NFC East

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will be present at his team's practice Wednesday as he works his way back from a fractured right thumb, but he isn't expected to participate in a "substantial way."

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported:

As he continues his recovery from a thumb fracture, #Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is expected to work off to the side, source said. He’ll be present, as always, but not at a point of being involved in practice in a substantial way.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 5, 2022

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy also offered an update during his Wednesday press conference:

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said QB Dak Prescott (thumb) will be in rehab group today. Tuesday’s visit with specialist went well. “The next step is to get enough strength in the hand to throw the football. pic.twitter.com/wyckikzcAL

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) October 5, 2022

The 29-year-old is in his seventh NFL season. He is coming off his best individual campaign, in which he notched career-high marks with a 68.8 percent completion rate and 37 touchdown passes. The Cowboys also had the top-scoring offense in the NFL under his leadership last season.

Unfortunately, Prescott's 2022 campaign has seen him sidelined because of the fractured right thumb, which he suffered in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has missed three games because of the ailment.

The two-time Pro Bowler previously told Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today on Sept. 26 that he was looking toward Week 5 against the Los Angeles Rams as his return game. That matchup will go down on Sunday.

Cooper Rush has stepped in as the team's starter and led Dallas to a 3-0 record under his watch, with a 60.8 completion rate, four touchdowns (zero interceptions) and 737 passing yards. He will start if Prescott can't participate Sunday. Will Grier has been the team's backup.

If Prescott is unavailable for the Rams matchup, his next chance to play will be Oct. 16 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Cooper Rush's journey as starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys isn't over just yet.

Rush is expected to start Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams while Dak Prescott continues to recover from a thumb injury, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News.

Prescott told reporters last week he was eyeing a return to the field against the Rams.

The two-time Pro Bowler injured his thumb in a Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and has been sidelined since. He underwent surgery, and his initial recovery timeline was between six and eight weeks.

That timeline would have Prescott returning as soon as Oct. 30 against the Chicago Bears or Nov. 13 against the Green Bay Packers following Dallas' bye week.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Tuesday that Prescott is still struggling to grip a football "well enough to play," per Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today. However, he added that the veteran signal-caller is progressing well in his recovery:

“Well, I know that it’s better. And I know he’s going to go out there every day and make progress toward being able to grip the ball. I don’t know that you can ask for better news, technically, physically, and how it’s responding, how it’s healing, so to speak. … Considering the injury, the location of the injury, I don’t know that you could make any more progress.”

Rush has been excellent in Prescott's absence, winning all three games he has started to propel the Cowboys to a 3-1 record. He has completed 60.8 percent of his passes for 737 yards and four touchdowns in that span.

The 28-year-old went undrafted out of Central Michigan and has been with the Cowboys since 2017. He has appeared in 14 games across his five seasons in Dallas, mainly as a backup.

Will Grier is slated to backup Rush on Sunday.

Dak Prescott has been ruled out for the Dallas Cowboys' Week 5 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, and despite backup Cooper Rush leading the team to a 3-1 record in his stead, team owner and general manager Jerry Jones said on 105.3 The Fan Tuesday there was no scenario in which they stick with him over a healthy Prescott.

"No. No," he said. "As I see it right today."

Jones added on 105.3 The Fan that Prescott still couldn't grip the ball well enough to return to game action as he recovers from the fractured right thumb he suffered in Week 1.

"I don't know that you could make any more progress," Jones said of Prescott's recovery. "He'll have a big week, and he'll be hard on himself, getting ready to go. That's all I can say."

"I really don't know that I'd call that throwing what he's doing," he added. "But he's certainly got movement. I wouldn't know if he's throwing at a level that you can say the grip and everything again is effectively a good throw, normal passing throw."

With Prescott down, the 28-year-old Rush has led the Cowboys to a 3-0 record as the team's starter, throwing for 737 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions while completing 60.8 percent of his passes and taking four sacks.

Jerry Jones on @1053thefan on if he expected the Cowboys to be 3-1 after Dak's injury: "No. No, I did not."

Jones was hoping they wouldn't get knocked out of the playoff race before Dak returned. "We do have help on the way." Said he still expects Tyron Smith to return this year

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 4, 2022

Wins over the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants and Washington Commanders have the Cowboys just one game back of the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles (4-0), with a Week 6 showdown between the teams looming.

Rush, to his credit, has cited the defense as the main reason the Cowboys have reeled off three wins in a row:

Cowboys' points allowed to begin season

Week 1: 19
Week 2: 17
Week 3: 16
Week 4: 10

First time since 1973 the Cowboys allowed 19 points or fewer in each of first four games. QB Cooper Rush: "They’re the reason we’re winning. It’s just plain and simple."

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) October 2, 2022

Up next for Rush and that defense will be a big test against the defending champion Rams, who are smarting after getting smacked around by their rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, in a 24-9 loss on Monday night.

To this point, Prescott's injury hasn't put the Cowboys in a hole they'll have a tough time escaping. But the next two weeks will be big tests, regardless of who is under center.

The New York Giants are working out quarterbacks Jake Fromm and AJ McCarron on Tuesday in light of injuries suffered by starter Daniel Jones (ankle sprain) and backup Tyrod Taylor (concussion) during the team's 20-12 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported the news.

Free agent QB Jake Fromm is among #Giants workouts today. Team on the lookout for potential passing depth in light of QB injuries.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) October 4, 2022

Among the QBs working out for the #Giants today is A.J. McCarron, sources say. He was with the #Bills in 2018, so there’s your Brian Daboll/Joe Schoen connection.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 4, 2022

The Giants' only other quarterback is Davis Webb, who is on the practice squad.

Fromm, 24, played three games (two starts) for the Giants last year. He completed 27 of 60 passes for 210 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

McCarron was with the Bills in 2018 when Giants head coach Brian Daboll was on the coaching staff, per Garafolo.

The Giants are headed to London for a showdown on Sunday with the Green Bay Packers at 9:30 a.m. ET.

If Jones and Taylor can't go, then Webb will be the presumptive starter. The Giants selected Webb with a third-round pick in the 2017 draft. He's been with the G-Men (2017, 2022), the New York Jets (2018) and Buffalo Bills (2019-21) during his NFL career.

His only regular-season appearance occurred via a pair of kneeldowns to cap the Bills' 45-17 win over the New York Jets last year.

Webb was impressive this preseason, though, completing 60 of 81 passes for 457 yards and three touchdowns.

Fromm did not fare well for the Giants last year, but he wasn't exactly put in a position to succeed. A struggling offensive line led to Fromm being sacked six times.

The Giants were also playing out the string of a lost season that saw them finish 4-13 en route to the second-lowest scoring offense in the NFL.

McCarron last started a game in 2019 with the Houston Texans, going 21 of 36 passing for 225 yards and an interception in a loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Ultimately, the hope is that Jones is healthy enough to play Sunday, although he's been unofficially termed "day-to-day" at this point, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

#Giants QB Daniel Jones, who left Sunday’s win with an ankle injury, is considered day-to-day, source said. While tests will continue, there is some optimism that he plays… which is good. That means Saquon Barkley can play running back.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 3, 2022

Art Stapleton of The Record speculated that Taylor is "improbable" for Sunday because of his status in concussion protocol.

I think Tyrod Taylor being in concussion protocol puts him into improbable status for Sunday, especially with likely protocol changes coming on heels of Tua experience.

TBD on Daniel Jones. We'll see on that front. I won't guess on severity without more info. https://t.co/F4XNQsdK9U

— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) October 3, 2022

Webb is on deck, though, and it appears Fromm could be in line for the backup role if Jones and Taylor are out and Big Blue bring the ex-Georgia star back.

Backup quarterback Cooper Rush's unexpectedly strong performance won't alter the Dallas Cowboys' plan for Dak Prescott's recovery.

"At the end of the day, this is all about when he thinks he can go and when he thinks he can throw the football at a level that we need him to throw it at to have success and win football games," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Monday on 105.3 The Fan's The K&C Masterpiece. "Certainly, you feel better about it when he's not ready yet that we’ve been able to have these wins, you don't want to be naive like that."

Jones added that the team's overall success may lead Prescott to be even more cautious.

"Cooper Rush and this team have all stepped up, all his teammates have stepped up and done their part to win three football games, and I’m sure it helps everybody," he said. "It helps Dak … to not do something [when] he knows he may not be quite ready yet to go."

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio posited the opposite could prove true, arguing that Rush's production and the praise it has garnered "won’t make Prescott any less anxious." Along that line of thinking, the two-time Pro Bowler could push to get back on the field before he should.

I reeeeally hope Dak feels no additional pressure to return early b/c of Cooper Rush record. Him steadying the ship gives Dallas and Dak MORE time not less. House money.

— Elle Duncan (@elleduncanESPN) October 2, 2022

There are two types of people who legitimately believe that Cooper Rush (who deserves all credit in the world) should start ahead of a healthy Dak Prescott:

1. Prisoners of the moment

2. Those still upset about the way that Dak supplanted Tony Romo looking for an eye for an eye

— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) October 3, 2022

For the Cowboys, this is the best possible outcome.

Rush hasn't been prolific in place of Prescott, but he has already engineered two game-winning drives while avoiding the kind of costly mistakes you'd expect from a backup quarterback. He has completed 60.8 percent of his passes while throwing for 737 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions. His 74.0 QBR is the fourth-highest in the league, per ESPN.com.

Even though Prescott's window to return (four to six weeks) was better than first thought, nobody could blame fans for panicking at the time. Dallas slumped to a 6-10 finish in 2020 when Prescott was limited to five games, and the offensive personnel on this squad might be worse than it was two seasons ago.

However, the Cowboys are only one game back of the Philadelphia Eagles for first place in the NFC East. That's not down solely to Rush, but he's certainly a reason why the franchise is on track to reach the postseason.

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera told reporters on Monday that running back Brian Robinson has been cleared by doctors and will be activated off injured reserve on Wednesday.

Robinson, who was shot twice during a robbery attempt in August, will have three weeks to either be elevated to the active roster or kept on the non-football injury list for the remainder of the 2022 season.

Robinson appeared poised to win the starting running back job over Antonio Gibson this summer before he was shot twice in his right leg.

"We know he's got a bright future, and the future doesn't have to be immediately now," Rivera told reporters on Aug. 31. "Until he's ready to roll, we have no intention of putting him out there."

The 23-year-old was Washington's third-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, impressing with his physical and aggressive running style.

He missed the first four games of the season with his gunshot wounds, but his recovery has appeared to go very smoothly:

Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr., who was shot twice during an armed robbery attempt less than a month ago, is out here running routes. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/7wOHWeDaY3

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) September 25, 2022

in his stead, Gibson has rushed for 173 yards and two scores to go on 3.3 yards per carry along with 13 catches for 101 yards. Scatback J.D. McKissic has 65 yards on the ground and 19 catches for 122 yards.

It's likely that all three will see playing time once Robinson is deemed ready for game action.

"When we get Robinson back, there are some things that we can do that we want to feature his skill set and the skill set that not just he has, but [Gibson] and [McKissic have]," Rivera told reporters. "I mean, those three guys are all quality backs, and they all have their special abilities. Once you have the full complement now, you can just grow it even more."

The New York Giants are possibly closing in on a reunion with safety Landon Collins.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported the Giants are set to host Collins for a meeting Monday, setting the stage for the three-time Pro Bowler to return to the franchise where he spent his first four NFL seasons.

Art Stapleton of The Record reported Collins was already scheduled to visit the Giants before they had several injuries in Sunday's 20-12 win over the Chicago Bears.

Collins spent the previous three seasons with the Washington Commanders before being released in March. It was a bit of a surprise to see him remain on the free-agent market into the regular season. While Collins hasn't performed at a Pro Bowl level since 2018, he was solid last season while being utilized in a hybrid linebacker/safety role.

The Giants would likely look for Collins to play the hybrid role more than the standard safety position he played during his first tenure with the franchise. He was never an elite pass-coverage option even during his prime, and it became obvious late in his Washington tenure he was closer to a liability in that aspect deep down the field.

Using him as a rangy run-stopper at linebacker may be the best way to use his skill set while allowing him to help in coverage rather than being an integral piece protecting the back half of the field.

The Giants are off to a solid 3-1 start this season but currently rank 28th in the NFL in run defense. With a rash of injuries Sunday against Chicago, including to starting strong safety Julian Love, things likely aren't getting better any time soon without an acquisition like Collins.

The Carson Wentz era has not been kind to the Washington Commanders, who fell to 1-3 on the season with a 25-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Sunday.

Following Sunday's loss, Wentz shouldered much of the blame for the team's struggles while speaking with reporters.

"I have to be more accurate. I have to make better decisions," Wentz said.

Wentz was subpar against the Cowboys, completing 25 of 42 passes for 170 yards and one touchdown against two interceptions. He also rushed for just five yards.

The 29-year-old entered Sunday's game having completed 63.1 percent of his passes for 861 yards and seven touchdowns against three interceptions through the first three weeks of the season.

While those numbers are respectable, the Wentz experiment hasn't gone very well for the Commanders, who acquired him in a trade from the Indianapolis Colts over the offseason.

Following a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last week, head coach Ron Rivera said he wasn't worried about Wentz and that he was confident the signal-caller would bounce back against the Cowboys:

"I'm not worried about Carson. Carson's going to bounce back. He's a very resilient young man. And I loved his press conference, accepting responsibility. And he put it on himself and he tried to make sure everybody understood that this is a team game, we're all culpable. And I don't disagree with him. We are all culpable, myself included.

"But there is a sense of urgency. There is a 'gotta have it,' a 'gotta go out and get it done' type of mentality. It was the same thing last week. We wanted it. We worked to do it, and we're going to do it every week that way. It's just sometimes, it doesn't work your way."

But now that Wentz's struggles have become more apparent, it might be time for the Commanders to start worrying. However, it's unclear if Washington is considering making a switch to either Taylor Heinicke or rookie Sam Howell.

If anything, the Commanders would likely pick Heinicke over Howell given his experience.

Heinicke has appeared in 24 NFL games across four seasons and has completed 64.6 percent of his passes for 3,886 yards and 22 touchdowns against 18 interceptions. He also started 15 of 16 games for Washington last season, throwing for 3,419 yards and 20 touchdowns against 15 interceptions.

Dak Prescott remains out with a thumb injury, but he's looking good off the field.

The Dallas Cowboys quarterback got himself a new custom chain worth about $100,000, per TMZ Sports:

TMZ Sports has learned Dak Prescott has copped a new, custom diamond chain -- that's worth $100,000! https://t.co/RHIMTmj1Bh

— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) October 2, 2022

Jason of Beverly Hills made the custom piece, which features 35 carats of diamonds.

The next challenge for Prescott—who signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension in 2021—is getting back on the field after a Week 1 injury that required thumb surgery. He's hoping to return for Week 5, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is reportedly eyeing Week 5 against the Los Angeles Rams for his return from thumb surgery, according to ESPN''s Adam Schefter.

Schefter reported Prescott is "progressing nicely," though it remains possible the team holds him out an additional week to ensure he's 100 percent recovered from his fractured thumb.

From @NFLGameDay Kickoff: The Oct. 16 game against the #Eagles remains the most realistic return date for #Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, who will be evaluated on Wednesday to see if he can throw for real in practice. pic.twitter.com/kLRva40kmA

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 2, 2022

Prescott had a rough start to the 2022 season. He went 14-of-29 for 134 yards with no touchdowns and one interception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1 before leaving the game in the fourth quarter.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters after his team's 19-3 loss that the quarterback would "be out a while" with a thumb injury, which happened when Bucs defender Shaq Barrett inadvertently hit his hand while trying to break up a pass attempt.

After the two-time Pro Bowler underwent surgery on Sept. 12, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the initial timetable for him to return was four to six weeks.

Jones said during a Sept. 13 appearance on 105.3 The Fan (h/t Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk) that Prescott wouldn't be placed on injured reserve.

"We want him to be in consideration for playing within the next four games," he said. "... We feel better about it than we did Sunday night."

Cooper Rush will start his third straight game under center on Sunday. He won his first career start in 2021 when Prescott was out with an injury. He went 24-of-40 for 325 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in a 20-16 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 8.

After taking over for Prescott in Week 1 this season, the 28-year-old finished 7-of-13 for 64 yards trying to get the Cowboys back in the game. He followed that up by leading them to back-to-back wins over the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants.