Training camp starts in late July, and for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, it is the start of a third season under a grand microscope.
The Dallas Cowboys are fortunate to have a quarterback as talented as Dak Prescott on their roster for what will be his third season in the NFL. There are also in the know that their quarterback is one of the most scrutinized players in the NFL for the fact he is the de facto leader of the five-time Super Bowl winning franchise.
Prescott took a step back in 2017 when compared to his rookie season when he was selected as the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year. In his rookie year, Prescott — in a season where the Cowboys were 13-3 in the regular season — started all 16 games and completed 67.8 percent of his passes for 3,667 yards with 23 touchdowns and four interceptions.
That aforementioned season also included the Cowboys offense staying relatively healthy and running back Ezekiel Elliott leading the league with 1,800-plus yards on the ground. Then came last season where some of the numbers regressed for Prescott, some by his own doing and some not so much.
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In 2017, Prescott saw his completion percentage fall to 62.9 percent, his overall passing yards fall to 3,324 yards and he also saw a spike in interceptions to 13, with his interception percentage going from 0.9 percent to 2.7 percent as the Cowboys were 9-7 and missed the playoffs.
Not all of the blame for the season can be attributed to Prescott’s play, and compared to other quarterbacks in the NFL, Prescott was 16th in attempts (490), 13th in completion percentage (62.9), 13th in touchdowns (22) and fourth in QBR at 66.3 with Carson Wentz, Case Keenum and Tom Brady ranked above him.
Prescott’s season in 2017 wasn’t a disappointment compared to some, but in comparing his rookie season to year two, is it safe to say he had a bit of a sophomore slump? The receivers and Prescott never seemed to be on the same page at a consistent level, and that can be said for a majority of the season when it comes to the entire offense as a unit.
It is no secret Prescott has to bounce back from 2017, but some believe he has a lot to prove as the quarterback of the Cowboys. Joe Rivera of The Sporting News said the following in a recent article about NFL quarterbacks:
"“Everything is bigger in Texas, including expectations for a quarterback. Few saw the Dak attack coming when Prescott took the NFL by storm in 2016. Fast forward two years, and Prescott is entering a prove-it season that won’t be easy.”"
The one part of the offense which still doesn’t stand out for Prescott is the mystery of can the wide receivers take a step forward and help him and the rest of the offense out too? There will be some different faces catching passes from Prescott this season, leaving that part of the offense in question, and the same can be said at tight end too with the retirement of Jason Witten.
One thing is for certain about Prescott and the 2018 season, and that is he can’t throw 20-plus interceptions again because if that occurs for a Cowboys offense, success most likely won’t follow for the unit. To be honest, if Elliott is on the field this season for most or all of the games (unlike last season when he was suspended mid-season for six games), the interception number of Prescott will drop dramatically.
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Prescott is better than a game manager type of quarterback, but he doesn’t need to be the focal point of the offense as that role belongs to Elliott, which ultimately will make Prescott a better player.