Prescott’s injury reports of no concern to Eagles
PHILADELPHIA » Malcolm Jenkins doesn’t believe the reports that Dak Prescott cannot lift his throwing arm due to injury.
Eagles teammate Brandon Graham would feel good about that if and only if the Dallas Cowboys didn’t have running back Ezekiel Elliott as well.
Jason Garrett, in what may have been his last conference call with Philly media as the voice of the Cowboys, performed an entertaining song and dance Wednesday.
The bottom line is that Prescott had an MRI on his throwing shoulder. No structural damage was found but the swelling in the AC joint was significant enough that the quarterback couldn’t throw.
“I know he hurt his arm in the game the other day, was able to function for three quarters after he got hit on it and it just was sore the last couple of days so he wasn’t able to practice today,” Garrett said. “So, we’ll take his situation day by day and just see how he’s able to improve over the course of the week and hopefully get himself ready for the ball game.”
The last thing the Eagles need while they prepare for the Cowboys is a distraction. Right now it’s all about keeping the job simple.
The Eagles (7-7) secure the NFC East pennant and a home playoff game if they defeat the Cowboys and the New York Giants. The Cowboys clinch the division title if they beat the Eagles. There’s already too much thinking about what happens if the teams tie — but briefly, advantage Cowboys.
Back to the game Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. Prescott hasn’t missed a start in a 62game career. Which is why Jenkins is skeptical of the reports.
“I don’t deal in ‘what ifs;’ I deal in reality,” the veteran safety said. “In my mind I’m preparing for Dak Prescott. I haven’t seen anything or heard anything yet to make me change that.”
Real or fabricated, Prescott’s health has impacted gambling lines. Some of the sports books
in Vegas took the game off the board. Others still had the Cowboys favored by 1 to 3 points.
Dr. David Chao, the self-proclaimed football doctor, almost always seems to have a decent angle on high-profile injuries. He provided an update Wednesday with information that would be concerning for Cowboys fans.
“By video, he was dumped onto his right elbow after a rollout of the pocket,” Chao wrote of Prescott’s injury. “When his elbow hit the ground, this forced his shoulder up likely causing a rotator cuff contusion. The reason he was able to finish the game is because swelling does not set in immediately. Now that the swelling has increased it makes sense that he is unable to throw. It is good news that there is no tear shown on MRI but this does not guarantee that the swelling will go away in time for the NFC east matchup against the Eagles.”
Quieting the bursal swelling, if we may borrow the Doc’s verbiage, is a pretty big deal. Then again, with Prescott’s AC joint beginning to swell, the Cowboys rushed for 263 yards and three touchdowns in their 4421 blowout of the Los Angeles Rams.
Elliott had 24 rushes for 117 yards and two TDs.
Graham, like Jenkins, hasn’t been following the medical updates on Prescott. But he knows what they could mean.
“I guess 21 is going to get the ball then if that’s what it is,” Graham said. “We’ve got to make sure we do our part. I’m worried about us. Nothing else.”
Elliott has averaged 114.8 yards in five starts against the Eagles. The Cowboys are 5-0 in those games. Elliott was held to less than 100 yards in just one of the contests. Unless the Eagles want to see Elliott’s “feed me” gesture all evening, they’re going to have to rally to the ball and do something they’ve struggled with, inexplicably, far too often this season — tackling. Too many Eagles didn’t wrap up over the last two games, keeping them too close for comfort. It’s not just Elliott. Running back Tony Pollard added 131 yards and one score on 12 carries behind that offensive line of the Cowboys, three of which — center Travis Frederick, guard Zack Martin and tackle Tyron Smith — were voted into the Pro Bowl. Elliott also got a Pro Bowl nod. “We know going in we’ve got to stop Zeke and we’ve got to stop Pollard and then we’ve got to stop Dak,” Graham said. “They’ve got a bunch of weapons. They obviously just had a real big win last week so their confidence is growing just like our confidence is growing. So, it’s going to come down to who wants it more, who brings the energy.” The bottom line for the Eagles is while it certainly would help if Prescott can’t get much distance on his throws, reducing the big-play ability of receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup, the Eagles defense is going to need the energy that coordinator Jim Schwartz says they get from the fans at the Linc. Graham echoed his coach. “The fans, we’re going to need them,” Graham said. “We’re going to need the fans, we’re going to need everybody. As a team we talk about how everybody has an individual role. When all of us maximize our role we’re a complete team. The fans are included in that. We need all of that.”