Cowboys news: David Irving to make 2018 season debut against the Jaguars

David Irving expects to play on Sunday – Josh Alper, ProFootballTalk
It looks like David Irving will make his season debut this Sunday, barring anything crazy.

Defensive lineman David Irving returned to practice for the Cowboys this week and he expects to see his first game action of the 2018 season as well.

Irving served a four-game suspension to start the year and had been on leave from the team since it ended while dealing with a custody battle. Irving did not want to talk about the custody issue, but did say he feels good and that he’s been told he’ll play about 10-15 snaps against the Jaguars.

Cowboys DT David Irving: ‘This whole offseason was just chaos...it feels good to be back’ - Kate Hairopoulos, SportsDay
Here’s what Irving had to say about his hectic offseason:

Cowboys defensive tackle David Irving said Friday that it’s good to be back with the team after a tumultuous several months. He expects to play for the first time this season Sunday against Jacksonville.

”It’s been a long offseason,” Irving said from the locker room at The Star. “So I’m glad it’s officially over for me. ...Starting to see some light. Getting back in here is really helping me out. I feel great. ...

”The routine feels normal again. This whole offseason was just chaos, chaotic in every meaning of the word. It feels good to be back.”

Lawrence Working Through Old Shoulder Injury - Rob Phillips, DallasCowboys.com
Whew... imagine how Lawrence would be playing without an injured shoulder.

As Sunday’s matchup with the Jaguars looms, Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence is working through a past shoulder injury that he aggravated in Week 5 against the Texans.

Lawrence said his shoulder briefly popped out of place when he hit Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, but he was able to finish the game.

“That was my first time feeling that pain,” he said. “I was about to cry on the sideline, if y’all didn’t notice. It wasn’t hurting bad. But it feels better now.”

Jalen Ramsey listed as ‘questionable’ for Jaguars vs. Cowboys - Ryan Day, bigcatcountry.com
This would be a significant loss for the Jaguars. Could the Cowboys catch a break?

According to ESPN’s Mike DiRocco, the “questionable” designation isn’t because of an injury but because of continued soreness to his knee.

Ramsey was added to the injury report Thursday and was limited in practice Friday. Marrone said that Ramsey did not suffer an injury but is bothered by soreness. Ramsey participated in all the drills during the portion of Friday’s workout open to the media; he was not wearing a brace or wrap on his knee, and the team is optimistic he will be able to play against the Cowboys.

”We’re just going to monitor the situation as it goes,” Marrone said.

Personally, I don’t think there’s any chance Ramsey sits this one out. It’s a (nearly) nationally televised game against the team that passed on him in the 2016 NFL Draft in their house.

Jerry Jones defends Cowboys coach Jason Garrett: He ‘will get us where we want to go’ - Stefan Stevenson, Star-Telegram
Cowboys’ ownership have shown no signs of frustrations with their head coach. Is that just a smokescreen, or do they really believe in their head coach?

Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones gave a full-throated defense of head coach Jason Garrett despite a 2-3 start and an offense in disarray.

“What we’ve got here is an asset that I think will get us to where we want to go, and that’s a championship,” Jones said on KRLD/105.3 The Fan. “He’s got outstanding background in our game. He’s gained a Harvard, or whatever kind of degree, the best in the world in the NFL through being your head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. And I want to put all of that together and use it. Now, does he have some things that others may do better or does he have some things that he can do better? Of course.”

NFL Rookies Struggling to Meet High Expectations - Paul Kasabian, Bleacher Report
Which Cowboys rookie has failed to meet his expectations so far this season? Paul Kasabian of Bleacher Report breaks it down.

The Dallas Cowboys underwent a significant offseason wideout overhaul with Dez Bryant (cut) and Ryan Switzer (trade) gone. To help replace them, Dallas selected Michael Gallup with the 81st overall pick.

Although Gallup has seen the field nearly half the time (46.58 percent), he’s going through a rough rookie season. He’s caught just six passes on 15 targets (40 percent catch rate) for 82 yards and no touchdowns.

Gallup came into Week 1 with deserved hype following a solid preseason. Of note, Kevin Modisette of Cowboys Wire said he could be the team’s top wide receiver. Cowboys writer Clarence Hill Jr. said he was one of the team’s “bright spots.”

Scott Linehan Backs Dak Prescott Despite Recent Struggles - Vincent Velotta, 12UP
Even after the Cowboys struggles on offense, Scott Linehan is standing firmly behind his third-year quarterback.

Are you a believer in Dak Prescott?

For most, the answer to that question is a no. Prescott impressed during his rookie campaign when his ​Dallas Cowboys went 13-3, but has failed to replicate the kind of personal and team success he had back in 2016 ever since. The man under center for America’s team has quickly fallen from grace in the eyes of most, as the Cowboys struggle in 2018 following a 9-7 campaign.

Now, while most have realized that Prescott is a game-managing quarterback at best, there is one man who is still behind him. Predictably, that would be Scott Linehan, Dak’s offensive coordinator.

Scout’s Eye: One Big Key For The Dallas WRs - Bryan Broaddus, DallasCowboys.com
How can the Cowboys wide receivers finally get going in 2018? Bryan Broaddus of the mothership has an idea.

They have to take advantage of the Jaguars’ aggressiveness and use it against them. Play action along with boots and waggles to get the defense going one way, then attack the other should be in the game plan. Quick passes are a must.

If Hurns wants to stop the blame game, he and his crew are going to need to step up and make some plays in the passing game, because just banging their head into the wall will not be enough.

Who is Brett Maher? How a CFL trick-play master became Cowboys’ replacement for Dan Bailey - Jori Epstein, SportsDay
Want to know more about Cowboys’ kicker Brett “Money” Maher? This article is for you!

The Cowboys signed the 28-year-old Nebraska and CFL product in April, seemingly to provide a training-camp body to back up Dan Bailey, the NFL’s second most-accurate kicker who had injured his groin in 2017.

Maher had signed as Bailey’s backup before, for two weeks in 2013. But this time the lingering effects of Bailey’s injury history paired with Maher’s impressive training camp made the Cowboys front office think.

To complicate their decision, Maher made a 57-yard field goal in the Cowboys’ last preseason game at Houston.

”It felt like another opportunity for me,” Maher said. “Another situation I was prepared for.

”It didn’t feel like anything special.”

After all, Maher had connected on a 58-yard field goal while playing in the CFL.