What’s up with Dak Prescott? Cowboys QB mired in ‘fall’ after injuries involving Ezekiel Elliott, Tyron Smith
Dak Prescott starts the 2021 NFL season as one of the hottest full-backs in football. But in recent weeks, his offense and that of the Cowboys have been less pronounced.
Dallas started the season with a 6-1 record but they only drew 4-3 in their last seven games. That doesn’t mean terrible, but that’s definitely a drop from what we saw in the early part of the season, especially in attack.
The Cowboys have averaged 351.4 yards of offense per game in their last seven games. They averaged 454.9 yards of fouls per game in their first seven games, so that has led many to wonder what exactly the Cowboys’ fouls were.
Owner Jerry Jones seems to have an idea. He said that Prescott was mired in a “slump” for a appear on the radio weekly on 105.3 The Fan on December 14.
“I do not want to talk [it’s a] “It’s a multi-faceted assessment,” says Jones. I’d say our offense is definitely a far cry from 5-6 weeks ago. ”
When breaking down the numbers, it seems that Jones’ assessment is fair. Here’s why Prescott is down and what the underlying cause of his problems could be.
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Statistics of Dak Prescott before and after injury
Jones was quick to deny that Prescott was nursing any kind of lingering injury during his radio appearance.
“Yes, he is [healthy]”Jones talks about Prescott.” He will understand. “
That may be true, but it’s also important to note that since missing a game with a calf injury in the final game of Dallas’ Week 6 win over the Patriots, Prescott has been noticeably worse. He fell in every major statistical category when comparing his last seven games post-injury with his six games before the injury.
| Statistical | Pre-injury | After injury |
| Game | 6 | 7 |
| Complete % | 73.2 | 64.9 |
| Number of passes per game | 302.2 | 255 |
| Number of cards per try | 8.4 | 6.5 |
| Overcoming TDs | 16 | 9 |
| Interceptor | 4 | 6 |
| PFF pass point | 87.6 | 69.2 |
Looks like Prescott is feeling some lasting effects from this injury. Or maybe he just isn’t as confident in his feet as he was at the start of the year. The calf problem occurred in his right leg, where Prescott fractured his right ankle at the end of the 2020 season, so perhaps that is affecting him both physically and mentally.
Whatever the problem, the fact that it started after Prescott’s injury may not be a coincidence. He may be perfectly healthy – or close to it – but either way, he needs to figure out how to get back into rhythm.
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How Ezekiel Elliott’s Injury Has Affected Dak Prescott
Prescott isn’t the only one who can deal with the lingering effects of trauma. Ezekiel Elliott has been dealing with a knee injury in recent weeks. He hasn’t missed a single game yet, but he’s clearly been affected by the disease.
Elliott first suffered the injury, a bone bruise, in Week 9 against the Broncos. As a result, his production has waned, as he handles nearly four fewer takes per game and averages 3.3 yards per shot post-injury.
| Statistical | Pre-injury | After injury |
| Game | 8 | 6 |
| Carries for each game | 16 | 12.2 |
| Number of cards per game | 77.8 | 40 |
| Number of cards per try | 4.9 | 3.3 |
How has that affected Prescott? Well, the Cowboys’ running game was less efficient and averaging 4.0 yards per take versus 4.9 in games where Elliott was healthy. And while Tony Pollard was able to make up for Elliott’s lack of production at the start of the season, he is dealing with a leg injury that kept him out of Week 14.
Normally, the Cowboys can get away with a bit more running away with Prescott having his share of his problems. However, the game’s lack of performance from the Cowboys instead put more pressure on Prescott in making plays. He simply couldn’t do it.
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How Tyron Smith’s Absence Affects Dak Prescott
All in all, quality attacking play has a big influence on NFL quarterbacks, and Prescott is no exception. So it comes as no surprise to learn that he has struggled during his career as his star, Tyron Smith, has been unable to compete.
Smith has faced a number of injuries throughout his career that have kept him out of action. Notably, he has faced back and leg injuries, but in 2021 he also has an ankle problem. That has caused him to miss four games and left him restricted to several others.
With Smith out of action this season, Prescott continues to struggle without him. Smith has missed a total of four games, and Prescott’s passes have dwindled as he is dropped and he will also receive one more sacking per game with Smith out of the lineup.
| Dak Prescott | Complete % | Horizontal pass | Overcoming TDs | Interceptor | Number of times removed |
| With Tyron Smith | 69.6 | 293 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 1.6 |
| No Tyron Smith | 66 | 240 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 2.5 |
Having Smith back and fully fit will be a boon for Prescott, so the Cowboys are definitely focusing on getting Smith back as soon as the season draws to a close. It could be argued that Smith was the single most important factor in Prescott’s success. He may not be the flashy, positionally skilled stars of Elliott, CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper, but the protection he provides for the Dallas quarterbacks is paramount.
Will Prescott soon get out of his slump? The Cowboys will certainly hope so, but it could take a while if Smith remains out of their Week 16 clash with the Washington Soccer Team.
