After one night Dak Prescott provides all the necessary answers and more, only one question comes to mind:
What’s bigger than the biggest?
Confused? Please explain. Monday night delivered the biggest performance of Prescott’s post-season career, in the biggest game of his life, against the biggest-name rival midfielder of them all, in the biggest proof to date. shakes those who say his skill set is not one of those NFL‘s, well, the biggest.
But what happens next for dalas cowboy and their seventh year quarterback? Even bigger.
Majestic Prescott filled the mood at Raymond James Stadium, as Dallas strode defiantly to a 31-14 trouble of Tampa Bay Buccaneers and immediately became an absolute noisemaker on Sunday, a divisional visit to San Francisco 49ers (6:30 p.m. ET, FOX, and the FOX Sports App).
Perhaps fueled by a week in which one openly wondered if his 1-3 playoff record was a sign that he was missing something, mentally, his tenacity or technical prowess under pressure, he created a masterpiece, albeit one with a snarl that seemed permanently etched on his face.
“I didn’t listen,” he told the ESPN postgame. “I simply don’t listen to anyone’s opinion, anyone’s thoughts. Make sure I’m aware of what I put in my head. Just focus on what I have. can do.”
In doing so, he reminds us that no one dislikes the narrative of his and the Cowboys’ post-season problems – this is their first road playoff win since 1993 – than him, and that he was on a serious quest to rewrite history.
Next week, facing a 49ers squad that is looking like a giant after 11 consecutive wins, will be a harsher and heavier test. brave cat and Tampa was able to deliver.
And yet, if there was ever a time Prescott faced such predicament, it would be now, thanks to a confidence boost big enough to match the hype that would overwhelm the build-to-earth build. Sunday.
Make no mistake, San Francisco wouldn’t like to take on Prescott in this form. No one wants.
Since this is not the nervous young man of six years ago in the match against Green Bay. Or the shy version that appeared against The Los Angeles Rams in 2019. Or the inconsistent guy came out too late to the Niners a year ago and saw time pass before his eyes.
This was a strong, sure, uncompromising performance from a man who looked like he could sense it coming.
Prescott wants to get out there, wants to be involved, wants to be responsible, wants the severity of the situation. He needs to want the next one just as much.
At times, it looked like he was playing Monday’s game in slow motion with the others at real-time speed. He reads the pressure, reacts instantly, and sucks life out of Bucs resistance.
In the end, nothing else matters. There is no opening. Not the record says Brady won 7-0 against the Cowboys. Not the cooling of public opinion for Dallas after the end of the campaign stammering. Not their record of losing on the pitch. And not Brett Mahergreat number of miss extra points.
Prescott was responsible for a total of five touchdowns, one of which came from an interesting camouflage run, rolling to the left, plus scoring throws into the net. Dalton Schultz (twice), CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup.
Naturally, it wasn’t just him and the offense, with the way Dallas D knocked Brady and his crew nothing more than ruthless strangulation on that side of the ball.
However, if the Cowboys want to turn this campaign into something close to what they’re dreaming of, they’ll need his $40 million-a-year QB, the man with the big contract who made the Current similar contract for signal callers in the top three of the league in their position.
Prescott wants to be more than that, and if he can shine when he needs to, shine like that. thisthen he will convince many people that it is a possible goal.
He wants the Cowboys to always be in this position, not fleeting. And among the QBs, he wants to be one of the big dogs.
Or bigger.
Martin Rogers is a columnist for FOX Sports and the author of the FOX Sports Insider newsletter. Follow him on Twitter @MRogersFOX and Sign up for the daily newsletter.
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