IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys will hope for good news on a pair of key players Monday afternoon at Valley Ranch.
Both DeMarcus Ware and DeMarco Murray will have MRIs on their respective injuries. Ware missed the second half of the Redskins game with a right quad strain while Murray suffered a knee injury in the second quarter and didn't return. Head coach Jason Garrett said Murray had a sprained MCL.
Monday morning, Ware said the quad injury was as painful as any injury he's had.
"I could barely walk," said Ware, who said the injury occurred on the first tackle of the game, which was Washington's third play from scrimmage. Ware also said his other injuries to his neck, back and elbow felt better than he had all season.
Ware has never missed a game in his career. In fact, the only other time Ware suffered an injury and didn't return occurred in 2009 against the Chargers when he had a serious neck injury that resulted in his face mask being removed, his neck stabilized [embedded_ad] as he was carted off the field. Still, he played the next week in New Orleans and had two sacks in an upset over the Saints.
As for Murray, injuries have been an issue for him his entire career. He missed the last three games of his rookie year in 2011 with a broken ankle and then six weeks last season with a sprained foot.
In the offseason, Murray vowed to play all 16 games in 2013 and had started the first six before this injury.
If neither player can return this week, the Cowboys will likely look at some mid-round draft picks to fill the needs. Kyle Wilber, a fourth-round pick in 2012, had a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery on one key play against Robert Griffin III on Sunday. That turnover led to a touchdown run by Joseph Randle, the fifth-round pick from Oklahoma State who replaced Murray.
