Read More: Tony Romo (QB – DAL), Jason Witten (TE – DAL), Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants

While Cowboys fans await the status of their quarterback Tony Romo has he battles through a swollen hand, there are some encouraging signs out of Valley Ranch that their signal caller will be able to play on Sunday.

Courtesy of Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News, thoughts from Pro-Bowl tight end Jason Witten on his injury-riddled friend and quarterback is that he’s “pretty confident” he’ll play.

Tony did good,” Witten said. “I thought he was throwing the ball well. I couldn’t tell any difference. You’d probably have to ask him about the details, but I thought from the receiving end of it, he was as good as he always is.”

More from Witten:

“I would be hard pressed to see him not playing,” Witten said. “Anyone who knows what he is about, knows he’s going to play. I don’t want to speak for him by any means, but I feel pretty confident he will.”

Here is the practice report for the Cowboys on Wednesday:

DID NOT PRACTICE

Outside Linebacker DeMarcus Ware (neck)

Defensive Tackle Jay Ratliff (ribs)

Inside Linebacker Sean Lee (hamstring)

Defensive Back Danny McCray (ankle)

LIMITED IN PRACTICE

Quarterback Tony Romo (hand)

FULL PRACTICE

Running Back Felix Jones (hamstring)

Nose Tackle Josh Brent (knee)

For more on the Cowboys head over to Blogging the Boys, SB Nation’s Dallas Cowboys blog. For more on the Giants head over to Big Blue View, SB Nation’s New York Giants blog. For more on the NFL, visit SB Nation’s NFL news hub.

The Philadelphia Eagles beat up the Dallas Cowboys for the second time this season. The big difference this time around is that no one cares. The Eagles beat the Cowboys, 20-7, in a game that meant absolutely nothing to either team.

When the game started, it still meant something. If the New York Jets could have come from behind to beat the New York Giants, the Eagles could have had something still to play for. Dallas could have clinched the NFC East with a win. Since the Giants lost, the Eagles were eliminated from playoff contention and Dallas will play for the NFC East title in Week 17, win or lose.

That is why when Tony Romo hurt his hand by slapping it off a helmet in the first quarter, his coaches wouldn’t let him return even when X-rays came back negative. That is why, with Felix Jones running on a tight hamstring, he also left the game along with Romo to protect his health.

These are not excuses, these are facts. Dallas pulled their starting quarterback and starting running back in the first quarter to protect them from further injury because the only game that matters is Week 7 against the Giants.

Instead, Stephen McGee got some pretty solid playing time. Sure, Troy Aikman made all kinds of backhand comments while announcing the game, saying Romo better get healthy because the way McGee is playing, he won’t win for the Cowboys. He didn’t win but he did throw 24-of-38 for 182 yards and a touchdown at the end of the game to Miles Austin. He didn’t throw an interception. That is a lot better than Aikman gave him credit for.

Sammy Morris shouldered the running game, but did little on the ground. Morris ran for 29 yards on 13 carries, only one yard more than McGee scrambled for on four carries. Felix Jones finished with four carries for 24 yards. Newly signed Chauncey Washington carried the ball once for negative one yard.

Plus, you have to credit the defense. They did give up 293 yards through the air to the Eagles, and two passing touchdowns for Michael Vick, but they held LeSean McCoy to 35 yards rushing on 13 carries. This wasn’t a butt kicking in any sense. Even with the Cowboys’ offense anemic, the Eagles managed a touchdown in the first quarter, another in the second quarter and two field goals in the second half.

That was it for scoring.

Now, Dallas prepares for the Giants and a chance at the playoffs. A banged up hand will not keep Tony Romo off the field and a tight hamstring won’t keep out Felix Jones. Week 17 actually means something and will determine if the Cowboys’ season ends or continues on.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Dallas Cowboys’ fan since he was a child. His favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s and he enjoys talking about all Cowboys’ related news, good or bad

Source: dallascowboys.com

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Read More: Felix Jones (RB – DAL), DeMarco Murray (RB – DAL), Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys

During the Cowboys win over the Buccaneers on Saturday, Felix Jones’ hamstring tightened up on him. Jones had tied his career high with 22 carries in the win. Since DeMarco Murray was lost for the year, Jones had 38 carries for 214 yards and nine catches for 54 yards in two games.

With Demarco Murray and Phillip Tanner both out with injury, the next man up is Sammy Morris for Jason Garrett’s offensive unit as they prepare for the Eagles on Saturday.

Here is the full injury report for the Dallas Cowboys in week 16:

Held out of practice:

• Nose tackle Josh Brent (knee)
• Wide receiver Andre Holmes (hamstring)
• Running back Felix Jones (hamstring)
• Safety Danny McCray (ankle)
• Wide Receiver Kevin Ogletree (knee).

Limited in practice:

• Cornerback Mike Jenkins (shoulder)
• Right guard Kyle Kosier (foot)
• Nose tackle Jay Ratliff (rib muscle strain)
• Wide Receiver Laurent Robinson (shoulder)
• Outside Linebacker DeMarcus Ware (stinger)

For all news and information regarding the Dallas Cowboys, please visit Blogging the Boys. Go check out all things Philadelphia Eagles at Bleeding Green Nation.

Read More: Felix Jones (RB – DAL), LeSean McCoy (RB – PHI), DeMarco Murray (RB – DAL), Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals

Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray has been on a hot streak ever since he took over for Felix Jones who was out with an injury. Murray has rushed for 761 yards over his last six games which comes out to 126.8 yards per game during that stretch.

The Cowboys face the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday and the Cardinals are allowing 123 rushing yards per game. However over the last three games the Cardinals did hold LeSean McCoy, Frank Gore and Steven Jackson to under 100 yards. During that same stretch only McCoy was able to score a touchdown. So, Murray could face some challenges against the resurgent Cardinal rush defense. 

SB Nation’s fantasy sports blog Fake Teams project Murray as the No. 5 running back and numberFire ranks Murray at No. 7 this week.

For more on the Dallas Cowboys head over to Blogging the Boys; for more fantasy football news head over to Fake Teams and SB Nation’s fantasy football hub.

Read More: Felix Jones (RB – DAL), DeMarco Murray (RB – DAL), Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins

Incumbent starting tailback Felix Jones was on the practice field Wednesday in a limited capacity. Jones had been out of service for the Cowboys after suffering a high ankle sprain versus the New England Patriots on October 16th. In the last four weeks, rookie Demarco Murray has stepped in and performed admirably, rushing for 601 yards in his last four games.

Will Felix getting his starting spot back, or is he the change-of-pace back that he was a few years ago with Mario Barber serving as the lead ball-carrier? We’ll find out soon as the Cowboys face their NFC East rival Washington Redskins on Sunday.

Here is full injury report for the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday:

Did Not Participate in Practice

Limited Participation in Practice

• FB Tony Fiammetta – Illness
• RB Felix Jones – Ankle

Full Participation in Practice

For more information and coverage on the Cowboys visit SB Nation’s Blogging The Boys. For more information and coverage on the Redskins visit SB Nation’s Hogs Haven.