Cowboys News: Sources Say La’el Collins to Miss 10-12 Weeks, Might Go On IR

The Dallas Cowboys didn’t escape the Bears game unscathed, it looks like part of their celebrated offensive line will miss a significant portion of the season, maybe all of it.

Update: Collins likely out 10-12 weeks following expected toe surgery; will Dez have better results? - David Moore, DMN

[La’el] Collins likely needs surgery on a torn ligament in his right big toe, according to sources, and is expected to be out 10-12 weeks. That could push a possible return into December. The Cowboys are leaning toward placing Collins on injured reserve, according to a source.

That’s a tough break for the second-year guard. He has formed a solid part of the Cowboys line, but fortunately for Dallas they kept backup Ron Leary instead of trading him. Which, according to Ian Rapoport, was actually an option.

Wow, the Cowboys turned out to be accidental geniuses on that one.

We’re still waiting to hear about Dez Bryant, the Cowboys have not offered a clarifying status on his knee. And the more they wait, the more nervous fans become.

Bryant was also injured in Sunday night's victory over the Chicago Bears. The status of his right knee should be clarified soon. The team said following the game that early indications were he suffered a sprain, which he played through. He was expected to undergo an MRI on Monday. Coach Jason Garrett said Monday afternoon that evaluations on both players were ongoing.

Meanwhile, the hope is that Tyron Smith will return this week, and they will also keep evaluating Orlando Scandrick.

So after Ezekiel Elliott finally broke out, what's he got to prove next? That he can do it consistently.

Why Cowboys rookie Ezekiel Elliott is no DeMarco Murray just yet - Babe Laufenberg, DMN

What did you think of Ezekiel Elliott's game, and how does it compare with those of DeMarco Murray in 2014?

Laufenberg: Murray proved he could do it game after game after game -- that is next on the list for Elliott. And I really believe that DeMarco's toughness and hard running style gave the entire 2014 team an identity, much the same way that Marshawn Lynch gave an identity to the Seahawks. Can Elliott be that kind of guy? Hard to do as a rookie. Elliott is taking baby steps, but he certainly took those steps in the right direction with his 30-carry, 140-yard performance against the Bears.

It will be interesting to see how Zeke performs this week.

The debate about what happens when Tony Romo returns is getting hotter each week as Dak Prescott gets better each week. Jerry Jones basically says it’s Tony’s team, but sure makes it sound like they might wait a while to put Romo back in the lineup.

Dak Prescott's play lets Dallas Cowboys be patient with Tony Romo - UPI

"Those wins will give you a little more conservative timeframe if you looked at Tony's condition," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Sunday night after Dallas' 31-17 victory over the Chicago Bears. "Under no circumstances would he go out there if there was risk.

"Let's get that real straight. But as far as the ability to give him more time, medicine wants more time, and they'll tell you, well, he'll be better off two months from now than he is today. Medicine says that, and we all accept it. But I think the fact that (Prescott is) playing well, and if playing well gives us a chance to have another win that we wouldn't have had if he wouldn't have played well, all of that would enter into the decision."

Medicine wants more time? Classic Jerry phrase. Last year medicine didn’t want more time as the Cowboys put Romo back in the lineup as soon as possible. That didn’t work out well. But with Prescott putting up W’s, medicine might get more time.

Michael Irvin, on the other hand, makes no bones about it, it’s Tony’s team.

Michael Irvin on why Cowboys are still Tony Romo's team: You wouldn't take the Patriots' backups over Tom Brady - DMN

In an interview with 105.3 The Fan on Monday morning, Irvin made fans consider whether they'd take one of Tom Brady's backups over him when the Patriots get him back from suspension.

"It's still Tony's team. Let's be real here," Irvin said. "You moving forward, are you sticking with the quarterbacks that the Patriots have, or are you going to take Tom Brady back? ... Just like the Denver Broncos did last year."

"You have to [go with Romo] when it starts because the games are going to get tighter, things are going to get more difficult. And as you go through it, you want to go back and give Tony every opportunity to run this team. It's no different than when Steve Beuerlein ran us on a 6-7-game winning streak and we still went back to Troy Aikman and still won Super Bowls."

We’re still a ways away from having the decision made, but if Prescott keeps doing what he’s doing, it will be interesting.

The Cowboys were starting a surprising number of their 2016 draft class on Sunday night. We all know Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, but also on the field were Anthony Brown as the nickel corner (I consider that a starter) and defensive tackle Maliek Collins. Collins is starting to look like another real find for the Cowboys.

Scout's Eye: Breaking Down The Passing Game; Grading The Defense - Bryan Broaddus, The Mothership

I thought it was a nice start for Maliek Collins, who has improved with each opportunity he has received. He is likely playing out of position as the nose tackle, but there were not many snaps where he was completely overmatched. I thought he played with power at the point, and when he had to chase the ball, he was working to free himself. He had a really nice play in the second half where he beat fellow rookie Cody Whitehair up the field and trapped Jordan Howard in the backfield for a three-yard loss. The next play, the defense was able to create a turnover when Cameron Meredith fumbled after a reception.

As I mentioned in my Winners & Losers article yesterday, Ryan Davis looked pretty good in limited snaps at the end of the game. Broaddus saw it this way.

After what I saw from Ryan Davis during his time in the second half, I would expect that he will receive more opportunities in the coming weeks. I think his rush was due more to skill than just being a fresh body late in the game. Davis rushed from both sides, but it appeared that his better work came off the right side. He put Charles Leno in some terrible blocking positions with his rush and should have been rewarded with a holding call on Leno, but the official missed it. Davis was explosive and technique-sound, which was noticeable from my seat in the press box and even more impressive when I got to study the game later. He has a little juice to his rush.

The Cowboys have to give him more opportunities. If Dallas could find a pass rush, they might actually be dangerous.