Dak Prescott is working his way back from surgery. On Wednesday, he threw a football for the first time in more than a month as he prepares for his return to the Dallas Cowboys’ starting lineup.
But head coach Mike McCarthy isn’t expecting that to happen before Sunday night’s vital NFC East showdown with the 5-0 Philadelphia Eagles. Instead, he’s likely to stick with the backup quarterback who has won his first four starts of 2022, Cooper Rush.
At his Wednesday press conference, which took place before Prescott’s return to practice, McCarthy told reporters he’s “preparing for Cooper to start against the Eagles.”
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said he considers QB Dak Prescott to be still in the “medical, rehab phase. …We are preparing for Cooper (Rush) to start against the Eagles.” https://t.co/cxyYk5mrVr
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) October 12, 2022
Team owner Jerry Jones announced during his weekly radio show earlier in the week that Prescott was an option, but that he had to “really spin the ball” before returning to the lineup. That leaves a slight possibility Philadelphia will have to face the team’s preseason QB1, though McCarthy’s comments certainly paint it as unlikely.
Rush is 4-0 as a starter and has yet to turn the ball over in five games in 2022. He’s also thrown for only four touchdowns and averaged fewer than 195 passing yards per start. While he’s had moments of brilliance:
not only a perfect 3rd-and-15 rainbow from Cooper Rush, but my goodness the toe drag from Michael Gallup pic.twitter.com/5bEbZPuxEN
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) October 9, 2022
He also hasn’t been asked to do much heavy lifting. Dallas hasn’t trailed in the second half of any of Rush’s four games as the team’s primary QB.
That could change in Week 6 against an undefeated Eagles team. Despite Prescott’s objectively terrible 2022 debut — he completed only 48 percent of his passes before suffering a thumb injury in the season opener — he’s got a solid resume when it comes to late-game performances. Pro Football Reference credits him with eight fourth quarter comebacks and 14 game-winning drives in his first three NFL seasons alone.
McCarthy likely won’t be able to rely on him Sunday night. That provides Rush an opportunity to shine under the bright lights of a primetime broadcast and a game that could decide the NFC East champion.
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