Dallas Cowboys QB conundrum: Mike McCarthy's Cooper Rush or Dak Prescott dilemma explored

The Dallas Cowboys are currently second in the NFC East standings behind the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys have won four games on the trot since their defeat against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1.

Not many would have expected the Cowboys to land themselves in such a position after Dak Prescott's thumb injury added to their woes in the season opener. The situation in Dallas appeared grim, despite the optimism of the new season, as their star quarterback was in line to miss a number of games.

However, in Prescott's absence, Cooper Rush has emerged as the Cowboys' new hero at quarterback. The 28-year-old is undefeated in all five of his starts for Dallas, with four of those wins coming in the last four weeks.

Rush has led the Cowboys to wins over the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants, Washington Commanders and, most recently, reigning Super Bowl winners the Los Angeles Rams. This leaves Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy with a dilemma for the remainder of the season as Prescott nears a return from injury.

Should Mike McCarthy stick with Cooper Rush even after Dak Prescott returns to full fitness?

Dallas Cowboys QB Cooper Rush

Although Rush does not have Prescott's flamboyance in his armory, he has stabilized the conditions for Dallas. Rush has thrown for four touchdowns in the past four games. But the quarterback hasn't thrown any interceptions and seems to have steadied the Cowboys' ship in turbulent times.

In Week 5, Rush threw for 102 passing yards with zero touchdowns but had no turnovers either. The Cowboys defense also deserves plenty of praise. The Dallas backline hasn't allowed more than 19 points in a game all season.

But Rush hasn't had more than two touchdowns in a game since donning the Cowboys jersey. Dallas has also never scored more than 25 points with Rush as their starting QB. This is where Prescott has the edge over his teammate.

There will come a time this season when the Cowboys will have to rack up points against a robust opponent. Prescott led the team to the second-best offense in the league last season.

Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott

Dak certainly has the arm talent and sharpness to pick out his teammates in tight spaces. He also boasts an impressive record of 143 passing touchdowns since being picked up by the Cowboys in 2016.

So, will the Cowboys start Prescott when he returns to fitness or will Rush continue to lead the offensive line for the NFC East giants?

McCarthy wouldn't mind such a dilemma. It offers him the best of both worlds. The head coach has two different types of players at his disposal and has the luxury of picking either one depending on his offensive strategy or opponents' setup. It could be considered a good headache for the Dallas Cowboys coach.