Mailbag: Why so many major injuries?

(Editor's Note: Time to check the mail! The DallasCowboys.com staff writers answer your questions here in 'Mailbag' presented by Miller Lite.)

I have been watching football for almost 50 years. It could be my bad memory, but I don't remember so many major injuries years ago. Any explanation? Could these players be overdoing it with their training? Or are the cutbacks in practice time actually hurting them?– Dave Trump/Norwalk, IA**

Mickey: Oh, think you've hit the nail on the head with your latter premise. It's not that these guys are overworking in the offseason, the high number of injuries in my opinion stem from not actually playing football in practice to prepare to really in games. Practices in the offseason are severely limited, and any sort of contract is prohibited by the collective bargaining agreement.

Also, the CBA limits the number of padded practices that are allowed in training camp and the amount of time coaching staffs can spend with the players. Then once the season begins, teams are limited to one padded practice a week and just 14 for the season but the padded practices can't be saved up for the final couple of weeks.

Limited practices and limited amount of contract does not prepare the body for actually playing football games when each step is not premeditated.

Tommy: I'm no doctor, so I couldn't tell you any sort of scientific reason as to why the injury bug seems to be biting a little bit harder league-wide in recent years. I do think that part of it has to do with the fact that cutting back in practice and limiting the amount of contact that guys have during the week doesn't necessarily set your body up the best for what can end up being a physical game on Sundays.

In some cases, like we've seen with the Cowboys this season, you just get hit with injuries a little bit harder in some years compared to others. Is that all because of practice/preparation?

No, but it's a factor, and if there are ways to improve it or lessen the chances of injury, you've got to find a way to pave that path going forward.