Dallas insider says Cowboys are getting Dak Prescott 'ready to play' at Vikings
Dak Prescott showed up to work for the Dallas Cowboys on Friday experiencing soreness in his strained calf after logging back-to-back limited practices.
If the Cowboys didn't own a commanding lead in the NFC East, the question of Prescott playing Sunday night in Minnesota against the Vikings probably wouldn't need to be asked. He'd be in. But the Cowboys are 5-1 and the Giants, Eagles and Washington Football Team are all 2-5, meaning there's pressure on the Cowboys to let Prescott fully recover from a calf strain suffered Oct. 11 against the Patriots.
“It’s more than just one game," head coach Mike McCarthy said Friday. "We’re obviously in our seventh game, so there is a ton of football left to play.”
A decision to start Prescott or backup Cooper Rush hasn't been made. But even Prescott admitted Thursday that the decision is out of his hands.
“I don’t know if it’s just my decision,” Prescott said Thursday, according to the Dallas Morning News. “Obviously, you guys know me. ... I will tell you right now I could go out there and play today if I could. Knowing that this is a long journey and a long season, I don’t necessarily know if this is fully my decision. But I’m just going to keep controlling the things I can to get better. I’ve gotten better each and every day, and that’s what is most important.”
If Rush starts Sunday, the Vikings' chances against the high-powered Cowboys certainly go up. That might be why the oddsmakers have moved the game from Dallas being favored by 2.5 points to the Vikings favored by 2.5 points.
However, Cowboys insider Clarence Hill Jr., who has covered the team since 1997, believes the fact that Prescott has worked with the first team during walk-through practices this week is reason enough to believe he'll start.
"The Cowboys are getting him ready to play," Hill tweeted.
Prescott not playing would take the shine off the Sunday night Halloween matchup in Minneapolis, but it'd be good for the Vikings as they return from the bye with terrifying stretch against the 5-1 Cowboys, 5-2 Ravens, 4-2 Chargers and 7-1 Packers.
It's a stretch of games that could break the Vikings or show the rest of the league that they're a legitimate contender.
The Vikings injury report includes defensive tackle Michael Pierce out with an elbow injury. That could be rough considering Dallas has a tremendous offensive line and two good running backs, Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard.