Dak Prescott is moving closer to returning to action for the Cowboys. Expecting him to take the field against the rival Eagles, however, sounds unrealistic at this point in the week.
Dallas is preparing for Cooper Rush to once again man the starting quarterback role against the Eagles in Week 6, Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Wednesday.
Prescott spent Wednesday's practice with the Cowboys' rehab group and participated in some light throwing at the end of the session, marking the quarterback's first round of passes to receivers since suffering his thumb injury in Week 1.Â
The Cowboys listed Prescott as a DNP, but the quarterback gave a positive review of his throwing session afterward.
"Solid. Ask the receivers," Prescott said, via the Dallas Morning News' Calvin Watkins, before being told his receivers said his passes had some pop on them. "I always got some pop on my balls. I'm not going to throw if I ain't got pop on my balls."
These signs are positive, but hoping for a Prescott return this weekend is premature, per McCarthy.
"I think we're still in the medical rehab phase," McCarthy said. "Once he (Prescott) clears this phase and he's fully activated, I think that's when we have our conversation."
Rush has performed admirably in place of Prescott, completing 61.9 percent of his passes for 775 yards, four touchdowns and a 97.1 passer rating. Dallas is undefeated with Rush as its starting QB, avoiding the downward slide most everyone expected from them the moment Prescott was injured.
A big reason for Dallas' success without Prescott has been its defense. The Cowboys have allowed just 14.4 points per game in their first five games, the team's lowest mark through the first five weeks since 1994. Micah Parsons has led the way, but it's been about more than just the second-year linebacker, with fellow defenders Demarcus Lawrence, Osa Odighizuwa, Dorance Armstrong and a secondary led by Trevon Diggs coming together to become a stifling defense.
Parsons did not practice, while Lawrence was limited on Wednesday after sustaining injuries in Dallas' Week 5 win over Los Angeles, but neither seem too concerning. They're crucial parts of the defense, which will be tasked with stopping the No. 2 offense in the NFL this weekend in Philadelphia.
