Struggling Cowboy Now Unlikely to Play in Week 10 Due to Injury
The Dallas Cowboys have a massive Week 10 matchup on the horizon when they host the rival Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on Friday. America's Team will need all hands on deck to thwart their NFC East foes considering that the Eagles are on a four-game winning streak whereas the Cowboys have lost three games in a row.
With Dak Prescott on the sidelines with a torn hamstring, Dallas will rely on backup quarterback Cooper Rush to lead the way to victory. The veteran signal-caller can't do everything on his own, though, meaning the offensive line must do everything it can to protect him under center.
Having said that, it's beginning to look like the Cowboys offensive line could be missing one of its key players in the pivotal divisional clash.
Cowboys Injury News: Zack Martin to Miss Week 10?
ESPN's Todd Archer is reporting that Cowboys left guard Zack Martin was absent during Thursday's practice. It was the second day in a row that the veteran blocker was held out of practice with a shoulder injury, leaving his status for Sunday's NFC East showdown up in the air.
No Zack Martin for a second straight day of practice open to the media. Dealing with a shoulder injury, among other things.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) November 7, 2024
Martin's status will be clearer depending on whether he participates in Friday's practice. If not, there's a good chance that he'll miss his first game of the 2024 campaign.
A former 2014 first-round selection, Martin has been one of the NFL's best blockers of the last decade. The former Notre Dame product was named to nine Pro Bowls and seven All-Pro first teams in his first 10 professional seasons, putting him in contention for the best guard in Cowboys history.
But as good as Martin has been throughout his career, his performance this season has been lacking. He's failed to meet expectations as he's played his way to 64.2 pass block and 60.6 run block grades on Pro Football Focus. It's also the third season in a row that his offense grade has declined, as proven below:
Year | PFF Offense Grade |
|---|---|
2024 | 64.6 |
2023 | 68.0 |
2022 | 72.8 |
2021 | 93.4 |
If Martin is forced to miss this weekend's festivities, it'll be interesting to see who takes his place. Second-year blocker T.J. Bass has already tallied 122 snaps at LG in 2024 while veteran center Brock Hoffman has played 87 snaps as a guard across the last two seasons.
Although neither player has accomplished as much as Martin, it's nice knowing Dallas has backup options.
Whether or not Martin plays, though, the Cowboys need to have a strong performance against the Eagles this Sunday. Philadelphia currently occupies second place in the NFC East with a 6-2 record while Dallas is a distant third after going 3-5 in the first half of the season.
America's Team has gotten the last laugh more often than not when it comes to this rivalry in recent years. The Cowboys are 5-2 in their last seven encounters with the Eagles, which includes a 33-13 home win when they last clashed at AT&T Stadium back in Week 14 of the 2023 campaign.
Despite that recent success, Dallas faces an uphill battle this weekend. FanDuel Sportsbook is currently listing the Cowboys as 7-point home underdogs against the Eagles just days before the Week 10 matchup.
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