The Dallas Cowboys were considered significant favorites when they faced the Las Vegas Raiders on Thanksgiving Day.
It didn’t turn out as planned. The Raiders offense was on fire and scored 36 points against the Cowboys defense to win 36-33.
The Cowboys weren’t all down, however. Tyron Smith, the star left tackle, made his return to that game and didn’t experience any setbacks during the contest. Smith stated that his ankle is strong enough to play, but will need to be managed.
“Cowboys LT TyronSmith said that his ankle is strong enough to allow him to play. However, it’s likely that he will have to endure the pain for the remainder of the season. Jon Machota, a Cowboys insider, said that surgery was not a possibility.
Cowboys LT Tyron Smith said his ankle is good enough for him to play, but it will probably be something he'll have to play through for the rest of the season. He said surgery was never a consideration
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 30, 2021
Due to COVID-19, the Cowboys’ head coach Mike McCarthy will not be there and many other assistant coaches (and possibly some players) this week.
This is not encouraging news for elite players such as Tyron Smith, DeMarcus Larry, and Dak Prescott, who seem to be getting better at the right moment.
Next up for Dallas will be a game against the New Orleans Saints Thursday night.