Dak Prescott knows all too well that heavy is the head that wears the crown.
He understands that criticism comes with the title of starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys.
Prescott got it when he was playing on a fourth-round rookie deal. He got when he was making $40 million annually. And now as the NFL’s first $60 million man, the scrutiny is coming his way.
Yet anyone with half a football brain will tell you that the Cowboys problems in Sunday’s 44-19 blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints were mainly on defense.
The Cowboys gave up 35 points in the first half, the most ever in franchise history. They allowed scores on six straight drives to open the game.
They couldn’t stop the run or the pass, while offering little resistance.
Prescott led the Cowboys to scores on their first four drives and the team had 16 points at half.
The 16 points were tied for the sixth highest total in the NFL in Week 2. Yet every other team that scored 16 or more points in the first half were leading by an average of 13 points. The Cowboys were trailing by 19.
That the Cowboys scored just three points the rest of way is another story but this game was simply a defensive meltdown.
Yet, when that happens you have to find a way to keep up on offense. Kicking field goals when the other team is scoring touchdowns at a record clip is not going to cut it.
“Offensively, we had double digit play drives over and over again, we didn’t put the ball in the endzone,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said. “We’ve got to put the ball in the endzone especially for what was going on the other side of the ball. So, we’ve got to score touchdowns.”
“We needed to keep pace. We need to score touchdowns in the red zone. If we could have kept pace with them. And kept that to a one score, possible two score game, and you come down a stretch and you’re competing to win.”
That was pointed at Prescott, directly or indirectly.
You expect the highest paid quarterback in NFL history to work miracles. You need him to make something happen and level the playing field.
And while Prescott was game in the first half, his only miscue came when receiver Jalen Brooks fell down on a perfect pass that turned into an interception, the wheels fell off under the pressure of trying to chase down the runaway freight train that was the Saints offense.
He completed 17-of-23 passes for 184 yards before intermission before finishing 27 of 29 for 293 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
What’s also true is that a Cowboys offense that led the league in points in 2023 doesn’t have the firepower to keep up when the game turns into a track meet.
CeeDee Lamb is the only skill position player that strikes fear in the opposing defense.
He had four catches for 90 yards, including a 65-yard catch and run for a touchdown in the second quarter. It was the Cowboys only touchdown of the game.
Outside of Lamb. the Cowboys are arguably the most pedestrian team in the league.
The other receivers in Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin and Jalen Brooks don’t scare anyone.
And Brooks had a horrid game against the Saints. In addition to the slip that led to the interception, he had a missed block on an end around by Cooks that had the potential for a big gain.
It didn’t help that Pro Bowl tight end Jake Ferguson missed the game with a knee injury. Still, he is not a big play merchant. He is more of a chain mover.
Add in nonexistent running game with Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle as non factors and breakdowns up front on an offensive line that features two rookie starters and it was too much for Prescott to overcome, especially when he is not perfect.
Prescott wasn’t bad early on but he didn’t thread the needle against the Saints. He missed Lamb on a touchdown pass in the end zone, resulting in a field goal.
Defensive pressure forced him to underthrow Elliott on what could have been a walk-in touchdown on the opening drive of the third quarter that would have made the score 35-23, potentially giving them hope for a comeback.
And then the Cowboys defense finally made a play with an interception by safety Donovan Wilson early in the fourth quarter, Prescott gave it right back with an interception. Veteran safety Tyrann Mathieu baited a desperate Prescott and jumped a third down pass intended for Lamb.
“I thought Dak did a good job being patient, taking the check downs and that’s what you have to do,” McCarthy said. “Donovan gets the big stop there, with the turnover and we didn’t capitalize on it. So, that’s when I thought the game kind of swung, and that was our chance to swing it back and try to get it to a two score game.”
Who are we kidding, the game was already over with the score 41-19 and the defense showing no ability to stop the Saints.
But when you have no firepower, having to master double-digit play drives to keep pace makes things even harder.
That is what the Cowboys are paying Prescott to do. Not only is he expected to do more, he is going to have to do more.
Even though the game was essentially over, a fourth down pass to undrafted tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford in the fourth quarter was a prime example.
Use your feet to make a play, don’t trust a run-blocking tight end to do something he has never done and make a clutch catch.
Prescott admitted as much.
“Probably could scramble trying to trust in the young tight end, wanted to use his body and put it away from him,” Prescott said. “That’s somebody I don’t have a lot of reps on. I put that one on me. As I said, probably could have gone into scramble mode.”
With a record-setting contract, it is on him more than ever. Prescott has not been great the first two weeks of the season.
It’s up to him to become $60 million bionic man with the lack of firepower on offense.
“I don’t want to say you have to be perfect,” Prescott said. “Everybody’s got to do their job and trust their job and understand that’s where the big plays come from. Part of it for me, I think maybe it’s felt like I was at this point last year. It was a lot later in the year when I did it, but going back to using my feet more, whether it’s scrambling, extending the plays to look to throw the ball down the field or maybe just going and getting a couple yards and getting down.
“I wouldn’t say it’s about being perfect, but understanding that I do have that ability and that is a huge part of our offense. Got to bring it to life, I think.”
Ya think.
