Sunday was not a pretty game for the Dallas Cowboys, getting blown out at home by the Detroit Lions. Unfortunately, there will be an extra week to think about the result as the bye is set to take place. Injured players might enjoy having the extra time off to recover before facing off against the San Francisco 49ers.

Dallas is hoping to have Micah Parsons back before the big-time showdown after missing the last two games due to an ankle problem. Head coach Mike McCarthy gave the latest, saying the bye week will be a “big” one for Parsons in his recovery process.

Right now, McCarthy is not sure if Parsons will be ready to face off against the 49ers. However, he does believe progress is being made — a positive sign for the Cowboys.

“Don’t know,” McCarthy said on Monday during his press conference. “This is a big week for him. Yeah, this is a big week for him. He’s making progress.”

Parsons has played in just four games this season, recording 14 tackles, two tackles for a loss, and one sack. Not bad numbers but not what we have come to expect of Parsons, a consistent contender for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. At the very least, Dallas would be deploying one of the most feared players in the league in front of offensive tackles.

The injury occurred late in the Thursday Night Football game against the New York Giants. He has now missed the matchup against Detroit and the Pittsburgh Steelers as the Cowboys have a 1-1 record with Parsons off the field.

Getting him back to full health is one of the team’s biggest storylines, even after a rough performance on Sunday. San Francisco has been a team Dallas struggles with throughout the McCarthy era — not having their best defensive player would be a major blow to the game plan.