Archer: Dak Prescott crosses another challenge off list

Cotton

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Dak Prescott crosses another challenge off list
7:00 AM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Pick a situation, any situation, and Dak Prescott has figured it all out.

Replace the Dallas Cowboys' all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns at the start of the season. Check.

Overcome a fourth-quarter deficit against a heated rival on the road. Next.

Withstand a two-touchdown deficit on the road and win. Uh-huh.

Win at Lambeau Field against a Super Bowl-winning quarterback and NFL Most Valuable Player. Yep.

Outduel another Super Bowl-winning quarterback at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field with two touchdowns in the final minute. Got it.

Win again with the franchise's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns in uniform for the first time. No problem.

Prescott checked off the last one on Sunday, when the Cowboys set a franchise record with their ninth straight victory in beating the Baltimore Ravens 27-17.

Prescott's most impressive feat on Sunday was to forget Tony Romo was his backup and feeling as if he needed to be perfect.

It was staring down the NFL's top-ranked defense after the Cowboys punted on their first four possessions and converting after Dallas faced first-and-30 from their own 28 in the second quarter. There aren't a lot of plays designed for first-and-30, but five plays later, Prescott had the Cowboys in the end zone.

"It might actually be easier at that point," Prescott said. "You know they're not going to just give you a one-shot, 30-yard play, so it's kind of easier to just know the mentality and check it down and get some of it back."

On first down, Prescott ran for 12 yards. On second down, he hit Dez Bryant for 12 more yards. On third-and-6, he led Brice Butler down the field for 41 yards with a perfectly thrown deep ball. Then on third-and-goal from the Baltimore 3, he sprinted to his right and found Cole Beasley for a 3-yard touchdown pass just inside the pylon.

Prescott was slow to get up because of a hit by C.J. Mosley that was called roughing the passer. The quarterback quickly was examined by the Cowboys' medical staff, which tested his shoulder strength but found no issue.

"The poise that Dak had to get us back into it, that was really important to us," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said.

On the first four drives, Prescott completed just 4 of 10 passes for 31 yards. For the first time all season, the Cowboys punted on four straight drives. For only the second time this season, they did not score in the first quarter.

Prescott was off. Some throws were high. Others were late.

"I wouldn't say he had a bad quarter, because he didn't," Bryant said. "The way he adjusts and handles his business, it says a lot about him. He sits down with the coaches, they fix it and he comes through and executes ball plays."

On the Cowboys' final five drives, Prescott completed 23 of 26 passes for 270 yards, with touchdown passes of 4 and 13 yards to Bryant, in addition to the Beasley score. On the other two drives, the Cowboys settled for Dan Bailey field goals of 30 and 21 yards, the last of which put the game away with 1:50 remaining.

Prescott's only misses were a potential touchdown pass to Jason Witten -- whom he led too much in the back of the end zone before Beasley's touchdown -- a throwaway to Beasley while under pressure and another possible touchdown pass to Gavin Escobar that Shareece Wright was able to poke free.

Prescott did not miss a pass in the fourth quarter. On the Cowboys' final drive, he hit Beasley for 17 yards and a first down on two different occasions, and he had an 8-yarder to Butler for another first down. The Cowboys started their final drive with 8:10 to play, leading by a touchdown. The Ravens didn't get it back until 1:50 remained, trailing by 10 points.

Oh, add another check: Prescott beat his third Super Bowl-winning quarterback of the season in the Ravens' Joe Flacco.

"I mean, I just worry about that one play," Prescott said. "I didn't know I was 14-of-15 [in the second half]. I didn't know probably how many incompletions I threw early in the game. I knew it was a good bit and I wasn't throwing it as quick as I wanted to and didn't have the greatest of starts. I don't worry about that. I just keep focusing on the next play, the next call, and believing in the guys around me making plays or making blocks. And when they do, things get fun."
 

ravidubey

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"I mean, I just worry about that one play," Prescott said.
This might be his biggest strength. He's consistently said this from day one, and I can only hope he keeps this attitude throughout his career.

This way nothing ever gets too big. It's always just about the next play.

With that attitude, I actually believe 1st and 30 in some ways could be viewed as a relief. Knowing you must think in terms of bite-sized chunks of yardage kind of removes deep shots from your options and simplifies your progressions.
 

Cowboysrock55

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This might be his biggest strength. He's consistently said this from day one, and I can only hope he keeps this attitude throughout his career.

This way nothing ever gets too big. It's always just about the next play.

With that attitude, I actually believe 1st and 30 in some ways could be viewed as a relief. Knowing you must think in terms of bite-sized chunks of yardage kind of removes deep shots from your options and simplifies your progressions.
That first and 30 was great. When you get in those situations you just have to sort of think in terms of getting 10 yards a play. Which is difficult but if you can pick up 10 on the first play and 10 on the second, then third down is doable. Dak did even better then that getting the play down to a third and six I believe.
 

townsend

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We also finally beat the Ravens, which kind of feels big.

Sweeping the AFC games seems like a big accomplishment too.
 

lostxn

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We also finally beat the Ravens, which kind of feels big.

Sweeping the AFC games seems like a big accomplishment too.
Yeah but we need really need these division games coming up. We can drop one to the Eagles but got to beat the Giants and Skins.
 
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