It's Week 4. Like we said: Unfathomable.
The Cowboys just need warm bodies, and Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News reported that they're expected to sign cornerback Alex Austin and safety Juanyeh Thomas.
Thomas was a Cowboy from 2022 to 2025, appearing in 36 games, including four starts. He made seven cameos last season before landing on the reserve/non-football illness list in November due to chronic migraines. Dallas did not tender him as a restricted free agent this offseason.
The fifth-year pro had a brief stint with the Colts before getting released in August. He's found his way back to a Cowboys team that may need him to play immediately.
The same might be said about Austin, a seventh-round pick in 2023 by the Buffalo Bills. He's started six games in his career (29 total appearances) for the Houston Texans and New England Patriots, respectively. He's got the chops to be serviceable in zone coverage.
Austin will join the practice squad, but he's a candidate for immediate elevation regardless of Revel's status.
Must-see Brian Schottenheimer quotes
Schottenheimer on his late-game decisions in Week 3 (via Nick Harris):
“I hurt our chances to win that game. I’ll be better, and I’m better than that and better than I performed. ... I take responsibility for this. I’m a grown man, I can handle it. Do I deserve the criticism? Absolutely. I deserve the criticism, I take the criticism. All it’s going to do is fire me up. It ain’t gonna happen again.”
You'd certainly rather a head coach take ownership of his mistakes than deflect blame elsewhere, but these soundbites are starting to grow stale. Accountability is admirable, but at some point, Schottenheimer has to turn these lessons into wins.
The Cowboys shot themselves in the foot multiple times against Baltimore, but it was ultimately Schottenheimer's play-calling and end-of-game management that loomed largest when the fourth quarter ended.
Schottenheimer on the 3rd-down throwaway (via Todd Archer):
“I trust Dak Prescott completely, so it was the word that I chose, which I'm not going to give away. The words that we say have meaning, and when I said the word, it put him into a mindset that he doesn't play with. He doesn't play that way. He doesn't play the game that way. And so that's what I would change.”
It's fair to assume that a quarterback of Prescott's caliber and experience understood that he couldn't take a sack or turn the ball over in that moment.
Prescott was in full control of the game. He led a 96-yard touchdown drive at the start of the fourth quarter and marched Dallas down to the two-yard line after Baltimore scored a go-ahead TD with 1:27 left in regulation. Intentional or not, Schottenheimer took away that killer instinct when the team needed it most.
This is a play that will only be forgotten if the Cowboys turn their second around.
Schotteheimer on whether Dak Prescott trusts him (via Nick Harris):
“Man, I hope so. He’s thrown interceptions before, and I still trust him. So, if I make a mistake, I hope he trusts me, because I’ve made a lot of really good decisions, too.”
Schottenheimer may have been trying to lighten the mood after a tough loss. However, the idea that the most prolific quarterback in franchise history is owed the same amount of trust as a second-year head coach who's 8-11-1 in his first 20 games does not sit right.
To be fair, Schottenheimer may not have intended for it to come off like that. But Prescott is the more accomplished entity, even though Schotty has been in the league for 25 years.
Schottenheimer is usually great behind the mic, but this is a quote that can easily be misconstrued within a fan base that is understandably seeing red after Dallas gifted away a victory.
Cowboys stories from around the web
- Tape Talk: What stood out on film from Cowboys-Ravens in Rio de Janeiro (Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com)
Tommy Yarrish takes a closer look at Dallas' heartbreaking loss, analyzing the now-infamous 3rd-and-goal throwaway, what went wrong on the Ravens' go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter, and highlighting some defenders who stood out the most in limiting Derrick Henry to 3.6 yards per carry.
- Ranking the Rams, Cowboys and the biggest NFL disappointments through three weeks (Wynston Wilcox, FanSided)
The Cowboys' 1-2 record can only be viewed as a disappointment. They seemingly took the Giants for granted in Week 1 and had no business losing to the Ravens in Week 3. Wynston Wilcox stacks up Dallas' slow start with some of the NFL's other biggest letdowns.
- 3 trades Cowboys should consider after injury bug hits their secondary (Brian Martin, Blogging The Boys)
How aggressive should Jerry Jones and the front office be to improve the defense? And if their foot is on the gas pedal, who makes sense as a potential target? It's basically October, so the free agent market is all but bereft of impactful talent. The trade market is a different story.
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