Cowboys Quarterback Controversy Could Come At A Price
Quarterback controversy can make for some great storylines for the mainstream media, but might not be as good for football teams’ locker rooms. Some in the Dallas Cowboys organization would be okay with Dak Prescott and Cooper Rush duking it out for the job.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones spoke to the media and was okay with Rush creating a quarterback controversy. In Jones’ eyes, it would mean the team is having success.
“Of course I would. Of course. That means we’d have won. If he comes in there and plays as well as Prescott played, Rush? Played that well over these next games ahead? I’d walk to New York to get that.” Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones
For Cowboys fans, this would bring flashbacks to 2016 when a rookie quarterback in Prescott filled in for the injured Tony Romo and found success instantly. Prescott led Dallas to a 12-4 record, a division title, and a spot in the playoffs. That would result in Romo leaving football after the season and joining CBS as a color commentator for their game of the week in the NFL.
Prescott is currently recovering from thumb surgery he had last week after injuring himself in the season-opening 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His expected timetable has been reported as between one to two months depending on how quickly he can heal. He’s not expected to play Monday night against the New York Giants as he still has stitches on his thumb from the surgery.
The Positive With Cowboys QB Controversy
Jones makes a valid point that a quarterback controversy could be a positive in the sense that they are winning. This would show that if Rush can win multiple games as the starter that he might be one of the top backup quarterbacks in the NFL. Having a reliable backup quarterback in the NFL is hard to find. His 2-0 record as a starter is a promising start for him.
As fans have seen in the past, a successful backup quarterback could mean two things: future big paydays for the quarterback or big trade value for the Cowboys in the offseason. Classic example: Matt Flynn had a short, successful run filling in for Aaron Rodgers with Green Bay in 2010 and 2011 in two starts during that time. That landed him a $19 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks the next season.
The Negative With Cowboys QB Controversy
There might not even be a doubt with the locker room seeming to be pretty strong, but it could lead to a back and forth on who should be the starter. If Rush proves his success, especially after the poor start for Prescott in week one, there might be some in the organization who want Rush over Prescott. The Philadelphia Eagles just went through this with players preferring Jalen Hurts over Carson Wentz which resulted in Wentz being traded to the Indianapolis Colts.
A good Rush performance on the field could team the team loses a good backup quarterback which fans have been looking for since 2017. The closest to it has been Andy Dalton two seasons ago and fans know that it didn’t go well with Dalton leading the team. Losing someone that has played as well as Rush would be devastating for the Cowboys especially with Prescott now having a string of bad luck with durability.
The Reality Of The Cowboys QB Situation
Speaking bluntly, the Cowboys would not be making a sound organizational decision to roll with Rush the rest of the season regardless of what happens. While the Cowboys got a big home win against Cincinnati last week, the offense was still pretty radio silent with their possessions from the second quarter until right before their last drive of the game. Rush looked fine in his start, but the offense still has some work to do.
Prescott has proven to be a winner. The offense and the team in general just perform better when he is playing. With Prescott as the starter, the team is 53-33. Without him in the starting lineup, they are 6-7. Most teams are like that though because the starter has better chemistry with the offensive line and the receivers as well as has better knowledge of the offense. They know the tendencies of every situation and how to put the offense in the best position to win.
Realistically, there won’t be a quarterback controversy once Prescott is back because he is the better quarterback and is the best fit for offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s offense. Fans will run with this storyline and push for Rush to be the starter because of one bad start. In truth, this is a crazy assessment and any Cowboys fan should enjoy the Rush run now, but look forward to Prescott returning to the lineup in the near future.