Tag: Dallas Cowboys vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Injury Alert: Cowboys WR Gallup questionable to return with ankle issue

Cowboys WR Michael Gallup has made some big catches in the season opener and is now questionable to return with an ankle injury.

Entering a contract year, Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup has taken a huge opportunity to earn a payday in the season opener, making four catches for 36 yards through the third quarter. After an underwhelming season in 2020 mostly without quarterback Dak Prescott , the time is now for Gallup. The fourth-year wideout has made a few important toe-tap grabs in the game but went to the sideline to be checked for an injury.

Gallups concerns were with his ankle and he has been on the sideline when the Dallas offense is on the field. The Colorado State product is listed as questionable to return and the offense could be missing one of its biggest weapons as the game reaches its final moments.

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WATCH: QB Prescott cuts lead with 2nd TD connection with Cooper

After an unfortunate interception, QB Dak Prescott delivered his second TD pass to WR Amari Cooper to cut the lead late in the third quarter

The talk of the NFL coming into the season opener was about quarterback Dak Prescott’s rust and how it could influence his performance against one of the best defenses in football. Prescott hasn’t missed a beat, throwing a ridiculous 47 passes in three quarters and completing 35 of them.

After a dropped pass by wide receiver CeeDee Lamb resulted in an interception in the third quarter, the Buccaneers snatched the opportunity and scored a touchdown to make it a 28-19 lead. For the third time in the game, though, Prescott responded to a Tampa Bay touchdown with one of his own. Starting on the 25, the offense moved smoothly down the field and finished the job this time. Prescott delivered his third touchdown pass of the game, second to wide receiver Amari Cooper on a 25-yard score.

Prescott already has 331 passing yards in the game and hasn’t shown any signs of fatigue as the game begins to approach the closing moments.

Cowboys bring 2 veterans off practice squad for opener vs Bucs

Darian Thompson and Jeremy Sprinkle are gameday elevations to the Dallas roster, and can be moved back down following Week 1. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys have made two late moves in the final lead-up to Thursday night’s season opener in Tampa. As per last year’s rules, a team may bring two players up from the practice squad for gameday only and then return them directly to the practice squad afterward. The rule was intended to offer clubs eleventh-hour substitution help as they dealt with COVID-19. That rule remains in place this season, and the Cowboys are taking full advantage of it.

Safety Darian Thompson and tight end Jeremy Sprinkle were elevated from the practice squad to the gameday roster.

Both players will bolster the Cowboys’ bench depth at key positions against the Buccaneers.

Thompson was a part-time starter at safety in 2020 and could step in if needed Thursday. Safety Donovan Wilson suffered a groin injury two weeks ago and only just returned to full participation at practice on Monday. Israel Mukuamu is a rookie and came off the Reserve/COVID list 13 days ago.

Sprinkle is a four-year veteran who would ostensibly serve as the team’s No. 3 tight end. Blake Jarwin sat out nearly all of last season with an ACL injury and was eased back into action during training camp. Dalton Schultz played very well in relief and is now entering a contract year in Dallas, but he is coming off a high ankle sprain suffered in mid-August. Promising youngster Sean McKeon is on short-term IR with a high ankle sprain and will miss at least the first three games of the season.

Both Thompson and Sprinkle would likely see time on special teams in Week 1.

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Unleashing Micah Parsons among 5 keys for Cowboys’ defense vs Buccaneers

The Dallas Cowboys defense will have a tough task against the third-highest scoring offense from 2020, and here’s five ways they can do it. | From @StarConscience

The Dallas Cowboys used eight of their 11 picks in the NFL draft to revamp a defense that was 31st against the run and gave up the most points in franchise history (473) in 2020. The Cowboys are expected to be much improved on that side of the ball. However, their first test in 2021 will be huge.

Tom Brady and the Buccaneer’s offense finished third in points per game last season (30.8). Tampa Bay has weapons galore on offense. Mike Evans, Chris Goodwin, Antonio Brown, Rob Gronkowski, and OJ Howard give Brady one of the best collection of targets in the passing game throughout the NFL. At running back, they’re loaded as well with Robert Jones II, Leonard Fournette, and Giovani Bernard.

The task will be a daunting one, and here are five keys for the Cowboy’s defense to have success against the Buccaneer’s offense.

 

NFLSU: How to watch former LSU Tigers for the NFL’s first game of the season

How to watch, stream the season opener between Dallas and Tampa Bay. Five former Tigers to play in this game.

With college football entering week three, it is time for the NFL to get underway. This year teams will play 17 regular-season games after adding a game to the typical 16 game schedules of the past. The first game features the Dallas Cowboys traveling to the Sunshine State to take on the defending Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The game features a total of five former LSU Tigers making their season debuts on Thursday night from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Two players for the Cowboys including a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, Jabril Cox.

Dallas Cowboys

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

OT: La’el Collins

LB: Jabril Cox

The defending champs currently have four former LSU Tigers on the team with Cyril Grayson being the only one not on the active 53-man roster. The recent LSU graduate Devin White will look to lead the defense to yet another championship.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

RB: Leonard Fournette

LB: Kevin Minter

LB: Devin White

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Game Information

Dallas Cowboys (0-0) vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-0)

When: 7:20 p.m. CT, Thursday, September 9

Where: Raymond James Stadium-Tampa, Florida

TV: NBC Network

Stream: Peacock TV

5 keys for Cowboys offense to have success against tough Buccaneers D

Dallas will be facing a Bucs defense that’s one of the NFL’s best, controlling the clock through passing is one key to pulling the upset. | From @StarConscience

The Dallas Cowboys had one of the NFL’s best offenses during the first month of 2020 putting up over 30 points per game.That was until quarterback Dak Prescott was lost for the season in October to pile onto the myriad of offensive line injuries. Except for Zack Martin, who is currently battling COVID, the Cowboys have their entire offense back, but their first test of the new season will be a difficult one.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were ranked sixth in total defense in 2020 and fifth in Total DVOA and they’re returning all 11 starters. However, with a three-headed monster at wide receiver, two very capable tight ends, and one of the league’s top running backs, the Cowboys will have opportunities for big plays. Here are five keys offensively for Dallas to have success on Thursday night.

Cowboys WR Noah Brown activated from COVID list, eligible for Week 1

Noah Brown is back on the active roster for the season opener in Tampa, but the WR and special teams player hasn’t practiced in over a week. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys removed a name from the Reserve/COVID list on Wednesday. Just not the name that’s had the fanbase in a complete twist and spurned visions of the team jetting one player by himself to Tampa and chartering a limo with police escort to the Big Pirate Ship so he can make a dramatic run out from the tunnel just as the 2021 season officially kicks off.

All-Pro right guard Zack Martin remains in COVID protocol… but wide receiver Noah Brown is back, fully activated, and eligible to play Thursday night versus the Buccaneers.

Listed on the depth chart as the backup to starting wideout Amari Cooper, Brown also plays a key role on special teams. The former seventh-round draft pick out of Ohio State logged 14 receptions for 154 receiving yards in 2020 (both career bests). More crucially, he was on the field for 47% of the year’s special teams snaps for John Fassel’s unit, the most of any Cowboys offensive player.

The team had been holding an open spot on the 53-man roster for Brown, so no one needed to be demoted or let go for his return. While he could technically take the field Thursday, Brown hasn’t practiced since being placed in protocol August 31st.

Martin, meanwhile, is looking like less of a possibility with each passing hour. It was already a long shot that the six-time Pro Bowler would make the trip to Florida’s Gulf Coast as he awaits two negative COVID tests, but Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones didn’t do anything to stoke the fire on Dallas radio Wednesday.

Offensive lineman Brandon Knight also remains on the COVID watchlist, but apparently has a good chance to play in the season opener. He was classified as a “close contact” and has not reportedly experienced any symptoms.

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News: Brady complains about jersey numbers, Cowboys still hoping for Zack Martin

The Bucs QB doesn’t like some Cowboys defenders now wearing offensive numbers, plus Dak’s restructured deal and a surprise injury for Tampa. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Soon, the story will be about an actual football game. But in the final lead-up to opening night, Cowboys fans are being treated to a bizarre mix of topics ranging from a first-ballot Hall of Famer whining about uniforms giving the Cowboys an unfair advantage to the Dallas brass suggesting they might fly their right guard to Thursday night’s game all by himself if the stars align with last-minute COVID tests.

But there’s more to chew on, too: the Bucs are zeroing in on the Cowboys’ run game, one of Tampa’s pass-catching threats is a surprise add to their injury report, and one of the Cowboys’ receivers is singing Dak Prescott’s praises. Speaking of the Dallas quarterback, his record megadeal has already been reworked. The defense faces a defining moment, Cowboys fans get a common-sense talking-to, and a former Dallas passer gets tricky with his still-impressive accuracy. All that, plus team vaccination news and a spotlight on one of the unsung superstars of the Cowboys’ front office. News and Notes, coming right up.

How to watch, wager, live stream, listen to the Cowboys-Buccaneers Week 1

Find out all the info you need on how to watch, or listen to the next Cowboys game and also all the info needed to wager on the game. | From @CDPiglet

The Dallas Cowboys are starting the 2021 season visiting the defending Super Bowl champs at their house in Tampa Bay. It’s the Thursday night kickoff game for the NFL and there are few teams as ready for a fresh season as the Cowboys are.

After last season saw COVID-19 take away every teams in-person training camp the injury bug hit early, often, and hard for the Cowboys. The team lost RT La’el Collins without him taking a single snap, Blake Jarwin before he finished a half of football, Tyron Smith before he played in his third game, and Dak Prescott before the end of Week 5. The organization and the fanbase could finally wash the taste of 2020 out of their mouths by defeating the Buccaneers in Raymond James Stadium.

The Cowboys aren’t starting off on the right foot with the news of Zack Martin missing the game due to COVID-19 protocols. The last time Prescott was able to play behind his full starting offensive line was the Thanksgiving Day game in 2019.

The OL could be the key to the offense’s success as well. If they can hold up against the pass rush of Jason Pierre-Paul, Shaquil Barrett, Ndamukong Suh, Vita Vea, and a blitzing Devin White, then Prescott can try to take advantage of a Tampa secondary that would be considered their defense’s least elite unit with his own elite group of pass catchers.

This was already easier said then done without the loss of Martin because no team has more continuity than the Buccaneers, who return all 11 defensive starters, while the Cowboys had so many injuries and then lost Prescott in the preseason to further hinder cohesion development.

The Cowboys’ defense might even have a taller task.

The Buccaneers have brought back all their starters on offense as well. They have depth and talent at every position across the board, and have now added championship experience. They are also lead by seven-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Tom Brady. On the other end of the spectrum the Cowboys have a new defensive coordinator in Dan Quinn, after firing Mike Nolan after one season.

The Cowboys could conceivably start the season with eight new starters in their nickel formation; the only returning starters being Demarcus Lawerence at defensive end, Donovan Wilson at strong safety and Trevon Diggs at starting outside cornerback. With so many new starters, and young players, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers could be licking their chops at the prospects of getting a group not used to working together.

Practice report: Collins, Prescott, Goodwin, Wilson among Cowboys’ full participants

Dallas saw several key players participate fully in what coach Mike McCarthy dubbed the team’s “heaviest workload” before the season opener. | From @ToddBrock24f7

“Today is huge for us,” said Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy on Monday morning, in advance of the day’s practice session. With Dallas slated to kick off the 2021 season Thursday night, McCarthy and the team are several days ahead of their typical weekly workflow. That made the Labor Day practice a significant one, especially following the news that All-Pro right guard Zack Martin had tested positive for COVID over the weekend and would almost assuredly miss the season opener versus the Buccaneers.

But Monday’s practice- which McCarthy referred to as “our heaviest workload of the whole preparation” for Thursday’s game in Tampa- brought huge news indeed for several Cowboys players who are making their way back to game readiness.

Offensive tackle La’el Collins was a full participant on the day, as were quarterback Dak Prescott, cornerback C.J. Goodwin, edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence, and safety Donovan Wilson.

Defensive end Chauncey Golston was at first listed as a full participant; the club later released a correction reclassifying the Iowa product as “limited.” Offensive lineman Ty Nsekhe was also limited in the day’s work.

Collins missed all of last season with hip issues and then was forced out of two separate practices in recent weeks with a neck stinger. His return to form will help an offensive line that will have its hands full Thursday, minus their best player and going against the defending Super Bowl champs, who just activated Ndamukong Suh off their Reserve/COVID list.

Wilson was pulled from practice on August 25th with a groin injury, and will be important to a defensive back rotation aiming to shut down Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Tom Brady’s cast of lethal pass-catchers.

Prescott, of course, is coming off last season’s horrific ankle injury and a muscle strain in his throwing shoulder that kept him out of preseason action entirely and limited for much of camp. It is no understatement to suggest that, as Prescott goes, so go the Cowboys.

Recovery from back surgery caused Lawrence to miss all of the team’s spring work and most of training camp. He was on the PUP list until August 3rd. He, too, was held out of preseason games and is eager to return to live action.

Special teams ace Goodwin missed four weeks with a bad hamstring and returned to practice just last Thursday.

Golston remains a mystery to anyone not inside the Cowboys’ facility. The rookie was selected in the third round of the draft, but started training camp on the PUP list with a hamstring malady.

Nsekhe has been bothered by a foot issue. His availability in Tampa will be important, given the focus on the offensive line and questions about whether the starters will be able to remain healthy.

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