Jadeveon Clowney is banged up again, but the Cowboys are holding out hope he’ll be ready to go when they take on the Lions in a big Thursday night matchup.
After showing up on the injury report with a neck issue leading into Thanksgiving, Clowney is now dealing with a hamstring injury that kept him off the field for Monday’s practice. He also missed Sunday’s bonus session, which raised some eyebrows.
But despite the recent setbacks, team owner Jerry Jones struck an optimistic tone during his Tuesday appearance on 105.3 The Fan, saying the plan is still for Clowney to suit up this week. That said, Jones didn’t rule out the possibility of it coming down to a game-time decision.
Clowney’s presence would be a big boost for a Dallas defense that’s been gaining steam. He was a game-wrecker against the Chiefs on Thanksgiving, notching two sacks on Patrick Mahomes and making life miserable for Kansas City’s offensive line. Through the season, Clowney has tallied 27 tackles, four sacks, and a fumble recovery - a solid stat line that doesn’t even fully capture the disruptive impact he’s had off the edge.
The Cowboys are clearly hoping he can shake off this latest setback in time for Thursday night. With playoff positioning on the line and Detroit bringing one of the more balanced offenses in the league, having Clowney on the field could be the difference between dictating the tempo and playing catch-up.