The Dallas Cowboys are facing pressure to make a significant quarterback change following another tough home loss.
On November 18, the Cowboys suffered a defeat to the Houston Texans during Monday Night Football, continuing their downward trend. With franchise quarterback Dak Prescott sidelined for the season, backup Cooper Rush has been leading the team. However, after two subpar performances, many are calling for a new quarterback to take over.
‘The Cowboys Need to Make a Change’
Behind Rush, the Cowboys have Trey Lance waiting in the wings. On November 19, NFL analyst Jerry Trotta, writing for The Laundry Hat, strongly advocated for Lance to start.
“It’s time for the Cowboys to play Trey Lance,” Trotta wrote. “While Cooper Rush looked better than last week, he still didn’t do enough to earn another start.”
Trotta acknowledged Rush’s improvement, noting he completed 58% of his passes for 354 yards, one touchdown, and one interception against Houston. While better than his prior game, it wasn’t sufficient.
“There’s a lot to like about Rush,” Trotta said. “He doesn’t have much help without a strong running game or receivers outside of CeeDee Lamb. He’s respected in the locker room after seven years with the organization. But the Cowboys traded for Trey Lance, and with Prescott out, this is the perfect chance to evaluate the former No. 3 pick.”
Both Rush and Lance will become free agents after the season, but at 24 years old, Lance still has potential to develop into a reliable backup quarterback. Trotta emphasized the need to see what Lance can offer.
McCarthy Regrets Not Playing Lance Against Houston
Head coach Mike McCarthy appears open to giving Lance a chance. Following the Texans game, McCarthy admitted he should have played Lance.
“I wish I’d put Trey in at the end,” McCarthy said during the postgame press conference. “I could’ve given him a series. That’s something I regret.”
However, team owner Jerry Jones remains hesitant about switching to Lance.
“I don’t know about that,” Jones told 105.3 The Fan when asked about a quarterback change. “I thought Rush improved from the previous game. He didn’t have far to go, but I saw improvement.”
Jones added, “There were moments in that game where I thought things were clicking. Right now, we have limited time to work with these quarterbacks, and I expect us to stick with the experienced option.”