Dak Prescott on sprained right shoulder: 'I'll be good to go Sunday'

FRISCO, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott eliminated any drama regarding his availability to play against the Philadelphia Eagles because of a sprained right shoulder.

"I'll be good to go Sunday," Prescott said Thursday.

Prescott has not taken a snap in practice the past two days and he has yet to attempt to throw, but he said he might try to do that Friday or definitely on Saturday before the Cowboys fly to Philadelphia for the de facto NFC East championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. He said he will go through a full workout before the game to test his arm.

"I'm getting better, simple as that," Prescott said. "Mobility, function of it, it's all improving. That's the key. That's the goal."

Prescott said he dealt with similar injuries "every other week" while at Mississippi State and did not miss a game because of it.

"It's just annoying," Prescott said. "I mean, it's nagging. Definitely dealt with a lot more pain, so it's just annoying."

He said it is unlikely that he will wear any added protection for his shoulder because he doesn't want it to hinder his throwing motion, and he was not sure if he would need any pain-killing injection before the game.

While he did not attempt to throw during the portion of practice open to the media on Thursday, he went through individual drills. During the team portion of practice, he went through his drops off to the side, doing everything but finishing with a pass.

"It's frustrating. I'm a guy that likes to be in the action," Prescott said. "I don't like to sit back, don't like to take any reps off, but it's good mentally. It's always fun just challenging yourself, and right now it's just a mental challenge. Same preparation in the game plan, if not doubling down, since I don't get those physical reps."

Prescott suffered the injury in the first quarter of last week's win against the Los Angeles Rams. He said the pain was at its worst on Tuesday, which led to an MRI.

"It happened early in the game and I was fine, played throughout the whole second half without it being a problem, without it being an issue," he said. "And I expect the same this Sunday."

Prescott has not missed a start in his career and the past two days have been the first two times he has not practiced fully. While it was strange not seeing him practice, Jason Witten does not believe the absence will disrupt the preparation of the offense.

"He's communicating when we're in meetings," Witten said. "We're talking a lot, he runs the meetings this afternoon, does it all week. I think he's been above and beyond in all of those aspects. It's just those 35, 40 passes you throw in a week you're not getting from, him but he's constantly communicating, so I don't think that's an issue."

At 7-7, the Cowboys can clinch the division and a playoff spot for the second straight year and third time in Prescott's four seasons. A loss would not eliminate the Cowboys from the postseason, but they would need to beat the Washington Redskins in Week 17 and have the Eagles lose to the New York Giants.

"This is what you play the game for," Prescott said. "When I was a little boy and dreamed about being the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, this is the situation you thought about being in and excited for this moment, this opportunity for our team."