Cowboys: Trevon Diggs' injury is being perceived as meaningless
Following the season-ending torn ACL suffered by Dallas Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs, fans and media alike have had all sorts of reactions. There are those who believe the season is over (please, take a deep breath), those who think the defense won't skip a beat given their crystal-clear plan moving forward, and those somewhere in […]
Following the season-ending torn ACL suffered by Dallas Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs, fans and media alike have had all sorts of reactions. There are those who believe the season is over (please, take a deep breath), those who think the defense won't skip a beat given their crystal-clear plan moving forward, and those somewhere in between.
Before we dive into my opinion, I was intrigued by what the market's reaction to the news would be. After all, sportsbooks and " the sharps" might get things wrong, but the money tends to have a more unbiased and accurate way of looking at things.
In one word, Las Vegas thinks Trevon Diggs' injury is, well, meaningless.
I know what you're thinking. Meaningless? How can losing an All-Pro cornerback who's becoming one of the best cover defenders in the league be meaningless? Sure, Stephon Gilmore is great, but not as great as Stephon Gilmore and Trevon Diggs. I agree with all that. But mathematically, that's what the sportsbooks think.
You see, the betting markets have not moved a single inch following the news. The betting spread for Week 3? The same as before Diggs tore his ACL. The betting odds of winning the NFC? The same as before the news. What about Super Bowl odds? You guessed it. The exact same.
| Bets | Odds BEFORE Diggs’ injury | Odds AFTER Diggs’ injury |
|---|---|---|
Cowboys @ Cardinals | -12.5 (-110) | -12.5 (-110) |
To win NFC | +350 | +350 |
To win the Super Bowl | +750 | +750 |
By the way, they're also the same relative to the Philadelphia Eagles' odds, which is highly important to note. While the Eagles opened the year as favorites over the Cowboys, they ended up the same after two weeks of the NFL season. Diggs' injury didn't change that, either.
Why could that be? Here's my way of looking at it: The Cowboys still have the league's best pass rush. Diggs being done for 2023 might mean the backend coverage will change but this unit is still getting to the quarterback thanks to Micah Parsons and the insane depth the team has on the defensive line. Meanwhile, Dan Quinn has come up with answers at every turn.
Had this injury happened last year, perhaps it would be a much bigger deal. But the Cowboys have an All-Pro outside corner in Gilmore who is playing at a high level despite this being his 11th year in the NFL. The team has an elite safety room that usually has three players on the field at the same time.
As for DaRon Bland, he's played some good football on the outside, too. He'll take Diggs' spot while the team plays Jourdan Lewis (who started at nickel all of 2021 when the Cowboys had one of the best passing defenses in the league) will man the nickel position.
The news absolutely sucks. But the Cowboys' defense remains one of the best in the NFL (if not the best) even without Trevon Diggs. We're rooting for Diggs to make a big-time comeback in 2024. But for now, there's reason to believe Dallas will be okay.
Cowboys’ plan to replace Trevon Diggs is crystal clear
No other way around it.
Featured image via Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
