The Dallas Cowboys are entering Thursday’s game against the New Orleans Saints increasingly desperate for a win after losing consecutive games for the first time this season. However, a COVID-19 outbreak that will force head coach Mike McCarthy to miss the game makes coming out of New Orleans with a win anything but a guarantee.
As the Cowboys dropped games to the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders in a five-day span — their second and third losses in the last four weeks — NFC East rival Washington won three straight games. Dallas’ once comfortable lead in the division is now down to two games, with two games against Washington remaining on the schedule, so defeating the 5-6 Saints could go a long way towards locking up the top spot.
Complicating things for Dallas is the outbreak. Starting right tackle Terence Steele will miss the game after testing positive for COVID-19, as will assistant offensive line coach Jeff Blasko, offensive assistant Scott Tolzien and several strength and conditioning coaches. They all join offensive line coach Joe Philbin, who tested positive before the team’s loss on Thanksgiving, as out for Thursday.
During a stretch of the schedule where Dallas needs nothing more than to regain its identity on the field, it’ll have to do so without several key stakeholders. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will fill in for McCarthy as head man in charge, and other coaches on the staff will also pick up additional responsibilities.
They’ll be charged with plugging leaks that have sprung up on both sides of the ball. Against the Raiders, the Cowboys gave up a season-high 509 yards, including 366 through the air. And against the Chiefs, a Cowboys offense averaging a league-high 6.2 yards per play managed just 4.3. In their last three losses combined, which includes a 30-16 loss to the Broncos on Nov. 7, Dallas converted just 31.7% of its third-down plays, a number that would rank dead last if it were for the entire season. It drops to 28.9% with fourth downs included.
Dallas is still favored over the Saints by 4.5 points (-110) on Tipico Sportsbook. New Orleans has lost four straight games since starting quarterback Jameis Winston suffered a season-ending injury and running back Alvin Kamara was sidelined the following week. But Cowboys signal-caller Dak Prescott knows a win in New Orleans won’t be easy, calling the game a “heavyweight challenge.”
He’ll have reinforcements on the way, with wide receiver Amari Cooper activated from the Reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday after missing the last two games. CeeDee Lamb also said he’ll play after missing last week’s game with a concussion, and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence is expected to make his return to the field after suffering a broken foot in Week 2.
The @dallascowboys activated WR Amari Cooper from Reserve/COVID-19 on Wednesday.
— Dallas Cowboys Public Relations (@DallasCowboysPR) December 1, 2021
So, outside of Steele, Dallas is expected to have many of its key players available Thursday. It’s just a matter of a depleted coaching staff putting them in position to get the job done, and those players executing in what is always a raucous atmosphere in New Orleans.