Getty Tyrone Crawford (No. 98)
The Dallas Cowboys are shorthanded on defense for at least another game.
Head coach Jason Garrett ruled out starting defensive linemen Antwaun Woods (knee) and Tyrone Crawford (hip) for Sunday night’s road trip to New Orleans.
Linebacker Luke Gifford, battling an ankle injury since the preseason, practiced on a limited basis this week and is questionable to play against the Saints.
Woods sustained a sprained MCL in the second quarter of Dallas’ Week 2 road victory at Washington when teammates inadvertently landed on his leg. He was inactive last Sunday, giving way to second-round rookie DL Trysten Hill, a healthy scratch for the first two games.
Hill will continue to fill in for Woods at nose tackle, with Christian Covington, Dorance Armstrong, Joe Jackson and Kerry Hyder operating as depth along the line.
Crawford is plagued by bursitis in both hips and considered week-to-week. Robert Quinn, who notched his inaugural Cowboys sack against the Dolphins, will start for Crawford opposite DE DeMarcus Lawrence.
Gallup, on the mend from surgery to repair his meniscus, is also week-to-week. Randall Cobb and Devin Smith will continue picking up the slack at receiver.
Gifford, if active, would serve as insurance behind starting outside ‘backers Leighton Vander Esch and Sean Lee. Otherwise, those roles belong to Justin March-Lillard and Joe Thomas, respectively.
The Cowboys will release their list of inactives about 90 minutes prior to the 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff from the Superdome.
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Martin, Austin, Woods Good to Go
The news isn’t entirely bad for undefeated Dallas, however. Perennial Pro Bowl guard Zack Martin, who exited Wednesday’s practice and missed Thursday’s session due to his troublesome back, is all systems go for Sunday’s game.
Likewise for safety Xavier Woods, who sat out Week 3 with a high-ankle sprain. Woods beat his recovery timeline and got in a full practice Friday, after being limited the previous two days. Returned to full health (or close enough to it), he’ll start aside Jeff Heath in the secondary.
Aiding a banged-up receiver corps, down Gallup, is veteran slot man/returner Tavon Austin, who’s been sidelined since the opener after sustaining a concussion. Austin practiced each day this week — he was upgraded to full on Friday — and appears to have cleared the NFL’s strict concussion protocol.
“It looks like he’s back to his old self,” Garrett remarked.
Coop Survives MRI Scare, to Start vs. Saints
Following a week of limited practices, the Cowboys’ top wide receiver is expected to play without restriction Sunday night. This, from the horse’s mouth: Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
“Yes. Yes. I feel very good about that,” Jones said Friday on 105.3 The Fan, per The Athletic. “His ability to push off, his ability to do anything, I think we’re in good shape.”
Head coach Jason Garrett confirmed Thursday that Cooper is dealing with a right “foot and ankle thing” stemming from Dallas’ Week 3 victory over the Miami Dolphins. He was sidelined for team drills in practice and underwent further testing, which revealed no additional damage.
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