In a stunning turn of events, the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive line suffered yet another devastating blow during their nail-biting 20-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Rookie sensation Marshawn Kneeland, who was filling in for the injured Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, went down with a right knee injury on just the fourth defensive play of the game.
The incident occurred when Kneeland was tackling quarterback Justin Fields, and it appeared to be a non-contact injury. He was assisted to the medical tent before being carted off to the locker room for further evaluation. Unfortunately, he was ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Tyrus Wheat stepped in to replace Kneeland, who had been impressing coaches with his performance alongside Chauncey Golston as the starting defensive ends. Parsons, a key player, was sidelined for the first time in his career due to a high left ankle sprain sustained in the previous week’s win against the New York Giants. He is expected to miss two to four weeks.
Lawrence, on the other hand, was placed on injured reserve after suffering a Lisfranc injury in his right foot during the same game. His recovery time is estimated to be around four to eight weeks, although he will not require surgery.
The Cowboys had been relying heavily on Kneeland, their second-round draft pick, who had already racked up six tackles, a tackle for loss, and six quarterback pressures. Wheat, who had been inactive for two of the first four games, was called upon to fill the gap. The team also brought in Carl Lawson from the practice squad for the third consecutive game.
This latest injury adds to the Cowboys’ woes at defensive end, which began in training camp when Sam Williams, projected to be their third pass rusher, suffered a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament.
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