Prescott is judged by the standards of Cowboys legends Staubach, Aikman – Dallas Cowboys Blog

FRISCO, Texas — The Dak Prescott The story is at a crossroads.

Not because of what he will write, but because of the way dalas cowboy midfielder will be aware.

Prescott will make his fourth playoff appearance as the Cowboys face Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Monday (8:15 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2/ESPN+) in the qualifying round. He won a knockout match, in the knockout round in 2018 before Seattle Seahawks football team.

Fair or unfair, Cowboys quarterbacks are judged by what Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman did in the 1970s and 1990s, respectively, when the Hall of Famers combined to win five Super Bowl championships. The record of every Cowboys quarterback since then, despite its statistical success (or in Danny White’s case, reaching three consecutive NFC Championship Games), hasn’t been good enough.

Unless Prescott makes it through the knockout stages next month to end the Cowboys’ 26-year Super Bowl drought, he’ll have to battle the unending question of whether he can deliver. are not.

Prescott didn’t run away from pressure to do what Staubach and Aikman did.

“I have to say I want to. I want to win championships and win titles and everything they’ve done, and all the games, put this team in that position,” Prescott said. “But I can’t say that’s my top thought, because I’m thinking about what those guys did, what the excellent midfielders here did before me. I don’t know what they did after that. It’s about focusing on the present and knowing what I can do, what I’m capable of and the opportunity this team has in front of them.”

Tony Romo, Prescott’s predecessor, was in a similar situation. He’s come up with flamboyant stats to become the franchise’s all-time top passer. But he was never able to make it past the knockout round.

He went from an unknown savior during the 2006 season (losing in the knockout round) to losing a group stage knockout at home as the NFC top seed in 2007. In the 2009 knockout, he won his first game of the season, only for the Cowboys to be wiped out in the split.

In 2014, his eighth season as a full-time starter, Romo made his fourth playoff run, after his best season yet. He’s got the Cowboys in a position to beat Green Bay Packers in the division only to have it ripped apart when Dez Bryant’s catch at the line was overturned on replay.

He will only start four more games as his body continues to debilitate. A broken collarbone twice in 2015 and a recurrence of back problems – as well as Prescott’s Rookie of the Year performance – ended Romo’s career after the 2016 season.

Prescott, 29 years old, was younger than Romo then (34 years old), but he also had scars on his body. He dislocated and fractured his right ankle in 2020. He has missed five games this season because of surgery to repair a broken right thumb. He missed a game last season because of a calf strain. He also had season surgery on his left shoulder.

Staubach was 29 years old, like Prescott is now, when he won Super Bowl VI against the Baltimore Colts. But that was only his third season with the Cowboys after a five-year commitment to the Navy. Aikman was 29 years old when he won his third championship, defeating Pittsburgh Steelworker in Super Bowl XXX. He won his first Super Bowl in his fourth season as a Cowboys starter.

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Prescott has started the past seven seasons.

Since 1980, only three quarterbacks have reached their first Super Bowl with their original team after a longer stint as every game starter than Prescott had as starter. Cowboys head. Ken Anderson is in his 10th season with Cincinnati Bengals when they did Super Bowl XVI. The Indianapolis University‘ Peyton Manning (Super Bowl XLI) and Atlanta Falcon‘ Matt Ryan (Super Bowl LI) are in their ninth season as the starting lineup for their respective teams.

Prescott’s play-off games have been mixed.

He got off to a slow start in the 2016 division round against the Packers, finishing only 24 out of 38 for 302 yards and three touchdowns, while also leading a late comeback to finish. the match before Aaron Rodgers’ late game magic ended the cowboy season.

For his only post-season win, in the 2018 knockout round, his numbers aren’t great (22 of 33 for 226 yards, one touchdown, one interception) ), but he ended the game with a memorable 16-yard run in the third and 14th minutes, flipping near the line. In the next play, he gave the Cowboys a 24-14 lead of the Seahawks by 1 yard at 2:08 to play.

But the following week, the Cowboys were run over — literally — by The Los Angeles Rams (273 javelin) in the division round.

And then there was last season’s 23-17 loss in the previous knockout round San Francisco 49ers at AT&T Stadium. The lasting image is Prescott’s midfield keeper in the final seconds, then the Cowboys are unable to clear the ball in time to try one last play.

That loss is still the driving force.

“Too true. Damn it,” Prescott said. “Then, obviously after a game like last week [26-6 road loss to the Washington Commanders], it helps to remind you how precious these moments are. You don’t have these opportunities, you don’t generally get a lot of opportunities to play this game, but to be in the knockout round, have the team we have and know that we have to make sure it has value now. “

Prescott reached the knockout stages in 2022 with an NFL lead in interceptions with 15, despite starting just 12 games in the regular season. He’s had at least one blocked pass in seven consecutive games, the longest record by a Cowboys quarterback since 2004. He’s had three touchdown interceptions in the past four games.

However, Prescott’s confidence in the organization remains as high as ever.

“I don’t know if it really affected his confidence,” ran back Ezekiel Elliott speak. “When you put all the work in, when you have no doubts, there is no reason to lose confidence. You’ve built that through constant iteration, through constant hard work. So I mean, he started working. I know he’s ready.”

Said tackles attack Tyron Smith: “May he be as great as he always is. He does everything he can to prepare himself.”

The recipient said Michael Gallup:”[He’s] literally the same guy every day. The first to enter the dressing room, the last to leave. That’s just what he does. That’s how his brain is connected. … He’s ready to go. It’s just how he is. Never lose faith in [No.] 4.”

Prescott did not lose faith either.

“I just need to win the game, do everything I can and have no doubt about my preparation to make sure I’m giving this team the best chance to do that,” Prescott said. “And understand, I said it myself, yes, we are all judged on our wins and knockouts wins. These problems. I know that.

“It’s not that it’s pressure, but you have to enjoy playing in these moments. You have to enjoy going to games like this. Otherwise, this league, this sport, this is not the place for it. So for me, it’s taking the moment. Being in myself. This is not the time to do anything new, create anything new. Believe in your teammates. myself, trusting the way I’ve prepared all the way through and out there and in the moment.”