FRISCO, Texas _ There is no question that Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will play in Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Too much in on the line for him not to play, as the Cowboys could clinch the NFC title and a playoff berth with a victory.
"This is what you play the game for," Prescott said. "When I was a little boy and dreamed about being the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, this is the situation you thought about being in and excited for this moment, this opportunity for our team."
But the fourth-year Cowboys quarterback, who is seeking his second consecutive division title and third since joining the team as a fourth-round pick in 2016, will be less than 100% because of a sprained right shoulder, suffered in last Sunday's 44-21 victory against the Los Angeles Rams.
"I mean, I'm getting better," Prescott said. "It's as simple as that. The mobility, the function of it, it's all improving. That's the key. That's the goal. I'll be good to go Sunday."
Prescott has been limited in practice all week with backup Cooper Rush taking the reps with the first team in practice Wednesday and Thursday. He is still experiencing pain and soreness in the shoulder and has yet to throw a football since the Rams game.
There is a chance, head coach Jason Garrett said, that Prescott might not throw a football until right before Sunday's game against the Eagles.
Prescott will attempt to do something on Friday and maybe Saturday. But he said he will go through a full workout before the game to test his arm.
"He probably won't throw very much today," Garrett said Thursday. "I think rest is the best thing for him right now. I guess he's progressing, but he hasn't really tested it."
Garrett said Prescott was not very functional on Wednesday or Thursday from a football standpoint.
Owner Jerry Jones, however, echoed many of the Cowboys players in the locker room in expressing confidence that Prescott will play against the Eagles in what is a showdown for the NFC East title.
"I'm totally convinced he'll be in top form," Jones said. "We need him in top form and he will be in top form. I think we're in good shape."
Again, Prescott has no doubts about being ready to go and playing against the Eagles.
He said he played through with similar injuries every other week while in college at Mississippi State. He did not miss a game because of it.
"Yeah, so many times. I've been fortunate I guess in the NFL not dealing with it," Prescott said. "But in college, this was a once-every-other-week thing, especially running as much as I did. It's not anything that I haven't had before. I know how to handle it and we're taking the right approach."
Prescott admitted he forgot painful they can be until he woke up Tuesday morning and started dealing with the pain and swelling.
"I obviously hadn't had it in four years you forget the pain level, you got to get used to that again," Prescott said. It's fine. In college I was getting them so often, yeah the pain was easy to subside right there versus yeah I haven't had one in four years and you get it, it's a little tougher. But nothing I can't do."
"It's just annoying," Prescott said. "I mean, it's nagging. Definitely dealt with a lot more pain, so it's just annoying."
It's just the latest injury that Prescott has dealt with, including a sprained left wrist and a damage right index finger on his throwing hand that may or may not be a hairline fracture.
"Not that I know of," said a coy Prescott when asked he index finer had a hairline fracture and FOX analyst Troy Aikman reported last Sunday. "I've overcome it at this point. I wasn't sure if there was one, obviously the finger hurts a little bit. It's another, just one of those annoying deals that you just deal with. If it is, it is, if not, oh well."
The finger didn't bother him against the Rams.
And Prescott doesn't expect any limitations with the shoulder against the Eagles he expects the swelling and pain to subside by game day. Besides, he said it didn't bother him against the Rams, despite suffering the injury on the sixth play of the game.
"It happened early in the game and I was fine," Prescott said. "You saw the rest of the rest of the game. Played throughout the whole second half without it being a problem, without it being an issue. Expect the same this Sunday."
If he has to get a shot to make the pain go away, he might do that on game day. But he doesn't plan to alter how he plays or be less aggressive.
The biggest issue for Prescott to deal with is not practicing this week and taking snaps with the offense. Not only has he not missed a game in his career but he hasn't missed a practice until the past two days.
"Yeah, it's frustrating," Prescott said. "I'm a guy that likes to be in the action. I don't like to sit back, don't like to take any reps off. But it's good mentally. It's always fun just challenging yourself. And right now it's just a mental challenge. Same preparation in the game plan if not doubling down since I don't get those physical reps. I'll be ready to go."
While it's unusual for him not to be practicing, his teammates don't believe it will have a major impact on how they function as an offense against the Eagles.
"He's communicating when we're in meetings," tight end Witten said. "We're talking a lot, he runs the meetings this afternoon, does it all week. I think he's been above and beyond in all of those aspects. It's just those 35, 40 passes you throw in a week you're not getting from, him but he's constantly communicating, so I don't think that's an issue."
Said receiver Amari Cooper: "I don't know how much rhythm he will lose in the course of a week. I don't think he will lose any rhythm at all."
In addition to what's at stake, Prescott said it also helps that Sunday's opponent is an Eagles team he is familiar with and has a similar hatred for.
"I don't think either team cares for one another, simple as that, from on the field to the fans especially," Prescott said. "It's a fun, heated rival. We're ready to hold up our end. To win another title: I mean that'd be great. It's the plan. When I first became the starter of this team, that was my plan, to win in the division and to win beyond that. So it's got to start here."
