Horn: Did Dez Bryant's return to Cowboys make Dak Prescott worse?

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Did Dez Bryant's return to Cowboys make Dak Prescott worse?

By Barry Horn , Staff Writer

It will be an interesting week at The Star in Frisco. Tony Romo's fragile back and Dak Prescott's psyche will be under the microscope.

Just when Prescott was cruising along in what had been a storybook rookie season, the quarterback hit a freezing unit from Philadelphia.

Prescott's hot hand finally went frigid even as he managed to help the Cowboys to a 29-23 overtime victory over the Eagles. He didn't properly thaw until the fourth quarter.

Recall that just before kickoff on Sunday night, NBC's Mike Tirico reported he visited with Jerry Jones and the Cowboys owner had this to say about the Prescott-Romo competition to start at quarterback:

"When you have the hot hand, you have to ride it," Tirico said Jones told him.

"And right now, their rookie fourth-rounder is that man," he ad-libbed.

Then the game started. It took a long time for Prescott to help the Cowboys to 6-1.

Perhaps Prescott was put off by all the "Romo soon will be ready" talk. Or perhaps the clock finally struck midnight.

Or perhaps it didn't help Prescott to have wide receiver Dez Bryant back from injury, despite his tying touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.
The overtime touchdown drive belonged to Cole Beasley, Terrance Williams and Jason Witten, who caught the game winner.

Studio analyst Rodney Harrison warned pre-game about the Cowboys concentrating too much on trying to deliver the ball to Bryant to the detriment of the receivers who helped Prescott get the Cowboys off to their 5-1.

"It's up to Dez to stay patient and not yell and scream on the sideline," said Harrison, a former defense back of note.

Beasley and Williams were shutout in the first half. Prescott targeted them a combined three times. He looked Bryant's way five times. Bryant was the only Cowboys receiver to catch a first-half pass. But the quarterback and ace receiver were clearly not on the same page for much of the night.

It was left to analyst Cris Collinsworth, who pointed out the Prescott-Bryant disconnect, to deliver the signature line of the night in the third quarter.

"They (the Eagles) are just confusing Dak Prescott," Collinsworth proclaimed.

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But back in the post-game studio, Tony Dungy, the Hall of Fame coach, put a bow on Prescott's performance.

"Winners are guys who get the job done even when they're not at their best," he said.

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Collinsworth was gentle on the Prescott goal-line interception near end of the first half.

"For Dak Prescott there are just lessons that will have to be learned the hard way. That was not a difficult read and he just never ever saw (Eagles linebacker) Jordan Hicks."

Tweet of the game was delivered Jason La Canfora, CBS NFL insider, after the Eagles went up 20-10 in third quarter. "Have a feeling Tony Romo is feeling healthier by the minute and 'Ol Dr. Jones is about ready to clear him for duty in Week 9."
 
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