Dallas Cowboys' starting quarterback Dak Prescott told reporters last week the Week Five match-up against the Los Angeles Rams this Sunday was "the one I'm looking at" for his return; back-up QB Cooper Rush has led the team to three successive wins in his absence
Wednesday 5 October 2022 15:09, UK
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said quarterback Dak Prescott's injured thumb is improving but he still cannot grip a football well enough to play.
Prescott told reporters last week that the Cowboys' Week Five match-up against the defending Super Bowl-champion Los Angeles Rams this Sunday was "the one I'm looking at" for his return.
But Jones has appeared to rule out that prospect with his prognosis on Prescott as he recovers from surgery following the fracture to his right thumb in Dallas' Week One loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Well, I know that it's better, and I know that he's going to go out there every day and make progress towards being able to grip the ball," Jones said in an interview on Audacy's 105.3 The Fan in Dallas.
When asked if Prescott can grip a football now, Jones answered: "No, not well enough to play."
Prescott is scheduled to meet with doctors on Tuesday. He had surgery on September 12 and had the stitches removed from his thumb last week.
"I don't know that you could ask for better news technically, physically in how it's responding, how it's healing so to speak," Jones added.
"As we bid goodbye to each day, considering the location of the injury, I don't know that you could make any more progress.
"There's some things about healing that I often say only the man upstairs knows how that works, but he'll have a big week and he'll be hard on himself getting it ready to go."
On Monday, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said he wants Prescott to go through a full week of practice before returning to competitive action.
"I mean we're not talking about being out one week here, you know?" he said.
Jones reiterated that in his radio appearance, saying: "We need to have that process before we [go] in a ball game. Can't eliminate the week's work and be ready to go, especially not at quarterback."
Back-up QB Cooper Rush has led the Cowboys to three successive wins in Prescott's absence.
With the latest of those on Sunday, a 25-10 victory over the Washington Commanders, Rush became the first Cowboys quarterback in history to win the first four starts of their career. He beat the Minnesota Vikings in his solitary start with the team in 2021.
Asked if there was a scenario or number of victories that could lead to the Cowboys sticking with Rush over a healthy Prescott, Jones said: "No, as I see it today."
If Prescott does fail to return for this Sunday's clash with the Rams, his next opportunity could be against the NFL's last remaining undefeated team, the Philadelphia Eagles, in a primetime Sunday night match-up.
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