The Dallas Cowboys are trending in the right direction after grabbing their third straight win that has pushed them atop the NFC East division with a 6-5 record through the first 12 weeks of the season.
The Cowboys will have some much-needed stability along the offensive line with All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith back in the fold for the primetime game next Thursday against the New Orleans Saints, according to Calvin Watkins of the Athletic.
Jerry Jones said he expects Tyron Smith (stinger) to return for the Saints game next week. "We didn't expect him not to play tonight."
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) November 23, 2018
Smith has been a major anchor on the offensive line throughout his career with the Cowboys behind his steady play. However, he has dealt with nagging injuries over the last three seasons, missing seven games over that span. This has once again been the case in the 2018 campaign as he has limited physically persistent injuries that have forced him to play at less than full strength through portions of this season.
He has proven to be an elite talent as arguably the best left tackle in the league that has earned five Pro Bowl selections, two First-Team All-Pro nods, and two Second-Team All-Pro selections. The only issue for him has been his health over the last couple of years that has prevented him from being a bigger factor for the Cowboys. However, his presence will be needed against the Saints as his team's play offensively will be huge against one of the league's best scoring units.
Dallas has picked it up over the last few weeks during their current three-game winning streak. The Cowboys put together a strong offensive performance in a 31-23 win over the Washington Redskins with 404 total offensive yards that saw balance from both the passing and running game. Star running back Ezekiel Elliott posted 121 rushing yards and a touchdown along with quarterback Dak Prescott throwing for a season-high 289 yards and a pair of touchdowns. There should be more clarity on Smith's health in the coming days ahead of Thursday's tilt.
