Dallas Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Positive injury updates provided on Jayron Kearse and Micah Parsons

Originally posted on Inside The Star | By Shane Taylor | Last updated 1/19/23

After a dominant performance from the Dallas Cowboys on both sides of the ball Monday night, a few key defenders found themselves banged up a bit after their victory.

The biggest names were Jayron Kearse, Micah Parsons, and Jason Peters.

Safety Kearse exited the game against the Bucs in the third quarter with a left knee injury. He was helped to the sideline by team trainers and would not return. Kearse intercepted Tom Brady in the first quarter Monday night and Brady's first red zone INT in the playoffs.

Despite not returning Monday night, Kearse has been limited in practice the last two days.

He also told reporters he would 100% play Sunday against the 49ers. “I'm good. Feeling good. This is easier to handle than the first time,” he said. “We want to win it all. We're craving a Super Bowl, that's enough motivation for us.”

Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse (knee) on percentage chance he plays Sunday: “100 percent.”

“I’m good. Feeling good. This is easier to handle than the first time.”

“We want to win it all. We’re craving a Super Bowl, that’s enough motivation for us.”

January 18, 2023

As for the first-team All-Pro Parsons, he also will be playing Sunday. No way he will miss this matchup. We could see he was slow to get up at the end of Monday night's first half. Parsons finished the game well and had one sack, nine pressures, and two QB hits.

“I’m feeling good,” Parsons said. He added he was excited for the matchup this week.

On the other side of the ball, veteran offensive lineman Peters will likely be out Sunday. The 40-year-old offensive lineman suffered a hip injury in the third quarter against the Buccaneers and did not return to the game.

On Wednesday, he did not participate with his teammates in the walkthrough to start this week's slate of practices. With a short week, don't expect him to be ready.

That'll leave the Cowboys even thinner on the OL, but Tyler Smith will probably slide over from left guard to tackle, and Connor McGovern will take over at guard.

The Cowboys can live without Peters in the lineup, but If Dallas had been without Kearse or Parsons, we could start worrying. The defensive side of the ball is who I'm worried about the most as the Cowboys travel to Levi's Stadium and face the 49ers.

Huge red zone INT by Jayron Kearse

(Via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/TFaIxoqNSG

— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) January 17, 2023

Kearse and Parsons will rely heavily on how Kyle Shannahan runs his offense. The offense runs through Deebo Samual and Christian McCaffrey. You stop them; you control the Niners, but that won't be easy.

Playing on the road Monday night didn't do them any favors. The 49ers played on Saturday at home. Therefore, they don't have to travel or get on a flight.

Nonetheless, Dallas could have used an extra day or so like them, but Mike McCarthy will have his players ready to go.

This article first appeared on Inside The Star and was syndicated with permission.

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