Detroit may not be one of the Cowboys’ traditional rivals, but the two clubs have plenty of history and more than a few memorable moments shared (like last year’s wild ending). Micah Parsons says it is a rivalry, and we’re gearing up for the latest installment. The Cowboys will need someone else to wear the green dot on defense, but things are looking up for two others on that side of the ball. See what bold prediction is being made for CeeDee Lamb, we’ll reveal which Lions O-lineman is back in the lineup, and find out what dubious franchise record the Cowboys running backs will look to snap.
Elsewhere, a look at how Jake Ferguson has made himself an integral part of the offense, Troy Aikman has lofty praise for Dak Prescott, and Mike McCarthy credits one player’s mom with contributing to the team’s success this season. We go behind enemy lines to learn more about the Lions’ talented offensive coordinator, and a former Cowboys draft pick is back on the market.
Another Cowboys defender will be watching from the sideline. Kendricks, the veteran linebacker who wears the green dot for the unit and leads the team in tackles, will sit Sunday with calf and shoulder injuries. Nick Vigil, Kendricks’s backup, is questionable to play and did not practice Friday. Damone Clark, Buddy Johnson, Brock Mogensen, and Darius Harris could all see increased playing time as a result.
Bland did not practice Friday, after being a full participant Wednesday and Thursday. There is a good chance he plays versus Detroit, even in a limited capacity. Caelen Carson should be back after missing two games. Amani Oruwariye has one more practice-squad elevation remaining.
The Lions get a key piece of their O-line back when they visit Arlington on Sunday. The starting center will play Week 6 after missing just one game with a pectoral injury. Ragnow suffered the injury Sept. 22 and had the benefit of the bye week to recover.
Cowboys Wire and Lions Wire had a chat prior to Week 6’s tilt. They revisited last year’s tackle-eligible snafu, previewed a resurgent Dallas linebacker group, and discussed the one thing that will probably keep the Lions’ creative OC Ben Johnson from becoming the next Cowboys head coach.
Last year’s end-of-game debacle has helped turn this matchup into a new rivalry. “Dan Campbell is definitely looking for his look-back. You kind of saw his frustration,” Parsons said on his podcast. Recent comments by Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown about Jourdan Lewis- and Lewis’s vow that “we’re going to see what’s real and what’s not”- will only add fuel to the fire.
The Cowboys have now gone 19 straight games without a 100-yard rusher, the longest streak in franchise history. (Tony Pollard last did it in Week 3 last season.) The Lions might not be the best defense for the Cowboys to face as they try to turn the tide; Detroit is giving up just 90.8 rushing yards per game, fourth best in the NFL.
Maurice Jones-Drew believes Detroit will struggle coming out of the bye, while Dak Prescott shines. In fact, the ex-Jag’s bold prediction has the Prescott-to-Lamb connection surpassing Jared Goff’s passing yards to everybody on the Lions roster.
The lofty comparison came after Aikman was asked if he thinks a QB should be responsible for raising the level of his wide receivers or if a QB is only as good as the players around him. “A quarterback can put the ball in places [where] you don’t have to be a great receiver in order to be able to make the play, or you’re able to get into plays that gives your team the best chance,” the Hall of Famer said. “We’ve seen it from Patrick Mahomes. We’ve seen it from Aaron Rodgers. Over the years, we’ve seen it from a lot of guys. I believe we’ve seen it from Dak as well.”
The 2023 Pro Bowl tight end has quietly posted a rather impressive season thus far in 2024. In just three complete games, he’s averaging over 8 targets, 5.6 receptions and 71 yards per game. Last week in Pittsburgh, he led all Dallas pass catchers who had three or more targets in success rate (71 percent) and in total EPA (5.4 EPA). And his versatility allows Mike McCarthy to use creative personnel packages without tipping off the offense’s intentions before the snap.
Tyler Guyton makes this list, though it’s pointed out that he had absurdly high expectations placed on him as he made the switch from right tackle to left tackle while also transitioning from college ball to the pros. Yet some are panicking because Guyton has not gotten off to the same kind of immediate dominant start that fans remember seeing from Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin, and Tyler Smith.
“His snapping improved from training camp around 272 percent,” McCarthy said this week, “and we credit his mother for that.” Tamara Beebe became an internet sensation after video surfaced of her taking shotgun snaps from Cooper in the family’s backyard once the Cowboys made it clear they expected the rookie, who played guard at Kansas State, to make the transition to center. Beebe has only allowed two sacks, one hit, and five pressures, and he has committed just two penalties through five games.
