The Dallas Cowboys were the better team on both sides of the ball against the Indianapolis Colts. It wasn't even close. And yet, they trailed with 1:38 left in regulation, needing Dak Prescott to play hero to escape Lucas Oil Stadium with a win.
You never apologize for a road win in the NFL, but there wasn't much to glean from Dallas' performance. And to make matters worse, they lost multiple key players to injury.
In his postgame availability, Brian Schottenheimer said that tight end Jake Ferguson will undergo additional testing on his left knee Monday when the team returns to Dallas.
Additionally, P.J. Locke suffered another concussion, with Schottenheimer saying that the veteran safety is "covered in our prayers." Locke suffered a concussion in Week 8 against Arizona, but cleared protocol in time to play on Sunday.
Not ideal. Not one bit.
Injuries are starting to pile up again for the Cowboys
It stands to reason that both Ferguson and Locke will miss time.
Ferguson's injury, in particular, looked concerning. He took an awkward hit on a crossing route. He got upended and kept his balance, but his left knee planted awkwardly. The 27-year-old was down for a few moments and was seen pointing to his knee before being treated. He immediately motioned for the medical staff.
If there's a silver lining, it's that Ferguson wasn't immediately ruled out. He never returned to the game, but the fact that he was initially listed as questionable offers some reason for optimism. When players are ruled out shortly after leaving the field, it's often an indication of a more serious injury.
It stands to reason that Ferguson, who had an incredible touchdown grab in the second quarter to put Dallas up 10-7, will miss time.
The same goes for Locke. Two concussions in seven days is scary. He had another missed tackle against the Colts that led to a long touchdown, but you still want him on the field over Markquese Bell and Alijah Clark.
With Jalen Thompson still on IR with a hamstring, the Cowboys' safety room is in a concerning spot ahead of a clash against the 49ers, the current No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Schottenheimer gives updates on George Pickens and Joey Porter Jr.
In a bit of a surprise, Pickens and Porter Jr. were ruled out hours before kickoff despite practicing in at least a limited capacity all week.
Per Schottenheimer, the Cowboys are more concerned about Pickens' hamstring than his shoulder. The team expects to follow a similar timeline this week, with Pickens practicing before a decision on his availability against San Francisco is made later in the week (h/t Todd Archer, ESPN).
"He tried to go. He wanted to play,” Schottenheimer said about Pickens. “He loves football. He tried to play and unfortunately just ran out of time.”
It doesn't appear to be a long-term concern, but you'd much rather Pickens' shoulder be giving him more trouble than his hamstring. We all know how tricky hammys can be.
On Porter, Schottenheimer said the star cornerback is battling a heel injury. Like Pickens, the Cowboys will see how Porter feels during the week before deciding if he can go in Week 10.
“When you're a corner, sometimes foots can be tricky, but I thought he had a solid practice Friday, but on Saturday he was pretty sore, so we weren't sure," Schottenheimer said.
Would Porter be playing if he were signed to a long-term contract? That might have something to do with it, but there's no denying that foot injuries and cornerbacks are a horrible combination.
Porter has been outstanding since arriving from Pittsburgh, allowing just two catches on nine targets and a 39.6 passer rating when targeted, per Pro Football Focus. He's effectively neutralized every receiver who's lined up across from him.
The Cowboys' secondary held its own without him on Sunday, but that came against the Colts and Daniel Jones. I wouldn't bank on a repeat performance against the 49ers.
Hopefully, he and Pickens can go next week because it looks like Ferguson and Locke face long odds of being out there.
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