Jerry Jones: It is “unlikely” Zack Martin plays in Week 17, but there is hope if team makes playoffs

The Dallas Cowboys are playing in the biggest game of their season this Sunday as their hopes for an NFC East title are on the line against the New York Giants. Of course, that particular game is only half of the battle as Dallas will also need the Washington Football Team to lose (good luck, Philadelphia Eagles... gross).

It was the first game against the New York Giants that saw the season change dramatically for the Cowboys when quarterback Dak Prescott was hurt and lost for the season. Andy Dalton came in and helped the team ultimately win, but it took a game-winning field goal in the final minutes to do it.

New York has been struggling on offense, but the Cowboys are going to need all of the help that they can get if they want to keep this party going. There had been suggestions that perhaps guard (tackle!) Zack Martin would be able to return for this contest; Martin hasn’t played since Thanksgiving Day, but while speaking on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday morning, Jerry Jones noted that doesn’t exactly seem likely.

Jerry did intimate that it’s possible for Martin to play in the playoffs if things do wind up breaking that way for the Cowboys. As the only way into the postseason for Dallas is the NFC East title. a playoff appearance would mean a home playoff game at that, likely against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If Zack doesn’t play this week, he has all of that time between now and then to rest up and get ready for a game that the Cowboys would likely be big-time underdogs in.

These last few weeks have been a wild ride for the Cowboys. Luck has been on their side as far as things outside of their control, they are literally the only NFC East team that has won a game over the last couple of weeks.