History Says Cowboys Can Overcome Trevon Diggs Injury, But How?

Cowboys can dig out of Diggs hole, Mavs stick with slime, Rangers' April angst, and making easy things difficult for no apparent reason, all in this week's DFW sports notebook.

Cowboys WHITT'S END 9.22.23:

Whether you’re at the end of your coffee, your day, your week or even your rope, welcome to Whitt’s End …

*Not ideal. But also not impossible.

In a Dallas Cowboys season that had been fantastically flawless, Thursday’s news that Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs suffered a season-ending torn ACL in practice was a crazy kick to the crotch outta the blue. Through two games Diggs had paired perfectly with Stephon Gilmore on a Cowboys’ defense that allowed only 10 points while producing 10 sacks and creating seven takeaways. In Dallas’ two wins he had three passes defensed, a forced fumble, an interception and quarterbacks throwing his way were only 2 of 8 for 26 yards.

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will likely replace him in the starting lineup with DaRon Bland, but no way Diggs’ elite cover ability and uncanny balls skills won’t be missed.

However … although Diggs’ year is over, we shouldn’t assume the same for the Cowboys’ season.

In 1992, special teams captain Bill Bates suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 6. He was replaced, in part, by a rookie named Darren Woodson as the Cowboys went on to win Super Bowl XXVII.

In 1993, All-Pro center Mark Stepnoski suffered torn ligaments in his knee in Week 15.  By the time Dallas got to the title game? John Gesek - who was not a center! - took the job as the Cowboys repeated as champs in Super Bowl XXVIII.

In 1995, starting cornerback Kevin Smith suffered a season-ending torn Achilles in Dallas’ Week 1 win over the Giants in The Meadowlands. He was replaced by former 12th-round draft pick Larry Brown, who started the next 15 games opposite Deion Sanders and was MVP of Super Bowl XXX.

In 2011, the Dallas Mavericks lost starting forward Caron Butler to a gruesome, season-ending knee injury on New Year’s Day. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Shawn Marion, who wound up harassing the Miami Heat’s LeBron James in the NBA Finals as the Mavs won their lone championship.

In 2023, the Texas Rangers have endured season-ending injuries to pitching aces Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer. With 10 games remaining in the season, they are in a virtual tie for first place in the AL West.

Diggs’ injury is not ideal. But winning without him is not impossible.

*There’s dirty money. And then there’s rooting for dirty players. Sorry, but the Mavs re-signing Markieff Morris makes me uncomfortable, almost nauseous. Why? Because he and twin brother Marcus are just as much fake tough-guy, cheap-shot artists as they are talented basketball players. Or maybe you’ve forgotten the 2020 NBA Playoffs in the bubble, when Marcus accidentally-on-purpose stepped on Luka Doncic’s already injured ankle and continued to physically assault him? Or the infamous forearm to the chest of Denver’s Nikola Jokic in 2021? 

Yep, that was Markieff. There's being an enforcer via physical, hard-nosed play. And then there's doing what the Morris twins do, and that's attempt to injure opponents with dirty plays. It’s bad enough when we have to root for players who starred for our team’s rivals. It’s another when we’re asked to root for players that are just downright slimy.

*Said it then, and I’ll repeat it now: The Rangers lost the AL West five months ago … way back on April 21. On that seemingly innocuous Friday night they jumped to a 4-0, first-inning lead against one of the worst teams in the history of baseball and then cockily quit. They wound up losing 5-4 to an Oakland A’s outfit that entered that game 3-16 and is now 46-106 with a historic and unfathomable run differential of minus-329. At the time I called it “a strong candidate for worst loss of the year by any team in Major League Baseball.” And it got worse. The Rangers only went 9-4 vs. Oakland. The Seattle Mariners were 12-1; the Houston Astros 10-3. In a division that might be won by a single game, the Rangers blew one too many layups.

*I’m in the gym locker room this week when I hear this guy loudly sighing, moaning, grunting. Was he doing his workout right then and there or … Nope, merely opening his locker and sitting down on a bench to look at his phone. Swear. Surround yourself with people who make difficult things seem easy, not vice-versa.

*Gawwwd Dangit. Imagine a gig where you get praised, regardless of performance. Said Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes after receiving a re-worked contract that will pay him a guaranteed $210 million over the next four years: “Thank you God!” Said Diggs hours after being dealt a torn-up knee: “This is just God’s plan.” Would’ve been nice for the Cowboys’ star to be alerted to the “plan” before the injury. He turned 25 Wednesday, and was planning to celebrate his birthday Thursday night in a new silver suit and in a rented suite watching Beyonce’s concert at American Airlines Center.

*Hot.

*Not.

*Since Mike McCarthy is a candidate for NFL Coach of the Year, does that make Kellen Moore the Cowboys’ logical scapegoat?

*America’s Team strikes yet again. Despite it being a 30-10 blowout, Cowboys-Jets drew almost 26 million viewers and was the most-watch program on TV since last February’s Super Bowl LVII.

*Last week I got on your case to stop littering. Here’s why: Apparently Dallas is the state’s third-dirtiest city. A study dove into the demographics of the areas that litter the most. A summary: Poor white folks who dropped out of high school, use drugs, are on welfare, commit violent crimes and frequent Payday Loan businesses. White trash, indeed.

*Mavs are returning most of their familiar faces in 2024 – led by Luka and Kyrie Irving – but their home court might not be recognizable. As part of a $20 million upgrade, AAC this season will feature a new super high-resolution, 44x31-foot video board. The improvements also include new seats throughout the arena and, with any luck, a roof that no longer leaks.

*The Rangers enter their final 10 games – starting with Hall of Famer Juan Gonzalez’ return Friday night – needing to tie the Mariners but push past the Astros. In the case of a two-way tie for first place, the AL West winner will be decided by head-to-head record. Texas is 5-1 against Seattle with seven meetings remaining. But it already lost the coveted Silver Boot for a sixth straight year to the Astros, going only 4-9.

*You know what road construction crews are really good at? Tearing stuff up and setting up miles of barrels and cones, within hours. You know what road construction crews are really bad at? Fixing the stuff they tore up, within months.

*The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN isn’t my cup of tea. Rather than 5+ dudes trying out-yell each other, I like the more thoughtful approach of one-man broadcasts. Substance over style, please. In other words, Colin Cowherd or Scott Van Pelt over Stephen A. Smith. And, of course, Daniel Tosh forever. 

But I was watching this week when McAfee and his tank top had on two Cowboys’ linebackers – Micah Parsons (cool!) and Bobby Carpenter (crazy!!). While Micah talked about his “possessed, crawling lion” celebration, Bobby was apparently supposed to be the show’s college football expert. They kept calling him “the general,” but to those that remember what a bust he was (only three starts in four seasons) as Bill Parcells’ 18th overall draft pick in 2006 he’ll always be “Barbie” Carpenter.

*Wait, there’s such thing as a $10,000 bill? And it’s worth how much?!

*Speaking of Micah, good luck game-planning for him. In two games he’s played 69 snaps at multiple spots along the defensive line, 11 at linebacker and one at cornerback.

*A driver led DFW police on a high-speed car chase this week, winding from Fort Worth to Dallas and through Fair Park before finally being stopped and caught in Kauffman County. All that because they stole $30 and some snacks from a Little League Baseball concession stand?

*Dak Prescott plays his 100th career game Sunday in Arizona. He’s already the only quarterback in NFL history with 150 touchdown passes and 25 rushing touchdowns in his first 99.

*My critics claim I’m too negative and that I “don’t ever like anything.” I don’t like them. But … I do like people, players and teams with the backbone to overcome adversity (see my first item today). And I love that the Cowboys celebrate wins in a “victory” formation highlighted by the offensive line during the famous “Tom Landry hitch.” If you know, you know.

*Cowboys 37, Cardinals 13. Last December Dallas manhandled a Tennessee Titans team quarterbacked by Joshua Dobbs. While he’s no better, his surrounding cast is even worse. And Dallas is vastly improved.

*This Weekend? Friday let’s hang out with new friends at a hotel party. Saturday let’s hang out with old friends and watch Texas-Baylor. Sunday let’s hang out with our couch and Cowboys-Cardinals. As always, don’t be a stranger.

---