Just when you thought the Dallas Cowboys' season couldn't get any worse, Dak Prescott was ruled out early in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons after suffering a hamstring injury.
Prescott was injured while throwing a pass in a clean pocket. He had enjoyed his most effective rushing effort of the season, compiling 30 yards on three scrambles. Perhaps that played a factor into the injury.
With Dallas' season on the brink of collapse, the severity of Prescott's injury might determine whether they buy or sell at the deadline. Naturally, Jerry Jones was the first to comment on the injury and his assessment does not bode well for the Cowboys' quarterback.
Cowboys' Jerry Jones has grim comment on Dak Prescott's hamstring injury
Jerry Jones said he is “concerned” about Dak Prescott’s hamstring injury
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 3, 2024
That sums up the feeling of Cowboys Nation.
While the severity of the injury is unknown, Prescott was seen walking off the field after the loss with a noticeable limp. It's encouraging that Dak was able to walk off under his own power, but Jones' comment hints further testing may confirm a potentially significant injury.
Prescott's hand initially seemed to be the concern. The FOX broadcast showed Prescott getting treatment on the sideline. That might be a separate issue for the Cowboys' quarterback. The hamstring is what forced him from the game.
If Prescott is forced to miss time, Cooper Rush will take the reins of the offense. We got a relatively large sample size of Rush on Sunday after Prescott was ruled out and it wasn't encouraging. He attempted 25 passes in one quarter of play, totaling 115 yards and a garbage time touchdown. He attempted just 4.3 yards per attempt and completed 52% of his passes.
The timing of Prescott's injury puts the front office in a difficult position with the NFL trade deadline just two days away. The offense had a limited ceiling with No. 4 under center. That obviously goes away with Rush.
Say Prescott is considered week-to-week. Should Jerry Jones be aggressive in terms of buying talent? While 3-5 is a tough hole to climb out of, Micah Parsons and DaRon Bland - and potentially DeMarcus Lawrence - are close to returning. Is the juice worth the squeeze, or should Dallas sell some veterans who could fetch promising draft capital for 2025?
It's an impossible situation to navigate, but all we can do is speculate before Prescott undergoes further testing, which will likely happen when the team arrives back in Dallas. If Jones' comment is any indication, though, Prescott's injury might be worse than it looked in real time.