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This post by ESPN's Matt Mosley got me to thinking. What was the Cowboys' most important injury in 2008?
You'll be shocked to find out that it's not Tony Romo.
The options are:
- Tony Romo—Dallas went 1-2 without the quarterback, and he threw awkwardly for weeks after returning for the rematch with Washington in Week 11.
- Roy Williams (safety)—Fractured his arm in Week 2 against the Eagles, and then broke it again in his return three weeks later versus Saint Louis.
- Mat McBriar—The Pro Bowl punter was lost for the season on the blocked punt that lost the Arizona game in Week 5.
- Felix Jones—The electric rookie back was lost for the season after injuring a hamstring (that just wouldn't heal right) during the same Arizona game in which McBriar and Romo were injured.
- Terence Newman and Anthony Henry—Both starting corners missed time throughout the year with leg injuries.
- Jason Witten—Played through broken ribs.
- Kyle Kosier—Played in only three games.
- Miles Austin, Sam Hurd, and Isaiah Stanback—The trio of young receivers played in 23 games combined, with all three playing hurt in many of their appearances.
- Marion Barber III—Only played sparingly after injuring his toe against the Seahawks in Week 13.
Of these players, only one won every game he played in this year—Kyle Kosier. The Cowboys went 3-0 with Kosier in the line-up, and 6-7 without him.
No one can really explain his importance because, as fans, we see a unit and not individual positions on the offensive line. You can bet that Cory Procter, Andre Gurode, and Flozell Adams can vouch for Kosier's importance though.
Before the season, fans on Cowboys radio, websites, and podcasts unanimously called for someone to "push" Kosier, feeling he was the weak link in the line. Without him though, Procter was exposed as a mere backup and Adams could no longer handle any speed-rusher.
His absence started the domino effect on the offensive line and special teams that eventually put untested players on the left side of the line in the game against Arizona. That left side exposed Romo and McBriar to the hits that would knock the two Pro Bowlers out for significant time.
You can't show many statistics to prove Kosier's worth, but to quote a local radio host, if you "watch the d*mn game," you see the value of Kosier's communication, chemistry, and agility in the middle of this massive offensive line.
So, this fall, watch the dang game, and you'll see that Kyle Kosier was the Cowboys' most important injury last season.
Dallas had several key injuries in 2008. When a team has a record 11 players selected to the Pro Bowl one year, and then has six of them miss multiple games the following season, you could assume a drop-off.
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