NewsBot
New Member
- Messages
- 111,281
- Reaction score
- 2,947
OXNARD, Calif. – Cowboys defensive end Anthony Spencer is confident the arthroscopic knee surgery he will undergo Thursday in Dallas won’t prevent him from playing against the New York Giants in the season opener Sept. 8.
Coach Jason Garrett said the recovery time would be two to four weeks, but Spencer said he thinks it’s possible he could return in time to play in one of the club’s last two preseason games.
“I have a lot of time (before the season starts),” he said Tuesday night after watching practice. “It’s like a two- or three-week recovery time from the surgery, so I feel like I will definitely be ready before the season gets here.”
Spencer aggravated a bone bruise in his left knee during Saturday’s conditioning test. After he was unable to finish practice Sunday, an MRI confirmed the injury.
The Cowboys hoped Spencer would heal with rest, but doctors advised surgery.
“No one is in any kind of hurry to get these guys on an operating room table,” Garrett said. “That’s not how we want to work. We want to give them an opportunity to rehab and get themselves right and if you can’t do that, you make the next best decision.”
Spencer underwent arthroscopic surgery in August 2008 after suffering a bone bruise in his right knee and went on to miss four games, including two midway through the season because of a hamstring injury. He believes that experience will make it easier to recover this time around.
“You compensate a little more when you have certain injuries,” Spencer said in explaining how the knee operation led to the hamstring injury. “But we have a lot of time right now, so I don’t expect to have problems (like he had in 2008).”
Spencer led the team in tackles last season and recorded a career-best 11 sacks. While he’s out, 2012 fourth-round pick Kyle Wilber will line up opposite DeMarcus Ware, although on Tuesday second-year pro and Texas A&M alum Ben Bass slid over from defensive tackle to play end with the first team.
Lining up at outside linebacker in Rob Ryan’s 3-4 defense, Wilber played in only 10 games during an injury-plagued rookie season. He’s put on about 15 pounds to play end in Monte Kiffin’s 4-3 defense and said Tuesday the game has slowed down for him.
“As a rookie, everything was flying past me,” he said. “I know what to look for and see now.”
Injuries have thinned the Cowboys defensive line. Dallas is also without four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jay Ratliff (hamstring) and defensive end Tyrone Crawford, who was backing up both Spencer and Ware before tearing his Achilles tendon Sunday.
Continue reading...
Coach Jason Garrett said the recovery time would be two to four weeks, but Spencer said he thinks it’s possible he could return in time to play in one of the club’s last two preseason games.
“I have a lot of time (before the season starts),” he said Tuesday night after watching practice. “It’s like a two- or three-week recovery time from the surgery, so I feel like I will definitely be ready before the season gets here.”
Spencer aggravated a bone bruise in his left knee during Saturday’s conditioning test. After he was unable to finish practice Sunday, an MRI confirmed the injury.
The Cowboys hoped Spencer would heal with rest, but doctors advised surgery.
“No one is in any kind of hurry to get these guys on an operating room table,” Garrett said. “That’s not how we want to work. We want to give them an opportunity to rehab and get themselves right and if you can’t do that, you make the next best decision.”
Spencer underwent arthroscopic surgery in August 2008 after suffering a bone bruise in his right knee and went on to miss four games, including two midway through the season because of a hamstring injury. He believes that experience will make it easier to recover this time around.
“You compensate a little more when you have certain injuries,” Spencer said in explaining how the knee operation led to the hamstring injury. “But we have a lot of time right now, so I don’t expect to have problems (like he had in 2008).”
Spencer led the team in tackles last season and recorded a career-best 11 sacks. While he’s out, 2012 fourth-round pick Kyle Wilber will line up opposite DeMarcus Ware, although on Tuesday second-year pro and Texas A&M alum Ben Bass slid over from defensive tackle to play end with the first team.
Lining up at outside linebacker in Rob Ryan’s 3-4 defense, Wilber played in only 10 games during an injury-plagued rookie season. He’s put on about 15 pounds to play end in Monte Kiffin’s 4-3 defense and said Tuesday the game has slowed down for him.
“As a rookie, everything was flying past me,” he said. “I know what to look for and see now.”
Injuries have thinned the Cowboys defensive line. Dallas is also without four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jay Ratliff (hamstring) and defensive end Tyrone Crawford, who was backing up both Spencer and Ware before tearing his Achilles tendon Sunday.
Continue reading...