Injury Concerns for Jake Ferguson
On Sunday night, Dallas cowboys fans got concerned about how he held his left knee after being tackled in the third quarter of a game. Ferguson had difficulty getting off the field and couldn’t put any weight on his hurt knee. He even had to be helped into the locker room.
Positive Diagnosis and Ongoing Recovery
The fear was that Ferguson had suffered a season-ending ACL injury, but as it turns out the team is catching something of a break. The MRI instead only showed an MCL injury and a bone bruise. Somehow, Ferguson was able to practice this week — albeit on a limited basis with the redshirt group. Seeing Waddle walk off on his own lent hope he escaped a career-threatening injury.
Ferguson’s Outlook and Team Strategy
Ferguson told the media it was a “little bone chip” and seemed to question whether it was even a Grade 1 sprain. Packers head coach Mike McCarthy did not definitively rule out Ferguson for this weekend’s game against the Saints, but it never looked promising once the nature of the injury was revealed earlier in the week.
Decision to Sit Ferguson
The Cowboys ruled Ferguson out for Week 2 after Saturday’s practice. The Packers moved from 20th to ninth with their latest effort, ranking seventh in the pass and 17th in Ferguson practiced all week despite coach Mike McCarthy and owner Jerry Jones expressing optimism about his recovery. Some might disagree, especially in a playoff scenario, but the safe bet is probably holding him out based on what we know now.
Future Expectations
The fact that Ferguson was reportedly close to playing is a positive sign for his chances of returning next week against the tougher Ravens. Even though the Cowboys’ offense had issues in Week 1 and their backup tight ends aren’t as strong, they should still manage to handle the Saints without their Pro Bowl tight end. They had a solid performance against the Browns, with Ferguson catching three passes for 15 yards on five targets, so Sunday’s game is expected to go well.
Impact on the Team
Ferguson’s talent and importance to the offense and quarterback Dak Prescott cannot be downplayed. He was Prescott’s second-favorite target last season. Without Ferguson, 2023 second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker will step into the starting role. We might also see more of fullback Hunter Luepke, who Mike McCarthy praised this week. Luepke played 20 offensive snaps in Week 1, including 10 as an inline tight end, according to PFF.
Additional Adjustments
Promising second-year player John Stephens Jr. will miss his second consecutive game due to a hamstring injury, so Luepke might see an increased role against the Saints. It seems the coaching staff has more confidence in Luepke than in Schoonmaker.
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