The Cowboys need a response in the worst way after that overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals, and Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts suddenly feels like a game they can’t afford to fumble. Dallas sits at 3-5, but the 4-2-1 New York Giants are still hanging around in the NFC East, which only sharpens the pressure.
Health has been part of the problem, and the latest update at least gives Dallas something to work with. According to head coach Brian Schottenheimer, the Cowboys are “hopeful” that George Pickens and Joey Porter Jr. can be available Sunday.
“Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer with some injury updates on @1053thefan: CB Joey Porter Jr. (ankle) and WR George Pickens (hamstring) will be a little bit limited, but 'hopeful' they're able to play Sunday vs. Indianapolis,” Tommy Yarrish shared.
It’s not exactly a lock. Schottenheimer stopped short of saying either player will definitely suit up, and both are still questionable. But being described as “hopeful” is better than hearing either name ruled out, especially with the final injury report still to come.
That uncertainty matters even more because the Cowboys can’t really treat any game lightly right now. A loss to the Colts would be a major setback after what happened against Arizona.
Pickens and Porter are tied together in more ways than one. Both came through the Pittsburgh Steelers pipeline, and both are set to reach free agency this offseason. That adds another layer to the situation for Dallas.
There have also been trade rumors around Pickens this season, and another loss could be the kind of thing that pushes Jerry Jones to actually move him before the season is over.
For now, though, the Cowboys are still waiting to see if Pickens is good to go. He hasn’t been ruled out, and that alone counts as a positive. The real answer will come with Friday’s final practice and the lead-up to Sunday’s matchup with Indianapolis.
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Colts Fans Know What Sunday Could Mean For Daniel Jones
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For Indianapolis, the stakes are obvious. Jones is under pressure because of the questions surrounding his performance, and Anthony Richardson is still sitting there as the obvious alternative if the Colts decide they need a different look. No official change has been announced, but this is the kind of week that can turn a routine start into something much bigger for a quarterback and the team watching him. [Read more 🡒]