Things appeared to be going from bad to worse for the Dallas Cowboys. The already lost Dez Bryant then they lost Tony Romo and now there is concern regarding Jason Witten. Suddenly that efficient offense from 2014 is falling apart just two games into the new season. The Cowboys have made it clear that Bryant and Romo are not coming back any time soon, but Witten is making it clear that he has everything intention of being on the field come Week 3 against the Atlanta Falcons.
The Cowboys need Witten, The team cannot afford to have both their star wide receiver and star tight end out of the mix. According to ESPN's Todd Archer, Witten suffered sprains in both ankles and his left knee in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles and was originally ruled out for play in Week 3. The tight end did report to practice on Wednesday and Archer wrote Witten was walking slower, but still look normal turns and appeared to be ok. Witten told the media he expected to play on Sunday.
"I'm confident,'' Witten said, via the Dallas Morning News. "I felt good out there. I'll just continue to take it day by day."
That is good news for the Cowboys who would be really out of luck should Witten not play. Brandon Weeden is taking over the starting job and teammates appear confident in the backup's ability. Head coach Jason Garrett and owner Jerry Jones praised his abilities on the field. When he immediately stepped in after Romo's injury, he tossed a touchdown to Terrance Williams. That connection is expected to continue while Cole Beasley and Devin Street will see more time on the field than normal. Despite trading for Matt Cassel, Weeden will be the starter as the Cowboys have no plans to make any other roster moves.
"I think being here for my second year in the same system, first and foremost," said Weeden, via FOX Sports. "Being around the same guys, hearing the same language, just kind of being around Tony. I think just being around Scott [Linehan] and how he does things, kind of his mindset going into games with Tony. I'm not going to be tentative. I'm an aggressive guy by nature. I always have been, maybe sometimes, truth will tell it, to a fault. But you got to smart at the same time. You have to go out and execute plays."
The biggest need now for the Cowboys is to have the run game improve. The team is hopeful that Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden can begin to find momentum. Lance Dunbar has been the most active in the passing game which is expected to continue with Weeden making more short throws than ones down the field.