Football seasons live and die by how a roster absorbs the shock of November attrition. When the Dallas Cowboys walked out of Lucas Oil Stadium with a 27-23 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, the win brought hope, but the medical ledger got heavier than ever. Instead of enjoying a standard week of install and fine-tuning, Brian Schottenheimer’s coaching staff spent their week trying to create a patchwork roster that could withstand a visit from the 7-1 San Francisco 49ers.

To that end, with their latest injury report, Dallas ruled out five key contributors for Sunday, forcing an immediate reshuffle on both sides of the ball.

The offensive losses, per Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams, start right at the heart of passing and running games. Tight end Jake Ferguson caught the game’s opening touchdown against Indianapolis before suffering a PCL sprain and MCL damage in his left knee during the third quarter, an injury that will sideline him for multiple weeks. Even running back Tyler Goodson battled through ACL and MCL sprains in his left knee to finish the afternoon with 77 rushing yards, but medical scans later revealed structural damage that officially shut him down.

Defensively, outside linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku is out due to the ankle injury that forced him off the field early against the Colts. Joining him on the unavailable list is safety P.J. Locke, who entered the concussion protocol for the second time this season, alongside wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, who is sidelined by lingering ankle and foot issues.

None of these five players participated in practice sessions on Wednesday or Thursday, leaving the coaching staff to lean heavily on what’s left. But when Schottenheimer spoke about them, he also pointed to the grit required to keep things moving.

“A lot of these guys, they play on adrenaline, and this is a guy that has been incredible for us really the last two weeks,” Schottenheimer said of Goodson. “And these guys, they want to tough it out. They care. They want to win. They want to do whatever it takes. And just doing some more exams and scans and things like that, a few things showed up that we’ll keep an eye for.”

With Ferguson sidelined, Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford are stepping into expanded tight-end snaps, while running back depth relies on options like Israel Abanikanda. Meanwhile, defensive front adjustments require veterans like Von Miller to absorb higher snap counts alongside rotational pieces to offset the loss of an edge.

Beyond the confirmed inactive, the rest of the depth chart doesn’t look that great either. Safety Juanyeh Thomas is listed as doubtful with a hamstring strain, while defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard (calf), safety Alijah Clark (illness), and cornerback Devin Moore (hip) carry questionable tags.

Cornerbacks DaRon Bland and Joey Porter Jr. are also working through injury concerns, with Bland managing a late-week ankle issue and Porter dealing with foot and heel discomfort long before Dallas traded for him with the Pittsburgh Steelers in late September. Porter was a limited participant on Friday, and the day before, had already explained why he had to pump the brakes on his physical availability.

“The whole foot’s jacked up,” Porter said on Thursday. “I was playing on it for a while, and it just kept getting worse to where I had to shut it down. I feel like all the guys are wanting me to get back. They know what I could do when I’m out there on the field. I bring a presence out there that is a game-changing type presence. I’m just trying to get back out there as fast as possible.”

These secondary questions have put defensive coordinator Christian Parker in a tough spot. With P.J. Locke sidelined and Jalen Thomas stashed on the injured reserve, communication responsibilities shift to reserve defensive backs who must maintain coverage integrity against San Francisco – all the while avoiding flags.

While the medical room’s overflowing, the team’s discipline issues from Sunday also complicate the matter. That victory over Indianapolis came with 14 accepted penalties for a loss of 153 yards – highlighted by a bizarre fourth-quarter sequence. With Dallas holding a narrow 20-17 lead after a fumble recovery, linebacker DeMarvion Overshown – inactive due to hamstring and back issues – sprinted off the bench in blue sweats and a stocking cap to celebrate on the field.

The refs announced a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for a non-uniformed player crossing the sideline, backing Dallas from the 30 to the 15-yard line and nearly letting the Colts back into the game.

Meeting a top-tier opponent like the 49ers requires cleaning up of self-inflicted errors while also patching the holes on a leaky roster. Looking forward, Brian Schottenheimer has already shared where the focus must remain as game day approaches.

“We got to handle our business,” Schottenheimer said, “and [it’d] be a good challenge for us against a really good 49ers team.”