The Dallas Cowboys will have to wait at least another week for pass rusher Micah Parsons and cornerback DaRon Bland to return.
Parsons has been ruled out for a fourth straight game due to a high ankle sprain, and Bland won’t make his season debut this Sunday at Atlanta after having surgery for a stress fracture in his foot late in the preseason.
The Cowboys (3-4) have struggled to put pressure on quarterbacks without Parsons and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, who is on injured reserve with a foot injury. Both players were hurt on September 26 against the New York Giants.
Bland, who set an NFL record last season by returning five interceptions for touchdowns, was activated off injured reserve this week, which required the Cowboys to make room for him on the roster.
To create space for Bland, Dallas placed cornerback Amani Oruwariye on injured reserve after he injured his back in last weekend’s 30-24 loss to San Francisco.
This is the first time in his three-plus seasons that Parsons is missing games due to injury. He and Lawrence are the most accomplished pass rushers on the Cowboys’ roster.
The Cowboys are currently on their second two-game losing streak of the season as they prepare to face the NFC South-leading Falcons. Dallas has lost two games in a row only twice in the previous three seasons combined while reaching the playoffs with a 12-5 record each year.
Rookie cornerback Caelen Carson, who stepped in for Bland at the start of the season, is listed as questionable after missing the last four games due to a shoulder injury.
Dallas has also ruled out defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, even though he fully participated in practice all week. Phillips had spent time on injured reserve with a wrist injury.
