Quarterback Injuries Continue for Dallas

After taking a brutal hit from Washington linebacker Jon Bostic, Dallas quarterback Andy Dalton has been placed in concussion protocol, and his Week 8 status is uncertain.
During the third quarter of Sunday’s NFC East showdown, Dalton attempted to slide to the ground and received a nasty late hit from Bostic. For Bostic, the hit meant ejection. For Dalton, the end of his game and perhaps an extended absence.
Third-stringer Ben DiNucci came into the game and finished up the 25-3 loss to Washington, as Dallas dropped to 2-5 in a season where everything has seemingly gone wrong. Dalton was elevated to starter after Dak Prescott’s season-ending ankle injury, and now the Cowboys may have DiNucci start this upcoming Sunday contest in Philadelphia. The Eagles opened as early touchdown-favorites.
Getting to Know DiNucci
DiNucci is seemingly about to become Dallas’ third starting QB on this young season. A seventh-round pick in this past year’s draft, DiNucci played his college ball at James Madison, an FCS program.
In his senior season, he threw for 3,441 yards along with 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He also chipped in a respectable 569 yards rushing on 4.7 yards per carry and another seven scores.
With DiNucci at the helm, JMU made it to the FCS Championship Game before losing to North Dakota State. DiNucci wrapped up his senior campaign as the CAA Offensive Player of the Year, which helped put him on NFL team’s draft boards heading into this spring’s draft.
If Dalton is indeed ruled out for Sunday, we’ll have a pair of FCS quarterbacks facing off in DiNucci and North Dakota State alum Carson Wentz.
Doomed in Dallas
The Cowboys fell to 2-5 with their second straight loss. While the NFC East remains woefully wide open (the Eagles are currently in first at 2-4-1), Dallas doesn’t seem to have the look of a team ready to right the ship.
Coach Mike McCarthy is seriously in danger of being one-and-done in Dallas.
McCarthy, who infamously admitted to lying in his job interview to get hired, is now overseeing serious locker room dysfunction. Coaches are blaming players, while players say they aren’t prepared or being taught anything from the staff.
On the field, the Dallas defense is the worst in the NFL. The unit is letting up nearly 35 points per game to go along with 408 yards per contest. The 25 points allowed to a weak Washington team Sunday was the lowest mark since they let up only 20 in the season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
The other side of the ball hasn’t been much better. The Dallas offensive line, which has previously been a stable of strength and consistency for the last five years, has been decimated by losses.
All-Pro center Travis Frederick retired, All-Pro tackle Tyron Smith is out for the year, and All-Pro guard Zack Martin has been out with a concussion. They’ve also lost Joe Looney, which leaves the Cowboys with a line incapable of basic protections for their quarterback. The run game has faltered as well, and running back Ezekiel Elliotts leads the NFL in fumbles and dropped passes for a running-back.
Odds for Week 8
The Philadelphia Eagles will play host to this reeling Dallas team on Sunday Night Football in Week 8. The Eagles are currently 7.5-point favorites.
For Philadelphia, they picked up their second win of the year, a 22-21 comeback effort over the New York Giants, in which they overcome a 21-10 deficit with six minutes to play.
This win, with two encouraging games against the Ravens and Steelers preceding it, has the Eagles building momentum for a run at the division crown.
The strength of this team is the defensive line, with 24 sacks in seven games, and should be able to feast on the Dallas offensive line. The Cowboys are looking at the strong possibility of a 2-6 start, which would be their worst since 2015 when they started 2-7.