Cowboys News: Amari Cooper on COVID list, can’t vote Gregory to Pro Bowl, OL shuffles yet again

The Dallas Cowboys will be one weapon short when they take on the Kansas City Chiefs as wide receiver Amari Cooper has been placed on the Reserve/COVID list. Left guard Connor Williams has struggled with penalties this season, and now backup Connor McGovern is set to start in Week 11.

That may not be the only change on the offensive line as America’s Team might be getting a key piece back this Sunday. Left tackle Tyron Smith’s status against the Chiefs will be determined Saturday after showing improvement during the week from his ankle injury. The battle between Dak Prescott and Patrick Mahomes, Cowboys defensive backs looking to minimize big plays in the Chiefs passing game, Trevon Diggs getting praise from Mahomes, and more lead the way in this edition of the news and notes.

Connor McGovern to start at LG per owner, Cowboys HC McCarthy hopeful for Tyron Smith return :: Cowboys Wire

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Connor Williams has been put on notice. After struggling with penalties all season, Cowboys owner Jones let it be known McGovern will get the start at left guard against the Kansas City Chiefs, a move many feel is long overdue. Also, after being limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, Smith participated in the team’s mock game portion of Friday’s practice, and if he continues trending upward on Saturday, he has a great chance of playing on Sunday.

Cat-and-Mouse Games: Breaking down Kellen Moore's calls on masterful Cowboys' drive :: Cowboys Wire

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Offensive coordinator Moore has done a masterful job during the 2021 season using different formations to throw off opposing defenses. Rafael Vela takes a deep look into Moore’s use various personnel groupings to carve up the Atlanta Falcons defense in Week 10.

Cowboys WR Amari Cooper placed on COVID list, will miss Week 11 game vs Chiefs :: Cowboys Wire

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The Cowboys received some bad news Friday afternoon. The wide receiver will miss the Cowboys showdown with the Chiefs after being placed on the Reserve/COVID list. With the Cowboys on a short week and playing four days later on Thanksgiving, Cooper’s status for Week 12 against the Las Vegas Raiders is also in doubt.

Cowboys Focused on Limiting Chiefs Yards After Catch Vs. Hill, Kelce :: Inside The Star

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The Cowboys’ defense faces its toughest test since taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the season opener. Sean Martin discusses how the Cowboys’ secondary will need to keep wide receiver Tyreek Hill, tight end Travis Kelce, and more from gaining huge yardage after the catch.

Cowboys at Chiefs: Dak Prescott vs. Patrick Mahomes is the matchup to watch in Week 11 :: Blogging The Boys

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This game has all the makings of a shootout. Quarterback’s Prescott and Mahomes are known for putting up big numbers, and how they perform will be the determining factor in this contest. Both signal-callers have a plethora of weapons and it may come down to who has the ball last to determine a winner.

Tyron Smith's Practice Status Upgraded :: The Mothership

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Smith may have been limited in practice during the week, but his availability for Sunday’s game against the Chiefs got some hope on Friday when participated in the team’s mock game session.

Dallas goes to Arrowhead to measure its quality against the Chiefs: Cowboys pregame riffing :: The Athletic

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The Cowboys look to gain a quality road win against the Chiefs on Sunday and keep pace atop the NFC. Bob Sturm looks into some key matchups that could determine the outcome such as Chris Jones and Jarren Reed against the interior of the Cowboys offensive line as well as how the Cowboys’ secondary will deal with Hill.

Cowboys DBs aim to stop big plays from Chiefs' Mahomes in battle of elite QBs :: Cowboys Wire

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Mahomes can sling the football as well as any quarterback in the NFL. Cowboys cornerbacks Trevon Diggs and Anthony Brown, as well as safety Jayron Kearse, are fully aware of the challenge at hand on Sunday and look to limit the effectiveness of the Chiefs passing game as much as possible.

Patrick Mahomes knows Trevon Diggs is the real deal :: Fansided

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Game recognizes game. Earlier this week, Mahomes gave Diggs high praise for his league-leading eight interceptions. Luis Tirado, Jr. breaks down how if Diggs can continue his unbelievable run of taking the ball away, it may be the x-factor in a huge road win for the Cowboys.

Mailbag: Mental Strength? No Ballot For Gregory? :: The Mothership

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David Helman and Nick Eatman talk about how the Cowboys have a vast array of seasoned veterans that have played a lot of football, and that has helped them in 2021 to become a mentally tough team. Also, despite having a huge season already, fans can’t vote for defensive end Randy Gregory when it comes to the Pro Bowl at the moment because he is on injured reserve with a calf injury. Helman and Eatman express their displeasure with the rule.

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