Grasping at straws: A theory as to why Dak is sucking so bad

[Diehardblues]

8 games with Zeke: 28 points per game

3 games without Zeke: 7 points per game

Defenses have to game plan to keep Zeke from killing them - he's a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball. Now they're game planning to stop the passing attack - they'll live with Morris/Smith getting 3 yard gains. The coaching staff has shown no ability to adjust to it. They're just doing what they do and it's not working.

Dak didn't just suddenly forget how to play QB.

Dak’s weaknesses had already been exposed . Zekes absence has just magnified them.

 

[QT]

There's a reason he was drafted in the 4th and couldn't beat out Kellen Moore in training camp last year. I saw this coming. The guy cannot throw. I mentioned his INT's totals were low, b/c of all the drop balls the corners had. It is all catching up to him now. I was saying this all along last year and everyone was on Dak's jock.

 

[BlueStar22]

He's had a bad two games in a row. Crazy how everyone was singing his praises 3 weeks ago after KC.

 

[marchetta]

Does anyone think that perhaps Prescott sees such an incredbily poor defense in practice that it hurts offensive execution in actual contests?

Maybe it creates a false sense of security, and then his confidence is smashed 3 minutes into the game when facing a competent NFL unit.

How else do you explain the horrendous run he is on since Zeke and Lee have been unavailable? He played virtually flawless football last year against almost everybody.

Here's my theory... It's his 2nd year.

 

[trickamsterdam]

Just low on confidence, it happens. He's hearing footsteps because he's been sacked in double digits from his blindside and the play calling mostly relies on waiting for routes to complete 3-5 seconds after the snap. They play so conservative for most of the game, and when he has to play catchup because this defence can't stop anyone it leads to mistakes.

All the clowns saying the 'real' Dak is showing up should watch the Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Baltimore, etc games from last year. It wasn't all Zeke, he's played as well as any rookie in history. You don't just forget how to play

Well, you can say someone "doesn't forget how to play," but what about someone like Nick Foles? A mid-round draft pick that had great initial success, then got figured out by the league. Not saying this is Dak, but it does happen. Pretty often actually.

 

[strasscat]

The Falcons game killed his confidence, and with our WR not getting open, he's not getting any help.

 

[Floatyworm]

Does anyone think that perhaps Prescott sees such an incredbily poor defense in practice that it hurts offensive execution in actual contests?

Maybe it creates a false sense of security, and then his confidence is smashed 3 minutes into the game when facing a competent NFL unit.

How else do you explain the horrendous run he is on since Zeke and Lee have been unavailable? He played virtually flawless football last year against almost everybody.

Or maybe it's because Kellen Moore and Romo aren't feeding him where to throw the football...and he isn't making the right reads on his own.

 

[NotForLong]

See, this is the problem...
"he played flawless football against everybody last year" uh, no he didn't. He played the exact same way he is playing now. The difference is that last year, Zeke kept us at 3rd and short and that gave Dak easy wide open throws.
Heck, Weeden could probably make those throws. As is often the case, this league figured Dak out. Last year, Zeke kept us on 3rd and Dak would throw a 5 yard in/out to Beasley or Witten and pick up the first and keep the chains moving. This year , defenses have started doubling Beasley/Witten and Dal can't get the ball to Dez/Williams on the outside so we go 3 and out all game. Now, for those that say "Dez never open waaah" I saw Rivers throwing Allen "open" all game...

Wow someone with a brain. How refreshing

 

[Cowboysfan1975]

Well, you can say someone "doesn't forget how to play," but what about someone like Nick Foles? A mid-round draft pick that had great initial success, then got figured out by the league. Not saying this is Dak, but it does happen. Pretty often actually.

Or RG3 or Kap. Dak can only play a college style offense. He doesn't have the skills to be a Pocket passer. That stuff usually works the first year and not after. IF we had Zeke and our o line wasn't so banged up Dak would be fine. He can't carry a team though. Romo haters are going to really look back at his time here and wish they would have appreciated what he did for us while he was doing it. It could be a long long time until we have that great of QB play around here.

 

[Zman5]

See, this is the problem...
"he played flawless football against everybody last year" uh, no he didn't. He played the exact same way he is playing now. The difference is that last year, Zeke kept us at 3rd and short and that gave Dak easy wide open throws.
Heck, Weeden could probably make those throws. As is often the case, this league figured Dak out. Last year, Zeke kept us on 3rd and Dak would throw a 5 yard in/out to Beasley or Witten and pick up the first and keep the chains moving. This year , defenses have started doubling Beasley/Witten and Dal can't get the ball to Dez/Williams on the outside so we go 3 and out all game. Now, for those that say "Dez never open waaah" I saw Rivers throwing Allen "open" all game...

So you want to compare a 2nd year QB to a 14 year vet? LOL. Do you think Aaron Rodgers was the best QB in the league in his second year? He wasn't even the best QB on his team in his second year.

 

[Beast_from_East]

So you want to compare a 2nd year QB to a 14 year vet? LOL. Do you think Aaron Rodgers was the best QB in the league in his second year? He wasn't even the best QB on his team in his second year.

This is why it was totally stupid then to bench a 14 year vet and make a rookie the starter.

 

[noshame]

People we have no deep threat as in zero so teams are just playing us tight because they know we've got nothing else.
They're allowing their front four to tee off because there's no threat of Zeke blowing past them and Going the Distance.

We got a tight end who I love dearly but looks like a guard going down the field. We got a number one wide receiver who no longer fights to get to the football like he has in years past.
Give me a quarterback coach give me a new offense of coordinator and give me one rocket at wide receiver, that's my number one pick

 

[Grevus]

It's clear that the Cowboys are a run first team. The only player on offense that other defenses are scared of is Zeke. Our WRs are possession WR that have trouble getting open. There are no deep threats on this team. Our HOF TE is not going put up big numbers. Our other RB are ok, but nothing great. When Zeke is in the game, the defense is scared of what he might do. This opens the passing game up for us. Without Zeke, our scheme is run the ball and short passes since the opposing defense doesn't have to worry about the deep pass. Dak is struggling and has lost some confidence for sure. He's been put into a position that he has had to deal with before. Last year, losing Dez for a span didn't effect him, but this year losing Zeke has effected the entire offense.

This is on coaching and scheme. The scheme is a predictable offense that doesn't try to hid what they are doing. They just line up and say, "Beat Us" if you can. Well, they can and often without Zeke.

 

[Risen Star]

Here's my theory: Lacks talent.

 

[Cowboysfan917]

We should have kept Romo and let this kid develop behind him for a couple of years, but hey, what's new, Garrett blew it.
For the people that say Romo would've gotten injured, so what, that's why you have Dak as a backup.

Exactly! #1, injuries are weird and we have no way of knowing if Romo would've been hurt.
#2, you lose nothing had he been hurt.

 

[DFWJC]

 

[DFWJC]

The OP was honest.
Grasping at straws indeed

 

[willia451]

I was at the game yesterday (the tickets were a gift from my daughter so I couldn't say no) and had a birds eye view from the nose bleed section.

The bottom line is the Cowboys WRs can't get separation. They were almost never open. So Dak was forced to check down, throw the ball away, or take a sack. And the Chargers had zero respect for the running game. They simply did not care if they gave up 3 or so yards on a carry. They were gambling that without Zeke the Cowboys running game was not sustainable. And they were right.

On the flip side, the Chargers WRs were open all day long. Easy throws for Rivers. The Cowboys secondary is trash.

We're lucky the Chargers didn't hang a 50 burger on the Cowboys. But they kept shooting themselves in the foot with mistakes. At least in the first half.

But whatever. That was NOT a very good football team the Cowboys played yesterday. The Cowboys are simply that bad.

We better target some WRs in the off season. Just like the Eagles did. Because the group we have right now stinks.

 

[haleyrules]

After this defeat Prescott is going to take some heat and he deserves it. He has earned the criticism. He is young and personally l hope he can regain his confidence. Its not a certainty with the present support staff. The Cowboys can not be completely dependent on a RB or LB that is non sense. The QB and others must step up and find a way to win. All the good teams do. That starts with the leadership of the club and that starts with the QB. Prescott is not there at this point. This doesn't need to be added but the coaching staff needs to be upgraded too.

 

[Kalyan]

no. Whats happening is teams took away roll out throws and forcing him to sit in pocket and progress thru his reads. He probably should have been back-up QB for 3 years to properly learn to read defense.

I don't know how everyone else feels but this whole season Dak is looking to throw to Dez first, regardless of the defensive coverage and offense play. He was spreading the ball a lot last year and throwing to beasely, witten, butler but something happened this off season. Bu the time he looks if dez is open every play and looks for second option, that play window is closed. I don't have proof but I don't think Dak is going through his reads like he is supposed to