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Of all the things that have not lived up to expectations about the first trimester of the Cowboys’ 2024 season, a distinct lack of interceptions is among the most disappointing.
The secondary that has produced the league’s picks leader in two of the past three seasons has managed only four interceptions through their first six games this year. Add in just one fumble recovery and, coupled with the third-most giveaways in the NFL, the team’s up-and-down rollercoaster ride to a mediocre 3-3 mark perhaps isn’t all that surprising.
“We’re minus-six in the turnover ratio,” McCarthy said on Wednesday, “so that’s the huge, blinking light for us.”
The Cowboys hope they’ve got players on the way who can provide the fix.
While edge rusher Micah Parsons and cornerback DaRon Bland were among the team’s DNPs on Wednesday, rookie corner Caelen Carson participated in full and appears to be trending toward making a return this week from a shoulder injury suffered in Week 3’s loss to Baltimore.
“I’m feeling a lot better. Progressing good. Way better than a couple weeks ago,” Carson told reporters this week. “I’m trying to get back on the field as fast as I can and help my team win.”
The promising 22-year-old has made his first NFL start, and now he’s working his way back from his first NFL injury. He hopes what follows soon after will be his first NFL interception, something that’s been tough for anyone wearing the star to come by lately.
“It’s been an emphasis all year; it just hasn’t happened,” the fifth-round draft pick explained. “Ball drills, we’ve been doing that since day one. But they’re going to come. Opportunity’s going to come. I’m sure we’re going to make plays.”
The chances have indeed been few and far between for Cowboys defenders, mainly due to the way offenses have been attacking. Opponents are throwing an average of just 28.5 passes per game versus the Cowboys; only five defenses are seeing fewer air attempts. Conversely, teams know that Mike Zimmer’s run-stop unit is still a weak spot, and they’re averaging 31.5 rushes per contest. Only three teams are getting pounded more often by the ground game.
The 49ers and quarterback Brock Purdy are near the top of the charts in passing attempts and passing yards per game, but Purdy has also thrown seven interceptions already this year, tied for second-most leaguewide.
Now they’re also reeling with injuries to some of their biggest offensive playmakers. Of their receivers, Brandon Aiyuk has been lost for the year, Deebo Samuel was hospitalized earlier in the week with pneumonia, Jauan Jennings hasn’t practiced this week with a hip injury, Chris Conley is nursing an ankle, and George Kittle is considered day-to-day with a sprained foot.
But given that superstar running back Christian McCaffrey hasn’t even had his 21-day practice window opened yet and backup Jordan Mason has been limited with a shoulder issue, the 49ers may have no choice but to lean on Purdy, asking him to air it out to a piecemealed corps of banged-up and fresh-faced pass-catchers.
Carson admitted that the Cowboys secondary would try to capitalize on a depleted 49ers offense. The timing may work in his favor as he looks to help turn Dallas’s turnover numbers around.
Cowboys fans tuning in Sunday night may end up having the same reaction to Carson’s return as McCarthy did in talking about him rejoining the team in practice this week:
“We’ll see what he can do.”