FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys (3-5) are planning for life without quarterback Dak Prescott since he will likely head to injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Their plan to replace him remains the same as it always has been: Start eight-year veteran backup Cooper Rush. He has spent each of his NFL seasons either as a part of the Cowboys practice squad or active roster.
"We've always invested all the time and energy into the quarterback, Dak, that has the football. So now it's Cooper's turn, and Dak will be part of that process," Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said on Monday. "We'll rally around him and make sure that we do everything we can to make sure that he's prepared. We'll just keep going about it the way we've gone about it."
The reason McCarthy is so keen on going back to Rush is because the Cowboys have won five of his six starts in place of an injured Prescott from 2021 to 2022, including wins in four of five in 2022. It's worth noting the Dallas defense allowed just 15.8 points per game in Rush's six starts combined. McCarthy compared Rush to another backup quarterback he coached at the start of his NFL coaching career with the Kansas City Chiefs from 1995-1998: Rich Gannon. After departing for the Raiders in 1999, Gannon earned four consecutive Pro Bowl selections (1999-2002), two first-team All-Pro nods (2000 and 2022) and the 2002 NFL MVP award. Oakland won the AFC in the 2002 season before getting blown out 48-21 in the Super Bowl that year.
"It goes well beyond 5-1. Cooper Rush is respected as a backup quarterback that I would say since Rich Gannon when I was with Rich in the 90s with the Kansas City Chiefs [as an assistant coach]," McCarthy said. "He carries that type of credibility. He's a great teammate. He's someone you can see the young guys lean on. He's wicked smart, instinctive. Does a great job when he runs the scout team. He just does everything the right now. He's an excellent pro. There will be plenty of confidence in him."
"He [Gannon] had a great career obviously," Rush said Thursday when informed of McCarthy's praise. "I was pretty young watching him, but I remember the Super Bowl with the Raiders I think versus the Bucs. But yeah, a guy that has played forever, was a starter forever, different roles, and played well. It's always nice being compared to that. But you come in here and be the same guy every day, and that's what guys want and they need."
The attribute McCarthy might love the most about his backup quarterback-turned-starter is his cool, calm demeanor. Temperament was the word the Cowboys head coach used.
"Well, I think the temperament's important because the role you have as a backup quarterback. ... Cooper's been great in getting Dak ready to play and now Dak will, they'll be some role reversal there. So his temperament is excellent," McCarthy said Wednesday. "I would say he's as even-keeled as an individual, especially a quarterback, that I've had the opportunity to work with, Cerebral. Smart. He gives you the flexibility to continue to play. I think that's what you want in all your quarterbacks. You don't' want to get to a spot where you have to change a bunch of things offensively because who's behind center."
Some quarterbacks need to dial back their fire to truly lock in, but Rush is the opposite: He's worked on being a better vocal leader over the years.
"I think it helps at quarterback. Calm, cool, collected, good decision-making," Rush said of his demeanor. "It's kind of what QBs have to do. You have to stay level because you are making a million decisions every play. I think that helps a little bit. ... I think I've had to learn to be more vocal, but I'm more comfortable now and things like that. I've been around for a while and that helps."
The locker room has bought McCarthy's message that they can still turn their season with Rush under center because of the team's past success. Having that buy-in also helps.
"I still believe we can make a run. I've seen what Cooper Rush can do," Cowboys All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons said Wednesday. "That's a nice ... that's a good boy right there. Cooper Rush got a lot of talent. He won games for us by just doing the basics, just playing good football. So it's not like he can't do it. I got full faith in him. We won four out of five games with him. So to have the understanding that he couldn't do that again. Especially look at the stretch he had when we did it. We beat the Bengals. It was a good team, and the Jets. We had a good run with Rush. I got full belief. It just so happens that when I'm coming back [from my high ankle sprain] Dak isn't [healthy]. So maybe that's what God had intended."
What's different now
Dallas had a legitimate run game with Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott leading the way in 2021 and 2022 with the Cowboys averaging 129.9 rushing yards per game across those two seasons, the eighth-best mark in the NFL. Dallas also surrendered an average of 20.6 points per game from 2021 to 2022, good enough to rank as the league's sixth-ranked scoring defense. The Cowboys defense played even better in Rush's six starts, allowing 15.8 points per game. When Rush did start, he wasn't lighting up the scoreboard. He threw for seven touchdowns and four interceptions in addition to averaging 213.5 passing yards per game, 7 yards per pass and a 58.5% completion percentage which all added up to a 83.6 passer rating. Three of those interceptions came in a 26-17 road loss at the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6 of the 2022 season, Rush's last start and the Cowboys' opponent this week.
"A ton," Rush said Thursday when asked how much he draws on his 2021 and 2022 starts. "I mean the more games you play, the more reps you bank, you put in your library, you draw on those. So feel confident in that. Been around here for a while. Played with a lot of these guys before, which is huge when you're out there with live bullets, trusting those guys. Being out there with them is big."
The support Rush had in 2021 and 2022 from his run game and defense is nonexistent in 2024: the Cowboys have the second-worst run game in football, averaging 82.0 rushing yards per game and the second-worst scoring defense in football, allowing 28.1 points per game.
That's why 2023 first-team All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is well aware that much of the burden will be on his plate to lift Dallas' 20th-ranked scoring offense (21.4 points per game) in Prescott's absence.
"I've just got to step up, quite honestly," Lamb said Thursday. "That's been my motto since coming back [from his offseason contract holdout]. With that, keeping him [Rush] comfortable back there, making sure I'm available on every route given. Stay in his ear, let him know what I see. Hopefully, he sees the same thing and we'll be on the same page and connect."
Rush has completed 40 completions of his 66 attempts (60.6%) thrown Lamb's way for 477 receiving yards, two touchdowns and an interception, which amounts to a 86.5 passer rating. That's ok production but nothing to write home about.
"Obviously, we've connected. We've taken a lot of reps outside of practice, just talking, communicating, getting on the same page," Lamb said. "I feel that's very important with the situation that's coming up. I'm happy for him, obviously. We know what Coop can do. The confidence is still there. Stand in there and deliver."
"He's pretty easy to throw to, the guy gets open," Rush said of Lamb. "He's got good body language, size, all of that. He's been awesome this week, in terms of communicating with me, letting me know what's going on, how he sees certain things. Like I said, it's guys I've played with before. I watch them practice, so it doesn't take too long to get back in rhythm with him. He's an easy guy to throw to."
The Cowboys aren't banking on the same winning ways to automatically carry over from 2021 and 2022, but they feel Rush is ready to give them the best chance to win on Sunday against the Eagles.
"I wouldn't say carry over, but the confidence is always there," Lamb said. You can't really go so much off of what you've done in the past year. Granted, we still have the confidence in him. Don't get it twisted. But with that, I know he's ready to go out there and deliver. I know he's prepared all week. Can't wait to see it."