Dallas' starting tight end appears to have avoided a torn ACL.
Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, who received a monster four-year, $240 million contract extension just before the game, mentioned to reporters, “I think we dodged a big one.” It seems that way after tight end Jake Ferguson left his Week 1 matchup with 6:23 left in the third quarter because of a left knee injury. He could be seen grabbing his left knee after a catch where he awkwardly fell trying to leap over a defender.
At the time, he was questionable to return but ultimately did not return in the Cowboys' eventual 33-17 win over the Cleveland Browns. The good news so far came from head coach Mike McCarthy, who after the game said via NFL Network's Ian Rapoport that Ferguson is not believed to have suffered an ACL tear and will require an MRI Monday morning for more clarity on his injury and how long he might be out.
Ferguson was not a factor in the contest, catching only three passes for 15 yards. The Cowboys' offensive performance was underwhelming, as they gained only 265 yards, most of which came in the first half.
The Browns limited the Cowboys' offense to 34 yards in the second half. After halftime, their drives resulted in three three-and-outs and two field goal-scoring drives where favorable field position did almost all the heavy lifting.
How a healthy Jake Ferguson can help the Cowboys' offense when he returns
The Cowboys won this game because they forced the Browns to be one-dimensional. By capturing an 11-point lead in the early stages of the second quarter, Cleveland had to move away from Jerome Ford and lean on Deshaun Watson. Unfortunately, the Cowboys offense didn't fare much better, often stalling out and relying on Brandon Aubrey's big leg on 4-for-4 field goals, including a 57-yarder.
Losing Ferguson for an extended period would be a big loss. Their starting tight end saw 102 targets last year, catching 71 for 761 yards and five touchdowns.
His 16.9% target share ranked 16th among all tight ends, but his 511 routes run ranked third. Most importantly, often for fantasy football managers, was Ferguson's 25 red zone targets, which led all tight ends.
A 2022 fourth-round pick out of the University of Wisconsin, Ferguson saw sporadic playing time in his rookie season before coming into his own in 2023, leading to a Pro Bowl nod.
The Cowboys will host the New Orleans Saints, who are coming off of Week 1's biggest blowout victory, in Week 2 on Sunday, September 15, at 1:00 p.m. EST.
