MRI confirms Dak Prescott’s calf strain; Cowboys plan to have him ready to face Vikings
Calvin Watkins, The Dallas Morning News
FRISCO, Texas — A morning MRI exam confirmed Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a right calf strain in Sunday’s overtime victory over the Patriots, coach Mike McCarthy said during his Monday press conference.
McCarthy also said he’s optimistic Prescott will be available for the Cowboys’ next game on Oct. 31 against the Vikings following the bye week.
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones echoed that sentiment during his weekly radio interview on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM] on Monday.
“[We’re] optimistic that we’re going to get good results [with the MRI]. But certainly we’ll have to see how that comes out and we’ll be getting those shortly,” Jones said. “Hopefully, we’re thinking positive and think that he’ll be hopefully ready to go against Minnesota.”
The bye week gives Prescott more time without on-the-field work, which is not expected to resume until Wednesday, Oct. 27. If Prescott is cleared to practice sooner, he might get some limited on-the-field work next Monday.
Prescott suffered the injury on the last play of overtime against the Patriots. While moving to his right, he threw an off-balance 35-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Prescott said he felt funny as he landed. He limped to the locker room after the game, needing help from running back Ezekiel Elliott, and conducted his news conference wearing a protective boot on his right leg.
“Didn’t like what I felt,” Prescott said Sunday. “But as I said, it was something, we’ll check out and I could have kept playing if I had to and I’ll be fine.”
Prescott’s injury is to the same leg where he suffered a severe ankle injury last season that required two surgeries and cost him 11 games. Prescott underwent surgery to repair a compound fracture and a dislocation and later got another cleanup surgery to strengthen the area.
Asked about any concerns about it being the same leg injured last season, Prescott said, “I don’t know if I have to be more concerned about it on the right leg than the left leg, but we’ll take our precautions, look at it [Monday] and we’ll go from there.”
The calf strain is similar to what starting wide receiver Michael Gallup suffered in Week 1. Gallup, currently on injured reserve, has missed the last five games because of the injury.
A source said despite having the same injury as Prescott’s, the recovery time and the usage of the leg for Gallup is different. Gallup uses his legs to push off, move laterally and jumps to catch passes. A quarterback, while also pushing off and moving laterally, doesn’t have the same usage rate with his legs in comparison to a wide receiver. Also, how each individual player recovers varies.
Prescott has maintained good mobility after his surgeries.
QB Lamar Jackson dazzles as Ravens erase 16-point deficit to stun Colts in overtime, 31-25
Michael Conroy
How He Got Here: The No. 1 overall pick out of Clemson was immediately deemed the face and savior of the franchise.
How He's Doing: Lawrence has thrown for 873 yards with five touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 57% of his passes for the 0-4 Jaguars. He had his most efficient game last week in a 24-17 loss at Cincinnati, going 17 of 24 for 204 yards. He had no touchdown throws, but ran for a score and also had his first interception-free performance.
What They're Saying: "You can look around and I'll take our guy any day in the rookie quarterbacks and how they're doing," Bevell said. "Trevor's progression has been great. He's doing a great job. He works his tail off. I think his communication with the players on the team and the guys in the offense, communication during the game, all those things he's just really doing a nice job with it and his play's getting better and better."
Michael Conroy
How He Got Here: The No. 1 overall pick out of Clemson was immediately deemed the face and savior of the franchise.
How He's Doing: Lawrence has thrown for 873 yards with five touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 57% of his passes for the 0-4 Jaguars. He had his most efficient game last week in a 24-17 loss at Cincinnati, going 17 of 24 for 204 yards. He had no touchdown throws, but ran for a score and also had his first interception-free performance.
What They're Saying: "You can look around and I'll take our guy any day in the rookie quarterbacks and how they're doing," Bevell said. "Trevor's progression has been great. He's doing a great job. He works his tail off. I think his communication with the players on the team and the guys in the offense, communication during the game, all those things he's just really doing a nice job with it and his play's getting better and better."
QB Lamar Jackson dazzles as Ravens erase 16-point deficit to stun Colts in overtime, 31-25
Seth Wenig
How He Got Here: The Jets zeroed in on him with the No. 2 overall pick early in the pre-draft process, enthralled by his arm strength and ability to make plays on the run and from multiple arm angles.
How He's Doing: The former BYU star had a solid debut with two TD passes and an INT, followed by a miserable performance against New England (no TDs, four INTs, 37.0 quarterback rating) and a lousy game at Denver (no TDs, two more INTs and a season-low 54.3 completion percentage). Wilson, sacked 15 times in three games, bounced back with his best game, going 21 of 34 for 297 yards — including passes of 54 and 53 yards — and two TDs with one INT and one sack in the Jets' first win of the season, 27-24 in OT over Tennessee.
What They're Saying: "What he's still adjusting to is just when it goes a little bit off schedule and the pocket collapses and he has to go, just with how fast NFL defenses and defenders move, what he can get away with and what he can't," offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said. "And that's been something that he's been working through since, really, rookie minicamp."
Seth Wenig
How He Got Here: The Jets zeroed in on him with the No. 2 overall pick early in the pre-draft process, enthralled by his arm strength and ability to make plays on the run and from multiple arm angles.
How He's Doing: The former BYU star had a solid debut with two TD passes and an INT, followed by a miserable performance against New England (no TDs, four INTs, 37.0 quarterback rating) and a lousy game at Denver (no TDs, two more INTs and a season-low 54.3 completion percentage). Wilson, sacked 15 times in three games, bounced back with his best game, going 21 of 34 for 297 yards — including passes of 54 and 53 yards — and two TDs with one INT and one sack in the Jets' first win of the season, 27-24 in OT over Tennessee.
What They're Saying: "What he's still adjusting to is just when it goes a little bit off schedule and the pocket collapses and he has to go, just with how fast NFL defenses and defenders move, what he can get away with and what he can't," offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said. "And that's been something that he's been working through since, really, rookie minicamp."
QB Lamar Jackson dazzles as Ravens erase 16-point deficit to stun Colts in overtime, 31-25
Tony Avelar
How He Got Here: The 49ers traded up and took Lance out of North Dakota State when many assumed they were going to take Jones. He began the season as the backup to Jimmy Garoppolo.
How He's Doing: Lance played just seven snaps through the first three games, throwing a TD pass and running for another score. He got his most extensive action last week when Garoppolo left at halftime with a right calf injury. Lance struggled with his accuracy, but finished 9 of 18 for 157 yards, two touchdowns, a 2-point conversion run and 41 yards rushing. He'll start Sunday for 2-2 San Francisco against Arizona.
What They're Saying: "He'll see some things out there that he's never seen before," coach Kyle Shanahan said. "But what you like about him and stuff that he might not be ready for, he can overcompensate with some of his athletic ability and, to me, how competitive he is and how good of a football player he is."
Tony Avelar
How He Got Here: The 49ers traded up and took Lance out of North Dakota State when many assumed they were going to take Jones. He began the season as the backup to Jimmy Garoppolo.
How He's Doing: Lance played just seven snaps through the first three games, throwing a TD pass and running for another score. He got his most extensive action last week when Garoppolo left at halftime with a right calf injury. Lance struggled with his accuracy, but finished 9 of 18 for 157 yards, two touchdowns, a 2-point conversion run and 41 yards rushing. He'll start Sunday for 2-2 San Francisco against Arizona.
What They're Saying: "He'll see some things out there that he's never seen before," coach Kyle Shanahan said. "But what you like about him and stuff that he might not be ready for, he can overcompensate with some of his athletic ability and, to me, how competitive he is and how good of a football player he is."
QB Lamar Jackson dazzles as Ravens erase 16-point deficit to stun Colts in overtime, 31-25
Nam Y. Huh
How He Got Here: The No. 11 overall pick out of Ohio State entered the season as the backup to Andy Dalton, despite many Bears fans clamoring to see the rookie right away.
How He's Doing: Fields threw two passes and ran for a score in the opener in spot duty. He replaced an injured Dalton the next week against Cincinnati, then started the next two games with Dalton sidelined. Fields is still looking for his first TD pass and has to improve on his 48.1 completion percentage, but coach Matt Nagy committed this week to him starting moving forward for the 2-2 Bears.
What They're Saying: "The stage for him never gets too big," Nagy said. "He has been in this position before. I think when you have somebody like that who understands how he has gotten to this point and knows that he's worked hard to get to this point, that he's ready for this opportunity."
Nam Y. Huh
How He Got Here: The No. 11 overall pick out of Ohio State entered the season as the backup to Andy Dalton, despite many Bears fans clamoring to see the rookie right away.
How He's Doing: Fields threw two passes and ran for a score in the opener in spot duty. He replaced an injured Dalton the next week against Cincinnati, then started the next two games with Dalton sidelined. Fields is still looking for his first TD pass and has to improve on his 48.1 completion percentage, but coach Matt Nagy committed this week to him starting moving forward for the 2-2 Bears.
What They're Saying: "The stage for him never gets too big," Nagy said. "He has been in this position before. I think when you have somebody like that who understands how he has gotten to this point and knows that he's worked hard to get to this point, that he's ready for this opportunity."
QB Lamar Jackson dazzles as Ravens erase 16-point deficit to stun Colts in overtime, 31-25
Elise Amendola
How He Got Here: The Patriots took Jones out of Alabama at No. 15 overall, making him the first quarterback drafted in the opening round by New England since Bledsoe in 1993. He beat out Cam Newton in training camp and became the first rookie QB to start Week 1 for the Patriots, also since Bledsoe.
How He's Doing: Jones' numbers aren't eye popping for the 1-3 Patriots with four TDs and four INTs, but he has been extremely efficient while completing 70% of his passes in what has been a mostly short-passing game offense. He threw for 275 yards and had 19 consecutive completions — the most for an NFL rookie since 1991, and tying the franchise record set by Brady in 2015 — last week in a 19-17 loss to Brady and Tampa Bay.
What They're Saying: "He's certainly responded to anything we've asked him to do," offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. "He's obviously got a great mindset and great attitude about it. There's nothing we've asked him to do that he's shied away from or wanted less responsibility. That's not his nature or personality. I appreciate that in the young man."
Elise Amendola
How He Got Here: The Patriots took Jones out of Alabama at No. 15 overall, making him the first quarterback drafted in the opening round by New England since Bledsoe in 1993. He beat out Cam Newton in training camp and became the first rookie QB to start Week 1 for the Patriots, also since Bledsoe.
How He's Doing: Jones' numbers aren't eye popping for the 1-3 Patriots with four TDs and four INTs, but he has been extremely efficient while completing 70% of his passes in what has been a mostly short-passing game offense. He threw for 275 yards and had 19 consecutive completions — the most for an NFL rookie since 1991, and tying the franchise record set by Brady in 2015 — last week in a 19-17 loss to Brady and Tampa Bay.
What They're Saying: "He's certainly responded to anything we've asked him to do," offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. "He's obviously got a great mindset and great attitude about it. There's nothing we've asked him to do that he's shied away from or wanted less responsibility. That's not his nature or personality. I appreciate that in the young man."
QB Lamar Jackson dazzles as Ravens erase 16-point deficit to stun Colts in overtime, 31-25
Adrian Kraus
How He Got Here: The former Stanford star was drafted in the third round and wasn't expected to be much more than a backup this season — and maybe beyond. But with a hamstring injury to Tyrod Taylor and the Texans sitting Deshaun Watson during a contract dispute and legal troubles, Mills is the man under center for now.
How He's Doing: Well, he's struggling. He has thrown for 357 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions in his 2 1/2 games. He tied a franchise record with four INTs last week against Buffalo and his 23.4 quarterback rating is the worst of any starter this season. He'll likely return to the sideline for the 0-4 Texans as soon as Taylor's healthy.
What They're Saying: "Ball security, understanding that your job is to protect the ball and when you go back to pass, an incompletion is OK if the guy is not there, you don't have to make a play," coach David Culley said of what he's looking for from Mills this week. "Again, that's from being inexperienced and being young, but at this point right now moving forward as our quarterback, that's something that he has to get better at quicker and faster."
Adrian Kraus
How He Got Here: The former Stanford star was drafted in the third round and wasn't expected to be much more than a backup this season — and maybe beyond. But with a hamstring injury to Tyrod Taylor and the Texans sitting Deshaun Watson during a contract dispute and legal troubles, Mills is the man under center for now.
How He's Doing: Well, he's struggling. He has thrown for 357 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions in his 2 1/2 games. He tied a franchise record with four INTs last week against Buffalo and his 23.4 quarterback rating is the worst of any starter this season. He'll likely return to the sideline for the 0-4 Texans as soon as Taylor's healthy.
What They're Saying: "Ball security, understanding that your job is to protect the ball and when you go back to pass, an incompletion is OK if the guy is not there, you don't have to make a play," coach David Culley said of what he's looking for from Mills this week. "Again, that's from being inexperienced and being young, but at this point right now moving forward as our quarterback, that's something that he has to get better at quicker and faster."
MRI confirms Dak Prescott’s calf strain; Cowboys plan to have him ready to face Vikings
Steven Senne
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) pumps his fist towards fans after an overtime win against the New England Patriots following an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Foxborough, Mass.
Steven Senne
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) pumps his fist towards fans after an overtime win against the New England Patriots following an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021, in Foxborough, Mass.
