The 2022-2023 NFL regular season has not started the way that many Dallas Cowboys fans had hoped it would. During the first week of the season, the Cowboys suffered a 16-point loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the final quarter of the loss, the Cowboys lost their starting quarterback, Dak Prescott, to a thumb injury.
“It’s very disappointing, but injuries happen,” Prescott said after the loss.
“Can’t necessarily control it. Obviously going to miss some time, not be there for my team. And that’s what hurts more than anything.”
Prescott will undergo surgery as the Cincinnati Bengals travel down to Arlington, Texas. In his absence, Will Grier and Cooper Rush will handle quarterback duties. Despite the loss of their starting quarterback, Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones is confident that Rush can carry the load.
“Dak is one of the best there is at finding the open guy and going to the right guy. Rush can do it, too,” Jones said, per CBS Sports.
“Cooper Rush has a good arm, he has experience, he led the team to a victory last year…He can make the plays. There’s not going to be a huge drop-off to me,” NFL commentator Phil Simms added, per Sports Illustrated.
Simms and Jones may have confidence in Rush, but the oddsmakers do not. ESPN’s Power Football Index gives the Bengals an 82.8% chance of winning and the spread has set the Bengals up as a seven-point favorite.
