The Dallas Cowboys might have gotten a win on Sunday Night Football in thrilling fashion, but it cost them their leading receiver for the next four to six weeks. The Cowboys simply cannot afford injuries if they are going to capitalize off the success of last season and they especially cannot afford an injury to Dez Bryant who suffered a broken foot in the win over the New York Giants. Depth now becomes an issue in Dallas.
According to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones via Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPN.com, Bryant suffered a broken bone in his right foot which will sideline him for the next four to six weeks. The receiver will undergo surgery to have a pin inserted into his foot after the injury occurred sometime in the fourth quarter. This is certainly not good timing for the Cowboys after they just gave Bryant a lengthy extension worth five years and $70 million with $48 million in guaranteed money. Now they are left to rely on depth to get by.
"That's a tough loss. You can't replace Dez Bryant," quarterback Tony Romo said, via ESPN.com. "I hurt for him, right now, because I know how much he loves to play this game. You need guys to step up. No one is going to be Dez Bryant, but the guys can do what they do well, and that's my job is to help that whole situation."
One of those guys to step up will be Terrance Williams who will assume the No.1 receiver spot in place of Bryant. Last night, Williams had five catches for 60 yards. The coaching staff praised the receiver during the preseason for the improvement that he showed coming into the new year. With Bryant out, Williams will be the top target for Romo in the passing game along with Cole Beasley. They were the only other true wide receivers to get targets in Sunday night's game.
"Coach [Jason] Garrett and Coach [Scott Linehan], they talk about it a lot that you need to win the big plays and the big-chunk plays," Williams said, via ESPN.com. "I just think the more chances I get with the ball in my hands, that that's always in the back of my mind to get a big play."
Another player that could end up being big in the absence of Bryant is Lance Dunbar. While the preseason featured a running back race that was focused on Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden, it was Dunbar that made the biggest impact. While he did not put up any yards on the ground, he led the team in receiving with eight catches for 70 yards. That worked out well for Romo while the run game only mustered up 80 yards total between Randle and McFadden. Dunbar along with tight end Jason Witten formed a nice little duo for the quarterback to work with.
