OLB DeMarcus Ware has a sprained neck which will likely cause him to miss at least this weekend’s game with the Saints.  Ware has played in 13 games this season and he has made 51 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 3 forced fumbles, 6 passes defensed and 9 sacks.  Ware’s injury will really hurt the Cowboys’ D if he’s not able to play this weekend.

The Cowboys will be without starting free safety Ken Hamlin for the next 2-4 weeks with a high ankle sprain.  Hamlin has played in 9 games for the Cowboys this season and he has 39 tackles and 1 pass defensed.  Pat Watkins will replace Hamlin in the starting lineup.  He has played in 9 games making 25 tackles this year.  This will hurt the Cowboys a little bit as Hamlin is pretty good at not letting WRs get behind him.

UPDATE:  The Cowboys will be starting Alan Ball at free safety instead of Pat Watkins.  The 24-year old Ball has played in 9 games for the Cowboys this season and he has 13 tackles and 1 pass defensed.  Ball has now played in 21 games (in 3 years) for the Cowboys and he has 25 tackles and 2 passes defensed.  We’ll see if this is a smart move or a mistake starting this Sunday.

Starting right tackle Marc Colombo has a fractured fibula and he underwent surgery yesterday to repair torn ligaments in his ankle.  The Cowboys will be without Colombo for at least the next six weeks.  Doug Free will likely get the first chance to replace Colombo.  Free has played in 9 games (0 starts) this season for the Cowboys.  In three years with the Cowboys, Free has played in 10 games (0 starts).  This is a huge dropoff for the Cowboys as Free has very little experience in the NFL.

The Cowboys will be without PR/KR Allen Rossum indefinately due to a hamstring strain.  He only lasted 1 game before getting injured in which he returned 1 kickoff for 16 yards.  Rossum’s injury will allow Patrick Crayton to regain his job as the punt returner.  He has returned 13 punts for 167 yards (12.3 avg) with a TD.  Don’t look for Rossum to get that job back when he returns.  Felix Jones or Miles Austin will likely return kickoffs while Rossum is out of action.  My money is on Felix Jones getting the job.  He has returned 8 kickoffs for 184 yards (23.0 avg) so far this season.  Miles Austin is to important now on offense to risk using him returning kickoffs.  He has returned 6 kickoffs for 148 yards (24.7 avg) so far this season.  The Cowboys shouldn’t miss Rossum too much as they have more than capable replacements for him.  He might even lose his roster spot if the Cowboys excel in the return game while he is out of action.

With Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Roy Williams all banged up the bye comes at the right week.  Barber has a nagging quad injury that just won’t seem to go away.  He still leads the Cowboys in rushing with 297 yards on 58 carries (5.1 ypc) and he has caught 4 passes for 58 yards (14.5 avg) this season.  The Cowboys need Barber because of the power he brings to the running game.  Jones is a flat out speedster who can go the distance any time he touches the football.  He has carried the ball 21 times for 212 yards (10.1 ypc) with 1 TD run this season.  WR Roy Williams needs to get back into action or Miles Austin might just steal his job.  He has caught 11 passes for 214 yards (19.5 avg) so far this season with 1 TD grab.  The Cowboys will be more potent when they get all of these guys back healthy.