Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott has an opportunity to become a legend

The collective worst nightmare of the Dallas Cowboys fan base is becoming a reality, as Pro Football Talk reports that quarterback Tony Romo is expected to miss 6-10 weeks with a broken bone in his back.

Cowboys QB Tony Romo to miss 6-10 weeks with broken bone in back, per source.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 27, 2016

Now, 6-10 weeks isn’t the worst possible timeline for a return, because Tony Romo could come back in time to help elevate the Dallas Cowboys into the playoffs. That is, of course, assuming his injury isn’t worse than this or he doesn’t suffer another injury.

Another assumption has to be met for this to be the case, too: The Cowboys won’t already be in playoff contention with Dak Prescott leading the way.

At the collegiate level, Prescott was a sensation. The most decorated football player in the history of the Mississippi State Bulldogs program, Prescott was a two-time All-SEC player, parlaying his numbers into a fourth-round selection by the Cowboys.

So far, it looks like he should have been picked a couple of rounds before then, especially since somebody as underwhelming as Christian Hackenberg heard his name called in the second round of the draft.

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With the possible exception of the Cleveland Browns trio of Josh Gordon, Terrelle Pryor, and Robert Griffin III, Prescott has been the story of the 2016 preseason.

Seven touchdowns, zero interceptions, a 78% completion percentage, and 9.1 yards per attempt comprise his current resume, and while it would be unwise to glean too much from three preseason outings, nobody can boast this kind of efficiency. That in itself is impressive, but what Prescott did against the Seattle Seahawks showed that he has poise beyond his years.

A natural leader at Mississippi State, Prescott looked like an NFL veteran against the Seattle Seahawks. Sure, it was only an exhibition game, but facing those names on Seattle’s well-coached defense can be daunting. Prescott handled himself with aplomb, and he didn’t even need Dez Bryant‘s subtle genius and outrageous swagger to help him out.

Already ruled out Thursday with concussions, Dez Bryant, Tyrone Crawford didn't make the trip with Cowboys to Seattle.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 24, 2016

Just a cursory watch of the Seattle game shows his ability to navigate the field, surveying his options before delivering a strike. When given ample time, he lasered a third-and-eight pass to sure-handed slot man Cole Beasley.

However, when the pressure did come, he showed some positive traits that should translate into the regular season, though the pace of the game will be even faster then.

Aug 25, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) passes against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half of an NFL football game at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

At first, Prescott seemed scared, and his dump-off passes were somewhat lacking in accuracy. The positive spin, though, is that he attempted screen passes in the first place. Throughout the game, Prescott kept his eyes down the field in search of a play, as opposed to giving up or trying to run into trouble against a highly athletic and reactive defense.

Prescott would then start firing when under pressure, and he shows an excellent understanding of where to place the ball away from the defender’s body. As his touchdown to Jason Witten displays, Prescott notices when the defensive back as his back turned. His accuracy isn’t inch-perfect, but it is good enough. As he develops a better rapport with his receivers, some of the near-misses, such as his deep pass to Terrance Williams or a third-and-five bullet to Beasley, will be big plays.

There’s nothing better than a Wally Pipp story, and some analysts out there are already wondering if Dak Prescott will provide us with the latest version of it.

As somebody who has viewed Tony Romo as a sure-fire top-ten quarterback for years, I have a hard time fully believing this will happen. So as Ian writes, it is indeed a “might” situation, but it is one worth contemplating, simply due to Romo’s lengthy list of major injuries. These back issues are no joke, and it will be interesting to see when it will be his last straw. I’m sure a player as accomplished as Romo would like to leave the game on his own terms, but will that be in the cards for him?

However slim Prescott’s chances are at Wally Pipping Romo, he has a chance to make himself an incredible story. Former Heisman-candidate QB usurps one of the best quarterbacks of the last decade and writes his own script.

It won’t be easy for Prescott, but he’s already lived up to the pressure through three stellar preseason games. Back-to-back rivalry games beckon in the New York Giants and Washington Redskins, and these telling battles with future ramifications in a tight division have the potential to show us immediately if Prescott is ready to succeed– and never look back.