A Dream Come True! Let's Do This Cowboys Nation #Blessed #135
— Dak Prescott (@dak) April 30, 2016
This isn’t a dream, Cowboys Nation. This is real life. Through two preseason games it looks like Dak Prescott is the real deal. And you know what? It’s totally and completely understandable/cool to buy into that. Let’s discuss.
Where Did This Come From?
If I told you on April 28th, the night Ezekiel Elliott was selected 4th Overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2016 NFL Draft, that at one point in time there would be a Cowboys rookie who would be at the center of the NFL universe that wasn’t him there’s no way on earth you would have believed me.
The NFL Draft served as a moment in time where the Dallas Cowboys actually did everything they could to get someone else other than Dak Prescott. This is a subject that I touched on earlier this week here at Inside The Star when I discussed how Dallas lucked into Prescott. Sometimes lucky is better than good, so hooray!
So Dak Prescott has seemingly come from nowhere this preseason period. Except that he came from Mississippi State where, at one point, his Bulldogs were deemed the best college football team in the country. Having played in the SEC, Dak Prescott is aware of what the heat feels like on the big stage… a great tool for a Dallas Cowboys quarterDAK to have.
What Has Dak Prescott Even Done?
In the Cowboys preseason opener, and the NFL’s return to Los Angeles mind you, last week Dak was 10 of 12 for 139 yards with two touchdowns to boot. You know that. Duh.
Last night Dak Prescott said great isn’t great enough and he started cooking with gas. Against the Miami Dolphins, Dak Prescott was 12 of 15 for 199 yards and another pair of those things that earn you six points and a chance for a seventh. Oh and did I mention that Dak rushed 3 times for 28 yards and another pair of touchdowns?
My fantasy football draft is tomorrow (fellow leaguemates… you suck). In standard fantasy football leagues this would’ve been good for 29 points. 29! That’s absurd!
Prescott has, under the noted caveat that this is preseason, completely obliterated any and all expectations that Cowboys Nation loyalists could have possibly had of him. To this point, the football has literally gone from his hands to the endzone more times than it has gone to the ground. THAT IS AMAZING.
Why It’s Okay To Buy In
Just a season ago Cowboys fans worldwide were well-experienced in sadness. We tuned in week after week to watch the Brandon Weeden, Matt Cassel, and Kellen Moore blended cocktail disappoint us in new, innovative, and spectacularly painful ways.
On the RJOShow Cowboys/Dolphins Postgame Episode I said that this is the most talent we’ve ever seen in a Tony Romo backup quarterback. That is not hyperbolic. Is it only two preseason games that we’re basing this off of? Yes. That’s how horrible the talent behind Romo has been, that two preseason games are enough to justify Dak Prescott being better than them.
What makes Prescott and his hype so unique to the Dallas Cowboys is that the coaching staff is completely catering to his play style. Garrett and Co. are not forcing Dak to play to the beat of their drum. They’re turning on Dak’s music, getting out a disco ball, and dancing like it’s New Year’s Eve and they’re seeing incredible results from it. This is perhaps the biggest reason why it’s safe to believe in what Dak is so far… the coaching staff is going to keep feeding it.
Where Do We Go From Here?
At this point, Dak Prescott is the cemented backup quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. In addition to that (no big deal just the position that defined the 2015 season), Dak Prescott is the closest thing that the Cowboys have ever had to an heir for Antonio Ramiro Romo.
Cowboys Nation needs to sit back, turn on that Dak music, grab some snacks… and enjoy the ride.
This is a foreign experience to us. Don’t question it. Enjoy it. Believe in it.
For what it’s worth if anyone out there suggests to you that Dak Prescott should at any point in time take over for Tony Romo… well, you know what to do.
Show them the tape. Tell them the facts. Tony Romo is the indisputable leader of the Dallas Cowboys. We’ve just got some insurance now, which we drastically needed a season ago.
Suck it, 2015. We’re never doing that again. Not now. NOT EVER!
Are you buying into the Dak Prescott hype? Let us know! Comment below, Email me at RJ@RJOchoaShow.com, or Tweet to me at @rjochoa!
Dak looked good again. It is still too early in the preseason to establish Dak as the 2nd team backup QB for 2016. Lets wait and see how he does in the last two preseason games. However, it is looking really good for him at this point. It also could soon be very hard for the coaches and FO to considered brining in a veteran QB. He could in fact be the T Romo replacement down the line and the next franchise QB if he keeps playing anything like he has and keeps improving. I also don’t know to what extent the plays have been simplified for him or how good of a defense he has faced or how well he is doing in practice. I am pleasantly surprised with his performance so far. Since I am a K Moore fan I would also say I think K Moore would have done well in these first two preseason games also but not as well as Dak.
George, I’ve razzed you a fair bit about your Kellen Moore devotion. I have to give you credit for being fair and willing to adjust your feelings based on what Dak’s done these last two weeks. Good job.
Jess, Thanks. I do try to be objective and factual. I believe most people don’t when it comes to Kellen Moore. As best I can tell it has to do with his physical limitations. He does not look like an NFL QB, is not very athletic and does not have a strong arm. Most people therefore conclude he cannot or most likely cannot play effectively in the NFL even though he was extremely successful at the college level. He was one of the best pocket passer ever at the college level. There have been many QBs that were successful at the college level but could not make it in the NFL which makes most people feel K Moore probably falls into this category, especially with his physical limitations. These are all the same reasons he was not drafted. Hopefully he will get more chances in the NFL to prove himself. If he had not gotten hurt, I believe the sports writers and fans would probably already be starting to change their tune somewhat about K Moore because I believe he would have done really well against Los Angeles and Miami and would still be continuing to hold the 2nd team QB position at this point. He is a unique or special QB especially if he can play effectively in the NFL, as S Linehan thinks he can, because no one may have ever played in the NFL with his set of physical limitations. The bottom line is his other skills/abilities to be a pocket passer, other than his physical limitations, are probably off the charts. His mental/cerebral abilities combined with his accuracy and anticipation are the main abilities/skills that allow him to be effective at pocket passing most likely even at the NFL level. S Linehan has basically said as much and he should know. What is scary is I believe K Moore because of his work ethic, attitude, ability to learn, mental/cerebral abilities will get better with more experience/reps. I have not concluded his ceiling is just a backup QB which it may be. If he keeps improving which is very likely and if he gets the opportunity, he could be a starter someday for an NFL team. I don’t think he will ever be an elite QB because of his physical limitations.