By Jordan Long
On Sunday Night Football, the Dallas Cowboys lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19-3. Not only were the Cowboys on the wrong end of the game, they will be without quarterback Dak Prescott for at least the next 6-8 weeks. He fractured the thumb on his throwing hand and had surgery to repair it.
Prior to the injury, Prescott was 14 of 19 passing for 134 yards and 1 interception. Prescott was also sacked twice in the game. When he left the field with 6:02 left in the 4th quarter, backup quarterback Cooper Rush finished the game. He was 7 of 13 for 64 yards. Rush was also sacked twice.
The Cowboys could have put Prescott on the injured list but that is not the plan. The original timeline for Prescott was to return in week 8 at the earliest or week 10 as the worst-case scenario. Owner Jerry Jones believes Prescott will be back sooner than that. According to CBSsports.com, Jones said on his Tuesday morning appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, “We want him to be in consideration for playing within the next four games”.
This is a pretty quick turnaround. The Cowboys are taking a risk if it is true. The Cowboys have to let the thumb heal. The only way he comes back so soon is if he can prove to the coaching and the medical staff he can hold onto the football and throw it. If he fails to do so and still has pain, it will be a longer setback.
The Cowboys will move forward with Cooper Rush as the starting quarterback. He has been on the Cowboys’ roster for the past 4 seasons, starting only 1 game. In a Cowboys’ uniform, Rush is 38 of 63 passing for 488 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception.
The Cowboys should sign a veteran backup quarterback. The Cowboys don’t have a backup quarterback on the active roster. Sure they could activate Will Grier from the practice squad. Grier at least has NFL experience, starting two games for Carolina in 2019, going 0-2. One name who could make sense, A.J. McCarron.
McCarron has been in the NFL since 2015, playing for Cincinnati, Oakland, and Houston, mostly as a backup quarterback. McCarron started 4 games in his career with a record of 2-2. Overall McCarron passed for 1,173 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Dallas should take a chance on McCarron. He is an experienced backup quarterback.
Dallas though might just go with who they have now at quarterback. Jerry Jones is not only the Cowboys’ owner but General Manager of the franchise. Jones may just stand pat with the quarterbacks who are currently on the roster.
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