Odell Beckham’s forced deboarding from a plane in Miami apparently doesn’t change the Cowboys’ interest in meeting with the wide receiver. This, while Michael Gallup continues his quiet return to prominence within the Dallas passing attack, and whether the team signs OBJ or not isn’t the key to the season; it’s Dak Prescott continuing to play at an elite level.
Meanwhile, Pro Bowl votes are starting to be counted with several Cowboys players in the running for a nod. The defense is showing improvement in tackling and stopping the run, but penalties could end up sinking this team for the second season in a row. We’re diving into Jake Ferguson’s unlikely leap on Thanksgiving, we’re exploring the Cowboys’ hunt for a divisional crown, and the Colts will be at a serious disadvantage when they come to town. All that, plus a preview of this year’s charity cleats and the team helps veterans get a head start in the current job market. Here’s the News and Notes.
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Beckham’s incident aboard an American Airlines flight over the weekend will have no bearing on the Cowboys’ interest in the wideout, as per head coach Mike McCarthy. “We’re full steam ahead,” McCarthy said Monday. Beckham is set to visit the Giants and Bills before swinging through Dallas on Sunday.
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It’s too easy to pin a dip in offensive numbers on Dak Prescott. Despite some criticism about being erratic and a few obvious mistakes, the quarterback has been in total control since his return from a five-game absence. “This offense has a lot of moving parts to it,” Coach McCarthy said. “What we’re doing in the run game versus the pass game is high level.”
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Micah Parsons and Zack Martin lead all vote-getters at outside linebacker and offensive guard, respectively. Trevon Diggs, Donovan Wilson, CeeDee Lamb, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Tony Pollard are all in the top 10 at their positions for the all-star festivities.
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The NFL scheduling gods aren’t always fair. When the Colts visit AT&T Stadium on Sunday night, they’ll be coming off a short week following their Monday Night Football appearance versus Pittsburgh. Dallas, however, will be fresh off nine-plus days of recovery.
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After surrendering a ton of ground yards to Green Bay, the Cowboys defense stiffened up against Dalvin Cook and Saquon Barkley. Now the trick is to stay consistent, with the electric Jonathan Taylor on deck. “It could be close, it could be an absolute blowout, but everybody’s gotta do their job every single play,” Vander Esch said. “No matter how cliche that is, that is literally what football is.”
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A second stretch of three games in 12 days awaits in late December, and this one could decide the NFC East. If the Cowboys can run the table, it’s not inconceivable that Dallas and Philadelphia both finish the season at 11-3. If they do, Dallas wins the division, and then with a little help, maybe even the NFC. “We control everything we have right in front of us,” Dak Prescott said.
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The Cowboys are second in the NFL in penalties and on pace to duplicate last year’s league-leading total. Coach McCarthy and the team are running out of time to fix the ongoing issue. Last year, Dallas was flagged 14 times in their wild-card loss to the 49ers; if they can’t clean up their act, they may be in for an encore performance.
Cowboys defense had only two missed tackles in last Thursday’s win over the Giants, DC Dan Quinn said. Down from nine in the clubs’ first meeting. pic.twitter.com/c2FHLRpngK
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) November 28, 2022
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The Wisconsin alum did his own “Jump Around” on Thursday, right over Giants safety Jason Pinnock while logging the Cowboys’ longest play from scrimmage in their 28-20 win. He says it was pure instinct; his teammates and coaches hope he keeps his feet safely on the ground moving forward.
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Gallup missed the first three weeks of the season as he recovered from an ACL tear, and it felt like even longer as the Cowboys eased him back into action. But he was targeted on over 27 percent of Dak Prescott’s throws on Thanksgiving, and he and CeeDee Lamb have accounted for at least half of the team’s targets in three of the past four games. When he’s healthy, Gallup can still be an effective, trusted, and productive WR2.
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From the Boys and Girls Clubs of America to the National Medal of Honor Museum, mental health awareness to hurricane relief, check out the organizations and initiatives supported by Cowboys players with this year’s batch of custom-designed cleats.
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