Cowboys’ Sean Lee, Chidobe Awuzie return to action looming

The Dallas Cowboys defense will get a much-needed boost in the coming weeks, as two starters are nearing a return.

The Dallas Cowboys are nearing history, and not the good kind of history. Their defensive squad, led by coordinator Mike Nolan, is on pace to set the NFL record for most points allowed by a defense in a season with 581. The 1981 Baltimore Colts hold that dubious distinction, where they allowed a grand total of 533 points that campaign. Plenty of Dallas’ struggles can be attributed to the injuries on the defensive side of the ball, but reinforcements are coming soon.

According to Michael Gelken of the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys activated the 21-day practice window for linebacker Sean Lee and cornerback Chidobe Awuzie on Thursday. The hope is that both players will be able to play in that timeframe.

Help is on the way for Dallas

Lee has yet to take the field this season because he was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 7, just days before the team’s Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. It was revealed shortly afterwards that Lee had undergone a procedure for a core muscle injury. Lee revealed during a conference call on Wednesday that doctors had to reattach the abdomen to his pelvic bone.

The veteran linebacker has been known for being injury prone, but you can’t forget that Lee didn’t miss a single game last season! In fact, that was the first time in his career that he didn’t miss one game. Last season, Lee recorded 84 total tackles, four passes defended, one interception and one sack.

As for Awuzie, his absence has been felt the most in Dallas. The starting corner played in Dallas’ first two games of the season, before being ruled out for Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks due to a hamstring injury. One day after being ruled out, the Cowboys placed him on the injured reserve. In his limited action, Awuzie recorded three total tackles, two passes defended and one interception. Per Pro Football Reference, Awuzie allowed five receptions for 69 yards and two touchdowns on nine targets.

Through the first six weeks of the season, the Cowboys surrendered an average of 410.1 yards of total offense  (27th in NFL),  236.0 passing yards (18th in NFL) and 173.3 rushing yards (31st in NFL) per game.

The Cowboys will now use the next three weeks to see how both athletes perform in practice. If they are deemed ready to pay, they’ll return to the field. But if they are limited or can’t practice in full, they could be placed on season-ending injured reserve. The Cowboys are definitely hoping for the former, because they need all the help they can get.