Cowboys at Washington: Week 2 practice preview with D-line focus on Taco & Trysten
FRISCO - After the Week 1 win over the visiting New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett gathered his players for a quick lecture on what they did wrong.
"I'm going to be honest with you,'' Garrett said. "It wasn't edgy enough for 60 minutes.''
Garrett then asked his team if anybody disagreed with that evaluation. No one objected, despite the 35-17 win.
So now it's Week 2, Dallas at Washington on Sunday ... and the goal is to get "better.'' To get "edgier.'' And, as always, healthier.
The injury concerns going into today's Wednesday workout here inside The Star: Receiver Tavon Austin (concussion) will not go. And starting defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford (hip) will not practice. Garrett would call these "opportunities'' for others. In the case of Austin, that may be exaggerated, given his limited role for Dallas.
But in the case of Crawford? Yes, this can be a practice opportunity - and then eventually, maybe, a game-day opportunity - for a pair of high-profile healthy scratches from Week 1: Defensive linemen Taco Charlton and Trysten Hill.
Hill's time, of course, will eventually come. He is a second-round rookie and the prize of Dallas' NFL Draft in April. For Taco, however, opportunities are fleeting. He is trying to keep up his enthusiasm here, and must, lest he fall even farther out of this coaching staff's plans.
Maybe a good practice today for Charlton, and for Hill, too, can allow them to get a 46-man uniform on Sunday. For Hill, the task will be to out-practice vet newcomer Christian Covington. For Taco, the task will be to out-practice rookie Joe Jackson, something that if he cannot do will likely lead to Dallas continuing to take trade calls for its former first-round selection.
"We're trying to pick the 46 guys who help us the most,'' Garrett said.
Also to be monitored: Cornerback Byron Jones, who came off the bench in Week 1 but may be heeled up enough from that offseason hip surgery to move into the starting lineup ahead of Anthony Brown this week.
