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- 2019-2020
Preseason: A Little Self-Reflection On Dak's Career Projection
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This edition of "The Tortured
Cowboys Fan" has also been published by the fine folks at
Sports TalkLine.
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August 20, 2019 At 1:09 AM CST
By Eric M. Scharf-
- “SO WHAT if they doubt
you? They doubted me, too.” – Dak Prescott in a pre-2019 NFL draft
TV spot message to the (eventual) top overall pick, Kyler Murray
(over whom opinions had been – and may still be – temporarily
blurry).
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Prescott knows all about doubt, though not his own, as he has always
carried a confident, determined tone. He has gone from being the
135th overall pick in the 2015 draft to a mature-beyond-his-years
starting quarterback with whom the Dallas Cowboys believe a Super
Bowl winner they can craft.
Since Dak’s 2016 rookie year (when a catastrophic preseason injury
to “that announcer guy” forced him into action on-the-fly), the
former Mississippi State product has led the Cowboys to a 32-16
regular season record (including 67 touchdown passes with just 25
interceptions, as well as 18 rushing touchdowns). If not for 25
fumbles (by a man with 10.88-inch hands) and 113 hesitation-driven
sacks (a large portion of which stalled numerous offensive attacks),
his critics would surely be nonsensical clowns.
Only the New England Patriots’ Tom Brady (the winningest quarterback
in NFL history and the dastardly disruptor of many a contender’s
plan), has won more contests in that same span. And 14 of Prescott’s
32 regular season victories have been fourth-quarter game-winning
comebacks. While this is an NFL record for a QB in his first three
seasons, skepticism remains over a small-yet-slowly-changing number
of reasons.-
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Besides, a little rhetorical self-reflection on Dak’s career projection is
more
productive than blindly accepting stretched narratives without question
(unless you are a blissful, just-along-for-the-ride sheep,
disinterested in sharing even a single discerning peep).
A Stranger To Danger
Prescott’s risk-averse ratio of touchdowns-to-interceptions has been
nice, but so many fumbles from such large football hands is an
offsetting vice, for which an inconsistent offense and bad
defensive field position are often the price.
Comebacks are exciting and even GREAT, especially if your team is on the
right side of the physical debate. That announcer guy had a few of
his own, but the reasons behind such exhilarating recoveries can-and-do cause observers
(from Cowboys’ partisans to cutting prognosticators) to groan and
moan. How many comebacks did Prescott have to pursue because an
aggressive opponent took fast and furious action? How many were as a
result of “Marinelli’s Men” being unable to dig in and gain
traction? How many occurred because of a lack of consistent, early-game
offensive satisfaction?
That announcer guy spent a great deal of his career playing rock,
paper, scissors with many a deficient Dallas defense to decide which
unit of the Cowboys would play more game day dense. When that
announcer guy finally gained control over his (almost criminal)
thread-the-needle impulsivity, it was because his do-it-yourself
proclivity was finally anchored to a potent offensive line and a
suddenly sturdy “Running Man,” allowing that announcer guy to
more-comfortably adhere to the game day plan. Being able and willing
to share the performance load created significantly more
opportunities to drive victory road. That coming-of-age experience
was a late-blooming lesson to be learned. It is ironic – with the
comparatively cautious Prescott – the (currently conservative)
Cowboys have been sporadically burned.
How many times have avoidable sacks-taken (and lost yards) led to
assumptions mistaken (and opportunities made unnecessarily hard)?
WHAT remains so incredibly poisonous about throwing it away (after
going through all reasonable progressions or sidestepping sudden
defensive transgressions) to maintain better field position for the
very next play? While Prescott can be impressively mobile, his
hesitation to organically escape a failing pocket more often (rather
than needlessly giving defenders a static passer to soften) has
proven not so noble.-
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Self-preservation is a key part of the quarterback equation
(especially when it comes to evading a designed defensive collision)
but more consistent use of Dak’s wheels creates yet another way to
keep defenses on their heels. Prescott – from day one – has been
determined to prove he is a legitimate, make-all-the-throws, pocket
passer, but will that obsession (without consistent accuracy or
natural anticipation) discourage him, when really necessary, from
becoming an open field gasser? Hard to know. Onto the next
reflection we go!
You Dare With Unfair?
“The continued Harsh JUDGEMENT of Dak is completely
unfair!”
you say. It comes with the territory of being the Dallas Cowboys
starting quarterback every single day. Fair is irrelevant when you
inhabit the single most important position on a professional
football team and when you are historically expected to lead the
charge on realizing their team’s first or latest Super Bowl dream.
If quarterback was just another role among 53 – rather than a figure
so key who sets, resets, and ADJUSTS the tone – Dallas would de-emphasize QB and forever
feed Zeke through the single-wing, wildcat, or wishbone.
“The Cowboys’ defense is one of the best ever (?!), so Prescott does not
have to be ready for every kind of competitive weather!” you say.
Marinelli’s Men were surprisingly good last season, but one of the
best ever? You must be teasin’. They were certainly not as good as
the Cowboys’ former “Doomsday Defense,” nor the Bears’ ferocious
“46,” or Pittsburgh’s “Steel Curtain,” to name just a few (each of
which had a far more complete package of personnel, depth, and
punishing skill to achieve almost anything they aimed to do).
“Are you more-Than-SUGGESTING Dak is to the “Hot Boyz” as Trent Dilfer was to
the 2000 Baltimore Ravens’ defense?!” you gasp. No, not at all, and
the concept (or disregarded truth) of a lopsided workload should not
be so hard to grasp. Dilfer could consistently lean on a defense
that enjoyed an inconceivable amount of salary-cap-era depth and
collective skill that could kill. Dilfer’s performances (by and
large) were miserable (even WITH then-promising rookie running back
Jamal Lewis delivering a quality rushing attack), but Baltimore’s
defense was violently successful and diabolically durable.-
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Prescott
can-and-should do more (yes, with a playbook that has been a
conservative mess) than patiently wait for corrective measures by
Marinelli’s Men every now and then. The Hot Boyz absolutely carried
the offense through several games in 2018 when Dak and Co. did not
have the finishing touch. The Hot Boyz are, however, laughably and
unmistakably NOT that
automatic Ravens-like defensive crutch when the offense fails to at
least “go Dutch.”
Will Dak be able to give Marinelli’s Men longer possession breaks
every now and then? Hard to know. Onto the next reflection we go!
He Just Wins, Baby!
“B-But 'ALL DAK DOES IS WIN' and to suggest anything else is a
blasphemous sin!” you angrily sputter. Detailing the when, how, and
with whom Prescott has succeeded (or been exposed and
play-call-impeded) makes that “one man alone” refrain start to
stutter. While never one to purposely parse a statement towards an
argument abatement, “The Tortured Cowboys Fan” has also never been a
supporter of shouting “Scoreboard!” or spewing the ultimate
talk-to-the-hand copout: “A win is a win!” Yeah, yeah, yeah, “It is
hard to win in the NFL (when the occasional, unvarnished truth is
that “we really smell”),” but it is so much harder when habits
slow-to-dissolve (by the play-caller and the footballer)
continue to stunt a QB’s ability to more quickly evolve.
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Again, and again and AGAIN. The Dallas Cowboys’ offense is
(currently) constructed to (repeatedly ab)use the run to set up the
pass while Marinelli’s Men (health-permitting) kick maximum ass. If
anything should occur to negatively impact the Cowboys’ ability to
reliably and successfully run the ball (whether due to o-line
injuries, Zeke’s continued contract negotiation absence, or a
particularly stout opponent enjoying in-the-box dominance), Dak must
be ready-and-able to deliver a larger, more refined production haul.
Marinelli’s Men hustle and have the muscle to tussle, but they are
not (presently) built to heroically hold the fort “every damn time”
the offense suffers a(n avoidable) consistency stall. Remember
Exhibit A? The ‘Boys
failure against a beatable L.A.? Dallas took an
unrecoverable hit with a one-armed Antwaun Woods. Starting 2019
without a healthy DeMarcus “Tank” Lawrence and enduring a 2-game
stretch without Robert “The Mighty” Quinn could prevent the Hot Boyz
from delivering the early-season goods.
Dak must make more of his opportunities count, because crucial
players (whom he expects to reliably answer his game day prayers)
will not always be available, as unpredictable injuries and
inevitable contract clashes may continue to mount.
Will Dak be able to take on more of the burden when others at key
positions are either holdin’ out or hurtin’? Hard to know. Onto the
next reflection we go!-
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Practice Makes Perfect In Part
"He’s ready to go. The great thing about [Prescott] is he attacks
practices like they’re games . . . he’s been awesome . . . he’s
unique. I just think there are very few people that have his
mindset." - Jon Kitna, Quarterbacks Coach, Dallas Cowboys.
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Kitna (understandably) has an improved approach to peddle until his
pupil can really test his newly-polished metal. Practice
makes perfect in part, but replicating what you have practiced in
the regular season and playoffs is the true art.
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Will Dak make Kitna look like a QB whisperer or just another passing
game chauffeur? Hard to know. Onto the next reflection we go!
Promising Leader Or Talent Bleeder?
“One of the things that [Dak] brought was such great leadership to
the team. When you have a guy who’s such an alpha dog and such a
strong leader, guys look for that leadership.” – Dan Mullen (former
Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach and current University of
Florida head coach) prior to Prescott’s first pro football start.
“See? SEE?! Even Dak’s old college coach – a fella’ beyond
reproach – says that Dak’s leadership is virtually a divine art!”
you maddeningly mutter. One way or another, it will take more than
“do as I say, not as I do” leadership for Prescott to make quality
use of his 2019 receiving crew.
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“Everyone knows” that being a successful quarterback in today’s
pass-happy NFL continuously (and unmercifully) requires more than
being a chest-thumping leader and a risk-restricting game manager.
Playing on that leadership theme, perhaps 2K (Kellen and Kitna) have
positioned Prescott to lead his retooled receivers on a
throw-them-open adventure? Maybe Dak will toss one or more a
target-leading lob to new teammate Randall Cobb? While the talented
former Packer is no QB snob, he is used to having a quarterback who
can more-than-do-the-job. Perhaps the new normal (that 2K has
crafted) for Dak will involve more frequent use of an in-stride long
ball attack, as a balance to his career surplus of short-to-medium
passes with gobs of (wear-and-tear) YAC? And that leadership trait
cuts both ways. If the called plays (continue to) result in unwanted
haze, Dak must have the will to (occasionally, perhaps
significantly, but not impulsively) alter a play, post-snap, and
on-the-fly . . . “just a bit” like that announcer guy.
“Are you [bleeping] BLIND?! Did you NOT SEE what Dak was able
to throw when put in a bind, especially the deep kind?!” you
exasperatedly shout, almost to the point of passing out. The
following images retell the 2018 tale of how Prescott intermittently
(somewhat inaccurately and often uncomfortably) caught the vertical
game by the tail, with his top three receivers reliably finding
their way back to the ball without fail.
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While "Dak The Leader" has a nice ring to it, the resultant
admiration (from GM Jerry on down to the practice squad's Moe, Shemp,
and Larry) slowly but surely goes on vacation when – in more and
varied a passing
situation – you cannot increasingly follow through with it.
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Nonetheless,
Dak – to his increasing credit – has, indeed, grown into his
leadership position, and being an old soul has helped him withstand
"distractive" attrition. That particular intangible, though
quite valuable,
is not the one the Cowboys urgently need Dak to make most flammable.
While Linehan’s play-calling had become impossibly stale, continuing
to (in part) set his quarterback up to flail (rather than helping
him set sail), Dak’s willingness to learn from 2K and improve for
his teammates has been far from frail.
Will Dak be able to display dynamic leadership in cutting his receivers some slack by helping them go
the distance with less YAC? Hard to know. Onto the next reflection
we go!
No Going Back
“Soooo, you want Dallas to START OVER AT QUARTERBACK or risk a
rotten return to the days of an ID (Injured Danny), RT (Retired
Troy), or an IT (Injured Tony) . . . when Cowboys fans had to
painfully endure a collective QB phony?!” you exhaustedly plead
(while defending your quarterback creed). Not at all, cuz. No team
can survive such a list of problematic passers (from before-his-time
to all-hype-prototype to has-been to never-was).
Reggie “You See Me, RGIII?” Collier. Steve “Rhymes With Manure”
Pelluer. Kevin “Arm So Large But Body So Teeny” Sweeney. Anthony “If
I’m Wrong, I Never Wanna’ Be” Wright. Ryan “Money Thief” Leaf. Clint
“No Head Turner” Stoerner. Chad “Neither Pitch Nor Pass” Hutchinson.
Drew “Right Muppet” Henson. Brad “Check Down Charlie” Johnson. Matt
“Not Worth The Hassle” Cassel. Brandon “Brain Bleedin” Weeden.
Kellen “The Mind Will But The Body Won’t” Moore.
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Quincy “Powder Room” Carter (UGH, if he had ONLY been
recreationally smarter!), Vinny “Journeyman” Testaverde, Drew
“Not Gonna’ Listen” Bledsoe, and Jon “Preacher Teacher” Kitna were
the only exceptions able to infrequently elevate themselves from the
killing floor.
While GM Jerry and Co. have every intention of remaining a minimum
safe distance from such inconsistent (and even rotten) play, fate
dictates whether or not the Cowboys are just one injury away (from
the historically uneven mush of one Cooper Rush). This
reflection is not about who else Dallas could, should, or would
otherwise have at quarterback. The (needy but not greedy) mission is
about encouraging Dak (away from Linehan’s remaining shrink wrap and
an abundance of limiting crap) to do even more to expand the
Cowboys’ offensive attack.
“If only Dak had not done so well in elevating himself from
forgotten featherweight 4th-rounder to promising heavyweight
pound-for-pounder, right?” you say in a strangely demoralized way.
Then, neither fan nor prognosticator would care enough to so
incessantly and repeatedly point to areas in which he can improve in
order to help Dallas “Finish This Fight.”-
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From 4th-round
project to shiny object, Prescott has undeniably outperformed all
pre-draft prognostications and fan expectations, save for maybe his
own. He certainly deserves that standout bone, but the Cowboys (from
which Dak has required some one-sided collaboration) now need
more from him towards miraculous fulfillment of the decades-old dream
that has eluded “America’s Team.”
Whataboutism
“WHAT ABOUT the Iggles’ Carson Wentz or the Rams’ Jared Goff?!”
you incredulously gag and cough. It is pretty clear you want to
scream and blow off some steam, but those pretty boys DO NOT PLAY
FOR AMERICA'S TEAM (stated JUST a little louder for the fans in the back
for the hearing they ignorantly, stubbornly lack). While mainstream media continues to view each of
them as a more complete quarterback than Dak – no matter how much
comparative data shows otherwise – the only thing that matters to
The Tortured Cowboys Fan is whether or not Prescott will be even
more up to the task of beating those guys (by increasingly and
successfully navigating the ever-present play-calling and
player-personnel impurities surrounding each and every one of HIS
pre-and-post-snap opportunities).-
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Will 2K successfully help
Prescott expand his own power through play-calls designed not to go
instantly sour? Dak handled his 2018 regular season business TWICE
against the team of Wentz but – in the playoffs against the “Son of Bum” – he
suffered some mental dents.
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You wish Prescott could command the collective sports talk appeal?
You want Dak to be the preferred in-studio meal? You want
prognosticators to pump the brakes on how those two frail and
finesse fellas’ represent a better, more “complete quarterback”
deal? “Game recognizes game,” but commentators are not obligated to
ignore the reflections which fill out that frame. “To be the man,
you got to beat the man . . . and – in order to be viewed as an
all-world dude – demonstrate how YOU have broadened your attack
plan!”
Will They Or Won’t They?-
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The Tortured Cowboys Fan is a diehard but neither a Dak hater nor a myopic tater.
If the Dallas Cowboys are going to achieve their ultimate goal much
sooner than later, Dak may have no choice but to become considerably
greater. “Zeke WHO?” playfully said GM Jerry
(referencing a certain contract negotiation with which he must
riposte and parry). An unintended invitation for Dak
and 2K to double down on ensuring Prescott’s passing and scrambling
toolset becomes positively scary.
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Will Prescott take (more of) the bait – against all comers –
and start to crowd the plate, or will he deliver more above average (but
nothing sensationally savage) to fuel more “show me” debate?
We shall see. We always do.
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