two weeks ago, Dallas Cowboys strategist Dak Prescott threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Dallas’ offense scored 34 points. The game ended when Prescott’s pass hit the receiver Noah Brown in the arms he arose and the safety of the Jaguars Rayshawn Jenkins picked it up and returned it for a touchdown.
You might have thought the next week would have been all about blaming the defense, Brown’s downfall or even just bad luck in a close game, but no. You’ve heard a lot of national voices questioning if Prescott was a winner and pleading with him to step in. It would have been weird if it didn’t happen after every Cowboy loss.
That’s life as a Cowboys quarterback. Prescott is not perfect but he is very good. He’s a big reason the Cowboys are 11-4 and make it to the playoffs despite the team practically having to give away the receiver amari cooper in a trade and lose multiple offensive linemen in free agency. When the Cowboys lose — no matter how Prescott plays, really — the next week is spent complaining he’s not good enough. Dallas is 60-35 in his starts. People are still wondering if he can win.
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The Cowboys face off Tennessee Titans Thursday night. The Titans would kill a quarterback like Prescott. Everyone in Dallas seems to be complaining about the one they have.
Dak Prescott is having a good season
It’s not like it’s unique to Prescott. Tony Romo has lived this life before.
No matter how many big games Romo played, it was all forgotten each time the Cowboys lost. Dallas could score 48 points with Romo throwing over 500 yards, but they would go down 51-48 and Romo’s only mistake would have to be in the centernot a defense that gave up 51 points.
It’s pretty ridiculous to put 100% of the credit or blame any win or loss on a quarterback. Football is a team game. This will never change. Life is easier with a good quarterback, but he’s not the only one responsible for a team’s fortunes. In that Jacksonville game two weeks ago, Prescott wasn’t on the court when Trevor Lawrence torched the Dallas defense.
It does not matter. Since returning from injury, Prescott has been very good (2,450 yards, 20 touchdowns), although his 12 interceptions are a bit high. He is not an MVP candidate this season. But he is good. The Cowboys are one of the best teams in the NFL, even after many buried them after a tough offseason, and Prescott is a big reason for that.
And unless Prescott leads the Cowboys to a Super Bowl victory, nothing else will matter.
Cowboys fans want a playoff run
Dallas fans are rightfully impatient. The Cowboys haven’t made it past the divisional round of the playoffs since the end of the 1995 season. It’s been a long drought, especially since the Cowboys have had a lot of competitive teams in that streak. It’s a franchise with five Super Bowl championships and an invested fanbase. Expecting a deep playoff streak every decade or two isn’t outlandish.
Pinning everything to a single player seems a bit odd. Prescott, just 29, is about three seasons away from becoming the Cowboys’ all-time leading passer. Along with three more passing touchdowns, he’ll only follow Romo on this Cowboys all-time list. He has the highest passer rating in Cowboys history, among those with over 100 attempts. He has already had a great career with a lot to come.
If the Cowboys lose to the Titans on Thursday (who will likely sit a few starters, looking ahead to a Week 18 game against the Jaguars that will determine the AFC South title), in the Week 18 Finals vs. the Washington Commanders or definitely in the playoffs, you can predict what will happen next. Prescott will get the majority of the blame. The context of the loss will not matter.
You can already hear the arguments about how the Cowboys can’t win with Prescott because you’ve been hearing them for years.
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