As the Dallas Cowboys prepare for their Week 3 showdown against the Baltimore Ravens, they face a series of challenges exacerbated by a spate of injuries to key players. Last week, the Cowboys suffered a disheartening loss to the New Orleans Saints, allowing touchdowns on the first six drives. Alvin Kamara ran riot, rushing for 115 yards and scoring three touchdowns, exposing the defensive frailties that have plagued the team.
Injury Concerns
Among the injured Cowboys are standout wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and cornerback Trevon Diggs, both of whom missed Wednesday's practice. Lamb, nursing an ankle injury, reassured fans, stating, "Ankle is cool. It was sore yesterday, so I took a day [on Wednesday]." Diggs, dealing with a foot injury, made a limited return on Thursday but his availability against the Ravens remains uncertain. He participated in stretching exercises and worked closely with the director of rehab, Britt Brown, a cautious approach highlighted by head coach Mike McCarthy: "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."
The Cowboys' tight end Jake Ferguson, who missed the Saints game due to a bone bruise and MCL sprain, practiced in a limited capacity on both Wednesday and Thursday. McCarthy emphasized Ferguson's importance to the team, "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."
Performance Against New Orleans
The loss to the Saints left the Cowboys' locker room searching for answers. Trevon Diggs summed up the team's defensive lapses succinctly, declaring them "Unacceptable." His comments reflect a broader frustration within the team as they gear up to face a tough Baltimore side.
The silver lining in the Saints game was the performance of Luke Schoonmaker, who caught all six of his targets and amassing 43 receiving yards. Even Dak Prescott, the team's quarterback, acknowledged the efforts of the young tight ends stepping in for Ferguson, "Everywhere. I guess you can say that those young tight ends [Schoonmaker and undrafted rookie Brevyn Spann-Ford] did a good job. Simply, they did a good job. As I've said throughout the week, 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."
Ravens' Injury Report
On the other side of the ball, the Baltimore Ravens are not without their own injury concerns. Rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins participated in practice on a limited basis on Thursday, dealing with a nagging neck/concussion injury. Similarly, Kyle Hamilton made a limited return to practice following a back injury, adding to the Ravens' defensive worries.
The Cowboys will need to make significant improvements to stand a chance against the Ravens. Particularly, the defensive lapses that allowed Kamara and the Saints to score at will must be addressed. Mazi Smith's absence from Thursday's practice due to a back injury adds another layer of complexity to the Cowboys' defensive strategy.
Looking Ahead
Despite the injury cloud hanging over the team, there is cautious optimism. Dak Prescott praised Jake Ferguson’s readiness and 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."
As the Cowboys prepare to face the Ravens, the focus will undoubtedly be on recovering key players and shoring up their defense. The team's capacity to bounce back will be put to the test, but with leaders like Prescott and McCarthy at the helm, the Cowboys remain hopeful that they can turn their season around.