On the surface, the situation seems straightforward:

Phillips will be sidelined for at least the next four weeks, requiring the Cowboys to adjust their strategy, including signing Carlos Watkins off the Commanders’ practice squad.

However, when reporters inquired about his injury, Phillips offered some cryptic remarks. He mentioned that he’s unsure when he injured his wrist, stating that such details are “above his paygrade.”“I don’t know.

That’s above my pay grade. You have to ask the people making the decisions,” Phillips explained to the Dallas Star. “It’s a tough question to answer. I’m not sure how to respond without… you know.

”What does he mean by that? Is he suggesting that reporters should direct their questions to the medical staff?

Or could he be implying he’s not really injured, and the Cowboys are using this situation to replace him with Watkins, who is statistically less effective? Regardless, Phillips shared his thoughts on the team’s current struggles, asserting that the issues stem from a lack of cohesion rather than effort.“I don’t think effort is an issue,” he said.

“The first game went well, but the second game was disappointing.

We need to find our identity… We must get on the same page. There’s a lot of back-and-forth.

”Whether Phillips returns or not, the Cowboys must address their run defense, which has been a significant weak point this season.

After a decent performance in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns, where they allowed just 230 total yards, things unraveled against a surprisingly strong New Orleans Saints offense.

The Saints, powered by Alvin Kamara, managed to rack up 190 rushing yards against them.

To make matters worse, Mazi Smith was carted off during practice leading up to the Ravens game, putting more pressure on players like Watkins and Linval Joseph to step up against an offense featuring Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson.

For Cowboys fans, the hope is that Smith can play, as his absence could lead to a challenging game against a Ravens team eager for its first win of the season.