Fish Report: 10 Cowboys FishTips Prepping For 49ers
By Mike Fisher
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FRISCO (105.3 The Fan) - Recapping the Fish Report from Friday morning's Cowboys-related visit with "Shan & RJ'' on 105.3 The Fan … with 10 FishTips:
FISHTIP 1: The Dez Bryant MRI controversy is now behind the Cowboys, Bryant telling me on Thursday that he "feels good and positive'' about his knee and, "You know I'm doing all the right things to get back on the field.''
FISHTIP 2: My prediction, though, is that Bryant sits out this week. I also anticipate he is held out of practice today, though I will update that today at 11:30 with "G-Bag Nation'' live from The Star in Frisco.
FISHTIP 3: We'll also know more in a bit about defensive back Orlando Scandrick and his two hamstring injuries. I would predict right now that he plays Sunday in San Francisco.
FISHTIP 4: Left tackle Tyron Smith (back) is iffy for Sunday. Dallas has spent the week preparing Chaz Green to start in that spot — but it's worth noting that coach Jason Garrett told me he doesn't have a set policy regarding "having to practice to play.'' So this can be a game-time decision.
FISHTIP 5: Doug Free (quad) has been practicing all week and looks good to go.
FISHTIP 6: Anthony Hitchens is holding off vet Justin Durant as the starting middle linebacker but Hitch could be on a "short leash'' on Sunday depending on how he performs early.
FISHTIP 7: There is no "QB controversy' and there is no major storyline regarding Tony Romo except that next Thursday will take him to the six-week mark after his back injury — the exact healing time we've discussed. I wonder if he'll participate in practice that day, in anticipation of him making his on-field debut in the Cowboys-vs.-Eagles game on …
FISHTIP 8: Meanwhile, this week the 49ers might give rookie QB Dak Prescott his greatest challenge. Oh, you can vertical on this cornerbacks. (Hello, Brice Butler?) But Jason Witten has talked to me about how cleverly the 49ers hide their defensive intentions, and Witten himself has a matchup challenge with safety Reid. San Francisco has a good front-seven — one of the 49ers' few strengths.
FISHTIP 9: The Joneses talk so optimistically about Randy Gregory, who now officially has a 10-game suspension stacked atop his four-game suspension, meaning he comes back from NFL drug jail in Week 16 … if he really comes back at all. It'd be great if he'd get his life together (football or not), but consider the reason he and the NFLPA might've dropped the appeal to the drug suspensions: How many drug tests can you fail — and here, again, Gregory may have stacked this suspensions while stacking failed tests -- and still plead innocence?
FISHTIP 10: The cover-up is often more damaging than the crime. Garrett opted to be less than forthcoming with the media. That won't help his relationship with us … but I've understood his intentions all along, ever since on Monday night 105.3 The Fan first learned that Dez had "gone off the reservation''; Garrett was protecting his player.
Dez' thoughts on that, as expressed to me: "Coach Garrett has my back and I have his. I love Coach Garrett. It's all good.''
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