No Dak Prescott Practice Yet; Still Cooper Rush's 'Biggest Cheerleader'
When one thinks of the Dallas Cowboys, "cheerleaders" often immediately come to mind. It appears that Dak Prescott is getting in the fun.
The Cowboys' injured franchise quarterback dispelled any notion of controversy within the team's passing ranks, lauding his medically-necessitated replacement Cooper Rush after the latter guided Dallas to a 23-16 victory over the New York Giants on Monday night. As Prescott continues to recover from a thumb injury sustained in Week 1, Rush has manned the fort to the tune of consecutive victories for 2-1 Dallas.
Dallas' success sans Prescott seemed to bring owner Jerry Jones' desires of a passing "dilemma," reasoning that all Cowboys supporters should want one if only for the implication of the team winning games. Prescott and Rush laughed off the comments in private but Dak officially dispelled notions of an aerial civil war.
"“I’m his biggest cheerleader. I am cheering Cooper on all the way. 100 percent. I want him to have all the success," Prescott said. "I want him to win game-in and game-out, regardless of what the hell happens around here.”
What’s happening today at The Star? Dak and the Cowboys will meet the media in the locker room … but Dak will not be truly involved in the Wednesday workout.
Meanwhile … Literally all Rush done has won: including a prime time start in Minnesota last season, he's 3-0 as a starting quarterback. In two starts this year, Rush has amassed a 96.8 passer rating and has yet to throw an interception on 62 attempts. Rush has thus become perhaps one of the NFL's most inspiring underdog stories in this young season.
His success is no surprise to Prescott, who has worked extensively with Rush since the latter joined the team as an undrafted free agent in 2017.
Said Dak: “I have known this guy from the time he came in. How he came in and approached his first preseason and the success he had then and the time running the scout team and stepping up when I have been gone. Now, he is showing he can do it in a game.''
Rush has mostly worked in a game-manager's role, posting box scores that won't win any fantasy football matches (21-of-31, 215 yards in East Rutherford) but have nonetheless come up big. Monday's gamehad him oversee a Cowboys comeback effort that posted 17 consecutive points after they fell behind 13-6. The de facto game-winner came late, when Rush found CeeDee Lamb for a one-yard score in the middle stages of the fourth quarter.
“I want to keep winning,” Rush said. “As long as I’m in there, let’s just keep winning, playing smart, trusting each other on each side of the ball and we’ll be all right.”
The Cowboys' financial obligations to Prescott likely eliminate a good part of a true controversy, but Rush is nonetheless likely to continue as "the guy'' for the team's coming contest against the Washington Commanders on Sunday (12 p.m. CT, Fox). The effort Rush has made to keep Dallas in contention in a division currently ruled by an undefeated Philadelphia group could come back if the Cowboys wind up completing the rare quest of consecutive NFC East titles.
“The guy has been waiting on his opportunity to show he can play in this game," Prescott said of his teammate. "No stage is too big for him.”
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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