The Arizona Cardinals’ injury report arrived with more baggage than usual on Wednesday, and Jeremiyah Love sat right at the center of it.
Love, who has missed the last two weeks with an ankle injury, was back on the practice field in limited fashion as the Cardinals prepared for their Week 8 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys. Out of 15 Cardinals listed on the report, nine were marked as not participating.
Wilson also showed up in a yellow non-contact jersey during practice, while the team still seems to be dealing with the illness that swept through the group last week.
Even with Love trending back toward action, head coach Mike LaFleur made clear that Bam Knight isn’t being pushed aside. Knight has given Arizona a spark in Love’s absence, and LaFleur said that production will keep him involved.
“Yeah, Bam has been doing a really good job. He’s running the ball well and obviously brought an explosive element to the run game that was needed. Yes, Bam will still have a role but I’m excited to get Jeremiyah back, particularly at practice this week," he said.
That situation comes as Arizona prepares for a Dallas defense that could be looking for a reset against a Cardinals offensive line coming off a rough day. Last week, the unit gave up 13 quarterback hits on Jacoby Brissett.
LaFleur didn’t pin the offensive issues on one thing. He spread the responsibility around.
“It’s all-encompassing. It’s the plays I call too," LaFleur said of Arizona's struggles.
"You have to pick and choose your spots of when you’re going to run, those seven steppers (seven step drops) or the play (action) passes and stuff like that. We knew we were going to have to. You have to pick and choose our spots when we’re not going to get as many up and we’re going to help out with some of the ribs and licks and stuff like that - our chip mechanisms.
"Again, it’s all-encompassing but I know collectively as a group, we can all do better (at) coaching and playing.”
The Cardinals and Cowboys will get two more practices in this week before official game statuses are released on Friday.
In Other News...
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For a Cowboys offense that has been searching for the right balance around Prescott, the shift suggests the staff may be leaning into a different tight end setup. Ferguson is still part of the equation, but the growing role for Spann-Ford points to a real change in how Dallas wants to deploy the position, and it will be worth watching whether this was a one-game wrinkle or the start of a larger adjustment. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Are Sending George Pickens A Message He Can't Ignore
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It was notable enough that Pickens played fewer snaps than Ryan Flournoy, a clear sign the Cowboys are willing to let the depth chart reflect more than just receiving production. Pickens has already been disciplined once this season for a curfew violation, so the clubs latest move adds another layer to a stretch where his talent has remained obvious even as the margin for error around him has narrowed. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Defense Just Gave Fans A New Reason For Hope
The Cowboys defense had a rough opening against Philadelphia, with the Eagles punching in touchdowns on their first two drives, but the group settled in and gave Dallas a chance to win. After that early burst, the Eagles managed only one more touchdown, and the Cowboys pass defense did enough to keep the game from getting away while the offense took advantage of the other side of the ball.
A lot of the optimism comes from the way the front and back end looked working together. DeMarvion Overshown was active all over the field in his return, and the pass rush kept building pressure with Quinnen Williams collapsing plays behind the line and Donovan Ezeiruaku finally getting to the quarterback for his first full sack of the season. The run defense still has work to do, but this was the kind of performance that can make the Cowboys believe the unit is starting to turn a corner. [Read more 🡒]