As the Dallas Cowboys were decisively blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, with a crushing 41-7 loss, one question seemed to linger in the minds of fans and analysts alike: Why didn’t the coaching staff make the move to put Trey Lance in for Cooper Rush?

Now, it’s true that Lance had done little to earn a starting spot over Rush during the preseason, but with the Cowboys trailing by such a wide margin, especially in the second half, the question remains valid. Cooper Rush, who had been struggling throughout the game, seemed to be out of sync and ineffective. With the game completely out of reach and no real stakes left for the Cowboys, why not give the young quarterback a chance to play and gain some valuable experience?

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy was asked about the possibility of playing Lance earlier in the game, and while he admitted to considering it, he didn’t pull the trigger as quickly as many fans would have hoped. “I did think about playing Lance the series before,” McCarthy said after the game. However, Lance didn’t take the field until the final drive, with just 2:22 remaining in the fourth quarter. On that brief possession, Lance attempted one pass, which gained only one yard, and the drive ended in a quick three-and-out. The Cowboys were down 41-7 at that point, and there was no attempt to go for it on fourth down. It was a moment that seemed to encapsulate how far removed the Cowboys were from competitiveness in the game.

While McCarthy did eventually give Lance a shot, many felt that it came far too late in the game to make any difference. Even if Lance had been inserted into the game earlier, it still would have felt like a move made out of desperation. The Lance situation in Dallas continues to be one of the most puzzling narratives of the season. Was Lance simply not getting opportunities because he’s been underperforming in practice, or is the coaching staff just too attached to Cooper Rush’s track record as a starter, despite his clear struggles?

Interestingly enough, ESPN insider Ed Werder tweeted during the game that seeing Lance take the field seemed “doubtful,” as it appeared that the young quarterback had “no support from the coaching staff or front office.” That sentiment, unfortunately, continues to cast a shadow over Lance’s future with the Cowboys.

After Sunday’s loss, McCarthy’s decision to finally give Lance a brief opportunity could be seen as an acknowledgment of the need to evaluate the young QB. However, with just one game remaining in the regular season, the question of Lance’s role moving forward remains up in the air. McCarthy didn’t commit to any quarterback for the Cowboys’ Week 18 matchup against the Washington Commanders, leaving the door open for a potential change under center. When asked about his starting quarterback for next week, McCarthy responded, “I don’t know, I’m not there yet.”

The Cowboys’ loss on Sunday was their ninth of the season, marking the second time under McCarthy’s tenure that the team has finished with a losing record, the first being in 2020. As the team heads into the final week of the regular season, McCarthy faces significant questions about his future. He’ll enter Week 18 with the uncertainty of what lies ahead, especially considering that this is the final game on his contract before the team potentially dives into a major offseason re-evaluation.

In the coming days, McCarthy is likely to face an onslaught of follow-up questions about the quarterback situation for the season finale against Washington. Will he stick with Rush for one more game, or will he give Lance a legitimate shot to start? With so much riding on the game, it seems likely that McCarthy’s decision will be one of the most scrutinized aspects of the Cowboys’ final outing of the season. Whatever the decision may be, it will undoubtedly have lasting implications for the team’s quarterback depth chart as they look to the future.