Archer: Dak Prescott made sure Cowboys didn't leave Arizona with losing streak

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Dak Prescott made sure Cowboys didn't leave Arizona with losing streak
8:00 AM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Dak Prescott was walking through the halls of University of Phoenix Stadium as Monday night turned into Tuesday morning, talking about the importance of the Dallas Cowboys' 28-17 win against the Arizona Cardinals, when a fan asked for a photo.

He immediately stopped, put on a smile, said thank you and kept on walking.

If he was sore, he didn't show it. If he was tired, it didn't show.

He did show he was pleased.

"It was a tough win -- a tough, team win," Prescott told ESPN. "It wasn't pretty, but it was a great win, especially when you talk about what we came off last week. That's what was of importance for me and this team and this coaching staff and organization. It just shows the character that we have that we played with tonight after being simply hit in the face last week. Embarrassed in our play. Embarrassed in the way we executed. And that's the way we came back."

Prescott's numbers were modest. His 13 completions were the second-fewest he has had in a game he has started and finished in his career. His 18 attempts match the lowest he has had in a game he has started and finished. His 183 yards are the third-lowest he has had in a game he has started and finished.

For the sixth time in his brief career he had two touchdown passes and no interceptions in a game in which he started and finished.

But it was one play that demonstrated what matters most to Prescott and why his teammates have chosen to follow him.

The Cowboys were terrible in the first half. They ran just three plays in the first quarter. They didn't gain a first down until a 30-yard run by Ezekiel Elliott midway through the second quarter, and that drive ended with Prescott sacked on third-and-12 for a 9-yard loss.

On the Cowboys' fourth possession, which started at the Arizona 33, Prescott got the Cowboys into the end zone with a 10-yard run. But it wasn't just any 10-yard run. After faking a handoff to Elliott, Prescott saw Cardinals defenders Antoine Bethea and Justin Bethel waiting for him near the goal line. He dove head-first toward the end zone, knowing he was going to take a big hit.

He flipped in the air and landed in the end zone, and the Cowboys tied a game in which they were being thoroughly outplayed with 1:11 left in the half.

"Not for a touchdown, but I've definitely done that before," Prescott said.

Was he attempting to send a message to his team?

"I mean, all I have in my head is, 'Score a touchdown, help this team win,'" Prescott said. "By any means I'm going to do it."

Maybe that played a part in Dez Bryant's carrying Cardinals defenders into the end zone on his third-quarter, 15-yard touchdown for which he received a little help from center Travis Frederick. Maybe that played a part in Brice Butler's 37-yard leaping touchdown that put the Cowboys up for good with 11:52 to play and his 53-yarder that set up Elliott's final touchdown.

"He's making a play," Bryant said. "That's Dak. That's Dakota. He's making a play. A lot of credit goes to that man."

In the second half, Prescott completed 8 of 12 passes for 128 yards. He ran once more for seven yards. Prescott's four completions in the second half that traveled at least 15 yards downfield were as many as he had in the first two games of the season combined, according to ESPN Stats & Information. As ugly as the running game was at times, Prescott had a career-high 139 yards off of play-action.

"But as much as anything else he's got an amazing spirit," Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said. "It's contagious. Our players follow him, not only our offensive players, but our entire team. When you demonstrate that fight at that position again and again and again and demonstrate that leadership and that guidance to your teammates, it's pretty special."

Things didn't go well for Prescott against the Denver Broncos. He completed 30 of 50 passes for 238 yards with two touchdowns. For just the second time in his career, he was intercepted more than once.

He entered Monday not having lost back-to-back games in his career.

With his touchdown run, he showed he wasn't going to leave Arizona with a loss, but he would stop for a photo.

"The most beautiful thing about tonight was his response from last week," said Bryant, walking down the same hall Prescott walked earlier. "I already knew it wasn't going to affect him. I knew that was motivation to him. He'll be the first to say that, but just me knowing who he is, that guy's tough. He's extremely tough. It's like you can never count a guy like that out. His approach is amazing, and that rubs off on the whole squad."
 
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