IRVING, Texas – By most accounts, the Cowboys were dominated physically in Seattle on Sunday, and it certainly looked like they got the worse end of a fight the next day.
Valley Ranch looked like a MASH unit on Monday, as the Cowboys regrouped to study game tape and lick their wounds. The defense, in particular, was ailing a day after they were dominated in the second half, allowing 149 rushing yards.
Nursing injuries were both starting safeties, Gerald Sensabaugh
and Barry Church, each of whom had left the game by the end. Church suffered a bruised quad that he said swelled up overnight, while Sensabaugh was in a walking boot after straining his calf. Head coach Jason Garrett called both injuries day-to-day. Danny McCray and Mana Silva ran with the first-team at the end of Sunday’s contest. Fourth-round pick Matt Johnson has been injured most of the time since he was drafted, and the Cowboys may need to make a roster move to avoid being very shorthanded at safety.
“I think their health will dictate what we need to do in that situation,” Garrett said. “Mario Butler had played some safety for us throughout the preseason, so he’s certainly an option there, but we will be down if those guys are out, so we’ve got to make sure we know the options available to us, but again, that will be predicated on their health status.”
Defensive linemen Marcus Spears and Kenyon Coleman were also injured in the game. Spears sustained an ankle injury, while Coleman hyper-extended his knee and was getting around on crutches. Nose tackle Jay Ratliff missed Sunday’s game with a high ankle sprain, but may be able to return as soon as this week.
The best news the Cowboys got Monday may be the relatively good feelings of tight end Jason Witten, who is still just over a month off of suffering a lacerated spleen and took several big hits in the game, and Sean Lee, who was victimized by a severe crack-back block. Lee said he was OK Monday, just sore, while Witten said his spleen injury had nothing to do with a frustrating game that included several drops.
“It’s all good,” Witten said. “No setbacks. I feel fine. I just didn’t play well. I had too many opportunities I didn’t take advantage of in the passing game.”
