Most teams headed into the bye week are far from the center of attention in the league. But that is not the case for the Cowboys, who enter the week off with a five-game winning streak. But it's not even the success that has created such a league-wide buzz.
Obviously the looming the decision the Cowboys need to make regarding the quarterback situation has taken on a life of its own. Every talking head from media members to just former players looking to share their opinion has seemingly weighed in on the Dak Prescott/Tony Romo situation.
Romo is not expected to be ready for the next game against the Eagles, but the Nov. 6 matchup in Cleveland seems like a better target date for his return.
But does he get his job back right away? That's the question on everyone's minds. Nationally, it appears the more prominent names such as Jimmy Johnson, Brett Favre, Roger Staubach and even Troy Aikman are siding with Prescott, mainly because the Cowboys have won five straight games and making a change could derail the team's momentum.
Other than a few comments Jerry Jones has made regarding Romo being expected to get his job back, the organization has been rather quiet on the situation. Head coach Jason Garrett has continued to sidestep the questions, mainly because they haven't been prominent for the current week. That is about to change here in a couple of weeks when Romo is expected to return from the back injury he suffered in Seattle during the preseason.
While Romo is not likely to return for the Eagles game on Oct. 30, there will be other veterans that could be back on the field. Most notably is Dez Bryant, who has missed the last three games with a hairline fracture in his knee. After the bye week, there will be four straight weeks of rest, making it more than likely that Bryant will be on the field to face the Eagles. Last week Bryant said he is "ready to roll" for the next game.
Cornerback Orlando Scandrick has missed four straight games with hamstring injuries but said he expects to be in the lineup against the Eagles.
Players who were injured Sunday against the Packers, such as cornerback Morris Claiborne, should be available to practice next week. Claiborne suffered a concussion but is likely to practice following the bye. DeMarcus Lawrence had an MRI on his shoulder but the Cowboys don't seem overly concerned with his status.
Also, players who were on reserved lists are eligible to return to action this week. However, don't expect Darren McFadden, James Hanna and certainly not Jaylen Smith to be ready to play this week. Smith is not expected to play all season but McFadden and/or Hanna could work back into practice rather soon.
