After week of 'emotions,' Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott expected to play vs. Denver Broncos

FRISCO, Texas — As Dak Prescott caught the snap during his first play in practice Wednesday, he scrambled and took five, six steps. He threw on the run. Then the quarterback who was inactive for the Dallas Cowboys’ 20-16 win over the Minnesota Vikings while resting a calf strain realized what he had done.

“I thought about it and was like, ‘I probably shouldn’t have done that on my first rep,’” Prescott said Thursday. “That was easy for me to just say that’s why I didn’t play last week. Because I don’t think about that (hesitation) and I’m not going to think about that.

“I’m going to think about whatever it takes to win the game.”

This Sunday, expect Prescott to play, his calf strain sufficiently recovered and his mind eager as ever to resume competition. Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy confirmed Thursday morning the plan was for Prescott to practice and play the remainder of the week. Prescott, after fully participating in practice including team periods, said Thursday afternoon it is “safe to say” he will take the field Sunday when the Denver Broncos visit AT&T Stadium.

Prescott said he’s “pretty close” to feeling 100% after suffering the strain Oct. 17 while throwing the game-winning touchdown in an overtime win against the New England Patriots. And he said there’s no way he’d permit the Cowboys to hold him out another contest.

Because after his latest challenging personal and professional stretch, Prescott is “feeling good.” And he wants to return to the game he loves and feels blessed to play.

“It was a different experience,” Prescott said of the last week. “One I don’t want to get used to.”

An emotional week

Spectating from the sideline in Minnesota, Prescott admits, was disappointing. As much as he embraced helping backup quarterback Cooper Rush, his receivers and even defenders, Prescott learned chiefly “that I don’t necessarily like to watch ... that I like to play.” He was so close and yet so far.

But the challenges of his last couple weeks stretched beyond a pesky calf that was uncomfortably close to his recently fractured and dislocated ankle. Prescott also suffered personal loss.

Prescott’s maternal grandmother, Margaret Ebarb, whom he called "Mammy," died last Thursday. He traveled to a service for “Mammy” on Friday, reminiscing on social media with pictures of the two dancing and conversing. “Until we dance again,” Prescott wrote in one post. He added in another: “I promise to Make you Proud!”

By this Wednesday, Prescott was commemorating the loss of yet another woman whom he loved and lost: This was the eighth anniversary of Prescott losing his mother Peggy, Mammy’s daughter, to colon cancer.

“I love you and Miss you dearly,” Prescott posted to his Instagram. “8 years still seem like yesterday. Thank you 4 Life”

Prescott still arrived at a downtown Minneapolis Marriott with the Cowboys on Saturday and he still practiced with energy this week. Teammates lauded how his leadership inspired them to rally around Rush, as well as how his level of play upon returning challenged them to up their game. Prescott’s on-field product was so consistent that his receivers expected him to play last week before he alerted them in the days prior to the Vikings game, Amari Cooper said. But internally, Prescott acknowledged, it was an emotional week. He aimed to channel one of his favorite and most frequent emotions: gratitude.

“Definitely been some emotions, but just allows me to reflect on what those two women meant to me,” Prescott said. “Obviously, I wouldn’t be here without them. Just thankful for every memory that I have. So whether it was at my grandmother’s service or (Wednesday) being eight years since my mom passed is just a reflection of the beautiful and great times I had with them. Just thankful for everything they’ve allowed me to accomplish, creating the mindset, creating the man that I am.

“Each and every day, just try to make them proud in everything I do.”

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High expectations

Prescott’s mindset, formed atop the foundation of the Ebarb matriarchs, emphasizes relentlessness. On and off the field, he always seeks to raise his game. That’s his expectation when he returns to action against the Broncos.

“Be better,” Prescott said Thursday. “I think I’ve had two good days of practice and continue to get better. Put the final stamps on the game plan and go out there and be better than I was a couple of weeks ago against the Patriots.”

The Broncos arrive with the second-ranked scoring defense (17.1 points per game) and sixth-fewest yards allowed (325.8 per game). And yet, they traded premiere pass-rusher Von Miller to the Rams this week. They placed cornerback Bryce Callahan, who had played ⅔ of defensive snaps, on injured reserve Wednesday. Linebacker Bradley Chubb has yet to return from ankle surgery to remove a bone spur.

Prescott expects some concepts from the Cowboys’ Week 2 win over the Los Angeles Chargers to carry over, with Broncos coach Vic Fangio and the Chargers’ Brandon Staley employing similar defensive schemes and disguises. But Denver will be tasked with slowing down a Cowboys team averaging a league-best 454.9 yards per game and 32.1 points (third overall). Playing at home, rather than Denver’s spirited Empower Field at Mile High, further plays to Dallas’ advantage in the 1 p.m. ET matchup.

Cowboys teammates are buoyed by Prescott’s return, Trevon Diggs - who leads the NFL with seven interceptions - saying multiple times that Prescott looked “really good” in team periods on Thursday. Gone are the 45-minute rehabilitation sessions Prescott churned through last week to strengthen and rehabilitate his calf. The focus is again on football, game plans and securing the next win to propel the Cowboys toward controlling the NFC.

“He's going to be fired up,” running back Ezekiel Elliott said. “I don't know if you can get more fired up than he always is, but if he can, I'm sure this week might be one of them. But we know what type of energy and intensity Dak is going to bring.”

That realistic opportunity, as one of just four teams in the NFL with just one loss, reminds Prescott why resting against Minnesota was the right, albeit frustrating, decision. The Cowboys stayed the course with his rehabilitation plan, offensive and defensive teammates alike stepping up to support Rush in his first-ever pro start. The Cowboys returned home from a tough road environment one win closer to their Super Bowl goal. McCarthy stuck to his plan, with conviction that “I definitely feel strongly we have something special brewing here.”

Now, Prescott hopes, he’ll get to play in 16 regular-season games and a slew of postseason contests.

“I knew the perspective, knew where we’re coming from and this is a long journey,” Prescott said. “We’re a team that can play for a long time and play into that last game.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dak Prescott expected to play for Cowboys vs. Broncos in Week 9