Cowboys' Zack Martin Unlikely to Play Against Washington Because of Concussion

The Dallas Cowboys are looking to bounce back from a 38-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals when they take the field for Sunday's game against the Washington Football Team, and they likely will not have right guard Zack Martin available because of a concussion.

"Unless there's a change in the next 24 hours, I don't see Zack participating," head coach Mike McCarthy said, per Todd Archer of ESPN. "So I think we all recognize that it being a Monday game (last week), it was going to be a challenge, but he's still not through the protocol."

Connor McGovern replaced Martin against the Cardinals and appears in line to make his first career start.

As Archer explained, this is just another setback to a positional unit that was once a strength of the Cowboys.

Five-time Pro Bowl center Travis Frederick retired in the offseason. Seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith has played just two games this year because of a neck injury, while right tackle La'el Collins is sidelined following hip surgery.

What's more, center Joe Looney is out with a knee injury, left tackle Brandon Knight had surgery Tuesday on a knee injury and tackle Cameron Erving has not played since the season opener.

It is not exactly a surprise, then, that Dallas is just 2-4 and is no longer overpowering opponents with the rushing attack of Ezekiel Elliott and a stout offensive line. The team is already shorthanded with quarterback Dak Prescott out for the season with an ankle injury, and Martin's absence will make life more difficult for replacement Andy Dalton.

Martin is a six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro selection who figured to help protect Dalton from a Washington defensive line that includes Chase Young, Ryan Kerrigan and Montez Sweat.

The offense struggled to generate anything of note until garbage time in the loss against the Cardinals and will have to be much better in the upcoming game if it plans on bouncing back with a win.

The silver lining for the Cowboys is the fact they are in the abysmal NFC East, so a win would put them in first place alone at 3-4.