The Dallas Cowboys are dealing with plenty of problems, including a two-game losing streak and a whole string of serious injuries. One good thing is that they now seem to know when wide receiver Dez Bryant is returning, and that’s comforting news. On the other hand, running back Joseph Randle is healthy, but he’s in hot water with the coaching staff.
On Sunday night, the Cowboys ended up losing 26-20 in overtime to the New Orleans Saints, but they had the upper-hand for a while. In the second quarter, Randle put them back up 10-7 and it stayed that way going into overtime, but it wasn’t all smiles.
As Randle hit the pile to run the ball into the endzone from the one-yard-line, he spun in the air and stuck the ball backward over his head toward the goal line. The Saints hit the ball out of his hand and it fell down to the ground, but instant replay showed he had already broken the plane.
As NBC Sports reported, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett was happy, but not really.
“Obviously it worked out. We scored the touchdown there. He got in before the ball came out. That is something we discussed with him and our other running backs how we want to handle that situation. It’s a dangerous play when you extend the ball like that. It worked out for us but we don’t want to do that in that situation.”
Garrett wasn’t the only coach to come down on Randle though. Word is that he heard from it from almost the entire Cowboys’ staff with offensive line coach Frank Pollack being the first to get him when he came off the field.
Running backs coach Gary Brown was said to be so angry with Joseph Randle’s actions on the field that he kicked a bench on the sideline. Other players came up to calm Brown down while Garrett went over to Randle to speak with him.
The week before against the Atlanta Falcons, Randle also dove for a touchdown and was told not to do it again. That is a big reason that Randle didn’t carry the ball again in the first half against the Saints after his dive, and only four more times the whole game.
Now, the Dallas Cowboys will have get past their anger, since Lance Dunbar was injured against the Saints and may be gone for the season. That leaves Randle, Darren McFadden, and recently activated Christine Michael, but rumor has it they’ve been looking at free agents or possibly a trade for Matt Forte .
Now, needing some good news, the Dallas Cowboys may have their star wide receiver back in just a few weeks. According to the Blow , Dez Bryant’s target return is Week 7 against the New York Giants, which means coming back right after the team’s bye week.
As Cowboys Vice President Stephen Jones said on Monday, “There’s been no setbacks.”
This is great news for the Cowboys who started hot with two victories before losing their last two and watching numerous starters hit the sideline with injuries. Lance Dunbar is the latest star to go down, and the Cowboys believe he has either a torn ACL or MCL.
Getting Bryant back would be a huge boost, but there is still at least one more game before Bryant returns, and they are still without Tony Romo, too. That game happens to be against the undefeated and dangerous New England Patriots.
Sitting at.500 isn’t a bad thing through four games for any NFL team, and the season isn’t over for the Dallas Cowboys . Something simply needs to be done, as stars are still out, Joseph Randle is in the doghouse, and the Patriots are coming to town, so things won’t be getting any easier.
[Images via Getty Images – Tom Pennington / Ronald Martinez / Chris Graythen]