FRISCO, Texas – The speculation is now over. Dak Prescott will start Sunday against the Lions after missing five straight games with a right thumb injury.
The Cowboys announced their official injury report on Friday, and while Dak's name is on it, he has no status for Sunday's game, meaning his chances of playing are not in question.
In fact, only rookie tackle Matt Waletzko has been ruled out with a shoulder injury. Every other player on the list, including wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (hip) and Dalton Schultz (knee) are expected to play.
Dak practiced all week and even told reporters Thursday that he expected to start this Sunday. Head coach Mike McCarthy never confirmed Dak would start, although he hinted that would be the case.
Prescott had surgery on his fractured right thumb just two days after suffering the injury on Sept. 11 against the Bucs. Dak had one of his worst performances of his career that night, failing to lead the offense into the end zone. He completed 14 of 29 passes for 134 yards with an interception, resulting in a 47.2 quarterback rating, the third-lowest of his career and the worst since the 2017 season.
Since his injury, the Cowboys went 4-1 with Cooper Rush starting, with their only loss occurring last Sunday night in Philly.
But Dak's return should open up the offense even more. The Cowboys have yet to score more than two offensive touchdowns in a game this season, even throughout the four-game winning streak.
The Cowboys face a Lions defense that ranks last in the NFL in yards allowed, averaging over 428 yards a game, and in points allowed, yielding 34.0 points per game in the five games played this year.
