The running offense of the Detroit Lions had been viewed by the Cowboys as a significant threat in their forthcoming Week 7 encounter. Through five games, Jamaal Williams and D’Andre Swift have been a strong duo, contributing to the team’s impressive average of 151.4 rushing yards per game.
However, it appears that only one-half of that one-two punch will be used for the Arlington game on Sunday.
Swift is not anticipated to play against the Cowboys, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Due to separate shoulder and ankle problems, he had been labeled as questionable to participate and had been “restricted” in practice all week.
In the Lions’ season opener against Philadelphia, the third-year running back out of Georgia scored and racked up 144 yards on the ground.
But that day, the 23-year-old sprained his ankle, severely impeding him ever since. Swift was able to participate in a limited capacity in Detroit’s next two games, but in Week 3’s game against Minnesota, he reinjured his ankle and shoulder. He completely missed Weeks 4 and 5, and he had intended to use the team’s bye week to get well in time for the match against Dallas.
Swift claimed he was “certainly going in the right direction” and that he was “pushing to play” against the Cowboys, but it now seems that he will continue his rehabilitation.
Instead, the Cowboys will anticipate seeing a lot of Williams. With 332 yards, the former Packer is currently among the top 25 rushers in the league, just 54 yards behind Ezekiel Elliott’s total. Throughout the year, he has scored six touchdowns and averages 4.3 yards per carry.
Dallas’ run defense has not been particularly strong throughout its six games. They are ranked 16th in the league for yards allowed per rush and 19th for total yards allowed. The team’s two defeats to Tampa Bay and Philadelphia were heavily influenced by their inability to stop the run; in their victory over the Giants in Week 3, Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones amassed 160 combined ground yards as a result.
