Football, just like any other sport, is a what have you done for me lately sport. One person who’s experiencing this first hand this morning is Dak Prescott. It was just a couple of weeks ago the entire DFW metroplex was praising the fourth-round rookie out of Mississippi State. Today if he’s driving around Frisco and listening to sports radio or even watching the local news he may want to turn the channel. Now, after a couple of bad performances, it seems as if everyone is on the “Bring Back Tony Romo” train. Granted, football is a team effort so if Prescott isn’t playing to par and you have Romo in the wings then why not bring him in to help the cowboys pursue a championship. However, if done prematurely this could cause a true divide in the Cowboys locker room and potentially kill any confidence Prescott has left.
Yes, numbers and stats don’t lie and if looking at the last couple of games, Prescott’s numbers are not great at all. His last two games combined: 29-for-55 for 304 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Though it wasn’t his best performance in Minnesota, he came away victorious against the Vikings.Sunday night’s game versus the New York Giants was his worst performance of the season. So much was at stake for this game and Prescott missed a great opportunity to prove himself to the world yet again. However, he’s been doing this all season. Every week, people questioned how would he react in certain situations and he met and exceeded their expectations. After a few learning curves, the Cowboys nor should their fan base give up on Prescott.
After a dismal performance, Jerry Jones spoke with the media post game.
He said “No. No. No. Not at all. Let me just say that.”
Said Jones when asked about if they thought about substituting Romo for Prescott during the game. Rightfully so. This wasn’t a game that was going to make or break the Cowboys. This team is still in prime position to not only win the division but also win home field advantage. Yes, things are a little more complicated now because the Giants have the upper hand in some regards.
At the same time, let’s not forget this fourth round rookie, led this team to 11 straight victories and filled big shoes of Romo when he was injured. This loss should not negate all of the records Prescott has broken so far and the fact he has less than five interceptions on the year and prior to the Giants game he had only three. Prescott numbers overall speak for themselves, 260 completions out of 395 attempts for 3,139 yards for 20 touchdowns. If Prescott is going to learn and grow and be elite he must learn how to win and lose. He must learn how to play with his back against the wall. Yes, if he continues to have poor performances there are three more games this regular season to integrate Romo back into this offense. Nonetheless, it hasn’t gotten to that point yet. Those things should be considered.
If Prescott is pulled with three games left this season, that would be wrong and disrespectful. Allow him to redeem himself next Sunday vs Tampa Bay. Allow him to show his worth and that he’s more than just an average quarterback behind a great offensive line. Let him display his leadership skills and own his mistakes. Prescott didn’t ask to be placed in this situation, however, he’s made the most of it. It should not be a battle between him and Romo, nonetheless, this game is about competition. With that being said, Prescott knows everything is on the table for Sunday’s game and he must redeem himself. At the same time, that opportunity should be given. A great performance throughout the remainder of the season will make that Giants game go away. Prescott knows that and never been one to shy away from a challenge. Now the question should be, how will Prescott react to this situation where one wrong move could be a costly one?
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