EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 04: Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager Jerry Jones walks on the field before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on November 04, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)Sunday’s win over the New York Giants came at great cost to the Dallas Cowboys. Starting quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle, on which he had surgery Sunday night. His recovery is expected to take four-to-six months, so hopefully he’ll be good to go for the 2021 season.
It is a huge blow to the franchise, which had already gotten out to a pretty slow start to the season, considering the hype they had entering it. That being said, with how mediocre the whole NFC East is this year, it may not be a huge setback to the team’s playoff chances. Andy Dalton, the longtime Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, was 9-for-11 for 111 yards after entering the game Sunday, leading Dallas to a 37-34 win.
The team has added one quarterback, with the shift in the depth chart. The Cowboys claimed Garrett Gilbert off of the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad, slotting him behind newly-minted backup Ben DiNucci, a former seventh-round pick out of James Madison.
Dallas Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones was asked if the team could trade for another quarterback in light of the Prescott injury. He told 105.3 The Fan that he is comfortable moving forward with the quarterback room as-is, with Andy Dalton as starter.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, whose 78th birthday is today, said on @1053thefan it is “unlikely” the team trades for a quarterback following Dak Prescott’s injury. Little interest to him. “We’ve got our quarterback in Andy Dalton.” Dalton gives team ability to run offense as is.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) October 13, 2020
Dalton is about as quality a backup quarterback as you can hope for, with plenty of experience. He also has one of the most talented supporting casts in football, so the Cowboys remain a favorite to come out of the NFC East, given how bad the Giants and Washington Football Team are.
Of course, the Cowboys’ defense may remain a bigger issue, though there is definitely expected to be a decline in play from Dak Prescott to Dalton.
Dallas is back in action on Monday night, when they host Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals.
