Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) lifts his fist to...

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) lifts his fist to cheers from fans as he is carted off the field after suffering a lower right leg injury running the ball in the second half of an NFL football game against the Giants in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. Credit: AP/Michael Ainsworth

What in the name of Joe Theismann happened to Dak Prescott?

In what may have been the most gruesome injury suffered by a quarterback facing the Giants since Theismann’s leg splintered beneath Lawrence Taylor in 1985, Prescott was tackled by safety Logan Ryan on a 9-yard scramble midway through the third quarter and had his right ankle twisted in the takedown. By the time Ryan came off him, Prescott was sitting on the turf — almost in shock — with his foot dangling at an ugly angle off the end of his leg.

The Cowboys said he suffered a compound ankle fracture and dislocation. He was carted off the field in tears and was taken to a nearby hospital for surgery on Sunday night.

How did the Giants react to it?

They were shaken. All who spoke to the media after the game offered mostly unsolicited thoughts about the opposing quarterback.

None seemed as troubled by the incident as Ryan, who fractured a fibula during a game two seasons ago.

"The worst thing that happened today was the Dak injury," Ryan said, putting it ahead of the heartbreaking 37-34 loss the Giants suffered. "Bigger than football. I felt terrible. It was a routine football play . . . It sucks."

Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett — who was Prescott’s head coach for the first four years of his career — came out on the field to look in on the quarterback while he was being attended to by the medical staff.

As Prescott was carted away, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones gave Prescott a quick gesture of sportsmanship.

"Just waved at him, wanted him to know we were thinking about him," Jones said. "Didn’t get a chance to say a whole lot to him, but yeah, tough to see someone like that go down, and we’ll be praying for him."

What does this mean for Prescott’s future?

That remains to be seen. He was playing this season on a franchise tag after being unable to come to a long-term agreement with the Cowboys during the offseason. He’ll be a free agent next season . . . if there even is a next season for him.

Said Ryan: "I’m sick to my stomach about it because he’s a guy who is doing everything right to get paid. It’s not fair. It’s not right . . . I hope he gets $500 million when he comes back because he deserves it." 

And what was the reaction from the previous poster boy for crippling injuries suffered at the hands of the Giants?

"Feel so bad for Dak," Theismann tweeted shortly after the injury. 

The Giants had their own major injury too, right?

Well, maybe. Lorenzo Carter was carted off with what the Giants called an Achilles injury in the first quarter, but there was some optimism after the game that the situation might not be as dire as that sounds.

"I don’t have the official diagnosis right now," coach Joe Judge said. "The trainers have told me that right now they’ve got to examine him [on Monday] . . . I’m hoping that it’s a short-term deal, get him back."

That seems unlikely. Achilles injuries are almost always season-enders.

Did Jabrill Peppers play?

Yes.

The safety, who injured his ankle two weeks ago, returned after missing one game and being limited in practice all last week. Peppers, who was listed as questionable before being activated, did not start but played quite a bit and wound up with five tackles.

Why were only four players inactive for the Giants?

The Giants did not promote any players from their practice squad for the weekend – NFL teams are allowed to do that with two each week – and did not fill the vacant spot on the 53-man roster when they placed linebacker Oshane Ximines on injured reserve late in the week. Thus they had an inactive list about half as long as it normally is to get to the 48-man game-day roster.

More Giants

Newsday LogoSUBSCRIBEUnlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 5 months
ACT NOWSALE ENDS SOON | CANCEL ANYTIME