Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and wide receiver Dez Bryant were both participants in practice Thursday after previously sitting out due to injuries, casting some optimism on their availability for the team's Week 3 matchup with the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

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The Dallas News reports that Romo was back practicing Thursday after sitting out Wednesday with stiffness in his back while Bryant was a partial participant in practice after sitting out Wednesday's drills due to a shoulder injury he suffered in the team's 26-10 Week 2 victory over the Tennessee Titans last Sunday.

With the Cowboys looking to avoid extending their playoff drought to five seasons and hoping to do better than the 8-8 mark they've played to over the last three campaigns, the team will need all hands on deck going forward.

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Through two games thus far against the San Francisco 49ers and Titans, Romo is 42-for-66 (63.6%) for 457 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions while Bryant -- still searching for a contract extension from the team -- has 14 receptions for 158 yards and one score.

Romo is recovering from back surgery, but the team said that the day off could be the start of a new routine for him as he works his way back to a full recovery. Romo is expected to suit up Sunday.

"It was just to try something new," passing game coordinator Scott Linehan said Thursday via ESPN. "I don't think we felt as good as we wanted to feel last Thursday. So, that's why we're trying something different. I think it was a little bit of tightness or something like that. But he looked really good today."

Romo has seen plenty of action in the first two games, being sacked seven times and hit nine other times, so the day off could be just what his back needs to heal.

The Cowboys (1-1) and Rams (1-1) go head-to-head in Week 3 action on Sunday live from the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis at 1 p.m. ET.

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