The Dallas Cowboys are bracing for a prolonged absence of star quarterback Dak Prescott after he suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday’s 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
According to NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, Prescott is expected to be out for multiple weeks, dealing another heavy blow to Dallas’ challenging season.
Following the injury in the second half, Prescott underwent an MRI that confirmed the damage is more serious than initially thought.
While the Cowboys have yet to decide if Prescott will be placed on injured reserve, which would automatically sideline him for at least four games, he’s scheduled to seek a second medical opinion to explore treatment options.
Prescott also sustained a hand laceration during the game, but it’s been reported that the hand injury is not a cause for concern and shouldn’t affect his recovery timeline.
In Prescott’s absence, backup quarterback Cooper Rush is expected to take the reins, with former first-round pick Trey Lance also available as a potential option.
Rush stepped in following Prescott’s exit on Sunday and is likely to start in next week’s showdown with NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Cowboys now sit at 3-5, riding a three-game losing streak, and face a punishing stretch of fixtures that could see their playoff hopes dashed if the slide continues.
After Philadelphia (6-2), Dallas faces two more tough matchups in Houston (6-3) and Washington (7-2), all opponents with strong records well above .500.
In a season that’s already seen big-name Cowboys like Demarcus Lawrence hit the IR and Micah Parsons sidelined since Week 4, Prescott’s injury further dims the outlook.
Mike McCarthy’s team is in desperate need of a turnaround, but without their franchise quarterback, the road ahead only gets tougher for Dallas.
