Prescott’s consistency has been key
FRISCO — Whether the Cowboys sign free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. or not, a certain quarterback has to remain on point in the final six weeks of the season.
Of course that quarterback is Dak Prescott, and if his play since returning from a fractured thumb is any indication, the Cowboys are in excellent shape should Beckham sign.
The criticism about Prescott’s consistency, however, seems questionable at times.
Prescott was compared with backup Cooper Rush, who went 4-1 in his place. But in five games since his return, the Cowboys are also 4-1, with Prescott completing 71.9 percent of his passes with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. His quarterback rating has been 104.5.
Rush stabilized the early portion of the season with Prescott nursing the injury. Statistically, Rush doesn’t compare, with a 58 percent completion percent with five touchdowns and three interceptions in the five games he started.
The Cowboys became more of a running team with Rush, but the run game remains strong under Prescott, averaging 163.6 yards per game. Running backs Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott each produced season-high games with Prescott. Pollard produced 189 total yards from scrimmage in a blowout victory against the Vikings last weekend. Elliott rushed for 92 yards in the Thursday victory over the Giants.
The passing attack has improved, too, with receiver CeeDee Lamb producing two 100-yard games under Prescott, and Michael Gallup emerging as a reliable target following his recovery from a torn ACL. Gallup set season highs in targets (eight), catches (five) and yards (63) in Thursday’s win over the Giants.
It’s just too easy to point any blame toward Prescott given what the numbers say. To let the Cowboys tell it, he’s playing at an elite level.
“What we’re doing in the run game versus the pass game is high level,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “So every offense is different in this league. But he’s not running a lot of plays where he just lines up, snaps the ball at the line of scrimmage and just gets some.
“I know you need some of that, don’t get me wrong, but I mean his command, and his ability to run this offense at this level, what I’m excited about is we got the opportunity to be even more efficient, and we’ve been productive here this past month.”
No quarterback is perfect. The two interceptions thrown by Prescott against the Giants were his mistakes. In an overtime loss to the Packers two weeks ago, he also threw two interceptions, yet tight end Dalton Schultz and Lamb made mistakes in their routes that led to anticipation throws being picked off.
Prescott continues to hear criticism about his game. He scoffed at the notion he was playing erratic before the Vikings game. He then led the offense to a 40-3 victory.
“He’s conscious of it and sensitive about it,” Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. “I think very definitely he’s not cavalier about that, and you can just sense it. I think he addresses it.”