IRVING, Texas — The drive from Cowboys Stadium in Arlington to Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas took about 30 minutes.

It seemed a lot longer to DeMarcus Ware on Sunday night as many things went through his mind.
“Lot of things to be thankful for,” Ware said. “One thing is family. You see your family out there, and you know what’s most important.”
Ware was strapped to a stretcher, and his head was immobilized following a collision with San Diego offensive lineman Brandyn Dombrowski’s thigh. Ware’s wife, Taniqua, was in the ambulance with him. So was Cowboys associate trainer Britt Brown.
As he lay on the field Sunday, Ware knew he would be OK because he could move his limbs. Ware’s facemask was removed as the doctors examined him because of the pain he felt in his neck.
Ware told the medical staff to “just pick me up and take me to the sideline. I don’t want to draw attention to myself. I tried to get up, and no.”
“I could hardly move my neck,” Ware said. “I had to be really careful with that.”
On Tuesday, Ware expressed relief that the injury was not more serious. He also stated his desire to play Saturday against New Orleans but did not practice.
Ware will undergo more X-rays and have another MRI on Wednesday in addition to some strength tests. He said he feels better than he did following a sprained neck he suffered in the season opener at Tampa Bay and missed only a handful of plays.
Although he still has soreness, Ware said he felt much better. The final decision on whether he plays Saturday will be made by the Cowboys’ medical personnel.
“If they tell me not to play, I won’t,” Ware said, “because the doctors, they know more than I do. Sometimes you can feel good, but maybe just that next impact, you can make it even worse than it is.”
Ware, the Cowboys’ best pass rusher, leads the team in sacks with nine.
His potential absence against the undefeated and high-scoring Saints would be a big blow for the Cowboys’ defense and impact the team’s playoff chances.
“You have to think about, ’He might get out there and get paralyzed or hurt even more,’ “ Ware said. “Which is more important, longevity or right now?”
Whenever Ware returns, he said he will not be tentative.
“With me, when I get out there, I just play,” Ware said. “I don’t think about it. I’m trying to blow somebody up when I’m out there.”
Ware, who signed a six-year, $78 million contract extension in October, has been bothered by two neck injuries, a stress fracture in his foot and a fractured left wrist but has played in 77 straight regular-season games. He would like to make it 78.
“They took me off the injury report for one thing and put me on there for something else,” Ware said. “I’m going to do what I need to do to get ready. It’s up to the trainers to make sure it’s the right decision at the time and also for myself.”