Dak Prescott, the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, is preparing to play in the final game of the season against the New York Giants, a team he has dominated throughout his career. Prescott’s beautiful run of 14 straight W’s versus the G-Men. This streak is truly remarkable, extending all the way back to his rookie season in 2016. With this key duel on the horizon, he pushes for a strong season finale.
As a starter, the 2019 season was a struggle for Prescott, as he led his team to only an 8-8 record. He doesn’t want this year’s story to be the same. With a ceiling hit over $74 million, Prescott’s under the gun. He makes $40 million a year, which turns up the heat of all that expectation. He is clearly wanting to prove himself as a value-add leader. The Cowboys are looking to make a late-season playoff push.
Not a week earlier, in another offensive disaster against the Washington Commanders, Prescott had one of his worst games of the year. He was sacked six times, tying a season-high, and hurried on 11 tries. Even with these obstacles, he was able to still complete 19 of 37 passing attempts for 307 yards and two touchdowns. That’s not how the game played out at all. In all, Prescott was lousy for the first time this season, not even breaking 60% completions on the day.
In addition to his arm, Prescott showed off his legs throughout the game too, as he carried the ball four times for 24 yards. His positional flexibility is immensely important. He’ll need to be ready to deal with a relentless Giants defense that will undoubtedly look to get after him right away.
The Cowboys’ struggles during rough seasons when Prescott has played under nine have been well documented. They sputtered to underwhelming 6-10 and 7-10 records in those seasons. As he visits the past and future, Prescott is convinced that creating positive energy at this time of year can help roll it right into next year. He responded by reaffirming that winning on the field in the short term is critical to developing the right cultural foundation in the locker room.
“Just finishing off with a win, two of them, would be great for us.” – Dak Prescott
Prescott has had discussions with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer about his role in the season finale. In many ways, both coach and player are on the same page, just downplaying the importance that goes into this final meeting with the Giants.
The Cowboys quarterback expressed a sense of pride and commitment to his team, emphasizing his desire to play despite any obstacles that may arise.
“Lot of pride, and I think that’s another reason I want to play,” – Dak Prescott
As Prescott gets ready for this marquee matchup, he knows what’s at stake. Ending with an 8-8-1 record, therefore, is quite a different fate than finishing at 7-9-1. His focus on achieving at least one more victory reflects his dedication to improving both his personal performance and that of the team.
Schottenheimer was on the same page, doubling down on the overriding factor of just winning as they approach the last game of their year.
“We play to win. Eight-eight-and-one. Do the math; sounds way better than the alternative.” – Brian Schottenheimer
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