Getty Images Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys.
Cooper Rush keeps winning games for the Dallas Cowboys but star defensive end Demarcus Lawrence thinks everyone should pump the brakes on the idea of a quarterback controversy.
Rush moved to 3-0 this season and 4-0 in his career as the starter with a 25-10 victory against the Washington Commanders on Sunday. The undrafted passer was solid, passing for 223 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the victory.
“It’s been fun. Trying to enjoy it,” Rush told reporters after the game. “The NFL doesn’t let you enjoy it much. You got to go week in and week out and play. The 4-0 is just, I mean, I guess I would say the defense and all the breaks you catch, it’s just kind of lucky. QB win stats, they are what they are. It’s a team game.”
Prescott will certainly have some increased pressure thanks to Rush’s undefeated run but it’s a farfetched idea that the Cowboys would keep him on the sideline if he’s healthy and ready to roll. That’s expected to be either next week against the Rams or the following week for a divisional clash against the Eagles.
Lawrence on QB Controversy: ‘Don’t Get it Twisted’
Lawrence didn’t exactly throw any major support behind either quarterback but said the league “is a business,” which appeared to be a reference to Prescott’s four-year, $160 million contract he signed last offseason.
“I say, ‘Calm down.’ I say, ‘Calm down.’ I know you’re happy for the football team but also understand this is still a business,” Lawrence said of the idea of Rush starting over Prescott. “So don’t get it twisted.”
What would DeMarcus Lawrence tell Cowboys fans who suggest Cooper Rush keep playing once Dak Prescott’s healthy?
“I say, ‘Calm down.’ I say, ‘Calm down.’ I know you’re happy for the football team but also understand this is still a business. So don’t get it twisted.”
Former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman had a similar take this week on the Cowboys quarterback situation, citing the money Prescott is making.
“This isn’t a QB controversy because Dak makes too much money,” Sherman said on his podcast this week. “There is never going to be a quarterback controversy when the quarterback makes that much money. But Cooper Rush is making himself some money right now and that’s cool to see.”
Jerry Jones Continues to Heap Praise on Rush
The idea of any kind of quarterback controversy was first stirred up by Jerry Jones, who said if that was the case it would mean the Cowboys are winning games. While Jones has toned down his talk about a decision at the quarterback position, he has continued to praise Rush for helping keep the Cowboys afloat.
“I can’t say enough about his play,” Jones said on Sunday. “What it has possibly done for this team this season to give us a chance to sit here after these last three ball games and maybe have the opportunity we’ve got for the rest of the year. It’s amazing. It’s far more than what I would’ve expected.”
Prescott got the stitches in his surgically repaired thumb out last Monday and has started throwing a bit. He has circled Week 5 as a potential comeback date but still appears to have some work to do.
“I really don’t know that I’d call that throwing what he’s doing, but he’s certainly got movement,” Jones said. “I wouldn’t know if he’s throwing at a level that you could say the grip and everything effectively is a good throw, a good, normal passing throw.”
The Eagles currently lead the NFC East at 4-0 but the Cowboys are still on their heels at 3-1, along with the Giants.