When Wednesday’s full Dallas Cowboys injury report was revealed, it left many in Cowboys Nation shouting with glee.
Ok maybe I was the only nerd shouting with glee at seeing only one player on the Cowboys’ injury report, and a full participant, at that.
This is coming from a writer that had to list a whopping 18 players on this very report just two weeks ago ahead of the game versus the Los Angeles Chargers.
No trip to LA this time, as the other Los Angeles team, the Rams, will make the trek East to the Lonestar State.
Rams’ QB Matthew Stafford will be making his fifth career start at AT&T Stadium in front of a crowd of family and friends in his suite.
Stafford played high school football in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex at Highland Park.
He brings along with him a surprise Rams team that many had penciled in to finish the 2023 season with a very high draft pick.
Instead, the Rams come into AT&T Stadium with a 3-4 record, and aren’t as healthy as the Cowboys are coming off of a bye week.
Let’s dive in.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys officially list two players on their final Week 8 injury report, marking their shortest report of the season.
No Designation
S Juanyeh Thomas (hamstring)
Cowboys’ rookie S Juanyeh Thomas was originally the only player listed on the team’s injury report released Wednesday afternoon.
Thomas, a versatile safety in Dan Quinn’s defense, missed the Week 6 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers after suffering a hamstring strain.
He is listed with that same injury, but was already a full participant in the first practice of the week.
Thomas’ play-making ability will be a key component in a secondary that needs to find a way to slow the lethal wide receiver tandem of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua.
Questionable
LT Tyron Smith (neck)
The only other player listed on this week’s report, and the only player whose status for Sunday may be up in the air is oft-injured LT Tyron Smith.
Smith has already missed two games this season with injury, and this time is a surprise neck injury.
Coincidentally, both of those games were the only games the Cowboys have lost, being outplayed by the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers.
Reports from the team say that Tyron will be good to go on Sunday, but I won’t let my breath out until I see him line up at left tackle on the first offensive play.
Tyron has shown to be unreliable, even up to the point of suiting up but being ruled out just minutes before game time.
The Rams’ defensive line talent don’t make this a must-play game for Tyron, but it sure would be nice to keep the offensive line continuity going with Philadelphia on deck next week.
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams officially listed nine players on their Week 8 injury report.
No Designation
LB Byron Young (knee), S Russ Yeast (hip), DT Larrell Murchison (knee), DT Aaron Donald (rest), OL Brian Allen (rest)
Rams’ starting weakside LB Byron Young started the week with limited practice time for an injured knee.
He has since practiced in full.
Starting FS Russ Yeast also was a limited participant to start the week with a hip contusion.
He also has practiced in full since that day.
DT Larrell Murchison was limited in practice all week with a hurt knee.
Murchison, the primary relief for Aaron Donald, has just two tackles in five game appearances this year.
Aaron Donald and Brian Allen missed Friday’s practice for veteran rest.
Questionable
LB Ernest Jones (knee), WR Ben Skowronek (Achilles), OL Rob Havenstein (calf)
Starting LB Ernest Jones is also dealing with some knee discomfort, and is questionable for Sunday.
Jones is the team’s leading tackler with already 67 stops in just seven games.
The arrival of Puka Nacua has deemed WR Ben Skowronek expendable from an offensive standpoint, but he is still a valuable special teams piece.
Veteran OL Rob Havenstein strained a calf during Wednesday’s practice, and now appears to be a game time decision.
Out
TE Hunter Long (hamstring)
The Rams were hoping to welcome back TE Hunter Long from short term Injured Reserve for a hamstring injury, but he’s not ready to go.