Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reveals what Cooper Rush’s performance in their Week 2 win over the Cincinnati Bengals means for Dak Prescott’s return.
The Dallas Cowboys‘ season appeared to be over in their very first game. Quarterback Dak Prescott fractured his right thumb in the team’s 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which required surgery that will sideline him for multiple weeks. After the injury, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones declared that it will be Cooper Rush who will fill in in Prescott’s absence.
In his first week as the new starter, Rush helped lead Dallas to a 20-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, the defending AFC champions.
Following the win, Jones talked about how Rush’s performance impacts Prescott’s return. Jones said that Rush’s play does not impact Prescott’s return to the team. Rather, it will be Prescott’s ability to grip a football that determines it.
Jerry Jones on what Cooper Rush’s performance means for Dak Prescott’s return
Walking into the Bengals game, Rush is already 1-0 as a starting quarterback for the team. He helped lead the team to an opening drive touchdown after he connected with wide receiver Noah Brown. From there, running back Tony Pollard scored a touchdown, and kicker Brett Maher made a 54-yard field goal to give Dallas a 17-3 lead entering halftime.
But in the second half, the Bengals managed to tie the game after two made field goals by Evan McPherson and a passing touchdown from quarterback Joe Burrow to wide receiver Tee Higgins.
Yet, Rush led the team into field goal range after three consecutive completions — an eight-yarder to receiver CeeDee Lamb, a 12-yarder to Brown, and a 10-yarder to Lamb. Following a three-yard run by Pollard, Maher nailed a 50-yard field goal at the buzzer to give the Cowboys their first win of the season, and extend Rush’s record as a starter to 2-0.
Rush completed 19-of- 31 pass attempts for 235 yards and a touchdown.
The Cowboys are feeling confident after the win, now they have to set their focus on their first divisional matchup of the season — a Monday Night Football matchup against the New York Giants, who are undefeated on the year. It will remain to be seen if Rush can replicate this performance.