As first reported by ESPN’s Todd Archer, then followed by several other Cowboys’ media members, QB Dak Prescott’s hamstring injury from this past Sunday in Atlanta is worse than expected.
After an MRI on Monday morning, the severity of Prescott’s hamstring strain was revealed, and he has already been ruled out for this Sunday’s game versus the rival Philadelphia Eagles. In the words of Jerry Jones, “This is not a good time”.
It’s been rough to be a Cowboys fan this season. We had such high expectations for this team, but here we are in November with a 3-5 record, QB1 is down for the foreseeable future, and the combined record of the next three opponents is 19-7.
Injuries have played a big part in the unexpected turnout for this season. The following impact players are all currently missing time, or have missed time at some point this year:
- QB Dak Prescott (All-Pro)
- WR Brandin Cooks
- CB DaRon Bland (All-Pro)
- CB Caelen Carson
- DE Sam Williams
- DE DeMarcus “Tank” Lawrence
- DE Marshawn Kneeland
- DE Micah Parsons (All-Pro)
- LB Eric Kendricks (All-Pro)
There are few teams who can overcome such a setback. Especially a team built like the Cowboys, where nearly all the depth are rookies or second-year players.
The Cowboys have a choice to make at quarterback, and there is only one right decision: Trey Lance. I know Jerry Jones won’t admit it, but the proof is in the pudding. Even before the rash of injuries, the team didn’t look very good.
Move forward with the quarterback who gives the offense more of a dynamic appeal if the goal really is to win games. Even if soft tanking is the goal, you have to know what Lance can do.
Taking the Offense to New Heights (Potentially)
Notice I put “potentially” in the heading. The last thing I want my readers to think is that Trey Lance can come in and take the offense to heights not previously attainable under Prescott.
Let me be very clear from the start. Dak Prescott is unequivocally the best option at quarterback for this football team. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
However, one could argue that even though Lance isn’t the better quarterback, he is the better overall athlete. As a thrower of the football this past preseason, Lance was nothing to write home about, but his legs are where he made his mark.
There are aspects of this offense that Lance’s athleticism can unlock if given the chance, and if McCarthy is willing to change his style to accommodate him.
Read ‘Em and Weep
One thing I have been clamoring for since the Wildcard playoff loss to San Francisco in 2021 is for Dak Prescott to rediscover his legs when the pocket breaks down. He was once one of the most-feared quarterbacks escaping the pocket, and defenses had to account for him on passing downs.
Since the injury that sidelined him in 2020, his will to run seems to have disappeared, and it’s understandable. I’m not asking for the Prescott who ran for six touchdowns in each of his first three seasons. I merely asked for the Prescott who could still threaten to run when needed.
With Lance taking snaps, the Cowboys can easily shift to that type of offense. Put Rico Dowdle in the backfield with Lance, and read option defenses to death. The extra threat of Lance’s legs brings an element to the offense that has been sorely lacking.
Think of incorporating a jet sweep motion with CeeDee Lamb or KaVontae Turpin for a third option on the play, and defenses will be forced to respect all three options. Design play action passes out of that same concept, and watch the offense open up.
Exterior Design
Read option plays are great to put pressure on defenses, but even designed runs with Lance should help move the chains. Lance averages 4.4 yards per rush in the eight games he has started, and it’s a number that should get larger with more opportunities.
The Cowboys have struggled in their run game. It’s widely publicized that they rank dead last in the NFL in most offensive rushing categories, and one of those categories is short-yardage situations.
Look no further back than this past week. Facing a 3rd & 1, Dowdle ran up the middle for no gain. On 4th & 1, McCarthy chose to hand off a jet sweep to Lamb that ended in a three-yard loss.
Lance can come in and take a designed QB sweep with a pulling guard and Hunter Luepke lead-blocking. Even a QB draw likely would have worked better than what McCarthy chose to call in that situation.
Think of the Future
At the end of the day, the Cowboys are 3-5 with a litany of injuries, bad coaching, terrible discipline, and an injured starting quarterback, and an owner who refuses to make a splash at the trade deadline.
It’s OK to start looking at the future, and we need to know what Trey Lance can do in the regular season alongside the first team offense, and not practice squad guys. Throwing Rush out there would be irresponsible of the team.
We already know what Rush can do, and he was successful when the defense was one of the best in the NFL at creating turnovers and giving the offense favorable field position. That defense is gone, and Rush will have to drive the length of the field more often than not.
I don’t think he can thrive without a stout defense to support him, and I don’t see a win on the schedule until the game against the Giants.
Throw the young quarterback in there. His skillset can spark something in the offense. At the very least, he can make a case for himself to remain as the backup quarterback next season. If he’s not good enough, the Cowboys know the route they need to take next year.