Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson Suffers Low Ankle Sprain; Caleb Downs in Concussion Protocol

The Cowboys' brutal afternoon came with an injury bill. Tight end Jake Ferguson suffered a low ankle sprain in Sunday's 33-30 overtime loss to the Cardinals, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported.

A low ankle sprain is the more manageable kind, as opposed to a high ankle sprain that can cost a player several weeks, but Ferguson's status for next week is still up in the air. He's been a steady piece of the passing game, with 17 catches for 115 yards and three touchdowns this season, and he's been a regular target for Dak Prescott. If he's limited, Dallas would lean more on its backup tight ends in a passing game that's already looking for answers.

The defense took a hit too. Rookie defensive back Caleb Downs was ruled out in the first half with a concussion, and Brian Schottenheimer said after the game that Downs is in the league's concussion protocol. He'll have to clear every step of it before he can play again, and that process can take a few days or stretch past a week.

Losing Downs hurt in a game where the defense couldn't close. Dallas led 24-10 early in the fourth quarter and 27-17 with under four minutes left before Gardner Minshew rallied Arizona to a comeback win in overtime. Jerry Jones called it "an indictment of the whole show" afterward.

The Cowboys fell to 3-5 and visit the Colts on Nov. 8. The practice reports this week will show where Ferguson and Downs stand.