Cowboys' ‘Best Player’ On Crutches; Martin Could Miss A Month

The Dallas Cowboys Have Always Been Able To Count On Zack Martin, But Now, Their All-Pro ‘Best Player’ Is On Crutches - And He'll Miss 'Multiple Weeks'

FRISCO - It is not a controversial take to say that the Dallas Cowboys' best player is offensive lineman Zack Martin. He's a perennial Pro Bowler and All-Pro, he's on the NFL All-Decade Team, and team owner Jerry Jones said the other day he's in a class with Hall-of-Famer Larry Allen, who might just be the best O-lineman ever.

So when Zack Martin is being propped up by crutches, as was the case on Thanksgiving when he exited early from the 41-16 home loss to Washington, it's fair to say the Cowboys might no longer be propped up at all.

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The Dallas O-line has been in shambles in 2020 from the start, the retirement of Pro Bowl center Travis Frederick followed by season-ending injuries to tackles La'el Collins and Tyron Smith - another perennial All-Pro who joins Martin as a likely future HOF'er.

But right now, Martin (with what the team says is a calf strain) joins Smith as a sidelined member of the 3-8 Cowboys. And coach Mike McCarthy said on Friday morning that it will be a "multiple-week'' injury. NFL Network adds that it could be as much as a four-week recovery.

On Thursday, both starting tackles Martin and Cam Erving (knee, also out multiple weeks) limped off early. Said Jones on Friday: "I don't know how serious (the injuries) are, but I do know that they got've the potential to be with us - the potential to impact us the rest of the season."

In other words, Martin, an ironman, cannot be counted on for an immediate recovery. And with no disrespect to the group that was the O-line of record against Washington - left tackle Brandon Knight, left guard Connor Williams, center Joe Looney, right guard Connor McGovern and right tackle Terence Steele - there is a telling number that lingers here ...

Thanksgiving marks the third game this season that has seen Martin having to exit due to injury. The three results: A 25-3 loss at Washington, a 38-10 loss to Arizona and this debacle. The combined scores of games in which Martin does not finish is 104-29.

Jones is right in saying about Dallas injuries, from QB Dak Prescott on down, "In a manner of speaking, we've gotten a little numb to that.'' But 104-29 suggests that the Dallas Cowboys cannot win if Zack Martin cannot stand.