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Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
FRISCO, Texas — What did quarterback Dak Prescott do during the Dallas Cowboys’ bye week?
He got engaged.
But he did much more than that. He was at The Star a couple times and got some work in off-campus with receivers, including CeeDee Lamb to try to improve after a so-so start to the season.
“I can’t be stagnant. It’s hard for me to be, so I’ve got to work,” Prescott said. “If there’s times that there’s a couple hours within the day that I can fit it in, especially whether it’s the bye or whatever, I’m going to make sure I can do that. Obviously just the self-scout, wanting to figure out what I need to do better personally, individually, to make this team better, this whole unit better, I wanted to get ahead of it.”
It was no surprise to the coaches that Prescott would be around.
“If anything with Dak you probably worry about him overworking and overtraining,” offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said.
As the Cowboys (3-3) open what head coach Mike McCarthy calls the “second trimester,” of the season Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), all eyes will be on Prescott. They always are, but as the highest-paid player in NFL history, thanks to his four-year, $240 million extension signed hours before the season opener, the scrutiny grows.
That’s hard to imagine for the quarterback of “America’s Team” who has had every move watched from when he was a mere fourth-round pick and Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2016 all the way through five playoff appearances without advancing to the NFC Championship Game.
But it’s true.
If the Cowboys are going to make it to the playoffs for a fourth straight season — something they have not done since the Super Bowl runs of the 1990s — it will be with Prescott leading the way.
“I’d say I’ve played average, and it isn’t good enough right now by any means,” Prescott said. “It’s never been good enough for me. I can’t say that I’ve been happy or excited after any of these games that I’ve played. But understanding there’s more plays out there for me to make, whether it’s in the design or not. [I’m] capable of it.”
So far this season, Prescott has thrown for 1,602 yards, but in three of six games, he completed less than 60% of his passes. He had just one game like that last season. He has never had more than four games in a season with less than a 60% completion rate.
Prescott has six interceptions, putting him on pace for a career-high 17. Twice he’s had six in his first six starts (2019, 2022). In 2019, he finished with 11 INTs in 16 games, but in 2022, his 15 INTs in 12 games (he missed five with a broken thumb) tied for the most in the NFL.
“Obviously, those statistics don’t help for an overall performance,” coach Mike McCarthy said.
Much has been made of the route running by the Cowboys wide receivers since Troy Aikman’s public criticism. According to ESPN Research, Cowboys pass catchers are averaging 2.9 yards of separation. Only the 49ers have been worse (2.8 yards).
Last season, when Prescott led the NFL in touchdown passes (36) and had his best completion percentage (69.5%), Cowboys pass catchers created 3.1 yards of separation, which was just 31st in the league.
This season, the Cowboys have the highest tight-window throw percentage at 23.4%. In 2023, it was 18.8%, which was third in the NFL.
“There’s more to those statistics,” McCarthy said. “Situational involvement is very high in those evaluations too. It’s six games. That’s another thing.”
Whatever the reason, nobody puts it on the weight of the contract.
“The way games get sometimes, and we’ve played in some lopsided games this year, things happen, but no, I don’t think so,” Schottenheimer said. “I think each play is its own. Interceptions happen for different reasons. Turnovers happen for different reasons. But I don’t think he’s pressing. I think he knows who we are. I think for us, we just haven’t been able to play a ton of football that’s been very complementary football.”
The Cowboys have trailed by three scores in each of their losses (New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions), which has impacted how the Cowboys have run their offense. It has made it easier to defend Lamb and more difficult on Prescott.
The bye week allowed Prescott a chance to take a breath — after his proposal — and review his performance. The picture is clearer to him, even if he doesn’t relay what it shows.
“As I’ve said before, I feel like I was seeing it well and I wouldn’t take that back, but there’s some things out there that I can obviously do better. And then some of it, some things I haven’t done that I have done in the past,” Prescott said. “Looking forward just to activate, open up some things in this offense, stay ahead of the chains and, yeah, get it going.”
The Cowboys need him. More than ever.
“Damn excited,” McCarthy said, “and glad he’s our quarterback.”
