The Dallas Cowboys lost running back Lance Dunbar for the remainder of the season to a torn ACL and MCL in last week’s loss at New Orleans.
With Dunbar’s injury, the Cowboys appeared to have turned to Darren Mc-Fadden as their top receiving option out of the backfield against the New England Patriots.
McFadden (Pulaski Oak Grove, Arkansas Razorbacks) was the Cowboys’ leading receiver Sunday, catching 9 passes for 62 yards in a 30-6 loss to the defending Super Bowl champions. He rushed for 16 yards on 5 carries and also recorded a tackle.
A 12-yard completion to McFadden from quarterback Brandon Weeden on third-and-12 from the Dallas 11 with 7:13 left in the second quarter was wiped out by a holding penalty on offensive guard Ronald Leary.
McFadden’s 1-yard run from the New England 8 helped set up Dan Bailey’s 23-yard field goal that pulled the Cowboys within 20-6 with 1:22 left in the third quarter.
On the Cowboys’ final drive of the game, McFadden caught five passes for 34 yards. In other games involving players with Arkansas connections, Zach Hocker (Razorbacks) made a 21-yard field goal for the New Orleans Saints in the third quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles. Hocker’s field goal tied the game at 10-10 with 11:12 left in the third quarter, but the Eagles went on to win 39-17. Defensive lineman Cedric Thornton (Star City) had an unassisted tackle for Philadelphia. Left tackle Terron Armstead (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) was not active for the Saints on Sunday with an unspecified knee injury. … Tight end Charles Clay (Little Rock Central) caught 1 pass for 7 yards in the Buffalo Bills’ 14-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans. Clay was targeted three times by the Bills. … Defensive lineman Clinton McDonald (Jacksonville) recorded 3 tackles, including 1 for a loss, to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 38-31. … Running back Knile Davis (Razorbacks) rushed for 2 yards on 2 carries in the Kansas City Chiefs’ 18-17 loss to the Chicago Bears. … On Thursday night, Houston Texans quarterback Ryan Mallett (Razorbacks) completed 7 of 10 passes for 50 yards with 1 interception against the Indianapolis Colts before being replaced by Brian Hoyer. Mallett was also sacked once in the Texans’ 27-20 loss to the Colts.