DC.COM: Eatman: Healthy Austin Becomes Higher Priority

[WoodysGirl]

Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer

The Cowboys can't afford another injury-plagued preseason from Austin again.

Stability at the receiver position is now wearing very thin. All summer long it’s been a case of having two quality starters – arguably one of the most dangerous 1-2 combinations in the league – but behind them has been a huge question mark.

Enter Dez Bryant’s recent arrest and cloudy satiation in terms of a possible suspension, and now that 1-2 punch might not be available for the first game.

Obviously, that matter has to be sorted out and will over time, but it puts tremendous pressure once again on Miles Austin. If you remember last year, it was Austin who couldn’t stay healthy in the preseason because of a hamstring injury. He played through it for two games and scored four touchdowns before it was decided he needed to rest it for three games.

Read more: http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/ar...8-8c3db54814c6

[CCBoy]

The importance of Miles Austin was there, with or without a family disturbancre by Dez Bryant.

With a disturbed past, involving his Mother, I'm not as hard on Dez Bryant as the media is. They were already loaded for bear, since things went uneventful as to conflicts over the off season to here.

[Eskimo]

It now seems like ancient history but go back and look at the games when Miles Austin has been healthy and starting with Tony Romo at the quarterback. He put up huge numbers the last 12 games of 2009, big numbers to start 2010 and then the two games at the start of 2011. I don't really think Miles truly got going last season but he still put up 7 TDs. I really think that an average OL, Witten, Miles, Dez, Felix and Murray will put up huge numbers next season and we could average 30 ppg.

But a healthy Austin is arguable our best skill position player after Romo.

[jnday]

Austin is borderline great when he is healthy and playing his best. The problem is the healthy part of his game. Austin and Felix seems to have the same problem and the team can't depend on either one.