Dak Prescott left Sunday night’s blowout win with a severe injury to his throwing hand. After having successful surgery Monday, Prescott initially was expected to miss 6-8 weeks as he recovers, however this may no longer be the case. During his weekly show, Cowboys owner and General Manager Jerry Jones stated that not only would Prescott not go on IR but he expects him to be back within 4 weeks, a time line that is half as short as what was first reported. While many can look at this injury news as a positive it is actually concerning. Injuries to a quarterback’s throwing hands don’t generally heal that quickly. When Drew Brees suffered a similar injury in 2019 he was sidelined for 6 weeks and missed a grand total of 5 games due to the injury. Russell Wilson also suffered a hand injury last year. While not the same injury it did sideline Wilson and it did effect his ability to hold the ball, the issue that first alerted Prescott that something was wrong. Wilson was also expected to miss 6-8 weeks but did come back after just 4; his play upon return, however was dreadful. In his first game back Wilson was 20/40 for only 161 yards, no touchdowns, and 2 interceptions.

Seattle’s offense didn’t muster a single point and Wilson’s accuracy was noticeably off. Wilson was also ineffective the following week, again failing to throw for a single touchdown. So while it IS possible for Prescott to return in 4 weeks it is unlikely that he will be effective passing the ball. With Kellen Moore’s unwillingness to use Prescott’s legs as a weapon, and Prescott’s expected drop in accuracy his presence would hinder the offense more than help it if he returns to early. No matter how long it takes, Prescott’s hand needs to completely heal before he returns. The worst thing that Prescott can do is put more bad performances on tape, especially in an environment where a section of the fan base has turned on him.

The defense and the run game of the Cowboys should be enough to win a couple games in Prescott’s absence. Rushing back a compromised quarterback won’t save the season, but a healthy Dak just might.