Dak Prescott Injured, Mike McCarthy Criticized by NFL Twitter as Cowboys Fall to Bucs

The Dallas Cowboys put forth an abysmal offensive effort in Sunday's 19-3 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was a disappointing way to open the 2022 season for Dallas, which is hoping to be a contender in the NFC this year.

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott struggled to get anything going Sunday and finished with 134 yards and an interception on 14-of-29 passing. He exited in the fourth quarter after hitting his throwing hand on a helmet.

Prescott was examined by the team's medical staff on the sidelines before heading into the locker room for X-rays, and he didn't return. Cowboys CEO Jerry Jones later told reporters Prescott is expected to miss "several weeks" and will require surgery.

The Cowboys' rushing attack wasn't much better, as Dallas ran the ball just 18 times and gained 71 yards on the ground.

The game did nothing to inspire confidence in Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, who made some questionable decisions Sunday. Many believe McCarthy is on the hot seat this year, and the team's performance against the Bucs didn't help change that perception.

Both Prescott and McCarthy were subjected to the wrath of NFL Twitter after their Sunday-night stinker:

The Cowboys offense was a far cry from the group that led the league with 407.0 yards and 31.2 points per game in 2021. Dallas has a lot of time to figure things out, but Sunday's performance was cause for concern.

Losing Prescott for the next several weeks is a major blow to the Cowboys offense. It will be interesting to see what adjustments Dallas makes going forward to ensure another dreadful performance doesn't happen again, especially now with Cooper Rush slated to be the team's starter. He filled in for Prescott once in 2021 and threw for 325 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a win over the Minnesota Vikings.