Phil Costa injury: Cowboys center leaves field in aircast

Phil Costa went down with an apparent ankle injury, after he got caught up with the left guard in pass protection, and was unable to leave the field under his own power.

After several minutes on the ground, Costa left the field with the help of trainers and was carted off to the locker room with an air cast on his right leg. It was a terrible series of events for the Cowboys which involved the center going down early in the play, following by a Miles Austin fumble that turned the ball over.

The situation at center for Dallas is in flux, exacerbated by backup Ryan Cook struggling with his own hamstring injury. Now with both centers down, the Cowboys turn to 2011 forth-round pick David Arkin. The second-year offensive guard had appeared in just one game thus far for Dallas, playing last week against the Baltimore Ravens.

Dallas currently lead the Carolina Panthers by three points, late in the first half.

This post first appeared on SB Nation.