Dallas Cowboys' Injuries Might Force Jason Garrett To Limit Starters Playing Time Against Rams

by Ryan Bush

Let’s hope that Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett wasn’t planning on using Saturday night’s preseason game at Cowboys Stadium against St. Louis as a tune-up for his regular twenty-two starters.  Because circumstances won’t allow him to.

The injury-bug seems to have set-up permanent shop at Camp Cowboy, as players have been dropping to the ground like flies during much of training camp and preseason.  Now only twelve days from the start of the regular season, his lineup versus the Rams promises to look very much different from what he envisioned three weeks before.

Miles Austin and Dez Bryant are out, as is tight end Jason Witten.  The offensive line is a mess in constant flux, and the defensive line isn’t any better.  Outside linebacker Anthony Spencer just returned to the practice field after a lengthy bout with a hamstring pull, but isn’t certain if he will suit up either.  Oh, and Mike Jenkins is still nursing his wounds in the training room, leaving Rob Ryan’s defense without yet another vital piece to their new-look unit.

All of which shapes a very important question for Garrett to answer.  Most head coaches will play their starters into the third quarter this weekend.  Will he do the same?  Or, better yet, should he do the same?

Of all the injuries that have occurred during this slate of summer practices – and there have been quite a number of them – none (excepting, possibly Witten) will keep a projected starter from missing their season-opening game against the New York Giants on Sep. 5.

Is it worth the risk of injury to let Tony Romo stay on the field into the second half and play catch with Ramon Radway and Kevin Ogletree?  And what about Demarco Murray running behind what is still a makeshift offensive line?  Sure, getting him in tip-top game-shape is important during the preseason, but isn’t his health and durability just as, if not more so?  Will cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne actually benefit from squaring off for a half or more against a Rams team without a marquee wide receiver?

For a team that appears to be bitten by the injury-bug, Garrett might be forced to play it safe and turn Saturday night at the Arlington Mosque into a glorified tryout for a backseat roster spot on America’s Team.