Cowboys' NFL-Worst Running Game: Where's Dalvin Cook?

Our Dallas Cowboys at Pittsburgh Steelers Notebook brings you the latest on the Week 3 showdown between old Super Bowl rivals. Dak Prescott vs. T.J. Watt, all the NFL rumors, roster move news, key stats and injury updates as they happen!

OCT. 2

DALVIN OR DAVANTE? - While the Cowboys call about Davante Adams, they - again - won't call up Dalvin Cook.

"Probably not this week," owner Jerry Jones said on his Tuesday radio show on 105.3 The Fan.

Adams, a six-time Pro Bowl receiver, wouldn't certainly help a struggling offense. But wouldn't Cook also?

While Cook is yet to be elevated off the practice squad, the Cowboys have one of the worst running games in the NFL in yards and yards per carry. Through the first month, it feels like Ezekiel Elliott is losing carries to Rico Dowdle and fullback Hunter Luepke with a smidge of Deuce Vaughn mixed in.

But against T.J. Watt and the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday night, it doesn't sound like the running game will be a big priority. Hence, Cook remaining on the practice squad.

Said Jones, "We very easily could be light at running back going into this game ... in terms of numbers."

With both DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons out with injuries, the Cowboys could add a defensive lineman and leave a running back inactive.

OCT. 1

THE MESSAGE - In NFL Week 4, the Dallas Cowboys halted their two-game losing streak with a 20-15 win over the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium, but they made life hard for themselves. One culprit amid the total of 11 penalties for 89 yards? First-round rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton was responsible for a few of those. The Giants' defense clearly targeted the former Oklahoma Sooner, and the rookie struggled.

And now along comes T.J. Watt of the Steelers.

Dallas left guard Tyler Smith has revealed his advice to the rookie as 2-2 Dallas tries to bridge the gap from that win to a visit at 3-1 Pittsburgh on Sunday.

“I just told him, keep your head in the game,” Smith said. “I remember, it's crazy because he's in a very similar walk of life I was a couple years ago. He's a first-year starting left tackle, hardest position on the offensive line to me personally, people know that, [are] going game plan against him. Some calls are going to go our way, some calls are not, but I just told him play his game, stay locked in.

"That's what everybody was telling him, just stay locked in, stay on the next play, keep balling, keep doing your thing.”

Related: Lawrence Injury: No Surgery, But 2-Month Move to IR?

With Guyton struggling, the Dallas offense stuttered and spluttered but still managed to drive the field and put up 20 points in what we might call a "sloppy'' effort ... the same word, by the way, that coach Mike Tomlin used to describe Steelers QB Justin Fields and company in Week 4's 27-24 loss at Indy.

And this week? Well, nobody delivers a "message'' to QBs like Dak Prescott better than T.J. Watt, who is coming off a subpar showing (for him) against the Colts but who does have three sacks so far in four weeks ... and counting.

SEPT. 30

LASHING OUT - To the credit of Najee Harris, he is standing up for Steelers teammate Justin Fields after Sunday's loss to the Indianapolis Colts by a 27-24 score.

Was quarterback Fields "too sloppy,'' as coach Mike Tomlin put it? Yes. At the same time, Fields threw for 312 yards and a touchdown and ran 55 yards on 10 attempts for another two TDs.

But Najee made his point after the game when he was asked about Fields.

“You always keep putting it on one person," Harris snapped back. " It’s a whole team, all 11 of us. Stop making it one player. You all keep saying Justin, if like he’s the one that is throwing, catching and running. Come on bro, it’s all of us.”

SEPT. 29

'GREATEST' TRADE? - Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin thinks quarterback Justin Fields, who did throw for 312 yards in Sunday's 27-24 loss at the Colts, was "too sloppy.''

But ex coach Rex Ryan, now trying to shock-jock his way through a TV career, leans heavily the other way.

Said Ryan before the game: “This might go down as one of the greatest trades in the history of the National Football League. They got him for a sixth-round pick. You got a future franchise quarterback for a sixth-round pick ...''

To us, Fields remains a "prospect.'' Most NFL people we talk to feel the same way.

Is Ryan that poor at talent evaluation? That poor at TV? What is this?

SEPT. 25

CATCH A TRAIN - The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted third-round pick Roman Wilson from Michigan with big plans. He was "Hines Ward Jr.'', remember?

Suddenly, that seems like a while ago ... as we are entering NFL Week 4 and he hasn'rt played a snap. Injuries have been a part of this. But on a receiver-needy team ... what's up?

"He just gotta keep working," coach Mike Tomlin said. "It is very difficult to get on a moving train."

The Steelers are undefeated. ... and Wilson's been dinged up. Eventually, though ...

"My advice to him is to keep working and take that opportunity when that door is left ajar and to be ready when it is," said Tomlin.