FRISCO, Texas – The Cowboys bounced back into the win column last Sunday with a 34-30 victory against the Texans, and it's safe to say owner/GM Jerry Jones is looking to keep the good times rolling.
"I'm raring to go," Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. "Put me in coach, I'm hot… It's really great to get right to it two or three days after Houston. Excited about that, excited about this game coming up tomorrow night."
Let's dive into all of what Jones said on his weekly radio hit with 105.3 The Fan:
An update on Tyler Smith's status for Thursday night
The Cowboys opened All-Pro guard Tyler Smith's 21-day practice window earlier this week, giving him a chance to make his 2026 season debut on Thursday night against Tampa Bay.
Smith has been limited in practice each of the last two days as he tries out his thumb for the first time since he was placed on injured reserve before the season started. Whether or not Smith plays against the Buccaneers is his decision, according to Jones.
"How he feels about that hand," Jones said of what Smith would need to determine. "Now that's a big deal, that hand. And we all understand it in an offensive lineman boy, he's got a punch, and I mean that thumb or that hand has to really be ready to take a beating out there because without it, you can't do much."
"But it's up to him. He'll have a feel for it. He'll have a feel as the game is going. He'll see if he's reluctant in any way because of the mental aspects of it, but he's ready to play. He can play, and I mean play at that level that we're used to see him right now. We'll just let him feel it out and see if he wants to go."
Jerry's thoughts on Joey Porter Jr.'s debut
Just three days after arriving in Dallas, Joey Porter Jr. made his debut with the Cowboys against the Texans.
Jones said Porter's first game with a star on his helmet exceeded his initial expectations.
"I didn't expect him to be out there materially Sunday. Although we were talking about having those many snaps, he really gave a good accounting of what he was doing, how he was doing it. It shows me, shows us, that as he works into knowledge and the coordination that it takes to play back there, that he's got a real spot that will help us."
"His physical abilities will serve us. They just don't go there because they know what he's capable of and he's basically got him covered out there. Now he will get tested. He's not Deion Sanders out there where they just don't go there. He will get tested, but I was real pleased with what we got out of him Sunday."
Reason for concern with DaRon Bland?
While Porter's debut was a highlight, fellow Cowboys CB DaRon Bland had an up-and-down day especially in the first half against the Texans.
While Sunday may not have been the best day, Jones believes that Bland may be a big benefactor from having Porter on the field with him now in the secondary.
" I think Bland just got better," Jones said. "When you get, absent injury, when you get a Porter out there, he just has a chance to get better. That's tough duty out there when you're being picked on, but that was not unexpected. And you can see that you get some of these great receivers and they can make an honest man out of you out there no matter what your skill level is."
"I understand how our fans could be concerned. You hate to see those early mistakes like we got right off the bat at Houston, but I'm not as concerned as you might think. I think Bland, given what's on the way with our injury situation plus the advent of Porter, I think we've gotten some relief here."
Field goal blocking needs to be remedied
For the second straight week, the Cowboys special teams unit allowed a blocked field goal, as Will Anderson Jr. sent one back on a 62-yard field goal attempt.
It ended up resulting in a field goal the other way for the Texans. Evidently, that's not something that the Cowboys can continue to do, but Jones is optimistic the proper changes can be made.
"The problem isn't with the kicker, the problem's with the protection there, and we can fix that," Jones said. "I was shocked though that it happened two weeks in a row. That doesn't happen very often because you've got a chance to really pointedly and they work on that."
Are the Cowboys done in the trade market?
Jones has made several notable trades in the last couple years, from Micah Parsons to Geroge Pickens and now Joey Porter Jr. in an effort to help Dallas' roster now and in the future.
The trade for Porter came early in the year, and just over a month remains before the NFL trade deadline. Are the Cowboys done with trades?
"I'm never shut down from trying to get something that would really advance the needle, especially one that could do it now and into the future," Jones said. "I said at the start of training camp, I'm willing to put some things out there that are for today, lean more today than they would be three years from now. Well, that's the future we're talking about. So I'm open, we're open. We've got a trade deadline coming up when you can do some things. Let's see what happens."
