The bye week allows the chance to do several things. For one, it breaks the monotony. Since Week 1 the Dallas Cowboys have been locked into a rhythm of game preparation. A week off allows the coaching staff to do an extended amount of self scouting, which could lead to new game-plan wrinkles as they step back and see what was and wasn’t working from how they planned out the season.
Another level of course is health. A week off from the bangs and bruises is helpful to every player, whether they have an injury or not. But when a player has missed time, getting a week of rest and recuperation is paramount to finishing the year strong.
(Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Cowboys fans have to be hoping the hyperextended knee Elliott suffered against the Lions that forced him to miss Week 8 is just that. No one outside the team knew that Elliott’s consistently problematic injury in 2021 was a partially torn PCL. Tony Pollard can’t handle the rushing duties on his own and any of the backups can’t provide the things Elliott does, even if they can gain tough yards. Dallas needs a healthy 21 to win in ’22.
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Parsons has already appeared on the injury report three different times in eight games, along with a couple other in-game nicks. He’s held on virtually every play by 300-plus pound linemen and that takes its toll over a season. A chance to regenerate a couple cells for this made-in-a-lab superhero is definitely a good thing.
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Smith’s hamstring tore from the bone, but Dallas didn’t shut him down for the year. Now, they are counting the weeks to get him back on the field and that means any week that doesn’t include a missed game is a great thing. He could be back sometime in the set of games that include and surround Thanksgiving.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Getting Clark back in action before the bye was something no one believed could happen, but there he was taking 33 snaps on defense after Anthony Barr went down vs Chicago.
A week of rest following such a heavy work load should allow that scar tissue to do its thing as the spinal fusion surgery is left in the past. Two weeks to evaluate his first pro snaps will help the fastest linebacker on the team.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
As expected around these parts, Gallup’s return to the field has not…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Cowboys Wire…