Notes: Pollard Keeps It 100; Micah’s Record, More

Rookie Record

Not only did Micah Parsons come up with what appeared to be a game-changing sack in overtime, but it also put him over the top with some elite company.
Parsons had just one sack Thursday, but he now has nine on the season, surpassing DeMarcus Ware's previous rookie record of eight sacks, set in 2005.

What's amazing about the record, other than the Cowboys still have six games left to play, Parsons hasn't been a full-time rusher, moving back and forth from linebacker to defensive end.

Parsons eluded to the fact both Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence could be returning as early as the next game against the Saints.

"First, we just gotta get healthy, we gotta get everybody back," Parsons said. "We gotta move forward. This game, it's an opportunity to learn and a good opportunity to grow. Doesn't change anything where we're trying to go. At the end of the day, we still gotta finish the football season. Still got New Orleans next week, another good team. That's what we're going to worry about after we do the corrections."

-Nick Eatman (11/25)

Slight Spark?

No big changes needed to be made to the Cowboys' game plan without CeeDee Lamb, to hear it from Dak Prescott.

The Cowboys' quarterback found out Wednesday night that Lamb would be unavailable for Thursday's game against Las Vegas, but he said it didn't do much to alter his approach.

"Obviously, there are certain plays that we want to get the ball to CeeDee, just him being the playmaker and the type of player he is," Prescott said. "But once he's out, a guy like Ced steps up or you try to find MG on some deep balls."

Cedrick Wilson had a far better game in this second-straight outing without Amari Cooper, catching seven balls for 104 yards – including a 51-yarder that sparked the offense in the second half. As Prescott mentioned, he also found Michael Gallup for gains of 41, 32 and 17, helping Gallup to his first 100-yard game of the season.

It was nice to see Prescott and Gallup re-establish their downfield connection after Gallup missed eight weeks with a calf strain – but not nice enough to offset the pain of the loss.

"You definitely get something out of it, but when you don't get the W it just don't feel the same anymore," Gallup said.

Encouraging as it might have been to see Wilson and Gallup step up, all eyes will be on the status of Cooper and Lamb, and whether they'll be available for next week's trip to New Orleans.

-David Helman (11/25)

Keeping It 100

In two seasons since taking over as the primary kick returner, Tony Pollard has gotten close a few times, getting at least 60 yards four different times. Finally, Thursday, Pollard was able to hit home.

In the third quarter, the Raiders drove 75 yards for a touchdown to establish control of the game with a 24-13 lead.

But the Cowboys answered 13 seconds later via a Tony Pollard 100-yard kickoff return.

The play looked like pure speed by Pollard, but the running back and special teams player explained after the game that it was the result of factoring in how kickoffs had gone prior to that touchdown.

"We did a good job before the kickoff going over the things they were doing that was making it a little tricky for us," Pollard said. "We did a good job adjusting on the fly, changed some things around, and we were able to hit."

Once Pollard was streaking down the sideline with the slightest separation, it seemed apparent that he was not going to be caught.

"Yeah, when I get up front, I try not to look back, and just let my God-given ability takeover and keep running," Pollard said.

-Jonny Auping (11/25)