Question: Couldn't Jed, the cowboy in the timeglass, just be walking around on top of the sand to avoid being buried in it?
Answer: Yes. But he obviously doesn't think to do so.
Question: Would Rick have regenerated that quickly (overnight) after the blood loss from the giant mosquito and tick that he suffered?
Question: Are there differences between the theatrical, DVD, Blu-Ray, and TV versions of the movie?
Chosen answer: No alternate versions of the movie have been released. The version you watch is the version everybody watches. It probably would be edited for free-to-air TV, but almost all movies are.
Answer: Spoiler Alert: At the end of the first movie, Paul was not safe at the hospital. The doctors inform the sheriff that Paul needs to be transferred. We then see Deputy Winston take Paul, but instead of transferring him, Winston dumps Paul on the side of the creek. In the 2nd movie, Paul is alive, but just barely as he's badly infected. He's trying to get help and finally manages to make it to the highway, where he gets hit.
Bishop73