National Football League

Dallas Cowboys can back up hype over hot start, if Dak Prescott stays healthy

Updated Oct. 28, 2021 5:56 p.m. ET

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By Matt Mosley
Special to FOX Sports

The Dallas Cowboys returned from their bye week as one of the most hyped teams in the NFL. 

Hype is nothing new for this franchise, but there seems to be some substance behind this 5-1 team. Let’s take a look at the reasons why this season feels different than hot starts from the past, and why the Cowboys just might be legitimate Super Bowl contenders. 

First off, Dak Prescott might be the best player in the league right now. He has shown no ill effects from his gruesome ankle injury last season and has been deadly accurate (73% completion percentage) through six games. But now he’ll have to answer questions about a calf strain he suffered on the final play of Dallas' Oct. 17 victory over the Patriots. 

"He’s going to practice. He’s going to go through the individual part of it, and he’s in the game plans," Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Wednesday. "He’s preparing to play. He’s got to cross the threshold to make sure he’s a full-go." 

McCarthy declined to elaborate on that threshold, but on Thursday he told reporters he was considering having three quarterbacks active for the Sunday night game at Minnesota.

The Cowboys have one of the most high-powered offenses in the NFL, but only one man has the keys. The backup QBs are Cooper Rush and Will Grier. Maybe that’s why Dak's teammates sounded like they were trying to will him back to the huddle Wednesday. 

"We’re prepared for whoever is up next," receiver CeeDee Lamb said. "But I’m just about 90 percent sure he’s going to be out there."

I learned long ago not to put much stock in what Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says about injuries, but for the record, he’s optimistic Prescott will play. Jones has indicated that he was more worried about Prescott’s shoulder heading into the regular season than he is about the current calf injury. 

Others in the organization aren’t quite as optimistic. There’s some thought that sitting Prescott for another week could pay dividends down the road. 

"We have no idea right now [whether he’ll play]," one club source told me. "We’ll see if we can make some progress. We’re not putting him or anyone else out there on one leg."

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McCarthy said Wednesday that quarterbacks have a better opportunity to play with calf injuries than players at other positions. He talked about how Aaron Rodgers was able to play with a calf injury late in the 2014 season. 

"It was difficult. The weather was different, two outdoor games, then we played up in Seattle in the NFC Championship Game, so yeah, that was a challenge," said McCarthy, the former Green Bay coach. "But it was January. It was a different time of year and had some different circumstances." 

The Cowboys don’t want to acknowledge this, but the fact they’ve gained so much separation in the NFC East might give them the luxury of resting Prescott if they need to. The problem is McCarthy doesn’t want to disrupt the rhythm of this team right now. 

The Cowboys are playing their best complementary football since 2016, as evidenced by being fourth in rushing offense and 10th in passing. Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard have become one of the most potent running-back duos in the league. 

Another reason the Cowboys are poised for a sprint to the finish is that reinforcements are on the way. Offensive tackle La’el Collins, wide receiver Michael Gallup, defensive tackle Trysten Hill and rookie cornerback Kelvin Joseph are set to return, with defensive linemen DeMarcus Lawrence and Neville Gallimore not far behind. The Cowboys won’t feel pressure to make any deadline deals because they’ll be making so many internal additions. 

On Wednesday, the Cowboys made the somewhat surprising call to not insert Collins as the starter at right tackle. Terence Steele will hold the No. 1 job while Collins works behind him and left guard Connor Williams. Collins played guard earlier in his NFL career, but he’d settled in at right tackle. It’s both a compliment to Steele’s excellent play and perhaps a message to Williams, who has struggled in pass protection at times. It’s also perhaps a sign that the Cowboys are running out of patience with Collins after seeing him miss the past 22 games due to an injury and suspension. 

"You clearly have to recognize how well Terence played," McCarthy said. "Continuity on the offensive line is something you’re always striving to sustain over the course of the year. The intricacies of what goes on up front, the reps that they play together is crucial. We want to continue to grow that. Also, I think this gives us the most depth I’ve had in my time here in the offensive-line room." 

In past seasons, the Cowboys have been undermined by inferior or inexperienced reserves on the offensive line. They now have more options than ever. The problem is they don’t have even decent options at backup quarterback. 

It's surprising Jones allows this to happen because he has seen how poorly things can go when you have the likes of Brad Johnson, Brandon Weeden and Matt Cassel on the roster. Jones nearly stopped talking to Jason Garrett when he saw Johnson play in relief of Tony Romo in 2008. 

On the other side of the ball, the pass defense has actually been lackluster. The Cowboys are allowing 295 passing yards per game, which ranks them 28th in the league. Those numbers have been overshadowed by cornerback Trevon Diggs’ remarkable run of seven interceptions in six games. 

Dallas has a chance to be like some of Sean Payton’s best Saints teams on defense. The Cowboys are incredibly opportunistic (14 takeaways), and the enhanced pass rush once Lawrence and Gallimore return should only help. 

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is looking like one of Dallas' best hires in years. And while McCarthy still gets criticized for his questionable game management, he deserves credit for trusting offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to call plays and quickly bringing in Quinn to replace Mike Nolan. Jerry and Stephen Jones have a lot of faith in McCarthy for that very reason. And even though it was back in the 2010 season, they love that McCarthy led the Packers to a Super Bowl win.

Surprisingly, the elder Jones is actually tempering his excitement about this quick start. But let me assure you, he believes this might be his best shot at a Super Bowl since Romo’s 2014 team. Jones might actually prefer Prescott to Romo, who is basically another family member. There is a belief that Prescott offers the best leadership since Troy Aikman, a man who played through a few injuries.

The main thing about this Cowboys team is that the margin for error is not as thin as in past seasons. I’ve joked that Jones always prepares for best-case scenarios, but this team is different. They have a chance to overcome adversity, as long as it doesn’t include an extended absence for Prescott. 

For once, the hype might be rooted in reality. 

Matt Mosley has covered the Cowboys for The Dallas Morning News, ESPN, FOX Sports and Texas Monthly Magazine. He also co-hosted afternoon-drive radio in Dallas for 10 years and is now heard on ESPN Central Texas, home of his alma mater, Baylor. He makes regular appearances on "The Herd" on FS1 and Fox Sports Radio. 

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