Ahead of their Week 9 matchup on Monday Night Football against the Arizona Cardinals, the Dallas Cowboys got some critical injury updates on two key players. While other teams have certainly had it far worse on the injury front, Dallas has had its fair share of poor injury luck and players missing time as a result, especially in the secondary.
Let’s start with the good news first: the Cowboys activated C Cooper Beebe from Injured Reserve (IR) on Monday, clearing him to play Monday night against the Cardinals. Beebe is Dallas’ starting center and while backup Brock Hoffman has played well in his stead, Beebe is a stabilizing presence on the Cowboys’ offensive line and is a big part of their run game. Getting him back is a major win.
Now for the bad news. LB Jack Sanborn was placed on IR Monday due to a groin injury. He’ll miss a minimum of four games before he can be activated, meaning his earliest possible return would be Week 14 against the Lions, and that’s if he’s healthy and ready to play as soon as the four-game minimum is up. Dallas’ bye week is next week.
In other procedural news, the Cowboys signed RB Malik Davis to the active roster from the practice squad, taking Sanborn’s spot. They elevated CB Zion Childress and TE Princeton Fant from the practice squad for Monday night’s game.
The Dallas Cowboys Need to Start Stacking Wins to Keep Pace in the NFC Playoff Race
Jason Miller/GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 08: Cooper Beebe #56 of the Dallas Cowboys lines up over the ball in the first quarter of the game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on September 08, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Both conferences have extremely competitive playoff races through nine weeks, but the NFC’s is particularly brutal. Entering Monday night’s action, 10 NFC teams are .500 or better, and the Cowboys could make it 11 with a win over the Cardinals.
The Eagles are pacing the NFC East with a 6-2 record, tied for the best in the conference and second-best in the NFL behind the 7-2 Colts. It’ll be tough — though far from impossible — for the Cowboys to catch up. Dallas sits at 3-4-1 and is 11th in the NFC. There are a lot of teams ahead of them in the wild card pecking order, and a few behind them that could still jump them if the Cowboys don’t start winning games.
The Dallas Cowboys have a Tough Upcoming Stretch
Speaking of tall tasks for the Cowboys, they play the Cardinals tonight and the Raiders after their bye. After that, however, the Cowboys have a murderer’s row of opponents to close out the year. They face the Eagles, Chiefs, Lions, Vikings, Chargers, Commanders, and Giants the rest of the way.
Dallas’ remaining schedule ranks as the eighth-easiest when ranked purely by winning percentage, but that number can be a bit deceiving. When ranked by team efficiency, that number jumps to the 14th-hardest. That’s right in the middle of the pack, and that one three-game run — Eagles, Chiefs, and Lions — will define their season. Go 0-3 in that stretch, and in all likelihood they’ll have to kiss their playoff hopes goodbye.
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