Less than three weeks after a scuffle with the Raiders resulted in multiple ejections, the Cowboys saw another player booted from action for unnecessary roughness on Sunday, with right tackle La'el Collins ejected for throwing punches in the final minutes of Week 14's win over Washington Football Team. Trailing Dallas 27-14 with just over five minutes to go, Washington's William Bradley-King shoved Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott just after Prescott threw the ball and just before the QB stepped out of bounds, and Collins proceeded to push and swing at the defensive end in retaliation.
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was actually the first to shove Bradley-King after the hit, which sent Prescott to his knees on the sidelines, but Collins was more forceful, running in from afar to push Bradley-King and then throw at least one punch. The officials quickly ejected the veteran offensive lineman, and Bradley-King wasn't penalized for his fourth-quarter hit, which technically came in bounds.
As ProFootballTalk notes, this comes a year after Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy explicitly said he wanted his players to show more aggression in defending their QB after then-backup Andy Dalton took a hard hit against Washington.
Collins' absence down the stretch left Dallas without its starting two tackles, as left tackle Tyron Smith left the game earlier in the day due to an ankle injury. Smith also missed time earlier this year with an ankle issue, so it's unclear if he'll be ready to return in Week 15.
With The First Pick Newsletter
With The First Pick Newsletter
Prepare for the upcoming NFL Draft with the day’s big stories + mock drafts, big board updates and more.
