IRVING, Texas – After a trip to London and a week off, it was strange how normal Wednesday was for the Cowboys.
For the first time since October, the team returned to its normal Wednesday schedule – a morning press conference with Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, followed by the first practice of the week in preparation for the Giants.
"When you play that stretch of games in a row I think everybody gets refreshed and recharged coming back," Garrett said. "I think guys are chomping at the bit to get back out on that practice field today."
Photos from the Wednesday's practice at Valley Ranch.
The week off seems to have done wonders for the Cowboys' injury report. After an extended break, injured players like Rolando McClain and Tyrone Crawford were able to return and practice with the team on Wednesday.
In fact, the Cowboys only had two absences during their first day back – Tyler Patmon and Tony Romo.
Patmon is continuing to recover from his MCL injury, suffered against Jacksonville, and figures to be unavailable this weekend in New York. As for Romo, Garrett said the quarterback's absence from practice was more about his normal routine of resting on Wednesday, and not related to the back injury he suffered Oct. 27.
"Tony seems to be feeling well," Garrett said. "We feel like given the circumstances and how we've done things all year long, it seems like the right thing to do right now to keep him in that same rhythm."
[embeddedad0]Romo has traditionally used Wednesday for recovery and strength work this season, going through the morning walkthrough and sitting out of the afternoon practice. That is once again the plan this week, and Garrett said he anticipates Romo to be able to practice Thursday and Friday.
"It's worked out well for him, so he comes back tomorrow and then gets two good days in. Saturday is off and then he plays Sunday, so it's been a good thing for him," Garrett said.
With Patmon missing, the Cowboys currently have just three healthy cornerbacks on the active roster – Orlando Scandrick, Brandon Carr and Sterling Moore. Garrett said practice squad corner Micah Pellerin should get the first look at replacing the injured rookie as the fourth cornerback.
"We'll have to see how we function there," he said. "Micah Pellerin has been on our practice roster, someone who has been around us, so he'll get some opportunities as that fourth guy initially."
