The Dallas Cowboys' plan to sort out their early struggles and rediscover their identity might have just hit an unfortunate snag. Despite earning a 20-15 road victory over the New York Giants on Thursday night, they will be leaving the Meadowlands much worse for wear.

Pro Bowl defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence suffered a foot injury and is “expected to miss multiple weeks,” according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The longtime fan favorite went down in the third quarter and headed to the locker room, but he did not appear to be concerned after the game. This is a brutal gut punch, especially since star pass-rusher Micah Parsons is nursing his own injury.

Cowboys will have to dig deep going forward

Lawrence, who already has three sacks and four tackles for loss in four games, has been a stalwart presence on Dallas' defensive line for more than a decade now. He adds stability and veteran leadership that the team sorely needs. Mike Zimmer's unit has already looked vulnerable in losses to the New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens. There is no telling what kind of sorcery the defensive coordinator will have to utilize if he cannot turn to his most trusted contributors.

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Making matters worse, the schedule does not seem to offer the Cowboys much of a reprieve during the “multiple weeks” Lawrence is likely to be sidelined. They visit the Pittsburgh Steelers next Sunday night and then return home for a game against the Detroit Lions before their Week 7 bye. If the 2017 Second-Team All-Pro is still not ready to take the field, Dallas will be forced to face perennial thorn-in-side San Francisco 49ers in Levi's Stadium with a shorthanded defense.

In other words, this upcoming stretch is going to be demanding for the team and stressful for the fans. Even when they are in disarray, the Cowboys have had the luxury of falling back on their loaded roster. They must now exhibit the discipline and intestinal fortitude they are often accused of lacking.

Because if they cannot, then a returning DeMarcus Lawrence might not even make much of a difference.