reported<\/a> Washington is reversing course.<\/p>\nWhile Heinicke is expected to be the starter, the same report says rookie Sam Howell will also get playing time, making his NFL debut in the final week of the regular season.<\/p>\n
As of now, the team has yet to confirm. .. and alas, the report isn’t quite right.<\/p>\n
Carson Wentz is getting benched (again) … even as coach Ron Rivera is saying he has “no regrets” about the fateful decision to start Wentz in last week’s playoff-hopes-killing loss to the Browns.<\/p>\n
UPDATE: Howell is getting first-team reps right now in Washington’s workout …<\/p>\n
And Howell will be the Sunday starter.<\/p>\n
The 7-8-1 Commanders are probably wise to begin the experiment with the rookie Howell, as there is little else to be accomplished here against 12-4 Dallas, which is playoff-bound and still trying to win the NFC East.<\/p>\n
JAN 3 NFL MOVE<\/strong> The on-field collapse of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin shook the sports world Monday night, as the 24-year-old went into cardiac arrest during the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. <\/p>\nHamlin remains in critical condition in the ICU at University of Cincinnati Medical Center. And on Tuesday, the Dallas Cowboys and all the NFL teams showed support for the second-year safety, as all Twitter profile pictures for the league and its teams were changed to a No. 3 jersey with the message “Pray for Damar.”<\/p>\n
The game between the Bengals and Bills was temporarily suspended before being postponed altogether on Monday night. On Tuesday, the league revealed that the game will not be played this week and that there is no current timetable for action to resume.<\/p>\n
JAN 3 NFL REVEALS PLAN\u00a0<\/strong>The Week 17 matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals will not be played this week in the wake of the on-field collapse of Bills safety Damar Hamlin, the league announced Tuesday.<\/p>\nHere’s the full statement: <\/p>\n
\nThe NFL continues to be in regular contact with the medical team caring for Damar Hamlin, and also the Bills and Bengals organizations and the NFL Players Association. <\/p>\n
After speaking with both teams and NFLPA leadership, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell informed the clubs today that the Bills-Bengals game will not be resumed this week. <\/p>\n
The NFL has made no decision regarding the possible resumption of the game at a later date. <\/p>\n
The league has not made any changes to the Week 18 regular-season schedule. <\/p>\n
We will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The Dallas Cowboys will therefore play as scheduled on Sunday afternoon at Washington. See below for more \u2026<\/p>\n
JAN 2 COWBOYS-COMMANDERS TIME REVEALED\u00a0<\/strong>The\u00a0Dallas Cowboys\u00a0will play the Washington Commanders\u00a0at 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday, the NFL announced today.<\/p>\nThe Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles (at home vs. the Giants) and San Francisco 49ers (at home vs. the Cardinals) will all play their respective games in the same 3:25 slot … so no team will have an advantage of knowledge regarding its playoff setup.<\/p>\n
Here’s the breakdown of the Dallas scenarios, along with the likelihood at the Cowboys will open the playoffs at Tampa Bay.<\/p>\n
Also, Sunday Night Football will be between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on NBC.<\/p>\n
JAN 2 WELCOME BACK!\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cYIt might be a little premature and it might be a little optimistic, but the Dallas Cowboys have an injury-related plan for the playoffs.<\/p>\nIt’s a “Welcome Back!” plan.<\/p>\n
“We\u2019ll be welcoming back three really good football players,” COO Stephen Jones said on Monday in a 105.3 The Fan visit, with a glance toward the postseason. “Leighton Vander Esch, certainly (Johnathan) Hankins, and then if we get (Tyler) Biadasz back … that will be a big plus for our group.”<\/p>\n
Linebacker Vander Esch (neck\/shoulder will sit out this week at Washington. The veteran run-stopper Hankins has a pec injury. And starting center Biadasz has a high-ankle sprain, with the Cowboys crossing their fingers as they shuffle the O-line for another week.<\/p>\n
Said Jones on Biadasz:\u00a0\u201cI think after we get a full week with him and see how he\u2019s responding to treatment … We just see what the week brings, but we certainly feel like it\u2019s a realistic chance (the medical staff) could get him ready to play for the first round of the playoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n
DEC 28 ME TOO!\u00a0<\/strong>Dez Bryant has moved on from football, to be a family man and a businessman, and he hasn’t played in the NFL since 2020.<\/p>\nBut he’s sure having some fun with the idea of another “retired” Dallas Cowboys great trying to make a comeback.<\/p>\n
According to the CowboysSI.com scoop, Hall of Famer Terrell Owens, 49, has been calling Jerry Jones’ office, asking for a tryout.<\/p>\n
Bryant’s reaction?<\/p>\n
“If T.O coming back\u2026 sign me up to a playoff team\u2026 seriously! LFG,” Bryant tweeted.<\/p>\n
Bryant, 34, was a Pro Bowl force had 7,459 receiving yards and 73 touchdowns in eight seasons with the Cowboys. Like Owens, he keeps himself in fine shape, and … Well, these are fun ideas … but they are not the Cowboys’ ideas, if you get what we mean.<\/p>\n
DEC 26 WHITE ON WHITE\u00a0<\/strong>Because we know you care …<\/p>\nWe can report that this is the week you see a “fresh” look with the Cowboys’ iconic uniforms, the\u00a0white-based “Color Rush” uniform with navy trim …plus the white helmet with the new star …<\/p>\n
And white facemasks!\u00a0<\/p>\n
This will all unveil itself in this Week 17 meeting at the Tennessee Titans in a Thursday Night Football <\/em>matchup.<\/p>\nThe newness is subtle. But the facemasks should pop!<\/p>\n
DEC 24 SHUT UP AND PLAY<\/strong> This week, Cowboys leader Jayron Kearse essentially urged his locker room to shut up and play.<\/p>\nSaid Kearse in advance of Saturday’s Eagles visit: \u201cWe\u2019ve talked a lot. At this point, we should not need to talk any more. We should be about business. We should be about action. The film should speak. I really don\u2019t think there\u2019s much more talking that needs to be done other than getting the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n
So far, Kearse is living up to that, with two takeaways that are largely responsible for keeping Dallas in this game. His second one …<\/p>\n
Led to a TD from Michael Gallup, another guy who let’s his play – or in this case, his toes – do his talking for him.<\/p>\n
Dallas is tied 27-all with the Eagles entering the fourth here at AT&T Stadium.<\/p>\n
DEC 21 The Cowboys and Eagles injury reports are in for Wednesday. With Micah Parsons and Jalen Hurts again the DNP highlights.<\/p>\n
No matter who plays on Saturday, the Cowboys vow to be ready.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think everybody in the locker room is looking forward to this rematch,\u201d said Dak Prescott, adding, \u201cUnderstanding that the (Eagles) are playing their asses off, having a hell of a season. \u2026 <\/p>\n
\u201cYou just want to get another shot, make sure you put your best foot forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
DEC 21 MICAH OUT AGAIN\u00a0<\/strong>Micah Parsons will show up on the Wednesday practice\/injury report as he did on Tuesday, with it listing the “Lion-backer” as a DNP (illness).<\/p>\n“Micah Parsons will not be with us today … It\u2019s going around,\u201d coach Mike McCarthy said of an illness bug.<\/p>\n
The Cowboys play host to the Eagles on Christmas Eve day.<\/p>\n
DEC 20<\/strong>\u00a0Malik Jefferson,\u00a0waived from the Cowboys practice squad last week, has been re-signed to the practice squad, the team says.<\/p>\nJefferson, 26-year-old former Texas Longhorn, can offer depth in the building in the wake of the short-term injury to Leighton Vander Esch.<\/p>\n
DEC 20 DALLAS AT DALLAS\u00a0<\/strong>The Eagles announced on Tuesday that Dallas Goedert has been activated from IR. \u2026 Just in time to play against his hated namesake, the Dallas Cowboys.<\/p>\nGoedert has been out since Week 10 due to a shoulder injury, but comes back aboard for the 13-1 Eagles with his 544 yards and three touchdowns on 43 catches through nine games a top-notch complement to receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.<\/p>\n
Philly will likely be without QB Jalen Hurts (shoulder) for Saturday\u2019s game at 10-4 Dallas.<\/p>\n
DEC 18 KELVIN BENCHED\u00a0<\/strong>The Cowboys suddenly have defensive problems.<\/p>\nFor one, they have pulled starting corner Kelvin Joseph after he gave up two consecutive touchdown catches allowed. … so Nahshon Wright has entered game.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, safety Donovan Wilson is hurt, as is Leighton Vander Esch.<\/p>\n
Add it all up? Dallas was up 27-10, but Trevor Lawrence, taking advantage in part of some Dak Prescott sloppiness, has thrown three TD passes …and the Jags are up 31-27 with 10 minutes remaining.<\/p>\n
DEC 18 LVE HURT\u00a0<\/strong>Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch has been escorted to the locker room in Jacksonville and is now ruled OUT as it regards any chance to return to the game against the Jags.<\/p>\nAmid speculation about a possible concussion, the Cowboys are calling it a neck injury.<\/p>\n
Micah Parsons has a sack and Ezekiel Elliott has a TD following a takeaway and the Cowboys are up 21-10 in the third as a win clinches a playoff berth.<\/p>\n
DEC 18 COACH TO HOSPITAL\u00a0<\/strong>Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees, 73,\u00a0has been carted off the field in New Orleans during pregame warmups today after a Saints player accidentally collided with him.<\/p>\nThe Falcons say Pees – who stayed on the ground for quite some time after the collision – is “alert and responsive” as he is being transported to a local hospital for medical testing.<\/p>\n
DEC 14 \u2018STAND BY\u2019 <\/strong>Jerry Jones wants it.<\/p>\nThe Cowboys owner was asked by the DFW media late Wednesday afternoon about the ideal timetable of a signing of Odell Beckham Jr.<\/p>\n
\u201cSooner rather than later,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
How soon?<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to talk about that but stand by,\u201d Jones said. But stand by. Stand by.\u201d<\/p>\n
So \u2026 we will.<\/p>\n
Jones, even as the Cowboys just signed another vet wideout in T.Y. Hilton, was asked on Tuesday by 105.3 The Fan if the fact OBJ can’t play today” (due to his allegedly “ticking time bomb” knee) rules out a deal.<\/p>\n
“I wouldn’t go that far if you include the playoffs,” Jones said. “We wouldn’t have been interested in Odell had he not had the talent. I think it’s fair to say that he’s an outstanding receiver … he’s as you well know, not ready to play. He’s a receiver that I think would fit any time. There’s going to be continued interest in Odell.”<\/p>\n
Also important (click above): The parties talked contract parameters on Monday.<\/p>\n
So, yeah \u2026 stay tuned.<\/p>\n
DEC 14 TWO KEY MOVES\u00a0The Cowboys have placed Johnathan Hankins (pec strain) and Terence Steele (torn ACL and MCL) on injured reserve.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Steele is out for season. Hankins optimistically has chance to be activated during playoffs.<\/p>\n
DEC 14 OBJ PATIENT?\u00a0<\/strong>Is Odell Beckham Jr. a “prize free agent” … for the spring of 2023.<\/p>\nThe Dallas Cowboys still have the idea of signing OBJ now, with the hope that he could contribute in the NFL Playoffs – and maybe with a contract offer that would secure his services in future years as well, especially as his “ticking time bomb” knee is well in his past.<\/p>\n
Indeed, it seems the Cowboys and Beckham’s camp talked on Monday about the parameters of a contract in Dallas.playing anywhere this season becomes smaller.<\/p>\n
But ESPN is now reporting<\/a> that “several” NFL teams believe the 30-year-old receiver is now most likely to wait until the offseason to do his deal.<\/p>\n“Executives whose teams have done their homework on Beckham expect him to wait because, as one put it, ‘he’ll be the prize’ of the free agent receiver class,” ESPN writes. “Beckham isn’t expected to be ready to play football until the playoffs, and joining a new team and offense for a playoff run comes with injury risk.”<\/p>\n
The Cowboys aware of all this and just fortified their receivers room with the signing of veteran T.Y. Hilton.<\/p>\n
Can there be team rewards with tossing the three-time Pro Bowler OBJ onto the field in the playoffs? Maybe. But OBJ’s financial reward might only come when he proves his knee to be healthy … making him a “prize” next March.<\/p>\n
DEC 13 BEAS TO BILLS\u00a0<\/strong>Could the Buffalo Bills be in the process of setting up another receiver reunion? A couple of liked tweets and reported airport sightings has the internet rumor mill churning about former Bills wide receiver Cole Beasley making his return to Orchard Park. <\/p>\nAnd now it’s on, NFL Network reporting that Beasley is signing with Buffalo.<\/p>\n
WIVB-TV reported Monday night on Twitter that Beasley is back in Buffalo, with their reporter citing a liked tweet by Beasley, which claims that Beasley was on a flight from Baltimore to Buffalo.<\/p>\n
Beasley, 33, and a Little Elm native, came into the NFL from SMU with the Cowboys before moving to Buffalo. He retired from the NFL just two games into his stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back at the beginning of October.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In three seasons with the Bills (2019-21), the\u00a0often outspoken “Beas”\u00a0recorded 2,348 yards and 11 touchdowns on 231 catches, becoming one of Josh Allen’s favorite targets.<\/p>\n
Read more here at Bills SI.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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