This is not what Cowboys fans wanted to see.
It wasn't pretty, but the Dallas Cowboys got back in the win column on Thursday night. A win is a win at the end of the day, but this team still has a lot to clean up. The biggest concern, though, is the status of Micah Parsons, who was carted off with an apparent ankle injury.
Parsons got his leg rolled up on from behind while rushing the passer. He was in noticeable pain on the ground before he walked off on his own power. He was treated on the sideline briefly before he was carted to the locker room without a shoe on his left foot.
The X-Rays came back negative, but Parsons will undergo an MRI on Friday to determine the severity of the injury. Parsons was in good spirits after the game and said he will try to play next week against the Steelers.
That's commendable from Parsons and nothing less than we would expect, but it's hard to be optimistic after footage of No. 11 getting off the team plan after it landed back in Dallas emerged. Parsons is seen walking with a noticeable limp. He had a lot of trouble putting pressure on his ankle.
Cowboys reporter posts video of Micah Parsons getting off plane after injury
There is two ways to look at this. On one hand, Parsons is not wearing a brace or boot to support his ankle. Assuming the bone is swollen, it's no surprise that he is walking gingerly. It's encouraging that Parsons is wearing his sneakers. No crutches. No support from teammates.
At the same time, though, Parsons is having serious trouble walking. While that's not a huge surprise being the injury is so fresh, it is hard to watch this video and feel optimistic about his chances of playing next Sunday night against the 3-0 Steelers.
While Mike McCarthy declined to elaborate on Parsons' injury, nobody within the organization has expressed major concern, including team reporters. Trevon Diggs caught up with Parsons and offered an encouraging update.
“I was just making sure he was straight,” Diggs said, via the USA Today. “That’s my best friend. I just wanted him to be good. But he’s going to be OK.”
Around-the-clock treatment and rest will help the ankle heal, but Cowboys fans will be waited with bated breath for the MRI results on Friday. Parsons will walk better once the swelling goes down, but given the fickle nature of ankle sprains there's no telling how much time, if any, that he'll miss.
