The Dallas Cowboys need their superstars to take over, and that starts with the highest-paid player in the NFL. Dak Prescott is the heart and soul of the team, and to get some wins, he will need to step up with the injuries this team has endured.
The Cowboys will be without two of the most critical players on the defense, Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. The offense will be without its number two wide receiver, Brandin Cooks.
Both sides of the ball have struggled the last few games, and the injuries will only amplify the deficiencies. One of the few ways to overcome the issues is for Dak Prescott to lead this team to victory.
Big Game Dak Prescott is Needed
Fans, players, and media know that if Dak Prescott gets rolling, he will be hard to stop. He will have his number one wide receiver, CeeDee Lamb, and a below-par running game that needs more touches.
Dak Prescott is more than capable of taking over a game, and to accomplish the goals of playoff wins and a Super Bowl appearance, he will need to be Superman-esque.
The runner-up in MVP voting last season put up big numbers. He had several games with multiple touchdown passes and big yards.
He averaged 269.5 yards a game and 2.1 touchdowns with a 7.7-yard average. These numbers are not too far off from where he is this year.
Through four games this year, he has averaged 268 yards per game, 1.5 touchdowns, and 7.2 yards. His yards per game are down, but that is due to having one good receiver and an injured Jake Ferguson at tight end.
Prescott can and will carry the offense.
Dak Prescott and No Run Game
The one thing that could most affect Dak Prescott and the passing game is a terrible run game. This part of the offense needs to step up, but where are they now compared to the league?
The run game is 32nd in the league with 301 rushing yards, 31st in attempts, and 30th in rushing average at 3.5 yards. These numbers are killing the passing game because the offense gets bogged down when the defense doesn’t have to respect the run.
In 2023, the offense opened up all facets with a competent running game. For the season, the run game had 1,920 yards, which ranked 14th in the league, 14th in attempts with 468, and 20th in average yards per rush with 4.1.
Tony Pollard was a big reason for the rushing attack, which wasn’t amazing but got the job done. The Cowboys let him go, and now the team has backups as starters.
If Mike McCarthy figures out how to run the ball with the running backs he has available, it will assist Dak Prescott in getting the ball to the receivers and tight ends.
Maybe it is time for Dalvin Cook to get the call-up and see what he offers.
Coaching is an Issue
When Mike McCarthy took over as coach, he was seen as an offensive upgrade. The offense hasn’t been terrible, but the play-calling is bland.
McCarthy can create more confusion for opposing defenses by simply incorporating more motion into his offense. Mike McCarthy had this to say about the pre-snap motion.
“We’ve got a great analytics department. I think I’ve probably seen all the ones you saw and didn’t throw out the ones that are good. That’s part of the equation, too. I think part of what I was talking about earlier, you’ve got to look at the situation, particularly on offense.”
“Some of our formation, I was talking to John Park (Director of Strategic Football Operations) about this yesterday, some of our formation tendencies, you’ve got to factor in.”
He blamed the lack of pre-snap motion on the two-minute situations.
“I think we’ve been almost three-quarters of two minutes, so those are screwed a little bit.”
I asked Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy about the lack of presnap motion for the coaches and scouts on Twitter. Thank me please pic.twitter.com/mpDiWkemTw
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) September 30, 2024
This statement from McCarthy shows he doesn’t know what’s going on. The pre-snap motion should be used before you get into your two-minute offense.
Using pre-snap motion early in the game keeps the defense on edge and gives Dak Prescott more looks at the defensive shifts. As much as people don’t think Prescott is a good quarterback, he can read a defense.
Mike McCarthy should be widely blamed for the lack of offensive creativity. Jones is responsible for the lack of talent at the running back position.
The Dak Prescott show is about to start, and he will need to be the man on offense. The front office and coaching staff have put him in a challenging position, but if anyone can carry this offense, it will be Rayne Dakota Prescott.