ESPN insider deems Cooper Rush replacing Dak Prescott idea an overreaction
The Dallas Cowboys always get high-level media attention, even during the offseason. Thanks to Jerry Jones and his marketing stunts and confusing quotes, this team is always in the news. Perhaps the biggest storyline surrounding the Cowboys right now is the success that backup QB Cooper Rush has had in Dak Prescott’s absence.
When Prescott went down with a thumb injury during the Week 1 loss to Tampa Bay, it seemed like the season was over. Yet, three weeks later, America’s Team is 3-1 and Rush has marked his name in the Cowboys’ history books for being the first-ever quarterback to go 4-0 in his first four starts.
Very, very few people expected this team to win three games in a row with Rush at the helm. Now, those people (and many others) want the backup to be the new QB1. Unsurprisingly, this rumor was practically started by Jerry Jones himself when he suggested that he would gladly welcome a QB controversy in Dallas ahead of Week 3.
Since then, also unsurprisingly, Jones has gone back on that and said that he doesn’t see a scenario in which Rush would take over for Dak, but the media and fans have run wild with this theory.
Is there a scenario or number of wins that would lead to Cowboys opting for Cooper Rush over a healthy Dak Prescott?
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) October 4, 2022
Jerry Jones to @1053thefan: “No. No. As I see it right today.”
ESPN insider Dan Graziano says the argument that Cowboys QB Cooper Rush should replace Dak Prescott is an overreaction
It’s honestly shocking how many people truly believe that Rush should replace Prescott after seeing one game from Prescott against one of the best defenses in the league in 2022. Everyone has strong opinions on both sides.
Recently, ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano did an article discussing the biggest overreactions of Week 4 in the league. The Cooper Rush/Dak Prescott debate was one of the topics. Graziano deemed it an overreaction.
"Come on, folks. This is a big-time overreaction. And, yes, if Prescott comes back next week and loses to the Rams, this will still be an overreaction. Rush is a backup quarterback for a reason, and backup quarterbacks are, ideally, supposed to do exactly what Rush has done so far — give you a chance to win a handful of games if your starter has to miss time. A full season of Cooper Rush does not maximize the potential of the Cowboys’ offense, and, yes, that matters. No matter how good your defense is."
I can fully understand why fans are excited about Rush. Winning feels good and you don’t want to remove the guy who is bringing in wins. However, those victories were against some pretty subpar teams except maybe the Bengals, but they played poorly in Week 2. We can be happy about how well Rush is doing despite initial thoughts, but still also be realistic about the fact that he’s not better than the $40 million-a-year quarterback waiting to return.
Instead of throwing Prescott in the trash, fans should stop at feeling relief that Rush can get the job done. It’s fantastic to have a great backup. But a backup is a backup.
Here’s more from Graziano:
"The point here is not to be able to beat Washington in early October. The point is to be good enough to win in the playoffs, to reach and win the Super Bowl. Prescott has abilities as a quarterback that Rush does not have, and once Prescott is ready to play, he needs to play. I truly believe the Cowboys understand this and that this is not a discussion they are having internally. It makes for really good fun for those of us who talk about them on the outside, but no, I don’t think they’re considering keeping Rush in the starting role once Prescott is healthy, nor do I think they should. Overreaction. Big-time."
It’s interesting how most of the people on Prescott’s side seem to be people who have actually played football in the past.
The Cowboys have learned a lot with Cooper Rush, but Dak is QB1 🤠
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 3, 2022
"If they are ever going to [live up to expectations] it's with Dak Prescott playing at a high level." —Alex Smith pic.twitter.com/GlxaGwq2cD
Sadly, this debate is going to continue as long as Rush continues to play. The backup gets his first major test against the reigning Super Bowl Champions (who haven’t played all that well lately, to be honest) this weekend. We will see what the narrative is after Week 5.
