FRISCO, Texas — Caleb Downs is not moving to the back end to replace Malik Hooker. Coach Brian Schottenheimer said so Monday, a day after the Dallas Cowboys lost their starting safety to a fracture in a 28-20 loss at the New York Giants.
Hooker left in the final minute of the third quarter on a Jaxson Dart scramble that gained 2 yards. He finished with 1 tackle on 12 defensive snaps. P.J. Locke took 28 snaps behind him and 2 combined tackles.
Schottenheimer went to Locke’s name first.
“We love P.J. Locke,” Schottenheimer said. “I mean, I think Caleb played really, really well. I mean, Jaxson Dart never saw him on the blitz. He gets a free run. The ball goes spiraling through the air, and the 320-pound guard catches it and rumbles for five yards. I mean, it’s kind of the way the night went for us.”
Downs was the No. 11 overall pick out of Ohio State in April. He started in the slot Sunday and played 61 of 69 defensive snaps, second on the Dallas defense.
Caleb Downs Stays Near The Line Of Scrimmage
Schottenheimer closed the same answer by putting Downs back where Dallas has been using him.
“But, again, Caleb is a guy that can move around, but we like him down near the line of scrimmage,” Schottenheimer said.
Dallas is not pulling snaps from its rookies this week either. Schottenheimer said that while discussing first-year defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
“We’re going to play our young players this weekend too, and they’re going to play better,” Schottenheimer said.
Downs is one of a handful of rookies who played meaningful defensive snaps in the opener. Schottenheimer was asked whether nerves had shown up in them.
“Anxiety is real. I think it’s a powerful thing, though, too,” Schottenheimer said. “I do think that I’m 25 years. I still get anxious. I still get butterflies. I still get excited.”
Schottenheimer continued that the rookies have veterans around them.
“But these guys, most of these guys have played football their whole lives. And what we try to get them to understand is it’s the same game,” Schottenheimer said. “Field dimensions are pretty much the same, and the hashes and stuff are a little bit different, but it’s part of it. And they’ll lean on some of the older guys as well.”
Cobie Durant And The Four Forced Fumbles
Cornerback Cobie Durant played 50 defensive snaps. He forced a fourth-quarter fumble on a Cam Skattebo run that New York recovered. Earlier in the night a pass went through his hands against receiver Malik Nabers.
Dallas forced four fumbles and recovered one.
“I think that’s one of the positives of what we did on defense. We attacked the ball. We had four forced fumbles,” Schottenheimer said. “Cobie Durant’s going to make that play 99 times out of 100 on Nabers for the interception.”
New York gained 165 rushing yards on 37 carries and converted 9 of 11 third downs. Dallas hosts the Washington Commanders on Sunday at AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is 3:25 p.m. CT on FOX.
