The Dallas Cowboys got a much-needed win on Thursday Night Football, as they beat the New York Giants with a final score of 20-15. Despite the team pulling together for the win, there is some bad news in terms of injuries on the defense.
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Star defensive end Micah Parsons suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter, and had to be carted off the field after being checked out in the blue medical tent. Parsons admitted he was unsure of the extent of the injury, but it was reported that he suffered a high ankle sprain.
So far, the Cowboys have not released a timetable for a Parsons return, but high ankle sprains can often sideline players for multiple weeks. To make matters worse, fellow edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence was also injured, and will also now be out for weeks.
#Cowboys DE DeMarcus Lawrence is expected to miss multiple weeks because of the foot injury he suffered Thursday night, per sources.
With Micah Parsons dealing with a high-ankle sprain, Dallas now likely will be without two of its top defenders until after the Week 7 bye. pic.twitter.com/6OcbyM5OUy
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 27, 2024
Lawrence exited the game after injuring his right foot and did not return. The injury will now sideline the defensive end for multiple weeks.
The Cowboys will now be without two of its most important defensive players presumably through to Week 7, and the bye week. The Cowboys are set to face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5, the Detroit Lions in Week 6, and will return to play the San Francisco 49ers in Week 8.
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Losing both Lawrence and Parsons for all three of these games will be tough, as the Steelers, Lions, and 49ers all have heavily capable offenses that could dominate defenses that have no pass rush.
Star cornerback Trevon Diggs was also injured on Thursday, though he left the game due to dehydration. The hope is that he can return in Week 5.
The Cowboys played on Thursday, meaning they have over a week to get healthy to face the Steelers. They will not get Parsons and Lawrence back for the game, but Diggs can certainly return if his injury is revealed just to be minor.
Losing defensive stars will surely impact the Cowboys and Mike Zimmer’s defensive capabilities. Zimmer came through in fine style on Thursday, holding the Giants to just 15 points.
This is a far cry from Week 2, where the New Orleans Saints dropped 44 points on the Cowboys.
The Cowboys don’t often start this slow, but a new defensive coordinator in Zimmer could have aided the team’s uncharacteristic slow start. However, they are now 2-2 and there is plenty of football left to play.
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Still, losing Parsons and Lawrence for weeks is going to make the defensive end position thin for the Cowboys.
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