Dak Prescott: From Game Manager to Gunslinger

mattjames2010

Well-Known Member
Messages
21,474
Reaction score
20,154
One of the positives the past few years people often cite about Dak is that he is someone who doesn't consistently turn the ball over - outside of his fumble problems, 2016 and 2018 had low INT totals. So far in 2019, he hasn't fumbled the ball, but his interception projection is way up. Right now Precott is projected to have over 537 pass attempts, 5,000 yards passing, 35 TDs, and 19 INTs. When going through every QBs 2019 projections, he compares most to Jameis Winston's 2019 projection with 531 pass attempts, 4.387 yards, 35 TDs, and 16 INTs.

I think there are a couple problems here. 1. Kellen Moore's offense seems set up more for the big play rather than taking what the defense gives you 2. Dak is pressing, this could be due to over confidence or desperation to prove he's a Russell Wilson type talent, maybe both? I think the biggest problem here is, we now lost our identity on offense. In the past, we were known as a run first team. What are we now? We a pass first, run first, or a balanced offense? We are lacking an identity now because I don't think we are truly dominating in either the pass or the run, we now have defenses dictating what our offense can do.

The problem with Dak is that he hasn't taken that step and shown he is elite. Yes, his TD numbers are up, but his INT rates are as well. In previous years, his TD totals were low through the air, but so were his INTs. When compared, he's not there with elite QBs, he's there with the Alex Smiths/Mariotas/Winstons of the league. This is not a 30+ million dollar QB play. IF we had a smart owner, he'd be looking at Dak's gamble and seeing he is losing and be using this to his advantage.
 

Diehardblues

Well-Known Member
Messages
55,143
Reaction score
36,328
How does a QB go from looking like MVP to just another QB struggling?

Is that all about our opponents or what we’re doing?
 

Batman1980

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,912
Reaction score
11,547
Need to get back to feeding Zeke more, including through the passing game and stop trying to push the ball down the field so much. Cobb, Gallup and Coop are all fantastic with the ball in their hands anyway, get it to them short and watch them work.
 

mattjames2010

Well-Known Member
Messages
21,474
Reaction score
20,154
How does a QB go from looking like MVP to just another QB struggling?

Is that all about our opponents or what we’re doing?

He never looked like an MVP, that was media clickbait. We beat up on the Giants, Commanders, and Dolphins. Two of those teams, we started slow against. There was a call-in on the Cowherd show (I know people hate this show, but there was a good point), he brought up what is he supposed to say about a QB hitting wide open receivers? This was in context of the Giants game.
 

CATCH17

1st Round Pick
Messages
66,923
Reaction score
84,280
How does a QB go from looking like MVP to just another QB struggling?

Is that all about our opponents or what we’re doing?

I think Dak is fine when we’re in the lead or the game is close but when there is no threat of a run and he has to air it out he looks awful.

I think the last couple of weeks put on full display how easy it is for the Cowboys castle to crumble.
 

glimmerman

Well-Known Member
Messages
29,956
Reaction score
29,842
How does a QB go from looking like MVP to just another QB struggling?

Is that all about our opponents or what we’re doing?
Opponents. Watching film and the last game I don’t feel like we stuck with the run enough. We got down and abandon the run. After halftime there was enough time if our Defense could get a stop.
 

Ken

Well-Known Member
Messages
16,509
Reaction score
17,160
One of the positives the past few years people often cite about Dak is that he is someone who doesn't consistently turn the ball over - outside of his fumble problems, 2016 and 2018 had low INT totals. So far in 2019, he hasn't fumbled the ball, but his interception projection is way up. Right now Precott is projected to have over 537 pass attempts, 5,000 yards passing, 35 TDs, and 19 INTs. When going through every QBs 2019 projections, he compares most to Jameis Winston's 2019 projection with 531 pass attempts, 4.387 yards, 35 TDs, and 16 INTs.

I think there are a couple problems here. 1. Kellen Moore's offense seems set up more for the big play rather than taking what the defense gives you 2. Dak is pressing, this could be due to over confidence or desperation to prove he's a Russell Wilson type talent, maybe both? I think the biggest problem here is, we now lost our identity on offense. In the past, we were known as a run first team. What are we now? We a pass first, run first, or a balanced offense? We are lacking an identity now because I don't think we are truly dominating in either the pass or the run, we now have defenses dictating what our offense can do.

The problem with Dak is that he hasn't taken that step and shown he is elite. Yes, his TD numbers are up, but his INT rates are as well. In previous years, his TD totals were low through the air, but so were his INTs. When compared, he's not there with elite QBs, he's there with the Alex Smiths/Mariotas/Winstons of the league. This is not a 30+ million dollar QB play. IF we had a smart owner, he'd be looking at Dak's gamble and seeing he is losing and be using this to his advantage.
I think when you factor in multiple int's from dropped balls and one on a hail mary, the ints dont look so bad.

Having two of the top 3 wr's in the NFL in drops will do that.
 

Diehardblues

Well-Known Member
Messages
55,143
Reaction score
36,328
I think Dak is fine when we’re in the lead or the game is close but when there is no threat of a run and he has to air it out he looks awful.

I think the last couple of weeks put on full display how easy it is for the Cowboys castle to crumble.
Problem with that is some games against Elite opponents we’re going to need a QB who lead us with his Arm. Everything isn’t going to be perfect.
 

Batman1980

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,912
Reaction score
11,547
Problem with that is some games against Elite opponents we’re going to need a QB who lead us with his Arm. Everything isn’t going to be perfect.

Well thank God we have the highest paid runningback in NFL history to...oh.

80489361.jpg
 

Cowboy4ever

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,985
Reaction score
4,179
Dak is not elite. But he has improved with some critical areas such as his mechanics and being more calm in the pocket while under pressure. I think he is pressing to hard to prove he is worth the money he is rumored to want in his next contract. He needs to relax and play within himself. There was a play against Green Bay, it was like 3rd and 3 or something and they bring a blitz. He throws the fade down the right sideline and it's no where close. All the while, he had 19 as the hot read, coming across the middle with no one around him and would have easily picked up the 1st down and more. He didn't even look that way, had his mind made up before the snap. I have been a harsh critic of Dak and I still stand by my analysis that he is not elite. He is average. He needs to play to his strengths and quit trying to prove that he is something he is not. Brady has made a living and become a legend by throwing the ball 10 yards and letting his WR do the heavy lifting. Dak should just manage the game, and convert 3rd downs. Everything else will work itself out.
 

CowboyFanInLexKy

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,152
Reaction score
925
This is solely my opinion (nothing but love if anyone disagrees). I don't have a problem with Dak being a gunslinger if he can control his accuracy a little better. Romo did well being a gunslinger...

My problem is having a running back that automatically shoots up the middle when the ball is handed to him and we end up getting garbage yards. If our oline can manage to create a good hole for him on a consistant basis, I would be singing a different tune because Zeke would rack up yards quick like...

I would rather us get 10, 20, 30 yards from passing the ball then 2, 3, 4 yards from running. Again, this is just my opinion.
 

glimmerman

Well-Known Member
Messages
29,956
Reaction score
29,842
Problem with that is some games against Elite opponents we’re going to need a QB who lead us with his Arm. Everything isn’t going to be perfect.
Dak has plenty of come from behind wins. Now I don’t know if he is part of the reason we are having to come from behind or not.

It’s a team game. When your WR are dropping TD passes it hurts. Especially against good teams because you won’t get multiple chances in some cases. Same with ints. I think if Cooper makes that catch early then it would have been a different game. Almost seems like it took the air out of the Defense also. Took the momentum away quick.
 

MysteryIceGuro

Well-Known Member
Messages
8,736
Reaction score
15,698
I think when you factor in multiple int's from dropped balls and one on a hail mary, the ints dont look so bad.

Having two of the top 3 wr's in the NFL in drops will do that.

Just what I was about to say. Dak has been playing his best this season. His accuracy has improve by a lot and many are saying all of that was a scam. No. The whole team was a scam the first 3 weeks, yes, but Dak himself? No. He has clearly improved. To call him a gunslinger right now? No. Mahomes is a clear gunslinger. Wilson is a gunslinger when they let him pass. Dak is slowly getting there. The attempted Hail Mary INT at the end of the Saints game doesn't really count to me. 2 of the INT's against GB don't count to me either, even though those throws could have been a bit better (though every QB has a throw like this), as his WR's either drop the ball, or get covered like crazy (to the point where it should have been a PI). Saints may have the best D-Line in the NFL (or NFC) as they have stopped Wilson and Co as well, so he played well enough against that line as he could have.
 

Diehardblues

Well-Known Member
Messages
55,143
Reaction score
36,328
Dak has plenty of come from behind wins. Now I don’t know if he is part of the reason we are having to come from behind or not.

It’s a team game. When your WR are dropping TD passes it hurts. Especially against good teams because you won’t get multiple chances in some cases. Same with ints. I think if Cooper makes that catch early then it would have been a different game. Almost seems like it took the air out of the Defense also. Took the momentum away quick.
Coop needs to make that catch. No doubt.
If the pass is led to him it’s more likely he catches on stride and scores.

Part of getting behind is on defense much like with Romo. My biggest concern is how much these better teams totally take us out of what we want to do.
 

mattjames2010

Well-Known Member
Messages
21,474
Reaction score
20,154
I think when you factor in multiple int's from dropped balls and one on a hail mary, the ints dont look so bad.

Having two of the top 3 wr's in the NFL in drops will do that.

Dak has played a part in two of the INTs - throwing behind Cooper in the Commanders game and Green Bay game gave the defender a better chance to make a play on the ball and making routine throws more difficult to catch. His INT in the Dolphins game was on nobody but Prescott, he also had a bad one in the GB that is not debatable. We can also look at the should-be INTs in the GB game that was dropped and the "hands to the face" call that negated the INT.

The point being, Dak was considered a "good decision maker" in the past - but the more he is asked to stretch the field, the more mistakes he is making. Dak has never really compared favorably to elite QBs when you really break down the numbers, he is always middling at his best.
 
Top