Dak Prescott WATCH: Injured Cowboys QB 50-Throws Pregame Warmup at Eagles

After seeing Cooper Rush reel off four straight wins, Dak Prescott's impending return, could mean unreasonable expectations from the outset for the Cowboys Pro Bowl QB.

Cooper Rush has exceeded expectations ... which has, caused the expectations of Dak Prescott, healing from fractured thumb injury, to rise.

Now, after four games and four wins, there have been calls to make Rush the starter over Dak, especially if Rush somehow helps the Dallas Cowboys win tonight in Philadelphia, where Prescott is warming up as part of his rehab ... but "warming up'' is all he will do.

Dak Prescott taking snaps and throwing in early early warmups before ⁦@dallascowboys⁩ vs ⁦@Eagles⁩ but he is NOT playing tonight. ⁦@1053thefan⁩ ⁦@SportsDayDFW⁩ pic.twitter.com/ebvF6Mdoqn

— KristiCowboySideline (@KristiCowboy) October 16, 2022

Dak apparently engaged in a 20-minute throwing session that included about 50 tosses ... and that will be that, until next week.

In Philly pregame..if @dak isn’t ready, he looks close. #cowboys pic.twitter.com/xT8Rol8RD7

— Mike Doocy (@MikeDoocyFox4) October 16, 2022

There are parts of this that are eerily similar to 2016. Tony Romo got injured. Dak stepped in, and the rest is history. (See our Video Visit here with Romo - he gets it.)

This is clearly different, but the same thoughts are in play. Does Prescott come straight back in when healthy, maybe next week? Of course, the answer is yes. But given how the team has looked in his absence, what is expected of Prescott could see him set up to fail.

Rush has done everything needed from a temp QB. He has stayed in his lane, made plays when needed, and hasn't turned the ball over.

Check, check, check. 

Despite the offense not setting the world on fire in terms of points, averaging just 18.6 a game (ranked 24th), Dallas has been winning.

With Dak, it will be different. Fair or not, if a Dak-led offense scores 18 points, it will not be deemed a success. Fair or not, if Dak wins a game in which he completes 10 passes for 102 yards (as Rush did last week in a win over the Rams), it will not be deemed a success.

As coach Mike McCarthy stated earlier in the week, Dak is progressing well, having thrown at practice in individual drills on Thursday at The Star, but was sore on Friday.

"He's sore as you could expect. That's the most he's thrown to this point. … But I think we're in a good place," McCarthy said.

Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs on how Dak Prescott has been around the team since his thumb injury

(Video: @therealdre_jack)https://t.co/qQCIAFW1wv

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 15, 2022

This is Dak's team. But when it's time, let's not forget that Dak has only played a little over three quarters of football since January 17. Can he be expected to hit the ground running and perform near or close to his best?

If Dak Prescott is who he’s supposed to be, the #Cowboys have the highest ceiling in the NFC. It’s that simple.pic.twitter.com/9oyinmvNEr

— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) October 12, 2022

Is there a quarterback controversy? No. But that doesn't mean there won't be noise surrounding it - the noise of high expectations.

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