With star quarterback Dak Prescott already out for the season due to a torn hamstring, the Dallas Cowboys now face another setback, as right guard Zack Martin, a seven-time All-Pro, is sidelined because of a bad ankle.
This injury comes at a time when the Cowboys (5-7) have been showing improvement, winning consecutive games that have sparked hopes of an unexpected playoff push.
The Cincinnati Bengals are coming to town for a Monday night game, the second of three straight games against teams with losing records, but they’re still a dangerous opponent. Despite the Bengals’ disappointing 4-8 record, quarterback Joe Burrow has been playing at an MVP level.
Dallas pass rusher Micah Parsons is confident despite the setbacks. “It’s just like nothing changes,” he said. “We got who we got, and nothing’s going to change that. Let’s just play ball, man. Let’s just have fun. We got a great opportunity Monday night to put on a show. We’re gonna be the only show on TV.”
Burrow is one of only five quarterbacks in NFL history to have at least 30 touchdown passes and no more than five interceptions through 12 games. He leads the league with 3,337 passing yards, 302 completions, and 30 touchdowns, with just five interceptions.
However, despite these impressive stats, Burrow’s Bengals are only 4-8, much different from other quarterbacks who have posted similar numbers but with winning records. For example, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady both led their teams to 12-0 records while putting up similar numbers in previous seasons.
Burrow, though, isn’t focused on the playoffs just yet. He’s determined to end the Bengals’ second three-game losing streak of the season. However, he believes performing well in prime-time games like this Monday night one is important.
“Whether you like it or not, how you perform on prime-time games matters as far as perception across the league,” Burrow said. “I think if you perform great on prime-time nights, then you start to get a little different reputation across the league.”
Martin, the Cowboys’ right guard, chose to have season-ending ankle surgery after missing the last two games. He hurt his ankle late in the previous Monday night game, a 34-10 loss to Houston on November 18.
Prescott also underwent season-ending surgery after playing just eight games. Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence has been out since Week 4 with a foot injury and is expected to be at least another week away from returning.
Dallas coach Mike McCarthy acknowledged the reality of injuries: “It’s not a matter of if you’re going to have injuries, you’re always going to have injuries,” he said. “It’s just a matter of how many and when they come and who gets injuries. It takes so many players to get through the season, and this is another illustration of that.”
