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As Dak Prescott continues to learn, he'll take chances to test his limits
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
OXNARD, Calif. -- As offensive coordinator Scott Linehan thought about it after Thursday’s practice, he could not recall an interception by QB Dak Prescott during the Dallas Cowboys’ offseason program. None in the nine organized team activities. None in the three-day June minicamp.
On Prescott’s second throw of practice on Thursday, he was nudged from the side and a pass intended for receiver Dez Bryant sailed high and into the arms of cornerback Anthony Brown.
“I told him, ‘You know, you were kind of due,’” Linehan said.
Then, in seven-on-seven drills, Prescott tried to fit a pass through tight zone coverage to wide receiver Brice Butler, but linebacker Mark Nzeocha read Prescott’s eyes and jumped the play for the pick. Linehan was not pleased with that decision.
“The great thing about him is, ‘Yeah, I got greedy there. I’m not sure, a little temporary insanity there for some reason,’” Linehan said.
A year ago, what Prescott did best was protect the ball. He had just four interceptions to go with his 23 touchdown passes. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Prescott’s 5.75 touchdown-to-interception ratio was seventh-best in NFL history. Tom Brady posted the best ratio (28 touchdowns, two interceptions) last year.
Prescott opened his career with 176 straight passes without an interception, the most without a pick to open a career in NFL history. Then, after posting interceptions in back-to-back games, he went five straight without one. Two of his four interceptions came in one game (at the New York Giants).
Many wonder how Prescott will do in his second year -- but not anybody associated with the Cowboys.
“He’s one of the hardest-working guys I’ve seen at the quarterback position in a long time,” receiver Cole Beasley said. “His approach and his mindset will control that, and he’s had a great approach so far. He’s the type of guy that’s going to grind no matter what and continue to get better no matter how good he gets.”
Given his accomplishments, Prescott has set a high bar. Of the six rookie quarterbacks who have won at least 11 games in their first year, Russell Wilson, Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco and Andrew Luck posted better touchdown-to-interception ratios in their second season. But the second-best to Prescott’s 5.75 rookie ratio was Wilson at only 2.60.
Last year Prescott was just figuring out the Cowboys’ offense, but he is taking more chances in practice this year to test his limits.
“For the most part, I’m just executing the play and what comes with what I see,” Prescott said. “I’m going to react off that. That just comes with preparation out here. Now, I think being at camp and these extra reps, this will give me time to rate, I guess, my risk versus reward, kind of test it sometimes. I may go into practice one day and just gamble the whole practice, but that’s what this time is for, so when I get in the game I know my chances.”
Linehan said Prescott knows when the coach is angry, “because I give him a look.” The look came Thursday, but Linehan knows how Prescott will respond.
“He gets mad and he gets over it,” Linehan said. “He’s really coachable. I don’t really get mad at him. … The best thing you can do when you have a negative play is you get to sit there. It might make you mad, but you can’t get frustrated. He’s really good at going to the next play. That’s what we work on.”
After Brown's interception, Prescott rifled a slant through traffic to Bryant.
Because Prescott was so good last season, it is difficult to remember he is going into only his second season. He has just 16 games of regular-season action and one playoff game to his credit. He has plenty to learn.
So did Wilson, Roethlisberger, Flacco, Luck and Ryan. Of that group, only Ryan did not win a playoff game in his second season. Roethlisberger and Wilson each won a Super Bowl in Year 2.
The expectations for Prescott are high, but so is the ceiling.
“I’m only one year in, so there’s a lot that I can get better at,” Prescott said. “There’s more reps that I’ll encounter. There’s a lot more defensive looks that will come my way. So it’s a lot that I can get better at knowledge-wise. I can get my feet better. I can get better from dropping back from under the center, better accuracy. So it’s not one thing that I’m going to point out and say I need to work on: ‘This is what I can get better at.’ I just need to get better altogether at the quarterback position.”
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
OXNARD, Calif. -- As offensive coordinator Scott Linehan thought about it after Thursday’s practice, he could not recall an interception by QB Dak Prescott during the Dallas Cowboys’ offseason program. None in the nine organized team activities. None in the three-day June minicamp.
On Prescott’s second throw of practice on Thursday, he was nudged from the side and a pass intended for receiver Dez Bryant sailed high and into the arms of cornerback Anthony Brown.
“I told him, ‘You know, you were kind of due,’” Linehan said.
Then, in seven-on-seven drills, Prescott tried to fit a pass through tight zone coverage to wide receiver Brice Butler, but linebacker Mark Nzeocha read Prescott’s eyes and jumped the play for the pick. Linehan was not pleased with that decision.
“The great thing about him is, ‘Yeah, I got greedy there. I’m not sure, a little temporary insanity there for some reason,’” Linehan said.
A year ago, what Prescott did best was protect the ball. He had just four interceptions to go with his 23 touchdown passes. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Prescott’s 5.75 touchdown-to-interception ratio was seventh-best in NFL history. Tom Brady posted the best ratio (28 touchdowns, two interceptions) last year.
Prescott opened his career with 176 straight passes without an interception, the most without a pick to open a career in NFL history. Then, after posting interceptions in back-to-back games, he went five straight without one. Two of his four interceptions came in one game (at the New York Giants).
Many wonder how Prescott will do in his second year -- but not anybody associated with the Cowboys.
“He’s one of the hardest-working guys I’ve seen at the quarterback position in a long time,” receiver Cole Beasley said. “His approach and his mindset will control that, and he’s had a great approach so far. He’s the type of guy that’s going to grind no matter what and continue to get better no matter how good he gets.”
Given his accomplishments, Prescott has set a high bar. Of the six rookie quarterbacks who have won at least 11 games in their first year, Russell Wilson, Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco and Andrew Luck posted better touchdown-to-interception ratios in their second season. But the second-best to Prescott’s 5.75 rookie ratio was Wilson at only 2.60.
Last year Prescott was just figuring out the Cowboys’ offense, but he is taking more chances in practice this year to test his limits.
“For the most part, I’m just executing the play and what comes with what I see,” Prescott said. “I’m going to react off that. That just comes with preparation out here. Now, I think being at camp and these extra reps, this will give me time to rate, I guess, my risk versus reward, kind of test it sometimes. I may go into practice one day and just gamble the whole practice, but that’s what this time is for, so when I get in the game I know my chances.”
Linehan said Prescott knows when the coach is angry, “because I give him a look.” The look came Thursday, but Linehan knows how Prescott will respond.
“He gets mad and he gets over it,” Linehan said. “He’s really coachable. I don’t really get mad at him. … The best thing you can do when you have a negative play is you get to sit there. It might make you mad, but you can’t get frustrated. He’s really good at going to the next play. That’s what we work on.”
After Brown's interception, Prescott rifled a slant through traffic to Bryant.
Because Prescott was so good last season, it is difficult to remember he is going into only his second season. He has just 16 games of regular-season action and one playoff game to his credit. He has plenty to learn.
So did Wilson, Roethlisberger, Flacco, Luck and Ryan. Of that group, only Ryan did not win a playoff game in his second season. Roethlisberger and Wilson each won a Super Bowl in Year 2.
The expectations for Prescott are high, but so is the ceiling.
“I’m only one year in, so there’s a lot that I can get better at,” Prescott said. “There’s more reps that I’ll encounter. There’s a lot more defensive looks that will come my way. So it’s a lot that I can get better at knowledge-wise. I can get my feet better. I can get better from dropping back from under the center, better accuracy. So it’s not one thing that I’m going to point out and say I need to work on: ‘This is what I can get better at.’ I just need to get better altogether at the quarterback position.”