Dak Prescott Backup Cooper Rush Sick; QB Trey Lance's Chance to Play for Cowboys in Playoffs?
FRISCO - If you've been clamoring to see Trey Lance play in an actual Dallas Cowboys game, well first off ... Why?!
But ... if that is somehow your mindset, you may have for the first time since the blue-chip prospect's September acquisition via trade a chance to get your wish.
But only if the actually backup QB behind Dak Prescott is unable to play.
The only guy on the Dallas roster that seems to be in question for Sunday's playoff game against visiting Green Bay is No. 2 quarterback Cooper Rush. As the flu bug seems to finally be exiting the locker room here at The Star, it seems Rush - who was added to the injury report Friday with an illness - might be its last victim.
Rush is listed as "questionable" for the game, and for those unfamiliar with the relatively new rule: If long-time No. 2 guy Rush is active, he will be Prescott's backup for the game, as has been the case all season long.
That leaves Lance, the former No. 3 overall pick by the Niners brought to Dallas via a trade of a fourth-round pick, as the "emergency third QB.'' That means Lance dresses, but can only enter the game if the two guys ahead of him are injured an unavailable.
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So all those season-long calls from uninformed "Cowboys fans'' like Skip Bayless wanting to see Lance come into the game during one of 12-5 Dallas' blowout wins? That move would literally be against the rules and would not be allowed.
But ... If Rush is unable to play? Then and then only would the Cowboys use Trey Lance as the backup. And you're not really rooting for that ... right?
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Meanwhile, other than Rush, the Cowboys enter the weekend in relatively good health heading into the Wild Card game. Tyler Smith (foot), Stephon Gilmore (shoulder) and Johnathan Hankins (ankle) are all expected to play as Dallas hopes to extend its home winning streak at AT&T Stadium to 9-0 this year and 17-0 dating back to September 2022.
And part of that hope? Maybe Dallas manhandles the young Packers so thoroughly that Prescott exits. And Rush - not Lance - enters for mop-up duty.