IRVING, Texas -- After a short practice on Wednesday morning, Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware stated he's 97 percent healthy. Ware has been playing with a sore quad the past few weeks that cost him three games.
He returned for the New Orleans game on Nov. 10 and finished with two quarterback pressures and one sack, but against the New York Giants on Sunday, Ware finished with two tackles and wasn't credited with a pressure.
Ware said there's pressure on the defensive line to make plays especially in the run game that's allowed over 400 yards the past two weeks.
"When you have guys, you can't miss tackles," Ware said. "Guys are there and have an opportunity to make the big plays but if you don’t make that big play, you can see that big plays happen and you can't have that. We've been working on that this week, even though we didn’t have the helmets on. We worked on really staying low and making those tackles if it’s a shoestring tackle, or whatever it is, get him down."
The Cowboys need a healthy Ware given how two defensive starters, linebackers Sean Lee and Justin Durant, are out another week with hamstring injuries. Nickel corner Morris Claiborne is also out with a hamstring injury, so it puts pressure on the defensive line, particularly Ware to make plays as pass-rushers.
Defensive tackle Jason Hatcher had two sacks against Eli Manning last week in his first game back from a stinger.
Now it's up to Ware to add to his sack totals. He's got five on the season, third on the team and behind Hatcher's team-leading nine and defensive end George Selvie's six.
Health is the biggest issue for Ware, who would need five sacks in the last five games of the season to reach double digits.
"I'm 97 percent now from last week," Ware said. "Just going out there and playing and getting used to playing again."