The Cowboys suffered a blow to their defense when they lost defensive lineman David Irving for the season. Irving was injured during a preseason game against the Seahawks and is expected to miss at least eight weeks with a torn ligament in his knee.
The cowboys 2020 schedule is a game that has heavy implications for the NFL. The Dallas Cowboys have suffered a critical injury blow that carries costly implications for everyone in Dallas.
At least some Dallas Cowboys supporters consider their team’s defeat against the defending Super Bowl winners on Thursday to be a moral triumph. After all, it took Tom Brady’s trademark fourth-quarter drive to keep Dak Prescott from sabotaging the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ hopes of staying undefeated.
Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they not only lost their season opener, but they also suffered a major injury that will cost everyone in Dallas a lot of money.
In Week 1, the Cowboys’ offense was dealt a major setback.
The Cowboys struggled to run the ball against one of the league’s top front sevens, but they dominated the Buccaneers’ secondary. On a whopping 58 attempts, Prescott piled up 403 passing yards. Amari Cooper caught 13 receptions for 139 yards and two touchdowns, a career best. CeeDee Lamb, a talented second-year pro, overcame a sluggish start to end with seven receptions for 104 yards and a score.
The third member of the team’s outstanding receiving trio, on the other hand, had a bad night at work.
Michael Gallup only had four catches for 36 yards while being targeted seven times. To make things worse, he departed the game with an apparent left ankle injury in the second half and did not return.
And Cowboys supporters will have to wait a long time to see him in the lineup again.
Gallup sustained a calf injury, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, who reported it on Twitter on Saturday. Gallup is likely to miss three to five weeks.
Despite the fact that the 25-year-old will return at some time, his injury has the potential to be expensive on many levels.
Michael Gallup’s injury has far-reaching financial consequences.
“If I accomplish what I’m supposed to on the field, things will happen for me off the field,” Michael Gallup says. I’m not concerned (contract). It’ll happen whether you want it or not. All I have to do now is make sure I’m in the greatest position on the pitch so everything can fall into place.”
10 August 2021 — Jon Machota (@jonmachota)
That was a case of poor timing, to say the least.
Gallup’s calf injury could not have come at a worse time for him. The 2018 third-round selection will be a free agent next spring, so he must show to the team that he is deserving of a multi-year deal. Over the past two seasons, Gallup has 125 catches for 1,950 yards and 11 touchdowns, putting him in line for a significant increase. Will clubs view him as a worthy investment if his performance drops for the second year in a row — he had 264 less receiving yards despite playing two more games —?
Gallup’s prospects of getting paid aren’t good if he misses even a few games. At least not to the extent he had hoped after his breakthrough 2019 season.
Furthermore, it’s difficult to exclude the possibility of his injuries having a cascading impact.
Is it possible that the passing game may take a step back? Prescott looked great in Week 1, but without Gallup in the lineup, the Cowboys’ offensive potential is much lower. Gallup, a 6-foot-1, 198-pound receiver who has shown flashes of star potential, will be replaced by Cedrick Wilson, a 2018 sixth-round selection.
Dan Quinn’s defense is also under a lot of stress as a result of the injury. That unit already had doubts going into Week 1, but DeMarcus Lawrence, Micah Parsons, and the rest of the offense can’t afford to suffer any early-season growing pains because of Gallup’s absence.
In other words, the Cowboys will have less leeway in the future.
Is it possible for Dak Prescott to get Dallas back on track without one of his best weapons?
Dak Prescott and the rest of his teammates will be hurt by Michael Gallup’s injury. | Abbie Parr/Getty Images
Prescott put up a valiant attempt in his return from a horrific ankle injury. Considering he didn’t have sturdy right guard Zack Martin to protect him, his Week 1 performance should give the Cowboys reason to be confident in their choice to pay him one of the highest salaries in the league.
Can Prescott put Dallas in a position to win the NFC East with Gallup out for roughly a month?
Fortunately for the two-time Pro Bowler, the timetable favors him.
While a road game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2 may result in another defeat, the Cowboys have an opportunity to turn things around as September moves to October. In Weeks 3 and 4, they face the struggling Philadelphia Eagles, the untested Carolina Panthers in Week 4, and the Daniel Jones-led New York Giants in Week 5. Dallas could easily win all three games and have a 3-2 record heading into a Week 6 showdown against Bill Belichick and Mac Jones.
Of course, the Cowboys might have Michael Gallup back by then.
Unfortunately for the Patriots, Stephon Gilmore, who began the season on the physically unable to perform list, will not be eligible to play until Week 7. Even if Prescott is forced to play without one of his top receivers for a few weeks, he can at least anticipate facing a New England defense missing its All-Pro cornerback.
Pro Football Reference provided all statistics. Spotrac provided all contract information.
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