Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott Expects to Start Versus Detroit Lions

Posted on: October 20, 2022, 11:28h. 

Last updated on: October 20, 2022, 11:51h.

Pauly McGuire Read More
Expertise: Sports Betting, Sports.

The Dallas Cowboys will have starting quarterback Dak Prescott back in the lineup against the Detroit Lions in Week 7. That’s after he missed the last five games recovering from a thumb injury.

Dak Prescott thumb injury surgery returns Dallas Cowboys Detroit Lions
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, seen here with a thumb brace on his throwing hand, works out before the Cowboys played the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Prescott missed five games with a thumb injury. (Image: USA Today Sports)

Prescott fractured a bone near his thumb on his throwing hand in the fourth quarter of the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He underwent surgery and the Cowboys projected he could miss six to eight weeks. But he looks to return ahead of schedule.

Team doctors cleared Prescott to return to practice this week. He took reps with the first team and expects to start against the Lions on Sunday.

The Lions (1-4) are +7 home dogs when they host the Cowboys (4-2). The Cowboys are 4-2 against the spread this season, and the Lions are 3-2 ATS.

The Lions are fresh off a bye week, but they’re desperate to end a three-game losing streak. The Cowboys had a four-game winning streak snapped by the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6 with a 26-17 loss.

Backup quarterback Cooper Rush did a stellar job filling in for Prescott. Rush posted a 4-1 record as a starter, with the sole loss occurring in a tough divisional road game in Philadelphia. The Cowboys were thrilled that they were able to salvage a winning record while Prescott was sidelined with his thumb injury.

Dak is Back: Jones, McCarthy Feel Good

With Prescott back at the helm, the Cowboys hope he can quickly shake off the rust. Luckily, they’re facing a Lions squad that’s won just one game this season. Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones doesn’t think the time off will affect Prescott.

Let’s just say this — Dak’s determined,” Jones said in an interview with a local sports radio station. “From my perspective, he’s going to get there. We feel like that physically, he’s at a position that the risk and reward justifies him being out there in terms of any reoccurrence of the injury.”

Head coach Mike McCarthy is also optimistic about Prescott bouncing back without much of a letdown.

“The final threshold is always return to play, but then there’s the timing,” said McCarthy. “If you look at the regimentation of how we’ve been bringing Dak back, obviously following the medical process of it, we’ve been trying to do as much throwing, particularly the individual routes on air, as much as we can. I think we’ve checked the boxes.”

“He looks good, he’s ready to go,” added Jones.

“Sky’s the limit,” said wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. “The offense is very good and everyone knows this. When we get him back, we’re going to show everybody.”

Prescott struggled in the only game he played this season, a 19-3 loss to the Bucs in Week 1. With a shortened preseason, nearly every team in the league looked sluggish in the first few weeks of the regular season. Prescott completed just 14-for-29 passes for 134 yards and zero touchdowns. He threw one interception in the loss and posted an atrocious 18.8 QBR rating.

Cowboys in 3-Way NFC East Battle

The Eagles sit in first place in the NFC East with a 6-0 record. The New York Giants, one of the biggest surprises this season, hold down second place with a 5-1 record. The Cowboys occupy third place with a 4-2 record. The Washington Commanders are in last place at 2-4, and their future looks grim after they lost Carson Wentz for several weeks with a fractured finger.

The Eagles are the betting favorite at -400 odds to win the NFC East over at DraftKings. The Cowboys are +550 odds to win the division, and the Giants are +800 odds.

The Cowboys are +2200 odds to win Super Bowl LVII, according to the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas. Their odds didn’t change immediately after Prescott’s injury, but they steadily increased during their four-game winning streak.

The Cowboys have two upcoming home games against losing teams. They host the one-win Lions on Sunday, and they face the Chicago Bears (2-4) in Week 8.

After a bye in Week 9, the Cowboys have three tough opponents on the schedule in November. They visit the Green Bay Packers (3-3) at Lambeau Field in Week 10, then head to the Twin Cities to play the Minnesota Vikings (5-1) in Week 11.

In Week 12, the Cowboys host their annual Thanksgiving game. The Giants are on the slate this year for a difficult divisional showdown.