Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware has claimed that the time he has missed through injury will only serve to spur him on in the remaining part of the season.

Ware will return from the quadriceps strain that has forced him to miss three games this season against the New York Giants on Sunday, claiming that he is now fully healed after aggravating the injury on his last comeback attempt on November 10.

The 31-year-old has just five sacks to his name so far this season, his lowest total at this stage of a campaign since his rookie year in 2005, and he believes that the challenge of catching up to his usual figures will help him to play at his best.

"The thing is I look at it like, OK, it's sort of going to push me to play even better than I have been playing because it's like you've been behind," Ware told reporters.

"Sometimes when you're behind, you have something to really look forward to. Just getting out there and playing, knowing what I can do and being effective for a whole game or the rest of the season, I know I'll need to be where I need to be."

Sunday's match against the Giants could be a pivotal one in the Cowboys' season, with just one win separating the two teams in the NFC East.