Mike McCarthy speaks about Dak Prescott's state of health after the surgery.

The team’s head coach, Mike McCarthy, said Sunday that Prescott is “progressing well” following surgery to repair a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle suffered in last week’s game against the New York Giants.

“Dak is doing great,” McCarthy said. “He’s progressing well, on schedule.”

While McCarthy declined to give a timetable for Prescott’s return, he said the team is hopeful he’ll be able to play again this season. “We’re all optimistic,” McCarthy said. “That’s really where we’re at.”

The Cowboys have placed Prescott on injured reserve, meaning he’ll miss at least the next eight weeks. In the meantime, veteran quarterback Andy Dalton will take over as the starter. “Andy’s our guy,” McCarthy said. “He’s ready to go.”

Dalton, who signed with the Cowboys in the offseason after nine seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, has started 154 games in his career. He’s thrown for more than 32,000 yards and 204 touchdowns. “He knows this offense as well as anybody,” McCarthy said of Dalton. “He’s done a great job in his preparation.”

The Cowboys will next take on the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night. McCarthy said the team is focused on getting a win and moving forward without Prescott. “Dak’s injury is a tough challenge for our football team, but we’re excited about the opportunity in front of us,” McCarthy said. “We’re here to win a football game.”

McCarthy said that the team is “encouraged” by Prescott’s progress, but stopped short of giving a timetable for his return.

“We’re encouraged with where Dak is at,” McCarthy said. “Obviously, he’s going through the rehab process. I don’t have a timeline for you, but just talking with the medical staff, they’re very encouraged with where he’s at.”

The Cowboys have already ruled Prescott out for their Week 6 game against the Arizona Cardinals, and it seems unlikely that he’ll be able to play in Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles. The team is on bye in Week 8, so Prescott will have two weeks to recover before their next game.