DeMarco Murray getting hand surgery
— -- IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray will have surgery Monday to repair a broken bone in his hand, team executive vice president Stephen Jones said.
Murray, however, has not been ruled out for this week's game against the Indianapolis Colts. Jones announced the injury Monday during a radio interview on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas.
Murray suffered a broken fourth metacarpal bone in his left hand, a source told ESPN.com. The injury occurred late in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys' 38-27 win against the Philadelphia Eagles.
After the game, Murray said he was "good," but he did not elaborate about his hand. He had X-rays taken after the game and was examined further Monday.
The fourth metacarpal is the long bone in the hand that runs from the base of the fourth finger to the wrist.
If Murray can't play against the Colts, the Cowboys would turn to Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar as their top tailbacks. Ryan Williams has spent the year on the practice squad.
A potential absence would be a serious blow to an offense that has relied heavily on the NFL's leading rusher. Murray has established career highs in carries (351) and yards (1,687). He needs 87 yards in the final two games to eclipse Emmitt Smith's single-season team record of 1,773 yards set in 1995. He has an outside shot at 2,000 yards, as well, but those chances took a hit Sunday when he was held to 81 yards on 31 carries.
Murray has 11 100-yard games this season and has scored a career-high 11 touchdowns. Randle has 237 yards on 34 carries and has two touchdowns. Dunbar has 91 yards on 26 carries.
Williams was a second-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2011, but injuries limited his career. He played in just five games with 164 yards rushing on 58 carries, but he had an impressive preseason with the Cowboys.
Others have dealt with the same or similar injuries. Smith missed one game in 1999 after undergoing the surgery following a 13-carry, 140-yard and two-touchdown game against the Minnesota Vikings. He had two straight 100-yard games after his return. In 2006, Terrell Owens suffered a similar injury while with the Cowboys. He had a plate and screws implanted into his hand and did not miss a game, thanks to the Cowboys' bye week. He wore a glove with extra padding on the top of his hand for added protection. In 2011, Denver Broncos running back Willis McGahee missed one game with the injury.
Because Murray carries the ball predominantly in his right hand, it might not be much of an issue, but he has lost five fumbles on the season. He missed 11 games in his first three seasons with ankle, foot and knee injuries.
