Dallas Cowboys are set to play their Week 2 NFL against Cincinnati Bengals with QB Cooper Rush predicted to start due to Dak Prescott’s injury.
In Sunday’s showdown, Rush will start his second career with the Cowboys following their 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week in the NFL season opener, which injured Prescott’s thumb.
“We have a bad taste in our mouth after losing a game,” Rush said. “You can’t wait to get back out there the next week. We were 0-1 last year too, though. This is the first step.”
Rush, who was listed as the second option on the quarterback depth chart, made his debut as a starter when the Cowboys met the Minnesota Vikings on November 2021. At that game, Rush replaced Prescott, who was injured, and managed to lead the Cowboys on a 6-1 win-loss record.
Rush threw a total of 325 passing yards from 24 completions and two touchdowns against the Vikings. Also, he was delivering the stoppage time drive to secure the 20-16 win as an inexperienced yet confident QB leading the Cowboys, according to ESPN.
“I think it’s more about the teammates. All you do every day is want to earn their respect,” Rush said. “To go out there on Sunday, that’s the best way to do it. Go play well. They have my respect. I think they respect me. I think we’ve got a good group. I think we’re ready to roll.”
Rush said that he was on focus to prepare himself for starting the upcoming game against the Bengals, according to ESPN. This season, Rush play his sixth season as backup QB with the Cowboys, sitting behind Prescott as the first choice.
Cowboys QB Cooper Rush: “When you’re out there on the field, I do feel in command and in charge. I think those guys, it goes back to knowing your stuff, they know that I know it. And when you know your stuff, you can go out there and lead and command and guys will respect it.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 15, 2022
“You get down the road when we get there. It’s something you’ve been a starter before in your life and you kinda draw on that. You remind yourself of that. You’re going to go week by week, and right now we’re focused on the Bengals,” Rush said.
With Rush expected to start, Cowboys’ wide receiver CeeDee Lamb noted Rush’s ability as a quarterback. He said that Cowboys players had the experience of playing with him as the signal-caller.
“We know how he maneuvers, we know what he likes. Just kinda throwing him in there again, is just like, ‘Here we go again.’ I say that with the most positivity, and I can’t wait for my man to go out there and show out,” Lamb said.
Prescott’s status
When Prescott left the season opener game against the Buccaneers, it was reported by ESPN that he would miss six to eight weeks of 2022 NFL regular season.
Despite the right-thumb injury, the Cowboys GM Jerry Jones talked on 105.3 The Fan and confirmed the 29-year-old QB would not be placed on the injured reserve list. He asserted that Prescott could return in four weeks. If NFL players are placed on the injured reserve list by their team, they are required to miss a minimum of four games.
“I think what we’re going to do here is we won’t be putting him on IR, which means we want him to be in consideration for playing within the next four games,” Jones said.
“Dak has a real chance to be back out there throwing the ball pretty quick,” he added.
With Jones’ decision not to place Prescott on the injured reserve list, he is predicted to return to the NFL regular season game against the Los Angeles Rams on October 9.