Dak & Dalton: Cowboys Injury Update As Prescott & Schultz Make Successful Return

Dalton Schultz made a triumphant return to the Dallas Cowboys stat sheet. His timing, from both a team and calendar perspective, couldn't have been better.

The Dallas Cowboys welcomed back a prominent offensive playmaker on Sunday afternoon against the Detroit Lions.

Oh, also, Dak Prescott returned.

Dalton Schultz's physical absence wasn't as lengthy as Prescott's, as the right end was back in the Dallas lineup after a week of struggles. The stat sheet, however, missed Schultz, as it had been over a calendar month since he had earned a reception, having missed the divisional contests in Weeks 3 and 6 with a knee injury. Showdowns in the sandwiched weeks yielded nothing for Schultz - an issue to some as he is playing on an $11 million franchise tag. 

But on Sunday, Schultz, perhaps providing his own unique brand of welcome-back present for Prescott, came through with big receptions whenever the ball came his way. 

The fifth-year pro picked up 49 yards on five receptions, catching the ball on all five of his official targets. Three of five yielded a first down, as did another erased target where Schultz drew a defensive pass interference flag that set up Ezekiel Elliott's one-yard score that gave the Cowboys (5-2) a permanent lead en route to a 24-6 final. 

With the offensive attention centered firmly around Prescott, earner of 207 yards and a scoring pass to Schultz's fellow tight end Peyton Hendershot, the franchise quarterback made sure to praise the impact Schultz has in his return.

“He’s another tough guy that’s selfless and will do whatever he can in whatever role to help this team out," Prescott said. "Schultz is just a guy that’s always been ready to work and always been communicating to get on the same page."

The "tough guys'' got a bit dinged up on Sunday, with Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy on Monday visiting with CowboysSI.com and the rest of the DFW media to detail the who's who ...

*Jourdan Lewis is out for the year after undergoing foot surgery. Details here. ...with rookie DaRon Bland likely to get the slot-corner job and Nahshon Wright dressing on game days.

*Ezekiel Elliott should be fine after mentioning that he has a "knee contusion.'' Details here. ... with McCarthy offering no Monday update - a suggestion of a lack of concern there, we think.

*Matt Farniok sustained a torn hamstring and will likely move to IR as he could miss about six weeks. ... with UDFA rookie center Alec Lindstrom the likely call-up.

*Neville Gallimore was scratched on Sunday. "Healthy scratch''? While some have talked of a nagging wrist issue, McCarthy said simply that the coaches decided to activate Carlos Watkins and Trysten Hill ahead of Gallimore, surprising as that seems.

Meanwhile, Schultz and Hendershot's heroics couldn't be timelier, their big game coming on National Tight End Day. (Oh, and rookie Jake Ferguson got in on the action, too, with one catch for seven yards.)

Prescott mentioned that Sunday marked the early stages of a culmination of offseason work between himself and Schultz, the two uniting for career-best numbers on each side last season. In 2021, eight of Prescott's 37 touchdown passes went to Schultz, who earned a single-season windfall with 808 yards on 78 receptions. 

"I say we took a big step this offseason," Prescott said. "We spent a lot of time together whether it be routes or personal things and I think it just shows. I have a lot of trust in him, and we see the defense the same way. He’s important to this team and to the tight end room, growing these young guys. He’s another epitome of what this team is about.”

To that end on Schultz, he briefly had to leave the game on Dallas' second possession, aggravating the aforementioned knee injury after picking up a 15-yard gain that put the Cowboys into Detroit territory for the first time. He returned after the quarter break to earned another double-digit tally, this 11-yard output placing the Cowboys in the red zone, allowing for Brett Maher's equalizing field goal. 

The 49 he earned on Sunday are more than half his 80-yard output entering the contest, as much of his fifth NFL season has been defined by a lost fumble that helped make the Week 2 win over Cincinnati far tighter than it had to be.

Schultz made sure to reciprocate Prescott's kind words, mentioning that even while backup quarterback Cooper Rush helped keep the Cowboys afloat during the primary thrower's medical departure, that Dallas' offensive affairs began to feel "normal" again.

"I know everybody says it, but you can’t underestimate the amount of leadership that guy has," Schultz said of Prescott. "The command he has in the huddle, it was just great to feel the normalcy back in our offense. Coop did a hell of a job, but having Dak back is huge for us."

The Cowboys wrap up their pre-bye week slate next Sunday, battling the Chicago Bears at AT&T Stadium (12 p.m. CT, Fox). ... with hope for good health from Dak and Dalton and the rest.

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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