Cowboys Who Must Step Up to Spark Offense After Dak Prescott's Thumb Injury

The Dallas Cowboys' season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers went wrong in just about every way imaginable.

Not only was the offense completely shut down by the Bucs defense in a 19-3 defeat, but they also lost quarterback Dak Prescott for a significant period of time. He is expected to miss six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery on his right thumb.

For now, the Cowboys seem prepared to hand over the offense to Cooper Rush. The backup QB beat out Will Grier for the job this preseason and will now be pressed into extended action.

If the offense is to improve under Rush, the Cowboys are going to need others to elevate their game.

These three players are going to have to step it up quickly as the Cowboys host the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2.

WR CeeDee Lamb

AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) runs with the ball during an NFL Football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

Even before Prescott suffered his injury, CeeDee Lamb was struggling in his first game as the true No. 1 receiver.

The Cowboys' moves this offseason were a clear indication they believe the 23-year-old is ready to be one of the elite receivers in the game. We didn't see that version against the Bucs, though.

Prescott and the team funneled targets to the star receiver, who lead the team with 11. However, he only turned them into two catches for 29 yards.

That's not going to get it done in an offense that is now going to rely on its playmakers to make the quarterback look good. Executive vice president Stephen Jones wasn't shy about expecting more from the receiver.

"The passing game goes hand-in-hand—the quarterback and the receivers. Certainly, we've got to be better there. CeeDee [Lamb] has got to improve and work his way into being the No. 1 receiver we think he can," he told 105.3FM The Fan (h/t Patrik Walker of the official Cowboys website).

Dallas parted ways with Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson Jr. because it believed Lamb could carry the receiving corps. Now, it's on him to live up to those expectations.

RB Tony Pollard

Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 11: Tony Pollard #20 of the Dallas Cowboys is tackled by Joe Tryon-Shoyinka #9 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at AT&T Stadium on September 11, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)

There's obviously some pressure on Ezekiel Elliott here, but he mostly did what he can do against the Bucs. He looked like the true lead back with 52 yards on 10 carries against the vaunted Tampa Bay front.

But Tony Pollard was awfully quiet. The second back has been more efficient than Elliott over the last three seasons, but he wasn't on Sunday night. He had just eight yards on six carries and would have had minus-1 yard if you took away his longest run.

What was more perplexing is the lack of the 25-year-old in the passing game. After hearing about his work as a receiver this offseason, he saw just two targets and gained 14 yards.

That's not a big enough role for one of the team's most explosive athletes.

With Rush taking over, Pollard is going to have to be more involved and more effective when his number gets called.

OC Kellen Moore

Kellen Moore has to put Cooper Rush in good situations to succeed. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore talks with quarterback Cooper Rush (10) during warmups before a preseason NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Arlington, Texas, Friday, Aug. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

Kellen Moore got a lot of credit last season for a Cowboys offense that finished No. 1 in yards and points last season. Now he's really going to be earning his paychecks.

The 34-year-old has had the advantage of having Prescott for most of his four-year tenure as the team's offensive coordinator. When he had him for just five games in 2020, they finished 14th in yards and 17th in points.

That was at least with a veteran Andy Dalton taking over the offense. Now he has a much more unproven option in Rush.

The coach should already be feeling the pressure. Cowboys legend Michael Irvin didn't hold back when criticizing Moore's play-calling in the opener, including an ill-fated reverse early in the game.

Buccaneers linebacker Devin White had a damning comment after the game, noting the Bucs mostly knew what the Dallas offense was going to do coming in.

"Last year we learned they really weren't going to commit to the run game and the runs they did, they were going to try to get outside and not run into the interior," he told reporters. "But most of the [passing] game was quick-game—a lot of curls, a lot of hitches, a lot of slants. We kind of knew that going in so we were able to attack it."

Moore is going to have to lean on his team's run game and scheme creative ways to get Lamb and Pollard the ball. There are players who need to step up, but it's going to be a joint effort to get wins with Prescott out.