The Dallas Cowboys got absolutely demolished by the rival San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night, and they might be dealing with a rash of injuries even worse than the game's 42-10 final score.
Already on Monday morning it was reported that wide receiver/All-Pro return man KaVontae Turpin suffered a high-ankle sprain during the game. That's an injury that typically sidelines players for 4-6 weeks, and Turpin could hit injured reserve as a result.
The Cowboys view the Turpin injury as "the least of our worries," via the Dallas Morning News. That's extremely concerning because the Cowboys saw three defensive starters leave the game with injuries during the second half, and special teams ace C.J. Goodwin suffered a torn pectoral that will sideline him for the remainder of the season.
Most notably, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch appeared to suffer a neck injury when he ran into Micah Parsons while chasing down a run play during the fourth quarter. Vander Esch has missed significant time with neck and back issues during his career, and is also Dallas' most dependable linebacker. According to The Athletic, he could be headed to injured reserve.
In addition to Vander Esch, safety Donovan Wilson exited with a leg injury that required his being assisted off the field, and cornerbacks Jourdan Lewis and DaRon Bland suffered unspecified injuries during the second half of the game. They each left the game for a period, replaced in the lineup by Noah Igbinoghene and Juanyeh Thomas, as well as more snaps for Markquese Bell and other linebackers to account for the absence of so many defensive backs.
Based on the DMN's report, it appears that one or more of those players could have suffered a significant injury that could keep them out for a while. Already down star cornerback Trevon Diggs, who suffered a torn ACL during a Week 3 practice, the Cowboys can hardly afford to lose more bodies on their defense.
