Further tests give Cowboys clearer picture of Aaron Jones’ Week 10 status
The Green Bay Packers have been a thorn in the Dallas Cowboys’ side as of late. The NFC North team leads the series 8-2 in their last ten matchups, thanks largely in part to the stellar play of Aaron Rodgers.
Set to face again for the first time since 2019, the narrative looks much different this time around. The Cowboys are well-rested, 6-2, and ready to go after the bye week. The Packers, on the other hand, enter this week on a five-game losing streak and have almost no chance of making the playoffs with a 3-6 record.
Perhaps the biggest problem for Green Bay right now is injuries. To make a 15-9 loss to the Lions last Sunday even worse, there were a whopping eight players who exited the Week 9 game at some point due to injury. There seemed to be more crutches and walking boots on the sidelines than helmets and cleats.
Perhaps one of the biggest names to hit this list is their best offensive weapon in running back Aaron Jones. The Pro Bowler injured his ankle in Week 9 and did not return to the game. After being able to jog himself to the locker room to get X-rays, the RB was seen on the sideline in a walking boot, which caused fear in Packers fans.
However, the results from tests done on Jones have all been negative and ESPN’s Adam Schefter says Jones “should be able to play this week,” which is a huge sigh of relief for Green Bay.
Tests on Packers’ RB Aaron Jones’ ankle today came back negative and, according to a source, “(Jones) should be able to play this week.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 7, 2022
Packers RB Aaron Jones (ankle) expected to play against Cowboys in Week 10
This team without Jones would be a walk in the park for a Cowboys team that is strong in every defensive element besides run defense. While Schefter and others are reporting that Jones should be good to go, he will still likely be limited in practices this week leading up to the big game.
As mentioned, he won’t be the only one on the injury report either.
- WR Romeo Doubts hurt his ankle and was on crutches on Sunday
- CB Eric Stokes was wearing a boot on his right foot
- LB Rashan Gary is out for the season with a torn ACL
- WR Christian Watson was evaluated for a concussion
- LB Krys Barnes was evaluated for a concussion
- LT David Bakhtiari was having knee issues
You never want to see a player on any team injured, but it’s hard to imagine the Packers finding new success with so many key pieces injured and potentially limited in Week 10.
Jones has 107 carries for 600 yards this season to go along with 32 receptions for 210 yards. The 27-year-old also has four total touchdowns. His backups are A.J. Dillon, who has been the current RB2 for Green Bay, and Kylin Hill who was recently elevated from the PUP list after recovering from an ACL tear.
Dillon and Hill are decent at their jobs, but they pale in comparison next to Jones. Thankfully for Rodgers and Matt LaFleur, it seems like keeping Jones out of the rest of Sunday’s game was precautionary more than anything:
"“I was fine. They sent me for X-rays. X-rays were fine, but they decided to hold me [out]. It was frustrating because I felt like I could have went, but they were being smart. I definitely respect them, because after I stopped moving around and I sat still for a while, it got kind of sore. I respect them.”"
The Cowboys should now be fully preparing for Jones to participate in Sunday’s game, which will be a serious test for a run defense that struggled mightily in Dallas’s last game against Chicago.
