Cowboys news: Greg Zuerlein takes blame for the Cowboys week one loss

Cowboys’ Greg Zuerlein remorseful after poor performance vs. Bucs, team still ‘confident’ in his abilities - Patrik Walker, CBS Sports

After a two-point loss, Cowboys fans were left wondering what the outcome would have been if not for the three missed kicks. Greg Zuerlein weighs in on this speculation.

But to his credit, Zuerlein isn’t blaming anyone but himself for his misses on Thursday night.

“No excuses,” Zuerlein told media following the game. “If I’m out there, I should make the kicks. No excuses.”

That said, contrition doesn’t win games. Points do, and the Cowboys left too many on the field in hostile territory against a seven-time Super Bowl winning quarterback tied to a top-5 defense. Some of the errors were drops by CeeDee Lamb that stalled the opening drive and aided in stalling another drive or two later in the game, but it’s the four-point shave (if you agree the 60-yarder should’ve never happened) that will stick in the gut of Zuerlein — who did make the potential game-winning field goal in the waning minutes of the contest that turned out to be too little, too late.

“I know we played well enough to win,” said Zuerlein. “If I did my job, we win that game. I feel bad for the guys in there that played their ass off, and I didn’t hold up my end of the deal. If the team that that’s good, returning every player after a Super Bowl victory, and we’re right there, I just have to do my job.”

Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Still Believes in Greg Zuerlein ‘Long Term’ Despite Missed FGs- Adam Wells, Bleacher Report

The Cowboys are not looking to replace Greg Zuerlein yet.

Greg Zuerlein’s rough start to the 2021 season doesn’t appear to have impacted his standing with the Dallas Cowboys.

Appearing on the K&C Masterpiece show on 105.3 The Fan, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he still believes in Zuerlein “long term” as the team’s primary kicker.

“I think we paid a price in this first opening game,” Jones explained. “I believe in him long term, and I believe he’ll play better as we get into the season.”

Zuerlein missed a total of three kicks, including an extra point, in Thursday’s 31-29 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His first missed field goal was pulled to the right from 31 yards out.

“If I do my job, we win that game,” Zuerlein told reporters. “So I feel bad for the guys in there that played their ass off and I didn’t hold up my end of the deal.”

Last season marked Zuerlein’s first year with the Cowboys after signing a three-year deal as a free agent. He ranked third in field goals made (34) and first in attempts (41), but his 82.9 percent success rate was only 17th out of 31 qualified kickers.

Cowboys’ Prescott Expects to Get Another Shot at Brady This Season- Schuyler Dixon, NBC Dallas-Fort Worth

Despite an impressive performance in his first game back from injury, Dak Prescott wants another chance at the Super Bowl champions.

If Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys are going to see Tom Brady again this season, as the star quarterback boldly told the seven-time champ, they’re going to have to change recent history. Some older stuff, too.

Those were Prescott’s parting words after Brady led the Buccaneers to the winning field goal in the final seconds of a 31-29 victory for the defending Super Bowl champions in the opener.

The Cowboys missed the playoffs the past two seasons, in large part last year because of the ankle injury that ended Prescott’s season in Week 5. They haven’t been the NFC championship game since the last of the franchise’s five Super Bowl titles 26 years ago.

“I think I told everybody we’d see them again and that’s just the confidence that I have in this group,” Prescott said. “The expectation I have is this is a playoff team that is going to make a big push this year.”

Cowboys tackle La’el Collins suspended 5 games for violating substance-abuse policy- SportsDay Staff, DMN

La’el Collins is expected to miss time due to violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. While the details surrounding this suspension have yet to be revealed, it seems the Cowboys will have to prepare for Collins to miss the next five games.

Less than 24 hours after an impressive showing in Thursday’s season opener in Tampa, the Cowboys offense is down a pair of starters.

Following Friday’s news of Michael Gallup’s calf strain which will force the wide receiver to miss three to five weeks, offensive tackle La’el Collins has been suspended without pay by the NFL for five games for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.

Collins will be eligible to return to the Cowboys’ active roster on Monday, Oct. 18, following the team’s Week 6 game at New England.

Given Dallas’ bye in Week 7, the offensive tackle is essentially out of the lineup until Week 8.

Report: Cowboys WR Michael Gallup to miss 3-5 weeks with calf strain- Todd Brock, Cowboys Wire

In a contract year for the Cowboys WR, Michael Gallup is expected to miss at least three weeks after an injury on Thursday night.

Cowboys fans have been eagerly awaiting a fully-healthy Dak Prescott slinging it around the yard once again to his three-headed monster at wide receiver. Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup pose a unique challenge to opposing teams, as each has the ability to break out and take over a game. Focus too hard on one, though, and the others are waiting to make a defense pay.

But someone else will have to step up and sit in as a temporary member of the pass-catching trio in Dallas. Michael Gallup will reportedly be out three to five weeks with a calf strain he suffered in Thursday night’s season opener, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News.

Gallup caught four balls in Week 1, racking up 36 yards on 12 targets before leaving the game late in the third quarter with what was called an ankle injury at the time.

Cedrick Wilson saw increased action in relief of Gallup and ended the night with three receptions for 24 yards.

Game Notes: Zeke’s Work, CeeDee’s Drops & More- Rob Phillips & Nick Eatman, Dallascowboys.com

Ezekiel Elliott only received eleven carries on Thursday, the third-lowest of his career. But the Cowboys’ RB is ready to take on any role that best helps the team succeed.

Calling Thursday’s game pass-heavy is an understatement.

Dak Prescott and Bucs quarterback Tom Brady combined for 108 attempts while Ezekiel Elliott and Bucs running back Leonard Fournette had only 20 combined carries. But while Elliott’s stat line was relatively quiet (11 carries for 33 yards), the Cowboys starter found other ways to contribute, particularly in pass protection against the Bucs’ talented pass rush.

“Those guys gave us a bunch of different looks,” Prescott said. “Being on the same page, helping me communicate with the offensive line, making sure we’re on the same page of how we’re going to protect it. And getting dirty – making a lot of blocks that he had to because they were bringing that many people that he had to step in and make a block, him and Tony (Pollard).”

Said Elliott: “The game goes however it goes. I’m out there to play and do my best every play.”

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