CFZ Did Prescott crater under the pressure?

[cowboyed]

I think Dak is just an optimist. He did not play well against the BUCS, no doubt. But he certainly played well many times before including winning offensive player of the week several times, being in the top ranking with his peers over his career. Many in here lamented how emasculated and inexperienced our receiver corp has become. How exactly did that help Dak in this game. I don't think Dak has proven he is an elite quarterback but he has proven he can be a very good quarterback when the right offensive players are in place. It seems he is a guy that consistently needs competitive practice. Holding him out all preseason was questionable.

Injuries are starting to pile up for Dak that actually concerns me more than his ability to perform. This Cowboys executive management team is inept. Stephen Jones is more of an accountant than a wannabe GM. Who brought McCarthy into the fold - Stephen. Jerry Jones at nearly 80 years of age is not vigorously general managing the Cowboys. He is a figure-head and reinforces the illusion by actively speaking about the team. As owner he communicates whenever he feels like it.

I do wish the Jones's would do fans a favor and sell the team to football competent people. However, it is a family business and this may go on for generations. I don't care how pretty and artistic the stadium is, how pristine the practice facilities are, I value ownership and executive management that knows how to build and sustain an elite team, and not one that is mired in the 90s.

 

[USArmyVet]

Joe Burrow was 10-7 last year.

You mean the 10-6 (he missed 1 game) Joe Burrow that went to the Super Bowl after winning 3 straight games to get the Bengals there? That Joe Burrow?

 

[PAPPYDOG]

Well, not only all that but Dr. Jerry now wants him to heal and come back sooner lol.

No pressure.

Jerry wants to break and demoralize him in the public eyes hence why he wants him back in there ASAP!
And Jerry will succeed as Dak is done!
Jerry feels ripped off (and rightfully so) and he will get his pound of flesh from Prescott!!!!!

 

[atlantacowboy]

What pressure? He collected around 80M last year. The rest is gravy. He isn't capable of doing what we want him to do. As usual, Jerry will be the last to give up on him.

 

[shabazz]

We know there he wasn’t under crazy pressure from the Bucs defense. He was sacked a whole 2 times through almost 4 quarters…….and we know he has no more escapability ability.

hell, Cooper Rush got sacked twice just playing the few minute of the game that he did.

 

[Hadenough]

Daks done! His kryptonite is cover 2 defense.

 

[RS12]

When are we all going to accept the fact that Prescott is the definition of average i.e. like the 16ish range of QBs. This is true because he is so hot and cold if you are getting 100s on half the tests and 0s on the rest you are goi g to get a 50 (assuming equal weights). Unfortunately for us he is usually cold when we need him the most and the defense is playing well.

I don't care about the talent around him because he got paid as if none of that should matter and that's what his agent sold and his agent is a proxy for himself.

We aren't going to win a Superbowl with Dark. Period I don't care if you bring Tom Laundry back from the dead and somehow get Cooper Kupp it would be the same story.

I accepted it in 2016.

 

[FanofJerry]

As soon as my son and I saw the expression on Dak's face before the game started, it was clearly obvious that he wasn't in a positive frame of mind. He already knew what to expect and it showed beyond a doubt. When things eventually went awry for him, it only served as proof of his mental state! That panicked expression, sitting on the bench before the game said it all, well before that disaster came about. It presented a sad picture.

You are not the first person Ive seen mention Dak looking scared or uncomfortable Sunday. I must have missed what you and others are posting about. Is there any video evidence of this that can be posted?

Hes usually the hype man in the middle of the huddle before tip off...never looking scared but hyped and leading.

I guess I can maybe see a scenario where he might know he is being set up to prove his contract and he might know he has some limitations...and that those limitations are about to be exposed in a game where he is supposed to prove his worth? I can see someone getting more nervous than usual for a game like that.

Other than that...if you cant grip a football...you cant grip a football.

 

[Northern_Cowboy]

I understand that sentiment, but at the same time I think he's been propped up by the same thing. You may remember on the old site I was critical of him and wanted Romo to return during his rookie season. I thought Romo was the more complete QB and the offense was limited with Dak.

But that didn't matter because they were winning. That bought him a lot of goodwill amongst the fans and he's been shielded from criticism by a big chunk of the fanbase ever since. They saw him win 13 games and feel like all the shortcomings since then are the fault of others- coaching, blocking, Zeke, defense, etc.

Obviously now the fans are turning on him, but for those who have felt he was limited since the get go, it sure seemed like he was considered a golden boy whose failings were always pushed onto others over the last 6 years.

Your not the only one who thought that..many of us wanted Romo back when he was healthy, not because Dak played bad (he didn't) but Dak was limited in an offense that was built for Tony Romo and no matter what anybody says Dak as a rookie was nowhere near the QB that Romo was...we beat GB with Romo in 2016 who would have been foaming at the mouth to get another shot at the Packers and Rodgers at home after the 2014 debacle in GB

 

[Bullflop]

You are not the first person Ive seen mention Dak looking scared or uncomfortable Sunday. I must have missed what you and others are posting about. Is there any video evidence of this that can be posted?

Hes usually the hype man in the middle of the huddle before tip off...never looking scared but hyped and leading.

I guess I can maybe see a scenario where he might know he is being set up to prove his contract and he might know he has some limitations...and that those limitations are about to be exposed in a game where he is supposed to prove his worth? I can see someone getting more nervous than usual for a game like that.

Other than that...if you cant grip a football...you cant grip a football.

I couldn't say if that's the case or not. I haven't seen one yet, but I guess it's possible! Perhaps we'll see . . .

I will say this . . . the expression on Dak's face was a dead give away -- to be sure, it leaves, absolutely, no doubt.

It wasn't merely uncomfortable -- it was outright panic. Whether it's available, or not, it left an indelible impression!

 

[RS12]

1) Front Office off season complacency
2) Coaching off season and game time Prep
3) Player performance

IMHO, this is was the cause of Sunday's collapse. Let's not forget, Dak should not be blamed for the 10 team penalties.

Even the blindest Cowboy homers on the internet blogging the boys, re-watched the game and wrote an article pretty much blaming the offensive showing on the QB dismal performance. If it is obvious to them. It is blatantly obvious.

 

[LysleE]

I think Dak when started for the injured Romo he was under no pressure to perform because he was a rookie; the expectations were such that he couldn’t help exceeding them. Moreover, he had Zeke; he had solid WRs and TE; he had a premier o-line. He was an unknown quantity for NFL defenses. Basically, nothing was required of Dak other than distributing the ball.

As the years went on, more and more was asked of Dak and this is where he fell short in my opinion. He didn’t have the talent around him he once did; injuries at RB and o-line took their toll and defenses started playing the run and making Dak beat them with his arm and make him read coverages. Well…we all know how that turned out.

I don’t blame Dak for his contract; that was a by-product of the market economics. He was an average to slightly above average QB who got paid like an elite QB. Dak is a great leader, no doubt; but it’s clear that he does not possess the physical tools or mental attributes of the top QBs; he doesn’t have the ability to raise the play of those around him, or be able to “will” the team to victory.

Since Jerry mortgaged the future on Dak; he has had to make personnel decisions (most of them bad)due to the salary cap; secondly, we have an OC who for some ungodly reason started out with imaginative play calling, then became conservative and predictable, refusing to make adjustments and not putting our star players in positions to succeed. And lastly, there is no strong coaching presence; I think everybody on the team knows who are “real” HC really is…and it is not the head coach.

So all are complicit and have played their part in Dak cratering under pressure other than Dak himself.

 

[Vagabond]

Shel Silverstein on Thum-ball-ina…

Sack the Dak.
Don’t bring him back.
He wins but he looses
And wrote the book on excuses.

 

[RS12]

You mean the 10-6 (he missed 1 game) Joe Burrow that went to the Super Bowl after winning 3 straight games to get the Bengals there? That Joe Burrow?

On top of coming back off one of the worst knee injuries we have seen. In one playoff run he has three signature wins (one on the road in KC). As compared to the QB here who six years in signature win was a wild card win at home vs Seattle. Is this really a debate?

 

[Surfguy]

He cratered bigger than the crater that resulted from the meteor strike that killed all the dinosaurs. If Dak were around back then during, the meteor would have landed right smack dab centered on the middle of his head. Under pressure.

 

[kevm3]

We'll be having this exact same argument about the next QB and how 'average' they are if the Jones are still playing GM. Our FO literally got rid of several starters and did nothing to improve the team and yet we're arguing over the QB? How did anyone expect the offense to look with a weak O line and significantly weakened receiving core against a defensive minded coach? We literally got rid of our 1st WR and 3rd WR and our 2nd WR is out. We let TWO O linemen leave and put one rookie in their place. Why did anyone expect the offense would look good?

 

[Jarntt]

I am not talking about pressure from the Bucs, I am talking about the self-imposed kind.

All off season he spun it for the front office. It's OK that 2 of his OL are gone and his #1 and #3 WR's and his #2 injured. We're just fine, never better.

I think he's still feeling the effect of the fan and media backlash against his contract because if you get paid with the best, you have to play like the best.

Have you noticed how he tries to underplay any physical hiccups like his ankle being about the cleats or the calf didn't bother him when it was obvious it did.

I think he has a case of Superman Syndrome and just being Clark Kent won't fly. He has to do it better.

I do not think there is another position in all the NFL tougher to play than the QB of the DC from an emotional side. It is life in the goldfish bowl exacerbated by the owner and his son always trying to sell him to the fans. And don't think a lot of them don't buy it.

So, now he gets to back off a little, heal up, rehab and reflect on just what happened Sunday night. Not only was he booed but a few morons threw trash at him as he came off the field injured. He has to wonder how it came to this.

I think he has been trying to live up to the contract and the title too much and it got to him and what we saw on that sideline, the deer in the headlights, was the proof of that. This is a man that had no problem in admitting he's had some mental health concerns and I applaud him for that.

This hand injury might be a blessing in disguise for him. He might not even realize how tightly wound inside he is but when I saw him on that sideline, that man looked dazed, confused and a little fearful.

Can't consider this man without considering where he came from and just how he got here as well as how he got the starting jobs in high school and Miss St. He couldn't take the job from the starters but when he got it, he would not give it back. That says something about him, something unusual.

Even those so opposed to him as the DC QB have to agree, they've not seen him play like that. I mean, he was really bad. The OL and WR's weren't great but that wasn't it, it was him. I got the feeling he wasn't playing football, he was fulfilling some role and when it started to unravel on him he started to panic inside and that look he had on the sideline is the look of anxiety.

I really do not think the only problem is with that hand and I hope he gets some help with that while he's not on the firing line.

People can say he isn't a good QB if that's what they feel and he has always struggled to find the right receiver on plays, but he is a leader and he is a tough guy that doesn't complain. That's just who he is.

 

[PAPPYDOG]

Daks done! His kryptonite is cover 2 defense.

And every DC knows it.......

 

[FanofJerry]

We'll be having this exact same argument about the next QB and how 'average' they are if the Jones are still playing GM. Our FO literally got rid of several starters and did nothing to improve the team and yet we're arguing over the QB? How did anyone expect the offense to look with a weak O line and significantly weakened receiving core against a defensive minded coach? We literally got rid of our 1st WR and 3rd WR and our 2nd WR is out. We let TWO O linemen leave and put one rookie in their place. Why did anyone expect the offense would look good?

Are you suggesting the Jones' are incredibly stupid? Dak was set up to prove himself? Its a throwaway year?

 

[CWR]

You mean the 10-6 (he missed 1 game) Joe Burrow that went to the Super Bowl after winning 3 straight games to get the Bengals there? That Joe Burrow?

That's fair. It's also fair to point out it's the same Joe Burrow, who has Jamar Chase, Higgins, Boyd, and Mixon. His weapons are elite.