Rob Issa, FISM News
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Having Dak Prescott on the sidelines, instead of under center, has been no problem for the Dallas Cowboys.
Cooper Rush threw for 215 yards and one touchdown and played turnover-free football to lead the Cowboys to a 23-16 victory over the New York Giants on Monday Night Football.
CeeDee Lamb made a one-handed touchdown catch for the winning score as Dallas improved to 2-1. They’ve won two in a row since Prescott injured his right thumb in a season-opening loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Prescott is not ruling out returning for this week’s game.
Rush has been more than capable as a backup.
“Well, he doesn’t get rattled,” Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said of Rush after the victory. “He’s the same, every day. So consistent. But yeah, he’s playing good football right now. I’m glad to recognize him for it. He’s giving us the boost to just keep playing on offense.”
Rush is the first undrafted QB to win each of his first three starts and throw for 750-plus passing yards in those starts since Hall of Famer Kurt Warner did it with the St. Louis Rams in 1999. Rush’s first start was against Minnesota on Oct. 31, 2021.
Rush also is the first QB since at least 1950 to win his first three career starts while having a completion percentage of at least 60%, 200-plus pass yards, and 90-plus passer rating in each start.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is rooting for Rush to have the same success Prescott did when replacing, eventually on a permanent basis, Tony Romo.
“Of course I want it,” Jones said about a potential dilemma if Rush continues winning. “If (Rush) comes in there and plays as well as Prescott played … over these next games ahead, I’d walk to New York to get that … Of course we want Dak to be here next week. That’s the thing, you do. But Dak and I want Rush to lead the team to a victory here and get another win. Looking back, when Dak was playing instead of Tony, it was game by game.
“So do I think that it’s possible for Rush to come in here and play at a level and win games the way Prescott did when he took over for Romo? Yes, I do. Yes, I do. I certainly think that’s possible.”
Rush joined the Cowboys in 2017 and has been cut a few times in his career.
“I am happy as anybody for him,” Prescott said. “I don’t want to say wingman. He has been my guy for five or six years. He has been there for me to count on when I need stuff. It’s great for him to go out there and do it.”
Rush preferred to talk about Lamb instead of his own performance.
“Guy’s open a lot. Makes big-time catches,” Rush said. “That fade catch was unbelievable.”
The Giants suffered their first loss under head coach Brian Daboll. They also lost wide receiver Sterling Shepard, the team’s longest-tenured player and one of the key leaders on a young team. Shepard went down with a leg injury on New York’s final offensive play and it did not look good.
“Real tough to see that, for sure,” quarterback Daniel Jones said. “A guy who works so hard, he’s battling back from an injury last year. I feel for him as a teammate, as a close friend and yeah, that’s tough to see.”
Jones ran for 79 yards and threw for 196 while being sacked five times. Saquon Barkley had a 36-yard touchdown run that gave New York a 13-6 lead in the second half, but the Cowboys stormed back.
The Giants host the Bears this week.
“You can’t let these things linger just like you can’t let a win linger,” Daboll said. “You have to move on and get ready for the next opponent. To ride the rollercoaster, there’s going to be a lot of ups and downs throughout the league, throughout the year for any team.”
The Cowboys host the Washington Commanders in their next game.