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Archer: Marc Colombo's frustrating wait is finally over as tackle prepares to return Sunday
11:51 PM CDT on Thursday, September 16, 2010
COLUMN By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News
tarcher@dallasnews.com
Todd Archer
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IRVING – The routine had become too familiar for Marc Colombo.
With an injury preventing him from playing, the Cowboys right tackle has watched the last four road games from his house. Last year, it was because of a fractured left fibula and high ankle sprain. Last Sunday, it was right knee surgery.
"Every game I've ever missed has been extremely difficult," Colombo said, "but knowing I was going to practice, I was kind of excited about that."
It wasn't that Colombo felt he could do a better job than his replacement – Alex Barron – whose holding penalty wiped out a touchdown on the game's final play Sunday. It was more that he felt he let his teammates down.
"People are down on the offensive line," Colombo said. "And just a few years ago, people considered us the best in football and now that's different. We're going to change people's minds."
The first chance comes Sunday against Chicago, when Colombo and left guard Kyle Kosier make their 2010 debuts after suffering knee injuries three days apart in training camp.
In the last 30 games Colombo and Kosier have played from start to finish, the Cowboys are 23-7.
Over the last month, they were rehab partners. Colombo had "loose bodies" removed from his right knee on Aug. 16. Kosier suffered a sprained medical collateral ligament in his right knee on Aug. 18. On Wednesday, they returned to practice and went through their second full workout Thursday.
While the linemen are set to return, coach Wade Phillips said he doubts they would play a full game, but he's happy to have them back.
"They're two experienced guys who've played with us, been with us and helped win a lot of games," Phillips said. "We have a lot of confidence in those guys."
Making Colombo's return even more interesting is the opponent. He was the Bears' top pick in 2002 but played in only 19 games over four seasons because of a serious knee injury.
Given a 5 percent chance of playing in Chicago, he joined the Cowboys as a free agent in 2005 for three games, built up his strength and started 57 consecutive games from 2006-09.
"I hope they felt like they made a mistake," Colombo said, "but they moved on from there. That was awhile ago, and I'm just looking forward to playing."
Sunday will be Colombo's first regular-season game since last November at Green Bay. He feverishly rehabbed to return for the playoff win against Philadelphia but struggled the next week at Minnesota.
The plan was for him to be 100 percent recovered from this surgery before he returned.
"Everybody's healing time is different," Colombo said. "Obviously, I wanted to get out there for the first game, but that didn't work out. If I could've, I would've been out there. I'm ready to go now."
What Colombo means to the offensive line is not measured in yards or sacks allowed. It is in the preparation during the week and the adjustments made during games. Phillips and offensive line coach Hudson Houck call Colombo the leader of the group.
"He competes, he communicates and he's a fighter," tight end Jason Witten said. "He's going to find a way. You know he probably hurts some, but I think everybody's confident just because at the end of the day you know he's going to do everything he can to make a play for you."
For all of the toys at the Cowboys' disposal, the offensive linemen serve as the batteries. With Colombo and Kosier, it would be whole again.
"We've been through a lot of those battles together," Colombo said. "You just kind of depend on each other. We've done it a million times. It's good to get back out there."
• • •
11:51 PM CDT on Thursday, September 16, 2010
COLUMN By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News
tarcher@dallasnews.com
Todd Archer
Archive | E-mail
IRVING – The routine had become too familiar for Marc Colombo.
With an injury preventing him from playing, the Cowboys right tackle has watched the last four road games from his house. Last year, it was because of a fractured left fibula and high ankle sprain. Last Sunday, it was right knee surgery.
"Every game I've ever missed has been extremely difficult," Colombo said, "but knowing I was going to practice, I was kind of excited about that."
It wasn't that Colombo felt he could do a better job than his replacement – Alex Barron – whose holding penalty wiped out a touchdown on the game's final play Sunday. It was more that he felt he let his teammates down.
"People are down on the offensive line," Colombo said. "And just a few years ago, people considered us the best in football and now that's different. We're going to change people's minds."
The first chance comes Sunday against Chicago, when Colombo and left guard Kyle Kosier make their 2010 debuts after suffering knee injuries three days apart in training camp.
In the last 30 games Colombo and Kosier have played from start to finish, the Cowboys are 23-7.
Over the last month, they were rehab partners. Colombo had "loose bodies" removed from his right knee on Aug. 16. Kosier suffered a sprained medical collateral ligament in his right knee on Aug. 18. On Wednesday, they returned to practice and went through their second full workout Thursday.
While the linemen are set to return, coach Wade Phillips said he doubts they would play a full game, but he's happy to have them back.
"They're two experienced guys who've played with us, been with us and helped win a lot of games," Phillips said. "We have a lot of confidence in those guys."
Making Colombo's return even more interesting is the opponent. He was the Bears' top pick in 2002 but played in only 19 games over four seasons because of a serious knee injury.
Given a 5 percent chance of playing in Chicago, he joined the Cowboys as a free agent in 2005 for three games, built up his strength and started 57 consecutive games from 2006-09.
"I hope they felt like they made a mistake," Colombo said, "but they moved on from there. That was awhile ago, and I'm just looking forward to playing."
Sunday will be Colombo's first regular-season game since last November at Green Bay. He feverishly rehabbed to return for the playoff win against Philadelphia but struggled the next week at Minnesota.
The plan was for him to be 100 percent recovered from this surgery before he returned.
"Everybody's healing time is different," Colombo said. "Obviously, I wanted to get out there for the first game, but that didn't work out. If I could've, I would've been out there. I'm ready to go now."
What Colombo means to the offensive line is not measured in yards or sacks allowed. It is in the preparation during the week and the adjustments made during games. Phillips and offensive line coach Hudson Houck call Colombo the leader of the group.
"He competes, he communicates and he's a fighter," tight end Jason Witten said. "He's going to find a way. You know he probably hurts some, but I think everybody's confident just because at the end of the day you know he's going to do everything he can to make a play for you."
For all of the toys at the Cowboys' disposal, the offensive linemen serve as the batteries. With Colombo and Kosier, it would be whole again.
"We've been through a lot of those battles together," Colombo said. "You just kind of depend on each other. We've done it a million times. It's good to get back out there."
• • •