Dak’s message: ‘Hell with the talking’
FRISCO, Texas – Dak Prescott gets what you’re thinking.
He couldn’t score a touchdown, or even complete a pass to receiver Amari Cooper, in the Cowboys’ 13-9 loss in New England on Nov. 24.
He orchestrated a fluid nineplay, 75-yard scoring drive to take an early lead against the Bills on Thanksgiving. Then his Cowboys failed to score for the next 51 minutes and 33 seconds of game time.
The same Cowboys who started the season 3-0 have now lost six of their last nine games.
So, yes, Prescott expects that his team’s current troubles will “add to the doubters,” he said Monday from his locker at the Star. “It’s a one-week shelf life, especially when you play for this organization. It’s part of it. I signed up for it. I love it.”
And he says after a disappointing loss to Buffalo that, still, there is “no confidence lost.” He thinks back to competitions against his older brothers, Tad and Jace.
“Being the youngest of three boys, my whole life you’re getting your ass kicked,” Prescott said. “You’re taking a loss every day no matter what it is. The one thing that gets you going is you’re the little brother – and you know all it takes is one win. One win. As a little brother, if you get one win, it’s the only thing that (expletive) matters – that I beat you one time.
“That means I can beat you every time.”
Prescott believes the same about the Cowboys’ path to defending the NFC East.
‘When I lose, that’s what pisses me off’
For the Prescott boys growing up, the challenge varied. Tad, Jace and Dak faced off in video games and one-on-one basketball. When mom went grocery shopping, Dak tried to show he could carry more bags than Jace, who is five years older. Dak wanted to prove he could immerse his hand in hot water the longest.
“What didn’t we make a competition?” Jace Prescott told USA TODAY Sports by text message Monday night. “It’s just how we were. If me or Tad could do ANYTHING that could be measured in any way, Dak wanted to see if he could do more.”
The more Prescott competed, the more he realized what remains true in his fourth season as Cowboys quarterback: His primary motivation isn’t a love of winning.
“When I lose, that’s what pisses me off,” Prescott said. “That’s what makes me go, that’s what keeps me going. I hate losing more than I like winning, to be honest. A win is like, sure, I was supposed to do that. Prepared my ass off. Why wouldn’t I do that? Then when I lose: Why? Why? It’s a battle. How do I get better?
“Make sure I don’t do what I did last week this week.”
After a 26-15 loss to the Bills, Prescott identified each error and how to avoid repeating it. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver’s strip sack? Prescott dropped too deep in the pocket and “made it tough on my guard right there,” he said. Missing Ezekiel Elliott on a key 4thand-6 pass to close the third quarter? Prescott made a quick decision based on his defensive read, rather than Elliott’s field position. “It was just a bad play by me,” he said. “I hurt the team.”
But he believes his team has the tools to regroup.
Keys to consistency
Dallas has fallen to 17th place in red-zone production, but it still heads to Chicago for a Thursday night game racking up a league-best 432.8 yards per game of offense. No team moves the chain on third down more than Dallas, and Prescott is the league’s passing leader.
So, too, the Cowboys’ defense ranks in the top 10 in limiting opponents to 19.7 points and in the top three by allowing 32.45% success on third down. It has flashed dominance in performances against the Saints (a 12-10 loss) and the Eagles (a 37-10 loss). But a dearth of turnovers – no team has fewer interceptions – has stunted a consistent contribution.
“We haven’t played complementary football enough,” Prescott said. “When we’re hot, the defense isn’t. When they’re hot, we’re not getting points. We’re talented on both sides but haven’t gotten complementary football. That’s what gives you confidence: They’re playing good, we’re playing good – at times.
“If we can just play good together, we wouldn’t have a problem.”
Prescott understands playing well together is easier said than done. But he believes his team is capable and the changes needed to transform good bursts into consistent performances are doable.
He thinks back to the wins he’d sneak against his brothers growing up.
“They couldn’t do anything,” Prescott said. “It was, (expletive), little man’s getting there. We pushed him to this point, and now he’s going to start beating us.”
His message is similar across the Cowboys’ locker room this week. Let the chip on your shoulder grow, Prescott tells teammates. This team has the talent to execute, and the division lead to control its postseason berth.
After that, Prescott believes, little more needs to be said.
“Times like this, it’s more to lead by example,” Prescott said. “Talk’s cheap. We’ve talked a lot and talked a bunch and gotten ourselves to right where we are. At a moment like this, I say hell with the talking.
“If you need to be fired up at 6-6, this isn’t the locker room for you.”