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Cole Beasley remains Cowboys' primary punt returner
Jean-Jacques Taylor, ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- Cole Beasley remains the Dallas Cowboys' punt returner even after his muffed punt late in the fourth quarter Sunday eliminated any chance of a miracle comeback.
On fourth-and-3 from the New York Giants' 32 with 1:36 left, punter Brad Wing lifted a high punt to the Dallas 16. Beasley, who backpedaled 10 yards to field it, had the ball bounce off his hands and right to a Giants defender.
Beasley has done little returning punts this season, averaging 4.1 yards on eight returns with a long of 12. But until Sunday at least he had caught the ball.
Coach Jason Garrett said the Cowboys are trying to give rookie Lucky Whitehead some opportunities to return punts.
Those opportunities will usually come when the offense is backed up inside the 20 and the odds increase that the punter will launch a more favorable kick to return in his haste not to have the punt blocked.
In normal situations, Beasley will still return kicks.
“Both of them are ready,” Garrett said. “Beasley was going to return some punts Sunday and Lucky was going to return some punts, but it just didn’t work out that way."
Jean-Jacques Taylor, ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- Cole Beasley remains the Dallas Cowboys' punt returner even after his muffed punt late in the fourth quarter Sunday eliminated any chance of a miracle comeback.
On fourth-and-3 from the New York Giants' 32 with 1:36 left, punter Brad Wing lifted a high punt to the Dallas 16. Beasley, who backpedaled 10 yards to field it, had the ball bounce off his hands and right to a Giants defender.
Beasley has done little returning punts this season, averaging 4.1 yards on eight returns with a long of 12. But until Sunday at least he had caught the ball.
Coach Jason Garrett said the Cowboys are trying to give rookie Lucky Whitehead some opportunities to return punts.
Those opportunities will usually come when the offense is backed up inside the 20 and the odds increase that the punter will launch a more favorable kick to return in his haste not to have the punt blocked.
In normal situations, Beasley will still return kicks.
“Both of them are ready,” Garrett said. “Beasley was going to return some punts Sunday and Lucky was going to return some punts, but it just didn’t work out that way."