According to a report from DallasCowboys.com, Jason Witten received some good news when he visited a doctor earlier in the week to check the status of his lacerated spleen.
He suffered the injury during the Cowboys first preseason game with the Oakland Raiders on August 13. The initial timetable for his recovery -- four-to-six weeks -- would have cost at least the first two games of the regular season, if not the whole season, if surgery was required.
Instead, Witten will be a game-time decision for the Cowboys opening day game against the New York Giants on September 5, the first game of the 2012 NFL season.
Over the last eight seasons, Witten has missed only two regular season games while becoming one of the most dependable pass-catching targets in the NFL. In 2011, he had 79 catches, 942 yards and 5 TD's.
For a Dallas offense that has struggled with consistency, his steady hands and blocking ability could be a huge asset in their game against the defending Super Bowl champions.
For more coverage of the Cowboys and Giants, check out Blogging The Boys and Big Blue View as well as the SB Nation NFL news hub.