Entering the Dallas Cowboys‘ Week 9 game against the Colts on Sunday in Indianapolis, there were already ample concerns on the injury front, as the team determined before kickoff that star receiver George Pickens and star cornerback Joey Porter Jr.–one of the defense’s most important players–would be ruled out for the showdown. Those were tough blows, with the Cowboys essentially in a must-win game at 3-5 and hopeful of keeping alive their NFL playoff hopes. But during the game, more tough blows came, especially for running back Tyler Goodson, who has been settling into his role as the backup to Javonte Williams and who was eager to play the Colts, for whom he’d played his first three seasons after signing as an undrafted free agent from Iowa.
Goodson was in the midst of his best game as a Cowboy on Sunday, taking seven carries for 44 yards, when he suffered a knee injury that left his return questionable.
![Patrik [No C] Walker](https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1946640157798494209/XNWwENH__normal.jpg){kind=small}
Cowboys ‘Love’ Tyler Goodson
Backup running back has been an issue for the Cowboys going back to training camp, when the team had second-year men Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah first in line for the job. Both players underwhelmed, though, and the Cowboys made veteran Malik Davis the backup. But Davis suffered a hip injury before the start of the year and was ruled out for the season. After a brief encounter with Emari Demercado, the Cowboys brought in Goodson, and appeared to be happy with him and the change of pace he brings behind Williams.
As Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said: “I think at the end of the day when you look at we’re rebuilding the room a little bit, the injury to Malik was something that we hated to see happen. Tyler was a guy that we had some love for at the cutdown spot.
“And we love the veteran presence that he brings, but also the change of pace and the special teams value.”
Cowboys Breakout RB Leaves Week 9 vs. Colts Amid Injury Woes