Cowboys are hoping old bugaboo doesn't take away key contributor
The Dallas Cowboys haven't played a complete game in several weeks, and it finally came back to bite them on Sunday in a stunning overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, after holding a 17-point lead. That was bad enough, but the Cowboys leave Florida with another type of defeat as well. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch […]
The Dallas Cowboys haven't played a complete game in several weeks, and it finally came back to bite them on Sunday in a stunning overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, after holding a 17-point lead. That was bad enough, but the Cowboys leave Florida with another type of defeat as well.
Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch suffered a neck injury in the first quarter and never returned to action. Cowboys' head coach Mike McCarthy spoke on the matter, and his words weren't encouraging.
“I’m concerned, obviously,” McCarthy said. "I think everybody is concerned based on his history. Miss him? Look at the way he played last week. He was a huge factor.”
Leighton is no stranger to neck problems. In 2019, Vander Esch missed several games due to a nerve issue that ultimately required surgery to correct it in the offseason. With an area as delicate as the neck, it's understandable for McCarthy to be worried, and if Vander Esch is gone for an extended amount of time, it will be a major blow, especially given how well he's played in 2022 (leads the team with 90 tackles).
The only thing left for the Cowboys is to play the waiting game while Vander Esch gets the proper care, and hope that this latest neck issue doesn't remove him from the field for too long.
Feature image via Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
