Dez Bryant Injury: Updates on Cowboys WR's Back

Dez Bryant injured his back in the fourth quarter of the Dallas Cowboys' Sunday night matchup versus the Washington Redskins.

ESPN's Calvin Watkins had the news:

"

Dez Bryant has a lower back issue and his return is questionable.

— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) December 31, 2012"

There's no denying that Bryant is a huge loss for the Cowboys. This injury occurred as Jason Garrett's team was attempting to clear a two-score deficit, so it really made an impact on the game.

Bryant had four catches for 71 yards before leaving Sunday night's game. DeAngelo Hall did an excellent job of covering him on the outside, for the most part, but the ultra-athletic wide receiver was still able to do his part for Tony Romo.

Entering the game, Bryant had 88 catches for 1,311 yards and 12 touchdowns. He's still an inconsistent player at times, but his production was undeniable this season.

If you're talking raw, unbridled athleticism, you would be hard pressed to find a more-capable player than Bryant on the outside.

Bryant's injury won't impact Dallas moving forward unless the Cowboys come back to win Sunday night's game. However, it definitely has an impact on the remaining minutes of the Cowboys' season. 

Miles Austin and Kevin Ogletree can hold their own on the outside, but neither player is as explosive as Bryant. His size/speed combination presents nightmare matchups for almost every defensive back that he lines up against.

Stay tuned for updates regarding Bryant's back injury.