PHILADELPHIA — Initially CeeDee Lamb stated he used to be “not telling nobody nothing,” however in a quieter second of the Dallas Cowboys‘ postgame locker room, the receiver’s phraseology used to be telling.
“Cooper [Rush] did everything and exceeded all expectations, don’t get me wrong,” Lamb informed Yahoo Sports, talking in transparent previous stressful. “But obviously 4 [Dak Prescott], when he comes back, we understand the situation.
“It’s always positive for us, understanding we’re going to get QB1 back.”
The time is coming. And pending an surprising setback, it seems that to already be right here.
The Cowboys fell to 4-2, and 1/3 position in a aggressive NFC East, because the Eagles outplayed them to the music of a 26-17 resolution on Sunday night time. Rush, the veteran backup, sustained his first loss as beginning quarterback in six tries, 5 this season. Cowboys teammates and coaches insisted blame fell on a lot of shoulders. But Rush didn’t shy clear of acknowledging his worst statistical time out.
The Eagles deflected 12 of Rush’s cross makes an attempt, intercepting 3. The alternatives “were obviously,” Rush stated, “the deciding factor.
“Can’t have those.”
Meanwhile, within the stadium tunnel out of doors the Cowboys’ locker room, Prescott informed journalists: “I plan on going this week and trying to get the full week of practice.”
Already the Cowboys’ beginning quarterback had complex meaningfully in fresh days. Now 5 weeks got rid of from Sept. 12 surgical treatment to restore a thumb fracture in his throwing hand, Prescott seems ultimately in a position and accredited to throw with goal.
He moved previous the early days of swelling relief, and suffered no setbacks after the removing of his sew on Sept. 26. Prescott started clutching a soccer all through rehabilitation paintings at Cowboys observe, his grip power getting back from its post-fracture absence. Last week, Prescott labored into some person throws at observe. The Cowboys upgraded him from a non-participant to a “limited” one Thursday, for the primary time since his damage.
By Saturday, he used to be extra significantly engaged.
“He threw two sequences, two racks of six in the 7-on-7 third down and red zone [period],” Cowboys head trainer Mike McCarthy stated Sunday. “We wanted to push it to 50 throws today and I thought the guys did a great job for him.
“I thought, clearly, he took the next step.”
Prescott threw brief and intermediate passes on Lincoln Financial Field slightly below 3 hours prior to Sunday night time’s kickoff. He cycled thru footwork akin to his pre-injury script, discovering receivers within the flat and on crosser routes over the center. No visual boundaries remained within the script that the staff accredited Prescott to execute.
He stated he felt “fantastic” and is now “preparing myself for the Lions, getting ready to go this week.”
The timeline could be more or less akin to the 4-to-6 week estimate clinical officers was hoping Prescott may just traverse when he suffered a blank ruin. Prescott — and, very publicly, Cowboys staff proprietor Jerry Jones — was hoping to go back quicker. The Cowboys declined to position Prescott at the minimal four-week injured reserve, mentioning a possible quicker go back and a need for Prescott to observe with none of the damage protocol restrictions. But Prescott’s well being, and most likely the Cowboys’ 4 instantly wins in his absence, dictated a duration of ready.
“Obviously something was healing, I had plans, bone obviously didn’t have the same plan,” Prescott stated. “They got pushed back, but that was just [from] me being eager. That was nothing different than doc’s plans, trainers’ plans.
“The plan is to go next week. Let’s see if I can do that.”
The want for Dak to be again
Sunday night time’s contest reminded the Cowboys and NFL the place Dallas is restricted with out its franchise quarterback. The Cowboys failed to convert a third-down try on their first 4 tries in opposition to Philadelphia, opening the prime-time matchup with a hard-to-rebound-from selection of punt, punt, interception, turnover on downs and interception.
At halftime, Rush’s 1.0 passer score seemed like a typographical error beside Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts’ 102.8 efficiency. Rush had finished only one cross for greater than 10 yards to his personal teammates — an 11-yarder over the center to rookie tight finish Peyton Hendershot, after receiver KaVontae Turpin’s 63-yard kickoff go back energized Dallas — whilst Eagles defenders had reeled in two.
The Cowboys’ protection, which had but to permit more than one touchdowns in a sport, ceded two within the first part. So whilst Dallas outplayed Philadelphia within the 1/3 quarter — 165 web yards to 6, 11 first downs to 2 —and scored 17 unanswered issues by means of midway into the fourth quarter, the Eagles rallied easily. Bleeding 7 mins and 35 seconds off the waning ultimate duration clock, Hurts finished a 75-yard force with consecutive energy performs to his playmakers. Receiver A.J. Brown juked defenders for 16 yards after the catch on a 22-yard achieve. The following play, Hurts faked a handoff prior to hitting receiver DeVonta Smith within the flat for a 7-yard ranking.
When Eagles defensive finish Brandon Graham nailed Rush on a deep try, dealing with second-and-8 with 5:16 to play, cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson effectively dove to intercept Rush’s cross supposed for Lamb.
The Eagles had successfully secured their 6th instantly win, at 6-0 proceeding their reign because the NFL’s lone unbeaten staff.
Rush finished 18 of 38 makes an attempt for 181 yards and 3 interceptions after 4 blank video games. In Prescott’s absence, he has finished 57.7% of makes an attempt (90-of-156) for 1,2020 yards, 5 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.
The Cowboys ready to be told from this efficiency hole and combine classes realized into their subsequent performances, be it with Prescott or Rush beneath heart. They’ll additionally glance to blank up a 10-penalty, 72-penalty backyard day. Defenders intention to resolve for run-pass choice deceit, which the Eagles and dual-threat Hurts used to neutralize the Cowboys’ cross rush and to bait defenders clear of supposed objectives. On either side of the ball, Dallas seeks to get started quicker. Contests in opposition to the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears prior to the bye week be offering alternatives to reset.
“I think there is always value when someone cracks you in the jaw and you fight back and have a chance to win the game,” McCarthy stated. “That is what this league is all about, and frankly, you can’t get to where we want to go without going through it. This team has tremendous passion and energy and play.”
With Prescott’s go back looming, they may additionally quickly have a franchise quarterback guiding the battle.
“Excited to move forward and happy as hell with the position we’re in,” Prescott stated. “We can get rolling.”
Follow Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein