Prescott will start with Romo in reserve for Cowboys

Rookie Dak Prescott, who has guided Dallas to the NFL's best record at 8-1, will start for the Cowboys against Baltimore on Sunday with long-injured Tony Romo slated for backup duty.

Romo has not been ready to play all season after suffering a compound fracture in his back in a pre-season game last August, but he is expected to be ready next weekend.

But with Prescott rolling on an eight-game win streak, the Cowboys do not want to mess with the good thing, especially with Dallas among the title contenders after only one winning season in the past six campaigns.

"We are going to let the decision make itself," Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. "Dak has got a hot hand, and we're going to go with it.

"Right now he has got a lot of chemistry going. We'll look at something else when the time comes."

The Cowboys have not gone beyond the second round of the playoffs since winning the Super Bowl in 1996.

Prescott has completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,339 yards with 14 touchdowns and only two interceptions. The NFL newcomer completed 22 of 32 passes for 319 yards and two touchdown passes in a victory last Sunday over Pittsburgh.

"It's just going with the obvious," Jones said. "You are going with how the team is doing right now. It must not be obvious because I get asked about it every time I open my mouth. It's not hard. It's not hard at all. Tony would make the same decision. That's what you do."

Romo, 36, took part in full workouts last week for the first time after two weeks with limited practice.

"I think the longer (Prescott) plays like this, the more we have a chance to have another win," Jones said. "Everybody here wants to do only really one thing, is win."

Jones said Romo understands where he stands.

"There's nobody happier for our success, because it's his success, and good things will happen for him," Jones said of Romo. "He's ready. He had a great week."