Cowboys’ Kenny Clark Provides Injury Update After Leaving Commanders Game

Kenny Clark was briefly forced out of the Commanders game with an elbow injury but the Cowboys DT says he's feeling good.

Cowboys defensive tackle Kenny Clark said he expects to be fine, via Cowboys beat reporter Joseph Hoyt, after an elbow injury briefly forced him out of Dallas’ 44-22 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

Clark walked slowly into the medical tent in the third quarter and was officially listed as questionable to return. He did come back, and afterward he told reporters he felt good and would learn more from the trainers the following day. The immediate update, short and pragmatic, quieted the louder concerns that flared when he left the field.

The Cowboys paced the game with a balanced attack. Quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 264 yards and three touchdowns, CeeDee Lamb returned from a short absence to post 110 receiving yards and a score, and Jake Ferguson hauled in two touchdown catches. Javonte Williams churned for a physical 116 yards on the ground as Dallas controlled both lines of scrimmage, via ESPN’s box score.

Defensive depth softened the blow when Clark exited. Dallas rotated big bodies up front and kept pressure on Washington, limiting the Commanders after an early drive that threatened to shift momentum. Clark anchors the interior and sets the tone against the run, but the Cowboys’ defensive line responded without missing a beat, helping preserve a comfortable win.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer and the training staff will monitor Clark through the week, but Sunday’s word from the veteran defensive tackle suggested nothing immediate to force alternate plans.

Still, the Cowboys won’t take anything for granted. Clark plays a lot of snaps on early downs and in goal-line situations; even a minor elbow problem can affect hand placement and leverage. Expect the team to list a clearer status after further testing and the usual midweek injury report. For now, Clark’s short report, “he feels good,” is about as close to a green light as Dallas could want after a game that ultimately showcased their roster depth.

ikings WR Justin Jefferson takes full responsibility for his drop—his shocking words will leave you rethinking his mindset

The Minnesota Vikings lost to the Philadelphia Eagles 28-22. The slim margin of defeat makes Justin Jefferson’s dropped touchdown reception against Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean stand out, and the All-Pro wide receiver is certainly taking it to heart.

Jefferson finished the game with five receptions for 79 yards. He was officially held out of the end zone following strong comments regarding that aspect of his game before the contest.

After the loss, Jefferson did not mince words about that battle with DeJean.

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson Delivers Blunt Take on Eagles CB Cooper DeJean

DeJean drew attention for his, as Pro Football Focus suggested on X after the play, lockdown coverage on Jefferson on the play during a drive that eventually saw the Vikings settle for a field goal.

Asked if he believed his “drop” was actually DeJean breaking up the pass, Jefferson said, “nah.”

“All respect to him, but that, that’s a catch any day of the week,” Jefferson told reporters on October 19. “I just gotta be more focused into pulling the ball into me and towards instead of just laying the ball out there and letting him just knock the ball out my hand. So, I would say that’s more on me than on him.”

DeJean celebrated the incompletion, as DBs are wont to do. However, it was Jefferson who was touting his abilities and, really, his mindset before the game.

“To be honest, wherever that ball touched my hand, I’m trying to get in that [end]zone,” Jefferson told Vikings legend Randy Moss on “Sunday NFL Countdown” on October 19. “So, it can be in the red zone, it can be from 50, or it might go 97 [yards] again. Who knows?”

Jefferson’s longest reception of the day went for 40 yards on a catch-and-run.

Justin Jefferson Points Out Red Zone Issues

Jefferson said that the Vikings’ struggles in the red zone were due to “just hurting ourselves and just causing us to go backwards instead of forward. We just got to execute our plays to the fullest and just take one play at a time. And when the opportunity comes, make those plays.”

The Vikings were 1-for-6 on the day in the red zone, including Jefferson’s drop.

“One of those red zone drives is – that’s me, dropping a touchdown, and not really pulling the ball all the way in. And I’m always critical on myself,” Jefferson said. “And always, especially when my opportunities are very, very slim. So, those are opportunities, I got to make the most of them.”

Making the most of their opportunities was a theme for the Vikings during Jefferson’s postgame availability.

Justin Jefferson Remains Confident in Vikings

Asked if the Vikings were trying to “figure it out” during the game, Jefferson said. “Yeah and no.”

“Honestly, it’s just executing those plays, those one or two plays, every drive that kind of hurts us and put us in bad positions. But I don’t feel like we’re still trying to ‘find out’ or still trying to ‘figure out what’s going on,’” Jefferson said.

“We understand what’s going on. We have the players out there that make the plays and do what we need to do to go down and score; we just need to finish those drives, especially games like this. We’re competing against a team that just won a Super Bowl. So, plays like that and making the most of those opportunities is the things that count.”

Jefferson and the Vikings will look to regroup in Week 8. They will visit the Los Angeles Chargers on a short week for “Thursday Night Football.”

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