FRISCO, Texas – Will Dak Prescott play the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night?
As of Friday, the answer remains maybe.
The Cowboys are committed to giving Prescott every opportunity to play Sunday despite a calf strain that has limited his practice work this week. That probably means they have to delay the decision at least until Saturday, when the team takes its light practice round before the trip to Minnesota. Friday is the normal regeneration day for players.
“We are focused on today,” said head coach Mike McCarthy. “Just talking to (associate athletic trainer / rehab director) Britt (Brown), he has a plan and he has a workload capacity that he wants to achieve. It’s a big part of his day based on the work he did on Wednesday and Thursday. We’ll just stay the course. “
McCarthy said Prescott increased his limited practice reps Thursday and felt pain Friday morning, as expected. But the job went well.
“He’s confident,” McCarthy said. “He wants to play and he wants to keep working to get it.”
Prescott told reporters on Thursday that he wants to play, but acknowledged that this is probably a collective decision and understands that the club must look at the bigger picture.
Could playing the injury persist? That is the question that must be weighed.
McCarthy agreed.
“It’s more than just this game. We are obviously in our seventh game. There is a lot of football left to play,” he said. “That’s definitely part of the decision, and we’re just giving him the time he needs to take it all in.”
At 5-1, the Cowboys currently hold a 3.5 game lead in the NFC East with 11 games remaining.
In an interview on radio station 105.3 The Fan, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones still sounded optimistic about Prescott’s availability against Minnesota, but added that it is something that has yet to be determined.
“I’d like to think Dak can play (Sunday) and that’s what I’ll think,” Jones said. “We’ll see how things work out in practice, but I’d say things are looking good right now for Dak.
“I’m not so sure how much of that is a wish on my part or how much is factual. We will really have to see Sunday, and as you know, that’s a few days away. We will have to take a good look at it then. preparing to play, and he will be prepared to play, and he’s doing really well. “
If Prescott doesn’t play Sunday, backup Cooper Rush would be in line to make his first career start of the regular season. Rush, a five-year veteran, appeared in six games and completed 1 of 3 passes for 2 yards.
