National Football League

Dallas Cowboys, battling COVID and injuries, face big test Thursday in New Orleans

Updated Dec. 2, 2021 4:50 p.m. ET

By Matt Mosley
Special to FOX Sports

Having lost three of their past four after a six-game winning streak, the Dallas Cowboys will now try to end their slump without their head coach.

Dallas found out Monday morning that Mike McCarthy had tested positive for COVID-19 and wouldn’t be available for Thursday’s game in New Orleans (8:20 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports App). He can be in touch with his team until kickoff via Zoom, but all communication has to cease at that point.

The Cowboys had a choice between offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn running the game. They decided to go with Quinn this week, based on his previous head-coaching experience.

"It’s always been part of the thought process, I think understandably with Dan’s experience," McCarthy told reporters Monday. "The challenge flag, timeouts, the referees’ meeting, you know, there’s just a lot of little things that go into it. The biggest change is going to be Dan down on the field, just making sure he is getting the information that he needs in order to make sound decisions."

In addition to McCarthy, Cowboys offensive tackle Terence Steele, offensive line coach Joe Philbin, assistant O-line coach Jeff Blasko and offensive assistant Scott Tolzien are on the COVID-19 list. Rookie cornerback Nahshon Wright, a special-teams contributor, was added to the list Thursday.

Jerry Jones insisted Tuesday on his radio show that receiver Amari Cooper will be ready to go Thursday, but McCarthy said the veteran wide receiver would probably miss the game if he’s unable to practice Wednesday. Cooper didn't take part in Tuesday's practice and remains on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

CeeDee Lamb has returned to practice and will play Thursday after missing the Thanksgiving game due to a concussion.

The Cowboys (7-4) desperately need a win, no matter who’s on the sideline for FOX’s Thursday Night Football. Their 6-1 start feels like it's in the distant past.

We’re a few weeks removed from Dak Prescott being an MVP candidate, and the once-forgotten Washington Football Team is suddenly making a push and could pull within one game of Dallas by the time the teams meet Dec. 12.

This was unfathomable even two weeks ago, but this franchise is no stranger to collapses, even if it seems like this one is starting earlier than normal.

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By beating the Saints, the Cowboys would improve to 8-4 going into a mini-bye week. A loss would have them on the brink of a December collapse.

Their saving grace might be the inept NFC East because it’s difficult to fathom the Eagles or Washington making a sustained run. But the Cowboys once believed that winning the division was a foregone conclusion. This team had openly talked about being one of the best teams in the NFC.

In reality, the Cowboys aren’t in the conversation with the Cardinals, Packers and Bucs. They have fallen into the pack of teams benefitting from one another's mediocrity.

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The good news is help is on the way in the form of All-Pro defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, who hasn't played since Week 1 due to a foot injury. He practiced this week, and teammates say he resembles the player who wreaked havoc on quarterbacks in the past.

"He’s hit all the markers that you want to hit in terms of healing and getting ready," Quinn said of Lawrence. "We are definitely looking forward to getting him back."

Lawrence could be the perfect complement to Micah Parsons, who already owns the team’s rookie sack record and leads the league in "splash" plays (39), which include sacks, interceptions, passes defensed, forced fumbles and recoveries. (Cameron Jordan of the Saints and T.J. Watt of the Steelers are next, with 35.)

At this rate, Parsons will run away with the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, and he’ll benefit from teams' having to worry about Lawrence.

ESPN's Ed Werder reported this week that the Cowboys were considering resting running back Ezekiel Elliott on Thursday to give his injured knee more time to heal. However, Jones, who can be creative with injury breakdowns, said Tuesday that Elliott was practicing well and is expected to carry a "serious load" against the Saints.

And, of course, the Cowboys won’t get any sympathy from old friend Sean Payton, who is dealing with his own list of injuries. There have been reports this week that Taysom Hill has taken first-team reps at QB over Trevor Siemian, but Payton issued only a "we’ll see" to reporters Tuesday when asked about his starter. The Saints, in the midst of a four-game skid, are expected to be without Alvin Kamara (knee) again.

It's worth a reminder that Payton has always brought a little something extra to this matchup, based on his history with the Cowboys. Payton and Saints assistant general manager Jeff Ireland relish any opportunity to beat their former employer. And much like the Cowboys, the Saints are desperate for a win. Hill hasn’t started a game since Week 11 of 2020 against the Falcons, but I think his running ability could give the Saints a much-needed lift.

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I expect Quinn will lean in to this opportunity to run the game. Although Jones is enamored with Moore, thinking he's a younger version of Payton, Quinn called the defense as head coach for two of his five-plus seasons in Atlanta, so this won’t be foreign to him.

Being shorthanded on the field and the sideline isn’t a best-case scenario for the Cowboys on Thursday, but try telling that to their fans. They expect a win no matter what.

Matt Mosley has covered the Cowboys for The Dallas Morning News, ESPN, FOX Sports and Texas Monthly Magazine. He also co-hosted afternoon-drive radio in Dallas for 10 years and is now heard on ESPN Central Texas, home of his alma mater, Baylor. He makes regular appearances on "The Herd" on FS1 and Fox Sports Radio.