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The Dallas Cowboys are set to visit the Philadelphia Eagles this week on Sunday Night Football and it appears that they will be starting a rookie quarterback when they do so. Ben DiNucci was taken by the team in the seventh round just a few months ago, and it seems like he will have his number called for the first time in the City of Brotherly Love. DiNucci just so happens to be from the state of Pennsylvania just like his head coach Mike McCarthy.
McCarthy has yet to officially say that DiNucci will be starting, but given that Andy Dalton is not even a week removed from suffering a concussion against the Washington Football Team and that his status has been in doubt all week, it is all merely a matter of connecting a couple of dots.
While this week figures to belong to DiNucci, it does seem possible, likely even, that Dalton could return next week, at least according to Jerry Jones.
Jerry Jones says that Andy Dalton “should be ready to go next week”
Week 9 will see the Pittsburgh Steelers on the away side of AT&T Stadium, and last time that happened with Mike McCarthy in the building the head coach won a Super Bowl. Such will obviously not be the case next week when Dallas hosts Pittsburgh, but it does seem like they should have a quarterback who knows the Steelers well. Jerry Jones noted during his Friday appearance on 105.3 The Fan that Dalton should be ready to return next week.
Jerry Jones on @1053thefan said he was just talking with Andy Dalton (concussion) at The Star. Jones said Dalton should be ready to go next week. “There’s no question that he’s your ticket. I would expect him to be available and, under these circumstances, be very productive.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 30, 2020
Of course, the ultimate indicator as to whether or not Dalton will play next week will be how his health is progressing. Hopefully he is feeling fine (he happened to celebrate his birthday this past week), and ready to go as he is clearly the team’s best option at this point.
The Dak Prescott-less Cowboys are among the worst teams in the NFL in just about every statistical category that you can find, but with a win on Sunday they will be right back in first place in the NFC East. Time will tell whether or not that happens and whenever Dalton is ready to return and help them with his own services.