He nailed it.
Dallas Cowboys at Chargers: Is QB Dak Prescott Improving? Or Getting Worse?
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*Say you got hired to do a job. First three years, you nailed it. Met goals. Exceeded expectations. But then over the next five … a slow, steady downward spiral in effectiveness and productivity. Despite your bosses giving you raises, customizing your co-workers and catering the entire company to fit your needs, you failed to improv. In fact, you regressed. You were better in Year 1 than in Year 8.
In the real world, your employer wouldn’t be publicly praising you and privately preparing a new contract offer.
In the Dallas Cowboys’ universe of fantasy football, however,
Dak Prescott is afforded both.
After eight years on the job as quarterback – where experience is gold like no other position in sports – Prescott is worse in 2023 than he was in 2016.
As a rookie he threw 23 touchdowns to only four interceptions. In his last 20 starts, he’s thrown 23 picks.
As a rookie he made winning plays with his head, his arm and, yes, his legs. In his first three years he rushed for 944 yards and 18 touchdowns. In his last five years of declining mobility, he’s totaled only 743 yards and eight scores.
At age 30 and after injuries to his ankle, calf, thumb, etc., he is no longer a running threat opposing defenses have to prepare for. He’s shrunk into a pocket passer, rarely ad-libbing plays outside the lines, or the tackle box. Camouflaged by his athleticism, his decision-making and accuracy were never strengths. Now they are glaring weaknesses.
Then: Prescott the playmaker. Now: Dak the distributor.
All three of his interceptions in
last week’s demoralizing loss to the 49ers were wrong reads compounded by woeful throws. Going long to Brandin Cooks despite a deep safety. Choosing for a slant to Michael Gallup though the linebacker was jumping the route. A rookie success story in 2016, Dak is making rookie mistakes in 2023.
The decline is alarming. In his career. In this season. In games. He completes 78 percent of passes in the first quarter, but only 60 in the fourth. He’s the NFL’s least efficient quarterback in the Red Zone and in the fourth quarter, when he has thrown three interceptions to zero touchdowns.
Prescott is a Hall-of-Fame human. The kind of person who’s impossibly easy to root for. But, in the end, his humanitarian work and on-field individual accolades fail to result in team success.
Dak is Michael Young on the Texas Rangers, Rolando Blackman on the Dallas Mavericks, and Jamie Benn on the Dallas Stars. Great guys, who as players weren’t quite good enough. Countless records. Zero championships.
The Cowboys will soon have to shell out big money to keep CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons. They would be making a mistake to
award Prescott yet another long-term contract.
Dak isn’t the Cowboys’ lone problem. But it’s more clear than ever that he’s not their long-term solution.
