Looking back: Stats show just how dumb Dak Prescott-Cooper Rush debate was

While Cooper Rush surprised the world with his efficacy in Dak Prescott’s absence, stats show there’s no debating who should be the Cowboys quarterback.

The 2022 season opened with a sad yet familiar tune for the Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott was injured, and the remainder of the season hung in the balance.

When this happened in Week 5 of the 2020 season, the 2-3 Cowboys finished the year 6-10 with backup quarterback Andy Dalton under center. Dalton was no Prescott, and it showed. Thankfully, the Cowboys’ latest red-headed backup quarterback, Cooper Rush, was up for the task.

Rush stunned as a capable replacement, leading some to wonder: would Mike McCarthy go with the “hot hand”, allowing Rush a chance at winning the starting role?

Not a chance. Prescott’s back, the 8-3 Cowboys are a genuine playoff contender, and Prescott is putting numbers on the board in a way Rush wasn’t able to pull off.

SB Nation’s RJ Ochoa illustrated the monstrous point differential between Cooper Rush starts and Dak Prescott starts, proving Rush never stood a chance at stealing the gig.

There’s no QB controversy between Cooper Rush and Dak Prescott after the latest stat

Time and time again, chasing the “hot hand” often proves to be a fool’s errand. There’s a reason Dak Prescott is the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, a role he has continuously earned since 2016.

Prescott unseated Tony Romo, worked endlessly for his $160 million contract, and earns his starting role year in and year out at every training camp. As of now, there is no contender for the Cowboys throne, even if Cooper Rush was able to outscore opponents from Week 2 through Week 6. During that time, the Cowboys didn’t score more than 25 points. Two weeks after Prescott’s return, Dallas scored a whopping 49 points.

Rush proved to be much more successful than Dalton in the starting role, assuaging fears that 2022 had become 2020 before the NFL season truly began. While Rush easily won that backup battle, it’s going to take a lot more scoring to come for Dak Prescott’s comfortable starting role.