The NFL, as is the case with any sport, is full of debate surrounding the best teams and players. There is one such debate currently taking place among Dallas Cowboys fans concerning the quarterback position. This is the most important position in an NFL team and without a quality quarterback, teams tend to struggle. The question on the lips of most Dallas fans surrounds Cooper Rush and Dak Prescott. Which man should be the first-choice quarterback?
Cooper Rush
The 2022/23 season started with a disappointing loss for Dallas Cowboys as they went down 19-3 to Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Not only was it a defeat but Dallas set the unenviable record of being the only team not to score a touchdown on the opening weekend of the season. In addition, Dallas lost quarterback Dak Prescott in the fourth quarter as he injured his right hand having struck a player when throwing a pass.
Cooper Rush stepped in as quarterback for the two games that followed, and Dallas have since recorded wins at home against the Cincinnati Bengals in week two and on the road against the New York Giants in week three. The mood has changed in the Dallas camp following the doom and gloom of the opening weekend. Cooper is the long-time backup quarterback, but Dallas have averaged 21.5 points per game in his two starts this season. If we add Cooper’s only start from last season, which ended in victory, he is the only starting player since 1950 to win 3 games in succession, with at least 200 passing yards and a passing rating above 90.
Dak Prescott
It is fair to say the season opener against Tampa Bay Buccaneers was far from ideal for Prescott or Dallas. However, we cannot take one game in isolation and Prescott recorded some good stats last season to easily rank inside top ten quarterbacks in the NFL for 2021. Prescott accumulated over 4,700 passing yards, 38 touchdown passes, and 173 rushing yards. Prescott made an incredibly fast start to the 2021 season but having suffered a calf injury in week six, his level of play dropped. Some disappointing games followed but there were still some highlights that led to the strong stats come the end of the season.
What Happens When Prescott is Fit?
Prescott is working his way back to fitness following surgery on his hand injury. There is no doubt the performances of Rush have put some question marks in the heads of the Dallas fans. However, those at the top have indicated Prescott will be back in the team as soon as he is ready. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, when asked about Rush’s play, said, “Consistency, the mental part comes easy to him since he has learned multiple systems, so he knows the language and knows his teammates really well,” before continuing, “That’s a huge part of being a successful No. 2 quarterback because you don’t always get the reps in training camp and in practice. He is very high on instincts and awareness; he anticipates things very well. He can throw it early, get the ball out. You can see him have more and more confidence the more opportunity he has. He’s playing to his strengths.”
The key section of that quote regarding the debate between Rush and Prescott is the fact the head coach referred to Rush as the ‘No. 2 quarterback’. Given the overall performance of Prescott last season, he deserves to come back into the team and while Rush has done an excellent job to date in Prescott’s absence, his (Rush) starting stats are over a much smaller sample. You can bet Prescott will be back in the Dallas team as soon as he is fit. If you like to bet on the NFL, these top Football betting promo codes, such as GAMBLEUSA and GUSABFULL, will give you a fantastic bonus when creating a new account at select online sportsbooks.