The Dallas Cowboys avoided disaster on Monday Night Football in Week 7 with their convincing win over the Philadelphia Eagles. What the team hasn't done, though, is convince the fanbase that they are a legitimate threat to get into the playoffs and make any kind of run. That's still to be determined.
But a big step can be taken in that direction if Brian Schottenheimer's squad can handle business against the Arizona Cardinals, whom they have historically struggled against. Stringing together two wins in this easy stretch of the schedule would do wonders for the team and the fanbase's psyche.
And with the trade deadline looming after Week 9, tensions are heightened around the league. The butterfly effect of every move will be felt throughout the NFL. There's a lot to keep track of during this time, and there is no shame in missing any news surrounding your favorite team.
That's why we're here: to provide you with the latest Cowboys news from this week that didn't make major headlines or flew under the radar. We'll go through the final Week 8 injury report for both teams, analyse Jerry Jones' latest quote about the deadline, talk Emari Demercado's new home, and more.
- Cowboys' final Week 8 injury report
- Cardinals' final Week 8 injury report
- Quick slants
- Jerry Jones' latest quote about the trade deadline
- This day in Cowboys history
Cowboys' final Week 8 injury report
Here is the Cowboys' final injury report before their Week 8 game against the Arizona Cardinals, courtesy of ESPN's Todd Archer.
Player | Position | Injury | Game Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
Dee Winters | LB | Calf | OUT |
KaVontae Turpin | WR/RS | Ribs | OUT |
George Pickens | WR | Shoulder/Hamstring | Questionable |
Kenny Clark | DT | Back | Questionable |
Jonathan Bullard | DT | Calf | Questionable |
Marist Liufau | OLB | Forearm | Questionable |
Luke Schoonmaker | TE | Groin | Questionable |
Caleb Downs | DB | Ankle | - |
P.J. Locke | SAF | Foot | - |
Tyler Smith | G | Ankle | - |
Drew Shelton | OT | Hamstring | - |
This marks the second straight week that Dallas will be without both Turpin and Winters. According to Archer, of the players with questionable designations, Schoonmaker is the most up in the air. That would indicate that the Cowboys will have Pickens and Clark on Sunday against Arizona.
Bullard and Liufau are both returning from IR stints, and neither had been activated to the 53-man roster yet, as of this writing. But it is possible that the former makes his first appearance since Week 3, and the latter has his season debut after getting hurt in the preseason finale.
Stephen Jones also said on 105.3 The Fan that Jalen Thompson is "coming along nicely." Downs' injury status was somewhat of a question mark this week, as was Locke's as he returned from injury. But both enter Sunday without an injury designation, meaning they'll play, barring a setback.
Cardinals' final Week 8 injury report
Player | Position | Injury | Game Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
Walter Nolen | DT | Ankle | OUT |
Jon Gaines II | RG | Ankle | OUT |
Andrew Wingard | SAF | Knee | Questionable |
Max Melton | CB | Knee | Questionable |
Hjalte Froholdt | OL | Knee | Questionable |
Jeremiyah Love | RB | Ankle | - |
Michael Wilson | WR | Ribs | - |
Tyler Allgeier | RB | Toe | - |
Zaven Collins | OLB | Illness | - |
Of course, Jeremiyah Love will return to play against Dallas. Stuff like that always seems to happen. Michael Wilson is also playing after an injury scare this week, and Zaven Collins will be battling through illness in Week 8.
Walter Nolen is a big loss in the middle of the defense for the Cardinals for the second week in a row. Gaines II is the team's starting RG, and he'll miss a second straight week, too. The Cowboys should have a distinct advantage in the heart of the trenches, which is where they are strongest anyway.
Quick slants
Emari Demercado finds new home
Demercado was expendable the minute that Tyler Goodson came along, and he was waived earlier this week after the game Goodson had against the Eagles. But he found a new home immediately, and he won't even have to leave the state, as the Houston Texans claimed him off waivers.
Caelen Carson also finds a new home
Carson was recently waived by the Cowboys, and nobody in the NFL wanted to give him a spot on their active roster. But on Friday, he signed with the Carolina Panthers' practice squad, following their Thursday Night Football loss. Carolina is decimated by injuries at cornerback, so he could find a role.
Jonathan Bullard has his 21-day practice window opened
Bullard returned to practice in the middle of the week after missing the last four games due to a calf injury he sustained in Week 3. It is unknown if he will make his return this week, and the Cowboys don't particularly need more bodies at defensive tackle, but he is officially questionable for Sunday.
Jaydon Blue signs back to Eagles' active roster
Blue was poached by Philly after Dallas waived him in August, and he's been bouncing between their active roster and practice squad ever since. Following an injury to Dameon Pierce, which he suffered against the Cowboys on Monday, Blue was signed to the Eagles' active roster once again.
Jerry Jones' latest quote about the trade deadline
Jerry Jones loves his trade deadline fireworks. But during his weekly appearance on 105.3 The Fan, he had somewhat of a different tone. According to a synopsis from The Athletic's Jon Machota, Jones doesn't necessarily feel like the Cowboys have to make a move to stay afloat this year.
“It would have to be a dynamic situation to give up (draft) picks.”
This is somewhat of a change of tune from Dallas' owner, as just last week, he foresaw himself being active at the deadline. And there are a handful of intriguing trade targets out there, but the Cowboys have already made deals for Joey Porter Jr. and Broderick Jones since the very end of August.
Maybe JPJ was this year's Quinnen Williams, and it just happened a bit earlier than fans are accustomed to. But it doesn't sound like Jones is as married to the idea of making a big splash as he was a week ago. The market has certainly shifted since his last comments.
Or maybe this is just classic Jerry, using the media as a weapon of disguise and deception.
This day in Cowboys history
Happy Halloween, folks! I have a treat for you: a trip back in time to 1993.
The defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys traveled to Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia to take on their hated rival Eagles. And America's Team emerged victorious in the City of Brotherly Love, winning 23-10 in a game that had more treats than tricks for Jimmy Johnson's team.
Emmitt Smith had one of his all-time great performances in front of 62,000 fans, racking up 237 yards and a touchdown on the ground on 30 carries. On the other sideline, Herschel Walker managed just 79 all-purpose yards and a touchdown for the losing Eagles.
Smith's 62-yard touchdown jaunt in the fourth quarter was the final nail in the coffin for Philly, as it gave Dallas a 13-point lead with just 3:45 left on the clock. The Cowboys would move to 5-2, notching their fifth straight win in what turned into a seven-game winning streak.
And they'd go on to win the Super Bowl in dominant fashion to send Jimmy Johnson off the right way.
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