Getty Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott greets fans after an NFL game.
The Dallas Cowboys are in an interesting position when it comes to the quarterback position, and Jerry Jones’ recent comments are only heating things up.
The Cowboys owner recently turned heads by saying he would love to see backup quarterback Cooper Rush play well enough to make Dallas have a difficult decision once starting QB Dak Prescott returns from his fractured thumb.
Shortly after Jones made his comments on Rush and Prescott, Elliott was interviewed by the media and was asked about Jones’ words, in the context of media narratives. The Cowboys RB could only dismiss Jones’ words as “clickbait.”
“People on TV get clicks, get views. You’re going to say the most outrageous stuff to get the most attention. Who knows if they even believe it,” Elliott initially said, before answering a follow-up about Jones’ comment specifically: “There you go. That’s a classic example [of clickbait.] He wants you to be clicking and listening to him too. It’s all marketing, man, It’s all marketing.”
Zeke appears to be telling it like it is: he knows that Jones wants to generate buzz about Dallas no matter what, because it only makes the team more money. Prescott will be the team’s starter when healthy, but the Cowboys owner can create attention while he recovers.
Jones’ Original Comments on Prescott
Prescott’s recovery timeline has shifted a couple times since his Week 1 injury, but the idea right now is that he could recover in time for the team’s Week 4 matchup against the Washington Commanders.
But if does have to remain out longer, Rush will get more of a chance to prove himself after leading Dallas to a Week 1 win. For Jones, he doesn’t hate the idea of Rush playing so well that the Cowboys have a “dilemma.”
“Cowboys owner Jerry Jones entertained idea Cooper Rush could play well enough, team could win enough to force decision at QB when Dak Prescott able to return,” Dallas Morning News reporter Michael Gehlken Tweeted on September 22. “‘Wouldn’t it be something if you had a dilemma as to which way to go? You’d want that controversy? Of course I would.’”
Dallas fans may not share the same enthusiasm as Jerry has, but they have less incentive to: Jones wants to grab attention and win football games, while an average fan just wants to win.
But anyone that knows the situation can see that Rush has an impossible task to displace Prescott, at least while he’s healthy in 2022.
Cowboys RBs’ Start to the Season
A 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prompted questions about the offense, and the rebound win against the Cincinnati Bengals answered some of those concerns. Interestingly enough, the area that remained solid in both games was the rushing attack.
Elliott has averaged 4.2 yards per carry, totaling 105 yards over the first two games. Meanwhile, backup RB Tony Pollard was a major bright spot against the Bengals after totaling eight yards on six carries in Week 1 by earning 43 yards and a touchdown on nine touches.
Pollard also came through in the passing game for Pollard, catching four passes for 55 yards. The balance of the two RBs is crucial to Dallas‘ offensive success, and the more that Pollard can be a receiving tool for Rush and Prescott, the better that balance will be.