The “S” word is everywhere in Dallas when it comes to quarterback Dak Prescott.
When asked Tuesday about his franchise quarterback, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told Dallas’ 105.3 The Fan that he doesn’t “want to say that, slump, but that’s probably fair.”
“But it’s such a multifaceted evaluation that I would say our offense is definitely away from where we were playing five and six games ago from the standpoint of production.”
The Cowboys still have a firm hold on the NFC East at 9-4, but with the playoffs looming, there’s a big old question mark about Prescott’s recent play.
Prescott, who missed the Week 8 win over the Vikings in October due to a calf strain, hasn’t exactly performed lights-out since his return, prompting speculation both in and outside the Cowboys facility about what exactly is wrong with the 28-year-old quarterback.
“Slump, I don’t know if I like the description of slumps. I think sometimes you have better games than others,” Kellen Moore, the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator, recently said, per ESPN.
“I think Dak is still doing a great job. We got to play better as a whole group on offense. I’ve got to call it better first and foremost. I feel like we got a great opportunity ahead of ourselves.”
Prescott had been playing near an MVP-level prior to the injury, he had thrown for 1,813 yards and 16 touchdowns compared to four interceptions.
Last month, star receiver Amari Cooper was sidelined due to the NFL’s COVID protocols, which included the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day loss to the Raiders. What’s more, running back Ezekiel Elliott also suffered a knee injury midway through the season.
In Sunday’s win over Washington, Prescott completed 22 of 39 passes for one touchdown and a pair of interceptions. He also logged a pick and one interception in the Cowboys’ Week 13 win over the Saints. The defense, led by stud rookie Micah Parsons, carried the team to victory.
While cautious chatter seems to be the M.O. in Dallas, Dan Orlovsky had a different “S” word Monday on ESPN’s “Get Up,” suggesting Prescott could be playing “scared.”
“Dak Prescott is regressing. He’s the reason, right now, that there’s offensive struggles. The two basic ways I can say it is, number one, it looks like he’s playing scared football. There’s no comfort or trust within the pocket,” Orlovsky said.
“He looks like he’s playing scared football. He’s scared to hold the ball in the pocket, scared to hang in there and make a play, scared to go be creative, and then there’s no consistency with the conviction of his eyes and his feet.”
Prior to the start of the 2021 season, Prescott suffered a compound fracture and dislocation to his right ankle in October 2020 and was placed on injured reserve.
With four games left in the regular season, starting with a divisional showdown Sunday against the Giants, Prescott will have the opportunity to potentially kick the offense into high gear once again.