Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee has never had good luck with injuries during his NFL career. Now, the All-Pro has bad timing with his injuries.
Coach Jason Garrett delivered what sounds like not-so-good news about Lee’s injured hamstring.
“It might be some time,” Garrett said, via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News.
The Cowboys still list Lee as day to day, but he isn’t likely to play Sunday against the Eagles. It gets worse: The Cowboys have only three days off between games, playing the Chargers on Thanksgiving. Then, they play the following Thursday. So facing a stretch of three games in 11 days, it might be a stretch for the Cowboys to get Lee back for any of them.
Lee missed two games earlier this season with the hamstring injury and aggravated it after only eight plays in Sunday’s loss to the Falcons. Jaylon Smith repalaced Lee and made four tackles, but the Falcons rushed for 132 yards on 34 carries despite losing starting running back Devonta Freeman to a concussion after only two plays.
“Obviously when your front-line players go out, you have to be able to continue to play and be effective,” Garrett said. “Often times that’s seen on the offensive side of the ball, but it certainly applies to defense and certainly applies in Sean Lee’s case. We simply have to play better when he’s not in there. It’s not only against the run, but it’s against the pass. We’ll continue to look at that, the personnel that we have in there, what we’re asking them to do and just seeing if they’re capable of doing it on a consistent basis. Again, we’re evaluating that. We have to make sure we get better in that area.”
Left tackle Tyron Smith has a better chance to return to the lineup this month. The All-Pro worked out Monday morning, including running, as he nurses a groin injury that kept him out Sunday. Chaz Green started in Smith’s place and allowed five sacks before the Cowboys benched him.
“We’ll take his situation day-by-day,” Garrett said of Smith. “Probably don’t anticipate him practicing on Wednesday, but hopefully as the week goes on, he gets healthier and healthier and gets on the practice field.”
The Cowboys were without Lee, Smith, kicker Dan Bailey and running back Ezekiel Elliott for all or most of Sunday’s game. The four players have combined for eight Pro Bowls and four All-Pro nods.