The Dallas Cowboys are in a state of shock.
After losing star wide receiver Dez Bryant to a broken foot in Week One, quarterback Tony Romo suffered a fractured collarbone on Sunday and was placed on the short-term injured reserve list on Tuesday. And 10-time Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten is hobbling too.
While odds-makers scratch their heads, the Falcons (2-0) are set to face the Cowboys (2-0) Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The Cowboys are attempting to rally behind backup quarterback Brandon Weeden, who has a career 5-16 record as an NFL starter. Team owner Jerry Jones was whipping team flag on Monday.
“He’s a thing of beauty on throwing a football,” Jones told a Dallas radio station. “His passing motion and his arm, frankly, you won’t see a more gifted passer, power, accuracy, the entire aspect of it. If he can basically prepare, be the starting quarterback, come in and execute and keep his head right, then I feel good about Weeden.”
Weeden played well in relief last week after Romo went down against the Eagles, completing 7-of-7 passes for 73 yards and a touchdown.
Weeden, 31, was originally drafted in the first round (22nd overall) in 2012 by Cleveland, where he posted a 5-10 record as a rookie and went 0-5 in his second season.
He lost his only start with the Cowboys to Arizona last season.
“We are going to try like crazy to not let anybody dictate our readiness,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “It’s going to be about us, our mindset, how we approach.”
Quinn knows the Falcons have to keep improving in the secondary and must establish a credible rushing attack.
“How much better can we get?” Quinn said. “That’s the main thing that I want to challenge our guys. Let things about another club stay out there. We are going to work hard to understand them, but ultimately it’s going to come down to us and how we play.”
The Cowboys were coming off a 12-4 season and had their eyes on Super Bowl 50 before their rash of injuries. But Quinn believes the Cowboys, who boast of one of the toughest offensive lines in the league, will still be a formidable foe with Weeden at the controls.
“Honestly, playing against those guys is a challenging as it gets,” Quinn said. “I’m bummed for their guys. Whenever you see guys who have been such a big factor and they go down, you are bummed for them and their team. I have a real sense about how good they are and competing against them through the years. A lot of respect out to them.”
Dallas offensive coordinator Scott Linehan will have to tailor his game plan to Weeden’s skills while defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli will have to come up with a plan to slow down the Falcons Matt Ryan to Julio Jones passing combination which had a record-tying day last Sunday against the Giants.
“They’ve got some really good coaches,” Quinn said. “There are some good players there. You know guys are going to step up. It’s what happens in this league. It happens all the time. It will be no different.”
Neither Quinn nor the Falcons have ever faced a Weeden-led squad. He had a 71.8 passer rating as a starter in Cleveland.
“Certainly we think Weeden has really progressed,” Jones said. “As (Cowboys quarterbacks coach) Wade Wilson said, he’s just not the same guy that we had last year. He’s progressed that much.”
Witten who is being treated for two sprained ankles and a sprained knee. He has started 133 straight games.
With Bryant out, the Cowboys opened the game against the Eagles in a double-tight end formation with Terrance Williams as the lone receiver.
The Cowboys may also likely lean on their rushing attack with backs Darren McFadden and Joseph Randle, who have accounted for a 163 combined yards thus far.
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