Dak Prescott understands Cowboys’ plight in 2022
If the Dallas Cowboys are going to go deep into the playoffs, quarterback Dak Prescott must lead the way on and off the field.
Nobody with the Dallas Cowboys is forgetting last year’s playoff loss. Perhaps Dak Prescott more than most.
Prescott realizes his situation. As quarterback of America’s Team, he’ll always be celebrated in his successes, and crushed in his failures. In the 2021 NFC Wild Card game against the 49ers, Prescott threw for only 254 yards on 43 attempts. As a result Dallas lost 23-17 at home after winning the NFC East.
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Now, entering the 2022 season, Dallas is facing new challenges. The offensive line lost starters at guard in Connor Williams and right tackle La’el Collins. As well as that, they were hit by months-long injury to left tackle Tyron Smith. Receiver Amari Cooper and edge rusher Randy Gregory are also elsewhere, with no high-profile replacements to be found.
Combined with the Philadelphia Eagles’ tremendous offseason, there’s a belief in some corners Dallas is about to fall off. Talking with reporters on Thursday, Prescott understands the reality. As a result, he’s challenging both himself, teammates and coaching staff to raise the standard, per ESPN:
“It’s definitely time for us to go back-to-back winning this division, getting to the playoffs, things that you said haven’t been done in my career and hadn’t been done in a long time. That’s how you make those steps. You got to compile good years on top of good years to make those runs to give yourself a good chance. We got a good team. We got a great team, great coaching, great organization. Now it’s time not to have any lapse, be better than we were last year and take the next step on top of last year.”
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For the Cowboys to once again win the NFC East and then advance into the playoffs, it starts with not leading the NFL in penalties again. That was evident in their loss to the Niners with 14 flags against.
If Dallas can play smart football, and Prescott can replicate his numbers from last season — 4,449 passing yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions — it should all lead to a quality campaign with double-digit wins in a wide-open conference.
However, if the sloppy play continues under head coach Mike McCarthy, the Cowboys will be fighting to survive in the NFC playoff chase, something Prescott clearly understands isn’t the standard for a team once seen as football’s top organization.
