After a tough loss that was ultimately sealed by a special teams error, the last thing any team wants is a major injury.
Unfortunately, that is exactly what the Dallas Cowboys got after their loss to the Bengals on Monday night, doomed by a blocked punt that was fumbled by the punt-block team and re-secured by Cincinnati.
Cowboys Linebacker Suffered Gruesome Injury On Monday Night
Starting inside linebacker, DeMarvion Overshown, suffered a significant knee injury in the 4th quarter of Monday’s game whilst attempting to get off a block from Bengals guard, Alex Cappa, during a Chase Brown 2-yard run.
And on Tuesday, the prognosis for the second year pick out of Texas has been released, and it is not good.
Overshown tore his ACL, MCL and PCL, according to ESPN, and Mike McCarthy has weighed in with devastating news for the linebacker’s short-term playing prospects, per Josh Tolentino.
Moreover, sports medical doctor, Deepak Chona, gave a more specific approximation of the Texas’ product expected time on the sidelines.
What Next For Overshown And The Cowboys’ Defense?
It is certainly true that we have seen more and more instances of players accelerating injury timelines over the past couple of years.
Cam Akers returned to play in the playoffs for the LA Rams after tearing his ACL in the preseason; Aaron Rodgers famously geared up to play in the last few weeks of the regular season, before the Jets’ elimination from playoff contention rendered those plans futile.
However, with an injury of this magnitude – tearing three knee ligaments – for a player that is still very much in the early days of his career, it would seem prudent to not rush his return and instead prioritize a complete recovery that allows him to hit the ground running when he does eventually come back.
Especially considering the Cowboys’ team lifecycle being at least a couple of seasons away from being able to truly contend in the postseason.
For the Cowboys, this is a major blow; Overshown racked up the second-most tackles on the team this season, behind only 32-year old veteran and former All-Pro, Eric Kendricks.
Overshown represents the future of the future of the heart of Dallas’ defense alongside impressive rookie, Marist Liufau. For the moment however, Liufau and Kendricks can hold down the fort until the end of the season, and beyond that only the Cowboys brass knows.
Realistically, in a season that is now all but finished after Monday’s loss, the loss of the former 3rd round pick won’t have a next-level impact on the season, but could unquestionably halts the progression of a potential star in the making.
