Cowboys' inactives for Week 8 vs. Rams include Tyron Smith
The Dallas Cowboys take on the Los Angeles Rams today and their offense took a hit ahead of the matchup. The team's final injury report included only two names on Friday: Juanyeh Thomas and Tyron Smith. Smith won't be playing, as he's one of the inactive players for Sunday's showdown. That means it'll likely be Chuma […]
The Dallas Cowboys take on the Los Angeles Rams today and their offense took a hit ahead of the matchup. The team's final injury report included only two names on Friday: Juanyeh Thomas and Tyron Smith.
Smith won't be playing, as he's one of the inactive players for Sunday's showdown. That means it'll likely be Chuma Edoga protecting Dak Prescott's blindside today.
This could prove to be a big blow for the Cowboys' offense, as they're facing an aggressive Rams' front that loves to blitz and stunt. Edge rusher Byron Young is 13th in the NFL in pressures and has the second most QB hits per PFF. Aaron Donald might be a defensive tackle, but look for the Rams to use him on the edge to exploit the hole, as well.
Let's dive into the full inactives list as well as some additional observations.
Cowboys Inactives for Week 8 vs. Rams
- OL Tyron Smith
- RB Deuce Vaughn
- WR Jalen Brooks
- CB Noah Igbinoghene
- DL Viliami Fehoko
- CB Eric Scott Jr.
- QB Trey Lance (Emergency quarterback)
Key Observations Before Kickoff
The Cowboys elevated recently-signed TE Eric Saubert on Saturday. They're also not scratching any of their three tight ends on the 53-man roster. This means the Cowboys will carry four active tight ends and fullback Hunter Luepke on gameday. I wonder if this could be considered a hint to a slight change in the team's game plan.
Mike McCarthy could be planning on leaning on heavier personnel groupings for this game. While we all expected a heavy dose of 12 personnel this season, the Cowboys have used it at the 24th-highest rate in the NFL seven weeks into the season, per Sports Info Solutions. Even if it's just for a few snaps, it's something to monitor on the game.
Now granted, Saubert's elevation could also be a matter of special teams, however. Here are some more notes:
- Deuce Vaughn is a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game. The Cowboys haven't used him on special teams and he has yet to carve out a role on offense that keeps him on the gameday roster.
- It's now been seven games of waiting for his NFL debut for fourth-round draft pick Viliami Fehoko Jr. It's probably the result of a very deep defensive line.
If you haven't yet, check out the top stories leading up to the game in the article below. From Dak Prescott revealing the offense's focus versus the Rams, to CeeDee Lamb chasing bragging rights within the No. 88 club, we've got you covered.
7 Cowboys stories to get you ready for Week 8 vs. Rams
The top stories of the week.
