Dallas enters its Week 3 matchup against Baltimore with a defense stripped of key playmakers, a reality that puts far more pressure on Dak Prescott and the offense to win a potential shootout.
The Dallas Cowboys are dealing with a rash of defensive injuries just as they prepare to face one of the most explosive offenses in the league. Baltimore's attack, built around a dynamic quarterback and dangerous skill players, presents exactly the kind of matchup where a shorthanded secondary and linebacker corps can get exposed. Losing multiple defensive backs and off-ball linebackers to injury in the same week is a significant problem when trying to slow down an offense capable of scoring in bunches.
Cowboys injury updates:
S P.J. Locke (plantar fasciitis) – Out of the walking boot
LB DeMarvion Overshown (hamstring) – Progressing well, but “low probability” to play
CB Cobie Durant (hamstring) – Will start on-field rehab today
S Malik Hooker (forearm) – Still rehabbing— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) September 23, 2026
Secondary decimated by injuries
Cornerback Cobie Durant did not practice all week with a hamstring injury and has officially been ruled out, removing a key piece of the secondary rotation. Durant had been working his way into a larger defensive role before the injury sidelined him entirely for this matchup.
Safety Malik Hooker also did not practice Wednesday or Thursday because of a forearm injury and is out for the game. Hooker has been a steady presence in the back end of Dallas's defense, and his absence removes valuable experience and communication from the secondary. Compounding the issue, safety P.J. Locke did not practice either due to a foot injury and is also out, meaning the Cowboys will be without two safeties who typically help anchor the coverage shell against a Ravens passing attack that thrives on tempo and matchup exploitation.
Linebacker corps also thinned out
The linebacker room takes a significant hit as well. DeMarvion Overshown did not practice with a hamstring injury and is ruled out, removing a player who has been an ascending piece of the front seven and a key factor in run support and coverage. Without Overshown, Dallas loses speed and range at linebacker, which could be problematic against Baltimore's ability to attack all levels of the field with running backs and tight ends out of the backfield.
There is a small silver lining on the edge, where outside linebacker James Houston was a full participant in both practices this week despite a shoulder injury. Houston's status remains unspecified, but his full practice participation suggests he could be available to help generate pressure on Baltimore's quarterback, which will be critical given the coverage issues elsewhere on the field.
Offense will need to carry the load
With Durant, Hooker, Locke and Overshown all sidelined, Dallas is set to be without four significant defensive contributors in one game. That level of attrition in the secondary and at linebacker creates real vulnerability against an offense built to punish exactly those kinds of gaps, quick-strike passing combined with explosive rushing lanes that a thinned-out front seven and back end will struggle to consistently contain.
This dynamic shifts enormous weight onto Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense. If the defense cannot get off the field on third downs or limit big plays, Dallas likely needs to match Baltimore possession for possession. That means Prescott will need to be efficient and aggressive, and the receiving corps will need to win contested situations to keep pace on the scoreboard. The running game will also be asked to control tempo when possible, but given the injury list on defense, this game realistically projects as a track meet where whichever quarterback plays cleaner and scores more efficiently comes out ahead.
Rust versus opportunity
Unlike a team dealing purely with health, Dallas's issue is concentrated specifically in the front seven and secondary, which raises real questions about coverage disguise, communication and depth at safety and linebacker heading into Sunday. Young or backup players will be asked to step into significant roles immediately, which often leads to communication breakdowns and missed assignments, exactly the kind of mistakes a high-powered Baltimore offense is equipped to exploit.
For fantasy purposes and for Cowboys fans alike, the read here is straightforward: Dallas's path to victory runs through its offense, not its defense. Prescott, the receiving corps, and the offensive line will need to control the game script and put points on the board at a rate that can offset what could be a difficult day for a defense missing several core starters.