Jerry Jones: Dallas Cowboys will be ‘a mess’ to deal with when Dak Prescott returns
The Dallas Cowboys (4-1) may or may not get starting quarterback Dak Prescott back for Sunday’s NFC East showdown at the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles (5-0).
Prescott, who has missed the last four games after suffering a fractured right thumb in the season-opening loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is mentally ready to return.
The only question is his ability to grip and throw the ball with his surgically-repaired thumb. Prescott listed himself as day-to-day after last Sunday’s 22-10 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. He met with his doctors on Tuesday and plans to cut it loose in practice on Wednesday.
“I’m day by day,” Prescott told reporters in the post-game locker room. “There’s a lot of growth right now. We’re up hill, things are happening fast. Taking it day by day, when I can do more than the next day. We’ll just keep pushing like that.”
Owner Jerry Jones said on his radio show Tuesday that the only question he has concerning his starting quarterback is Prescott’s grip on the ball and his ability to “spin it.”
Prescott has done some light throwing and rehab work since getting the stitches removed Oct. 4, but has yet to cut it loose.
“Can he zip the ball there and make the throw?” Jones asked rhetorically. “We’ll start working on that Wednesday real hard.”
“Well, let’s just put it like this ... He’s got to spin the ball,” Jones continued with his medical and rehab expertise,” Jones said. “He’s got to really spin the ball. And just think about it, put your hand down on something that would be the equivalent of a football. Try to do that without thumb strength. Try to spin that ball. Try to direct the ball without thumb strength if you’re really giving it a proper thumb. You can’t do it.”
The Cowboys have gone 4-0 with backup Cooper Rush filling in for an injured Prescott and are confident they can beat the Eagles if it remains status quo on Sunday.
But Jones made it clear the Prescott would return to the starting lineup as soon he’s healthy enough to do so.
In addition to Prescott’s status as the team’s franchise quarterback with a $40 million annual salary, Jones said his ability to throw the ball and make plays in the passing game is best for the team.
The Cowboys plan to continue to use the same formula for success with Prescott that they have used with Rush: run the ball, don’t turn the ball over and play good defense.
Rush, who has just four touchdowns and no interceptions in his four starts in 2022, wasn’t asked to do much against the Rams. He completed 10 of 16 passes for 102 yards with no completions to a running back or a tight end in the game.
Jones said the return of Prescott and his ability to make game-winning plays in the passing game, to go with a defense that is among the best in the NFL — which is second in league in sacks with 20 and is third in scoring, giving up just 14.4 points game, allowing no more one touchdown a game —will make the Cowboys a tough out for the rest of the NFL.
“Do we need that extra spurt to make the game-winning play at quarterback,” Jones asked himself. “Yes we do. Thank goodness, we are in a situation where we have not had to have that dimension. When we get him back, that’ll be a real additive. We’ll be a mess [for NFL teams to deal with] if we can keep playing defense like this.”
This story was originally published October 11, 2022 at 3:40 PM.
