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'Nothing Personal!' Kellen Moore vs. Mike McCarthy? Dallas Cowboys Coach Reacts Ahead of Chargers on 'MNF'

'Nothing Personal!' Kellen Moore vs. Mike McCarthy? Dallas Cowboys Coach Reacts Ahead of Chargers on 'MNF'

Mike Fisher

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OCT 13 'NOTHING PERSONAL!' Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy was asked on Friday if there is any sort of "personal'' factor in the Week 6 "Monday Night Football'' meeting that has him dueling with his former (and ousted) Cowboys right-hand man Kellen Moore.

"No, not really,'' McCarthy insisted. "There's really no bells and whistles for this one. This is Game 6. My focus has always been, and it's really the way I view schedules, I think a lot of NFL scheduling is it's not as much who you play it's when you play them.

"(Moore) obviously has an excellent opportunity,'' McCarthy said, that he's doing a very nice job with."

This offseason, of course, McCarthy oversaw the parting of ways with Moore, who'd been the offensive coordinator here under Jason Garrett and then under McCarthy. Long-time McCarthy associate Brian Schottenheimer now has that role in Dallas.

OCT 11 KITTLE PUNISHMENT? Micah Parsons has vowed revenge … but the NFL might have a more tangible plan.

The NFL is considering fining 49ers tight end George Kittle for the undershirt he wore on Sunday night vs. the Cowboys that contained a profane message about Dallas.

Kittle Vs. Cowboys 

As ESPN notes: “Under the terms of the NFL’s fine schedule, personal messages carry a fine of $10,927.”

Kittle has become a Bay Area folk hero for his message - which was delivered after he caught three TD passes in a “Sunday Night Football” 42-10 torching of the Cowboys.

Micah Vows Cowboys Revenge In Empty Threat Against 49ers

OCT 8 DEION BLASTS BUFFS Is the Colorado standard of football being raised? Yes, so much so that coach Deion Sanders, the Dallas Cowboys legend, is blasting his team ... after a win.

The Buffaloes needed a late field goal to defeat Arizona State 27-24 on Saturday, with "Coach Prime's'' son, QB Shedeur Sanders, engineering a game-winning field-goal drive.

Still, said Deion: "We played like hot garbage and I’m trying to figure this out. I’m sick of it. I really am.''

Sanders has in less than a year orchestrated a turnaround at CU. The Buffs won but one game last year; they are 4-2 now. The expectations are rising - and that's fine with Deion.

"We really are better than that and we got to start showing that,” Sanders said. “I expect to win and I expect to win in a better fashion than that. I’m sick of these consistent holes that we’re displaying ... We're so much better.''

OCT 6 MAGIC BLASTS COMMANDERS Is the bloom off the rose? The Washington Commanders suffered an awful 40-20 home loss to the Chicago Bears on Thursday night at FedEx Field - and new Commanders co-owner Magic Johnson is not pleased.

Given a chance to make a statement in front of a national audience, Washington (2-3) was dominated from the start by Chicago (1-4), who entered the game winless and blew a 21-point lead last Sunday.

Magic Johnson and Cowboys pals
Magic Johnson and Cowboys pals

The Commanders trailed by 24 points at halftime and spent all but 11 minutes trailing by double digits, resulting in Johnson, an NBA Hall of Fame inductee, sending a frustration-filled tweet after the game.

"Tonight the Commanders played with no intensity or fire," Johnson tweeted. "We didn’t compete in the first half and got down 27-3 heading into halftime. It was too big of a hole to climb out of and that is why we ended up losing 40-20."

Welcome to Washington, Magic.

OCT 4 FULL LOAD Are the Cowboys geared up for the Niners? Thursday’s practice participation says it is so.

CeeDee Lamb (knee) was one of seven Cowboys players who on Wednesday sat out the workout mostly due to rest. But he’s working today …

And so is tackle Tyron Smith (knee), who could provide a big bonus on Sunday.

Also involved now: Zack Martin, Rico Dowdle, Stephon Gilmore, DeMarcus Lawrence and Johnathan Hankins, all of whom sat out on Wednesday.

OCT 3 MICAH VOTES Micah Parsons watches a lot of football, and the Dallas Cowboys "Lion-backer'' has his vote for NFL honors in the 2023 rookie class.

Houston Texans rookie C.J. Stroud? Or Atlanta Falcons rookie Bijan Robinson?

“C.J. is gonna be the Offensive Rookie of the Year if it’s not Bijan,'' Parsons said on his podcast. "It’s gonna come down to the wire, but if he stays on this pace, I think C.J. is going to walk away with it.”

What is the C.J. "pace''? Read more here at TexansDaily.com at SI.

Micah, Bijan and C.J.
Micah, Bijan and C.J

OCT 1 COWBOYS 3 NOTABLE SCORES Well, Dallas Cowboys that was quick ... with Sunday's Week 4 visit from the Patriots seeing "America's Team'' put up first-half points in many of the possible ways. There was a Dak Prescott-to-CeeDee Lamb TD throw ...

Then there was a sack and strip that resulted in Leighton Vander Esch's short TD return ...

Then there was special-teams cleverness, as Dallas outsmarted Pats coach Bill Belichick with a fake PAT that became a 2-point scoring pass from punter Bryan Anger to big body Chauncey Golston.

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The Cowboys are up on the Patriots 21-3 midway through the second quarter.

SEPT 29 MOCK GAME GOODNESS Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said he's "optimistic" that starting offensive linemen Tyler Biadasz (hamstring) and Zack Martin (ankle) will be able to play in Sunday’s Week 4 home game against the Patriots.

One reason for the optimism? Both starters participated in Friday’s “mock game” here inside The Star. Worth noting: McCarthy’s weekly “mock game” is in many ways a sort of walkthrough … but a positive step nevertheless.

And now, both of them are scheduled to practice on Saturday … with fellow blocker Tyron Smith (knee) as of now still remaining in the rehab group

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys made a Wednesday morning roster move that may not matter much ... but yet one that definitely requires some explanation.

The Cowboys have signed center Billy Price to their practice squad ... but why? Don't they have plenty of guys hanging out at The Star who can play center, including last week's first-teamer up from the practice squad, Blake Hoffman?

They do. But that's where this gets tricky. Hoffman has already been elevated from the practice squad three times - and that's the NFL max; for him to be active again, he must be signed to the 53 ... and the Cowboys do not wish to do that.

Billy Price signs with Cowboys
Billy Price signs with Cowboys

So instead, along with the injuries in the O-line including starter Tyler Biadasz' lingering hamstring problem (not to mention Zack Martin and Tyron Smith both ailing), Dallas adds a new body to the p-squad ...and now in theory Price can be called up three times going forward.

Price, by the way, has some skins on the wall, as he made 26 starts the past two years for the Giants and the Cardinals. ... all after the Bengals drafted him in the 2018 first round.

CHEAP TRICK The New York Jets went down swinging, kinda, in Week 2, sustaining a 30-10 loss at the hands of the undefeated Dallas Cowboys ... with only a cheap shot against receiver Michael Gallup to show for it.

And now Jets defensive back Jordan Whitehead has been fined $21,855 for unnecessary roughness on that play ... during which, oddly, no penalty was called.

He certainly appeared to contact Gallup in a helmet-to-helmet way, which should've been a penalty at the time. Gallup and the Cowboys have, however, moved on to Week 3 at Arizona, with the receiver talking openly about what does and does not "matter'' regarding his stats. Read more here.

JERRY ON DIGGS: Trevon Diggs is injured. Trevon Diggs is also “irreplaceable.

That’s the view of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who was asked on @1053thefan on Friday about the team seeking a replacement for the All-Pro cornerback Diggs, who on Thursday sustained a knee injury that puts him out for the season.

Tom Cruise & Jerry Jones

Replied Jones: “You can't do that. That's just not real. That's like saying, 'I want to be Tom Cruise.' You don't replace these irreplaceable players."

The Cowboys will roll with Stephon Gilmore being joined by DaRon Bland on the outside, with Jourdan Lewis taking over in the slot.

Among the street free agents available are Cowboys ex Anthony Brown, who was signed and then cut this week by the Niners. But indications are Dallas doesn’t plan to re-sign Brown at this time.

SEPT 20 AB TO SF: Anthony Brown was a favorite inside The Star, the always-smiling tough-guy cornerback who made a career for himself as a starter after being a late-round draft pick.

But he's starting over now, and in a twist, the former Dallas Cowboys standout is now signing with the San Francisco 49ers. Brown tore his Achilles late last season in what, unfortunately for him, was the final year of his contract. He might've been able to strike it rich in 2023 free agency, but has instead busied himself in rehab. 

He's spent a few moments with the Ravens and then on the Steelers practice squad this fall but now gets the call to the Niners' 53-man roster ... and of course gets a chance to play the Cowboys when it's Dallas at San Francisco on Oct. 8.

WEEK 2: The Dallas Cowboys entered the weekend for their Week 2 game against the visiting New York Jets, some roster juggling was required because of injury issues involving a handful of starters.

In the end, it all resulted in a 30-10 Cowboys win and a move to 2-0 ... and the eventful nature of Week 2 at AT&T Stadium wasn't limited to the field, as a handful of goofball fans decided to take matters into their own hands with a fan-on-fan brawl ...

Meanwhile, about those moves that worked ...

Right guard Zack Martin (groin) and wide receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) were on Friday’s list, noted as "questionable'' for Sunday’s home opener against the Jets. Additionally, left guard Tyler Smith (hamstring) and safety Donovan Wilson (calf), neither of whom played last week, are "doubtful.''

In preparation for what the Cowboys say might be a "game-time decision'' on Cooks and other considerations, Dallas on Saturday made the following call-ups from the practice squad: Center Brock Hoffman is up, as is C.J. Goodwin.

The fact that no other offensive lineman was called up from a group that includes Earl Bostick, Sean Harlow and Alex Taylor-Prioleau means there is no concern about Martin's availability.

zack cooks

Chuma Edoga is expected to start in place of Smith. If Cooks cannot go, existing 53-man roster members like Michael Gallup and Jalen Tolbert might be asked to do more to help CeeDee Lamb in Dallas' Dak Prescott-led "Texas Coast Offense.''

Both the Cowboys and the Jets are 1-0, with New York having lost Aaron Rodgers to a season-ending injury and also scrambling for help at kicker with Greg Zuerlein ailing.

WEEK 1 The Dallas Cowboys entered the weekend thin in the O-line with just three backups on roster in rookies Asim Richards and T.J. Bass and veteran Chuma Edoga.

And with injury concerns with Tyler Smith (hamstring) and Tyron Smith (ankle), it makes sense to elevate Brock Hoffman from the practice squad for added depth.

And Dallas won, 40-0 ... with Tyron playing, and with Edoga playing well at left guard in place of Tyler. But now ... how about some vet help? 

For the moment, the name "Jason Peters'' is being discussed ... but not in Dallas, as the 41-year-old nine-time Pro Bowler, who played with the Cowboys last year, is getting a workout with the Seattle Seahawks.

UPDATE: Peters has now signed with the Seahawks and will begin there on the practice squad as he works his way into shape and then onto the 53.

Additionally, the Cowboys are bringing up special-teams ace C.J. Goodwin. As expected, for the Sunday night Week 1 game here at the New York Giants.

***

 The Cowboys have now trimmed their roster down to 53 players. ... a process that COO Stephen Jones suggested would be as difficult as its been in the last 30-plus years.

"I think this is as deep a team as we've ever had,'' said Jones, which - given the incredible rosters assembled in the 1990s that led to winning three Super Bowls, is a mouthful. "There's no question it's going to be the hardest 53 cut that we've had in years and years."

Of course, "final rosters'' is not the way this works. We'll see below Dallas' moves to 53, but we also see on Monday that ex-Cowboys receiver Cole Beasley, now with the Giants, has been bumped to IR, meaning he'll miss the first four games of the year ... including Week 1 when Dallas plays at New York on "Sunday Night Football.''

And away we go, with the Tuesday 3 p.m. CT deadline done (see the chronology below) ...

Here are the 32 cuts made before the deadline ...

  • LB Jabril Cox
  • DE Isaiah Land
  • DE Tyrus Wheat
  • WR Jalen Cropper
  • WR Dennis Houston
  • WR Dontario Drummond
  • WR Tyron Johnson (released)
  • RB Malik Davis
  • C Alec Lindstrom
  • OL Brock Hoffman
  • TE Seth Green
  • TE Sean McKeon
  • CB D'Angelo Mandell
  • S Sheldrick Redwine
  • DT Quinton Bohanna
  • DE Ben Banogu (released)
  • OT Earl Bostick
  • CB Josh Butler
  • LS Trent Sieg* (released)
  • DL Issac Alarcon
  • WR Jose Barbon
  • CB Myles Brooks
  • S Tyler Coyle
  • TE Princeton Fant
  • C Matt Farniok
  • WR Simi Fehoko
  • DE Durrell Johnson
  • OT Chuma Edoga (released)
  • CB C.J. Goodwin* (released)
  • LB Malik Jefferson (released)
  • QB Will Grier (released)
  • OT Alex Taylor-Prioleau

Here are the four moves to the injured list.

  • OT Josh Ball
  • WR David Durden
  • LB DeMarvion Overshown
  • TE John Stephens Jr.

Additionally, Dallas traded Kelvin Joseph to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Noah Igbinoghene.

And that makes 37! (We think!) There are more moves to come, because in addition to practice-squad call-backs, long-snapper Trent Sieg and C.J. Goodwin will return, as we believe Edoga and one other guy will.

UPDATE AUG 30 BRING-BACKS The Cowboys bringing back to p-squad Sean McKeon, CJ Goodwin, Trent Sieg and Brock Hoffman - all of whom can figure in the 53 - plus Tyrus Wheat, Sheldrick Redwine and Princeton Fant

Malik Davis plans to re-up with the Cowboys, per the Dallas News.

And Nahshon Wright is being moved to the injured list.

AUG 29 O-LINE SHUFFLE Chuma Edoga is being cut, but there is a definitive plan to bring him back. Same with long-snapper Trent Sieg, and maybe the same with Matt Farniok, as by the time Dallas gets to 53, there might not be a backup center on the roster.

Of course, the Cowboys (who also cut Earl Bostick) will scour the waiver wire for other help as well.

AUG 29 BOSSMAN FAT OUT Kelvin Joseph has been traded to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Noah Igbinoghene. We've got the full story here.

AUG 29 ALARCON CUT Issac Alarcon, the native of Mexico who has been a helpful and notable practice-squadder here, has reportedly just been cut, along with tight end McKeon, receiver Drummond, o-lineman Brock Hoffman, receiver Jalen Moreno-Cropper, DB D’Angelo Mandell, Tyrus Wheat and (all via Michael Gehlken) Isaiah Land. McKeon could come back to the roster, with the others p-squad candidates.

AUG 29 DEUCE VS. GOLIATH The Cowboys have Malik Davis, a source tells CowboysSI.com, putting little Deuce Vaughn in the spotlight as a Tony Pollard backup.

AUG 29 BOHANNA AND COX CUT The Cowboys cutdown to 53 will include the nose tackle Quinton Bohanna, a former sixth-round pick who has been a contributor … but now with the drafting of rookie first-rounder Mazi Smith, the team is turning the page, as the Dallas News is first to report.

Wideout Dennis Houston has also been released ahead of the 3 p.m. CT deadline. And in a most newsworthy turn, linebacker Jabril Cox has been cut, with Dallas choosing for now to go thin at linebacker.

Cox, it was hoped, would joust with DeMarvion Overshown for snaps. But even with the rookie Overshown hurt and out for the year, Dallas will for now look to big safeties to help out at the second level.

AUG 29 DB OUT The Cowboys have released defensive back Sheldrick Redwine. … no surprise there, with more impactful decisions coming regarding Kelvin Joseph, Jourdan Lewis, Eric Scott Jr. and more. Stay tuned …

mcclay jerry

AUG 28 THREE GONE The Cowboys have informed a trio of back-of-the-roster prospects that they are out. Cowboys have informed TCU defensive end Ben Banogu, a former second-round pick of the Colts, that he's been released, Also out are center Alec Lindstrom and tight end Seth Green, a pair of 2022 member of the practice squad.

Also, Tristan Vizcaino, the kicker recently cut by Dallas, had a Niners tryout.

A review of some of the big storylines that fans should be paying attention to as the Cowboys execute their "hardest cuts'' on this "deepest-ever'' group?

*Vaughn and Tolbert are locks to make the 53-man roster on offense. 

*Mazi? Again, he's in regarding the 53-man. But McCarthy has talked about him "needing reps.''

*Cooper Rush vs. Will Grier? Grier made a great push. But he's expected to go, with Trey Lance coming in via trade.

*Among notable players who could be considered "cut candidates" after the Raiders game are defensive tackle Neville Gallimore and cornerback Kelvin Joseph. 

The pair of former Day 2 NFL Draft picks have struggled since arriving in Dallas and have since been seemingly buried on the depth chart after the offseason additions of cornerback Stephon Gilmore and rookie nose tackle Mazi.

Joseph, the former second-round, has undergone a position change this offseason, as instead of playing on the outside, he is playing more as a slot defender. Yet, even with the position change, he will be fighting DaRon Bland and Jourdan Lewis for playing time. 

Meanwhile, Gallimore is in a similar situation, having to fight off stiff competition from Smith and Chauncey Golston to backup Jonathan Hankins and Osa Odighizuwa on the interior of the defensive line.

We can argue that Dallas may need to use some of these pieces in trade. But beyond the Trey Lance deal, the team is arguing in general against the idea of a trade, Stephen Jones saying, "I think we've got the answers on this team."

That response makes perfect sense ... if one is in agreement that the 2023 Dallas Cowboys possess 1990's Cowboys-level roster depth.

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Mike Fisher
MIKE FISHER

Mike Fisher - as a newspaper beat writer and columnist and on radio and TV, where he is an Emmy winner - has covered the NFL since 1983 and the Dallas Cowboys since 1990, is the author of two best-selling books on the Cowboys.

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