As the Dallas Cowboys gear up for their Week 3 face-off against the Baltimore Ravens, they are confronted with a slew of injuries to key players, casting a shadow over their preparations. Fresh off a disappointing loss to the New Orleans Saints, the team is working diligently to bounce back, although injury concerns loom large.
Injury Dilemmas
The Cowboys are particularly concerned about two of their prominent players, CeeDee Lamb and Trevon Diggs, who both sat out Wednesday’s practice due to ankle and foot injuries, respectively. CeeDee Lamb, however, managed to return to the field in a limited capacity on Thursday. “Ankle is cool. It was sore yesterday, so I took a day [on Wednesday],” said Lamb, shedding some optimism yet hinting at lingering concerns.
Trevon Diggs, who participated in some stretching exercises, also made a limited return on Thursday, working with the team’s director of rehab, Britt Brown. His uncertainty for the Baltimore game remains a critical point of focus. Addressing Diggs’ situation, Head Coach Mike McCarthy remarked, “He’s going to start off in the pre-practice and then we'll evaluate from there. Hopefully, he can get through the whole practice and see how it goes. This is the first time giving it a chance.”
Another player battling fitness issues is tight end Jake Ferguson. He missed the clash against the Saints due to a bone bruise and MCL sprain but made limited appearances on both practice days this week. McCarthy underscored Ferguson's importance, saying, “Jake's a big part of the heart and soul of that locker room. No question about it. I was told he had a good workout today. That's good news. But we'll see how he comes in tomorrow and so forth. I'm hopeful he can play.”
Eager to Rebound
The Cowboys' performance against the Saints was notably deficient, particularly on the defensive end, where they allowed touchdowns on each of the Saints’ first six drives. Alvin Kamara’s dominant 115-yard, three-touchdown performance exacerbated their woes. Trevon Diggs succinctly summed up the defensive lapses: “Unacceptable.”
Despite these setbacks, the team had some silver linings to draw from. Rookie tight end Luke Schoonmaker delivered a promising performance, catching all six of his targets for 43 receiving yards. Dak Prescott acknowledged the efforts of the young tight ends, Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford, noting, “Everywhere. I guess you can say that those young tight ends did a good job. Simply, they did a good job." Still, he emphasized the multi-dimensional role that Ferguson plays, something Schoonmaker and Spann-Ford have yet to fully encapsulate. “Jake's more than just a tight end on Sunday. He's an aggressor. He brings a physical nature to this group. He's got a mentality that other guys feed off of, that's very contagious, but those other guys did play well. They did their job and stepped up. They made some plays, but [the game] just got away from us.”
Ravaged Ravens
The injury bug hasn't spared the Ravens either. Rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins was limited in practice due to a neck/concussion injury, and Kyle Hamilton, recovering from a back injury, was only able to participate in a constrained capacity. The Ravens’ defense, while formidable, might have vulnerabilities the Cowboys can exploit if Wiggins and Hamilton are not at full strength.
Outlook and Adjustments
For the Cowboys, the focus will be on patching up these injury wounds and tightening a defensive unit that was porous against the Saints. The team is holding on to the hope of having some of their key players back for the critical showdown against Baltimore. Dak Prescott, for one, expressed confidence in Jake Ferguson’s potential impact: “Oh, Jake will be awesome. He's looked great. He looked great last week. You tried me last week, too. I think if it's a different game last week, more important game later in the season type of deal, that Jake probably could have went then. But he's obviously been out there. He's looked good.”
The Cowboys will certainly need such positive energies, especially considering they’ll cover the gaping holes left by injuries to key personnel. Their resilience and tactical adjustments will be put to the test as they navigate through these challenges.