Dak Prescott is out for the season and Cooper Rush is the Cowboys starting quarterback. It was true the moment Prescott went down with a hamstring tear three weeks ago and it remains true after owner Jerry Jones affirmed as much earlier in the week when he said Rush gives Dallas “the best to win.”
But what was true yesterday and is true today isn’t necessarily true for tomorrow. No assurances were given by Jones that Rush would remain the starting QB beyond Week 12, and if the veteran backup puts up another uninspiring performance against the Commanders, a QB change could be in the cards for the Cowboys.
After passing for just 45 yards in Week 10, Rush bounced back with a 354-yard performance against the Texans a week later. Based on pure yardage his second game looked strong but in an effort that only produced 10 points, it was far from satisfactory. Rush averaged -0.25 EPA/play against Houston posting an embarrassing -12.1 completion percentage over expected (CPOE).
Trey Lance, the QB behind Rush, brings with him extremely modest expectations of his own. At no point in his Cowboys tenure has he looked like a capable NFL QB, and unless the offense fundamentally changes its scheme with him under center, he’s unlikely to be any better than the veteran ahead of him.
What’s working in Lance’s favor is the same thing working against Rush: Mystery. Cowboys’ fans know exactly what they have in Rush. The 31-year-old has played in 32 games with Dallas. He’s a bus driver type who can hit some big passes on occasion but generally needs a strong supporting cast around him to succeed. He had that in 2022 when he went 4-1 as a starter. He doesn’t have that in 2024 as he currently stands winless.
Lance, on the other hand, is more of a wild card. With so little film on record, Lance could perform a variety of different ways if given a chance to start. He may not be the pocket passer Rush is, but his athletic ability adds intrigue to a completely unintriguing offense.
As much as Jones talks about Rush giving the Cowboys “the best chance to win,” Jones’ actions as of late suggest winning isn’t always his highest priority. Fair or not as an accusation, the Cowboys willingly downgraded their roster over the past offseason. NFC East rivals like Philadelphia and Washington took big steps to improve while Dallas took big steps to cut costs. Throughout the last 12 months Jones has repeatedly spoke of the marketability of the franchise and how much he values being in the news.
Creating and maintaining fan interest has been Jones’ biggest challenge in 2024 and it’s a battle he’s currently losing less than a week away from the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving showcase on national television. If Rush can’t get things done at the QB position on Sunday, Lance may very well get the start on Thursday.
Boring is bad word to Jones and the Cowboys offense has been certifiably boring under Rush. Lance may be a disaster but at least he’s not boring.
The Cowboys have become Jerry Jones’ nightmare – boring – putting Cooper Rush on notice and Trey Lance on standby.
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