IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones wants it understood that the team isn't just trying to hold on until Dez Bryant and Tony Romo return from injuries.
Bryant (foot) is expected to miss at least two more games -- the Cowboys hope he can return after the bye week of Oct. 18 -- and Romo (collarbone) is out for at least another seven.
The goal is to have the team positioned to make a playoff run when Romo returns.
"I wouldn't say we're trying to hold on. We're trying to win games,” Jones said. "We have to go play our ass off. We can't hold on to anything. We'll play with what we have and play as hard as we can play.
"If we go oh-fer while Tony is out we're probably out of it, but we don't feel like that's going to happen. I think we're going to win football games with the team we have, and we're going to get better.”
The Cowboys expect guard Ron Leary (groin) and defensive end Jeremy Mincey (concussion) to play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. On Monday, defensive end Greg Hardy and middle linebacker Rolando McClain return from their four-game suspensions.
Defensive end Randy Gregory, a second-round pick who was terrific in training camp, will return in 2-3 weeks from a high-ankle sprain he suffered in the opener.
"There are a lot of guys that don't have franchise quarterbacks out there but win games,” Jones said. "There are different ways to win a game.
"Last week was tough but no excuses. Everybody has issues. We're not the only team in the league that has issues. No one feels sorry for us."
