The Dallas Cowboys were looking nearly unstoppable through their first two games of the new NFL season, but on Thursday, they were dealt a sizable blow to their Super Bowl hopes when star cornerback Trevon Diggs suffered a torn ACL.
He is expected to miss the rest of the season, and just like that, their defense, which is No. 1 in several categories, has been weakened.
The injury occurred during a practice drill, and head coach Mike McCarthy talked about the drill during which Diggs got hurt while saying it was not to blame, per Todd Archer.
Mike McCarthy won't change practice drill after Trevon Diggs' injury. “When you see the video, it’s something that can happen anywhere. Two guys going for the football and it looks like he came down and stepped on the foot of the wide receiver. This was not a drill issue at all.”
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) September 22, 2023
Diggs has made the Pro Bowl in both of the last two seasons, and he notched 17 interceptions in his three previous seasons while leading the NFL with 11 picks in 2021.
As a result of his injury, there will be more of a burden on Stephon Gilmore, a five-time Pro Bowl corner Dallas acquired during the offseason, to contain opposing wide receivers.
In addition, All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons will need to play a bigger role in stymying opposing offenses.
Ultimately, quarterback Dak Prescott, who hasn’t had to do a whole lot so far this year, will need to step up his game against high-quality opponents in order for the Cowboys to live up to the hype that has surrounded them.
He has played solid ball so far, but he has a history of playing poorly in big games.
The Cowboys play the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots the next two weeks, and their first real test will come in Week 5 when they travel to California to take on the rival San Francisco 49ers, who have also been looking very formidable this year.
NEXT: Mike McCarthy Breaks His Silence On Trevon Diggs' Injury
