IRVING, Texas — Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant says he will play with a broken finger Sunday against Pittsburgh and there are signs that it might not be wishful thinking.
Bryant was listed as a limited participant in practice Thursday, an upgrade from a day earlier, when he sat out. Dallas coach Jason Garrett said he caught some passes in practice after saying before the workout he didn’t think Bryant would.
The third-year pro fractured his left index finger in last weekend’s 20-19 win at Cincinnati, but he caught a touchdown after getting injured. He will need surgery, but the question remains whether he can try to play through the injury and have surgery after the season.
It didn’t seem like much of a question in Bryant’s mind Thursday.
“Only thing y’all need to know is I’m playing,” he said while ducking in and out of the locker room without stopping for interviews.
Bryant was the last player on the field for the open portion of practice, and he was wearing a padded white glove that had the tip of the finger exposed. Several players said he looked good catching passes.
“There are different ways to catch a ball,” quarterback Tony Romo said. “He can probably tell you better than anybody just how to catch a football. I trust him. If he’s going to put himself in that position, I know he’s going to find a way to play at a certain level.”
Bryant wants to keep playing for two reasons: the Cowboys (7-6) still have a shot at the playoffs, and he’s in the best stretch of his career. The third-year pro has his first 1,000-yard season and has scored in a career-best five straight games.
Dallas has won four of five, and Bryant has 33 catches for 525 yards and seven TDs in that stretch.
Griffin looks better at Redskins’ practice
ASHBURN, Va. — Robert Griffin III moved better on his sprained right knee at practice Thursday, apparently improving his chances of playing in the Washington Redskins’ game Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.
“You could see he was more comfortable,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “He was improved over yesterday.”
As expected, Shanahan reiterated that he plans to wait as long as possible to announce whether Griffin or backup Kirk Cousins will start.
“We’ll get a chance to see how Robert progresses during the week and make a decision, probably on game day,” the coach said.
Griffin was officially listed as “limited” in practice. He stretched and made some basic throws during the 20 minutes that the session was open to reporters. He was still favoring his right leg somewhat, but he was able to plant and throw more smoothly than he did on Wednesday.
At one point, Griffin pantomimed taking snaps to the side while Cousins and third-stringer Rex Grossman ran a drill.
“You’ve got to have a good feeling that he can play at full-strength,” Shanahan said. “If he can do that, then he will play.”
Griffin has a mild sprain of the lateral collateral ligament in his right knee after getting hit from defensive tackle Haloti Ngata late in regulation in Washington’s 31-28 overtime victory over the Baltimore Ravens.
Vitt: Witnesses lied in NFL investigation
METAIRIE, La. — Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt said Thursday witnesses in the NFL’s bounty investigation of the New Orleans Saints have lied about him and the organization, and that their stories might change in federal court.
Alluding to a defamation lawsuit filed by Saints linebacker Jon Vilma against NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Vitt angrily said he feels the truth about the pay-for-pain system will come out before U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan, who is presiding over the pending case in New Orleans.
“If anybody’s keeping a scorecard here, let’s take a look at this,” Vitt said. He referred back to his first meeting with reporters after the NFL released its bounty probe findings last March, in which he said, “At no point in time did our players ever cross the white line with the intention of injuring, maiming or ending the career of another player. That never took place.”
