The Dallas Cowboys received the best present they could ask for, pulling off a win on Christmas Eve over their division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles.
But the Cowboys must move on from the emotional win quickly as the team hits the road to face the Tennessee Titans on Thursday Night Football.
Dallas has a few key players on the injury list this week, as do the Titans, who come into this critical matchup for playoff seeding with big question marks that could impact the remainder of the season.
Dallas is reporting that linebacker Leighton Vander Esch — suffering from a neck stinger — will miss Thursday’s action against Tennessee. Vander Esch has established himself as one of the core players in the Dallas defensive lineup so being cautious and resting him now makes sense for an NFC East team that will need all its pieces in place come the playoffs.
The most significant addition to the injury list this week for the Cowboys is running back Tony Pollard.
Pollard is listed as a Did Not Practice with a thigh injury, and signs from the Dallas locker room indicate that Malik Davis could take the place of Ezekiel Elliot’s backup if Pollard cannot go.
On defense, linebacker Micah Parsons returns to the injury list with a hand injury that limited his participation in this week’s practices. Parsons is still expected to be ready to play on Thursday night and has already battled through injury and illness this season to be one of the league’s most dynamic weapons on defense.
The Titans come into this game in dire straights amid a five-game losing streak that threatens to derail a season that started on a largely-positive note. Tennessee is just one loss from ceding the AFC South title to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who now hold the No.4 seed in the AFC.
Running back Derrick Henry has carried the load offensively for Tennessee in 2022, but his availability for Thursday is in question.
Henry, who has amassed 100+ yards in each of seven games this season, including a 219-yard day against the Houston Texans, has been unable to practice this week with a hip injury and is listed as doubtful for Thursday’s game.
Henry’s absence will be tough to overcome for the Titans, who are already without starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill following ankle surgery. Third-round rookie Malik Willis will operate the Tennessee offense from here on out that might have to rely on his arm if Henry is out.
The Titans’ defense will also be short at least four starters. Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, safety Amani Hooker, pass rusher Bud Dupree, and linebacker Zach Cunningham have been ruled out for Thursday due to injuries. The numerous backups on the field for the Titans open an opportunity for the Cowboys to exert their will and prove they are among the NFC’s elite.
Dallas has already secured a playoff berth but must win to keep alive the possibility of overtaking the Eagles for the NFC East title. At worst, the Cowboys will finish with the No.5 seed.
Tennessee has dropped from the playoff rankings and must win and hope for losses from other teams to climb back into the race. A loss against Dallas would end the season for the Titans.
