The Dallas Cowboys are navigating a challenging path as they prepare for their Week 3 showdown against the Baltimore Ravens. Coming off a disappointing loss to the New Orleans Saints, where their defense faltered significantly by allowing touchdowns on each of the Saints’ first six drives, the team is grappling with notable injuries to key players. Head coach Mike McCarthy and his squad are in a race against time to get their top performers back on the field and in prime condition.
Among the injured, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and cornerback Trevon Diggs are significant concerns. Lamb, who missed practice on Wednesday due to an ankle injury, sounded optimistic about his recovery when he remarked, "Ankle is cool. It was sore yesterday, so I took a day." He made a limited return on Thursday, providing a glimmer of hope for Cowboys fans. Diggs, on the other hand, is dealing with a foot injury and his status remains uncertain. He participated only in stretching exercises and had a session with the team’s director of rehab, Britt Brown. McCarthy's comments reflected the careful approach being taken, "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 absence of these key players was felt keenly in the match against the Saints. Trevon Diggs was blunt about the defense's performance, labeling it "unacceptable." Without Diggs, the Cowboys' secondary struggled to contain the Saints’ offense, highlighted by Alvin Kamara's dominant showing, where he rushed for 115 yards and scored three touchdowns. This defensive vulnerability will be a major concern against a resilient Ravens team.
Tight end Jake Ferguson, who missed the Saints game due to a bone bruise and MCL sprain, returned to practice in a limited capacity on both Wednesday and Thursday. Dak Prescott expressed his confidence in Ferguson’s 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.”
McCarthy also underscored Ferguson's influence on the team, not just in terms of his playing ability but also his leadership in the locker room, "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."
Balancing the team dynamics in the absence of Ferguson has been a challenge, though there have been silver linings. Luke Schoonmaker stepped up against the Saints, catching all six of his targets for 43 receiving yards. This contribution, along with that of undrafted rookie Brevyn Spann-Ford, did catch Prescott’s eye, "Everywhere. I guess you can say that those young tight ends 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."
Meanwhile, the injury list grows longer for the Cowboys with defensive lineman Mazi Smith leaving practice with a back injury, causing him to miss Thursday’s session. This adds another wrinkle to an already challenging preparation period.
Over at the Baltimore Ravens' camp, rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins was also a limited participant in Thursday’s practice due to a neck/concussion injury, while Kyle Hamilton made a limited return following a back injury. The Ravens will be looking to exploit the Cowboys' defensive frailties, which have come under glaring scrutiny after their performance against the Saints.
The outcome of this Week 3 clash could hinge on which team's injured stars can step up and contribute when it matters most. With both the Cowboys and Ravens managing key injuries, the resilience and depth of their rosters will be tested to the full.