Cowboys Without George Pickens, Joey Porter Jr. and DeMarvion Overshown vs. Colts
Dallas' leading receiver misses his first game of the season, and the defense loses its top corner and a starting linebacker for a must-win game in Indianapolis
The Cowboys will be short-handed on both sides of the ball in Indianapolis. Wide receiver George Pickens (shoulder, hamstring), cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (ankle) and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (back, hamstring) are all out for Sunday's game against the Colts, ESPN's Todd Archer reported.
The Cowboys will be without wide receiver George Pickens (shoulder, hamstring) cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (ankle) and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (back, hamstring) today against the Colts, according to multiple sources.View on X →
Todd Archer (@toddarcher): The Cowboys will be without wide receiver George Pickens (shoulder, hamstring) cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (ankle) and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (back, hamstring) today against the Colts, according to multiple sources.
All three were listed as questionable. Pickens was limited in practice all week, and Brian Schottenheimer said Friday he was "hopeful" both Pickens and Porter would play. It didn't work out. Dallas had already elevated receiver Jordan Hudson from the practice squad on Saturday, and he's active in Pickens' place.
Losing Pickens hurts the most. He has 533 receiving yards through eight games and has been a central part of Dak Prescott's passing game, though his production has dipped while he played through injuries, including a two-catch, 48-yard day in last week's loss to Arizona. According to Calvin Watkins, it's the first game Pickens has missed this season. Return man and receiver KaVontae Turpin is also inactive, which thins the receiver room further.
On defense, Porter hurt his ankle late in the 33-30 overtime loss to the Cardinals, practiced fully Wednesday and was then limited Thursday and Friday. It's his second missed game since the Steelers traded him to Dallas at the end of September. Overshown is missing his fifth game of the season. Rookie defensive back Caleb Downs, who left the Arizona game with a concussion, is active.
Tight end Luke Schoonmaker, linebacker Tyrus Wheat and offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius round out the Dallas inactives.
The timing is rough. The Cowboys (3-5) are coming off a blown 14-point fourth-quarter lead and face a 2-6 Colts team at 1 p.m. ET, two days before Tuesday's trade deadline.