Report: Cowboys bench Brandon Weeden in favor of Matt Cassel

Jerry Jones’ “thing of beauty” reportedly will get plenty of beauty rest.

According to ESPN’s Ed Werder, the Dallas Cowboys will make a change at quarterback. Brandon Weeden, who has started the past three games in place of an injured Tony Romo, will turn to Matt Cassel, whom the Cowboys acquired from the Buffalo Bills after Romo’s injury.

Weeden has struggled in the team’s three straight losses, despite running a streak at one point of 20 consecutive passes completed — that streak ended when Weeden completed an interception to the Atlanta Falcons, and it has gone down since then against the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots as the Cowboys fell to 2-3.

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The Bills might regret trading Cassel considering that starter Tyrod Taylor is, according to Bills head coach Rex Ryan, “banged up.” But the Cowboys now have an experienced starter, albeit one who has been in the system for less than a month.

The Cowboys are on bye in Week 6 and will face the first-place New York Giants in a huge road test in Week 7.

Romo isn’t expected back from his broken collarbone until Week 11 at the soonest, meaning that Cassel likely will have to keep the Cowboys — who are 2-0 in NFC East games — afloat for another four games. After the Giants, the Cowboys face the Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers prior to the Week 11 game at the Miami Dolphins for which Romo could return.

Weeden, who has lost his past 11 starts, has completed 71 of 98 passes for 739 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Not awful numbers, but the Cowboys went three-and-out six times against the Patriots and didn’t score a touchdown. Over the past 10 quarters, the Cowboys have scored 26 points.

Cassel looked good this preseason with the Bills but is not much more than a game manager at this point in his career. Wide receiver Dez Bryant is said to be healing miraculously fast and could also come back in Week 7. His return appears to be a bigger boon to the offense than inserting Cassel, who has 30 TDs and 34 interceptions over the past four seasons.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm