ARLINGTON, Texas — Dak PrescottAs he jogged up to the top, he was clearly feeling more energetic Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium locker room after Sunday’s 24-6 win over the Detroit Lions.
Prescott managed to sneak up on center at one point Tyler BiadaszHe then slapped him on the backside. Prescott ran off laughing.
He joked later with reporters that the slap was evidence that his right thumb has healed.
Dak Prescott appears fired up pic.twitter.com/ByNUJaYqOc
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 23, 2022
Prescott and the Cowboys offense looked tired early. The franchise quarterback was making his debut since the season opener. He had missed the previous five games due to a fractured thumb.
Fortunately for the Cowboys, they have one of the NFL’s best defenses and they were playing the one-win Detroit Lions. Dallas never seemed in danger and pulled away with 14 points in the final quarter.
“I felt great,” Prescott said. “I felt comfortable with everything. My thumb definitely didn’t bother me. It wasn’t a thought in my head. I felt like after a few throws, I was back into it.”
Although there were a few double- and triple-covered passes in the first half, none of them cost the Cowboys. Prescott completed day 19 of 25, passing for 207 yard. Prescott completed the day 19 of 25 passing for 207 yards to rookie TE. Peyton HendershotIn the final minutes. It was Prescott’s first TD pass of the season.
“I think once I made some throws and knew my thumb was good, I felt like I had the spin back that I’ve had and the confidence,” Prescott said. “Some of those throws were just overconfident in a sense. I’ve got to guard against that because sometimes it can lead to turnovers. The last thing I’m trying to do is put this team in a bad position because I’m overconfident.
“When you have a defense like this, you have to understand, just continue to go through the reads and take a checkdown here or there and it will pay off.”
Dallas’ defense was again outstanding, holding the Lions scoreless in the final two quarters. The Lions had the ball six times during the second quarter. The Lions punted once and turned the ball over on the other five — three fumbles, two interceptions.
Standing out Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs was intercepted by a Detroit QB to start the offensive on takeaways Jared GoffIn the third quarter, a deep ball was made near the left sideline. Dallas led 6-3 at the break. Seven plays and 82 yard later, Ezekiel ElliottHe scored at one yard, his first of two rushing touchdowns that day.
“It just feels like they’re playing into my game,” Diggs said. “I want the ball to go up in the air, especially on the deep routes. I feel like that’s when I’m at my best.
“I feel like I should make a play every game.”
Sam Williams strip-sacks Jared Goff on Sunday in the Cowboys’ win. (Tim Heitman / USA Today)
Rookie DE Sam WilliamsHe had his best game. Second-round pick had two sacks and two tackles for losses. He also had two QB hits and a forced fumble.
“Sam is an excellent example of one of our rookie players, our young players playing great today,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said. “Very proud of Sam. He had some learning experiences earlier in the year, I think the last two weeks he’s flashed big time with his opportunities.”
Williams is the latest Cowboys rookie to show impressive contributions. Williams joins Hendershot as left tackle. Tyler Smith, tight end Jake FergusonCB DaRon Bland will likely be promoted to a starting position with veteran CBs Jourdan LeeHe was expected to miss significant time due to a foot injury that he sustained after a fourth-quarter intercept.
“This is one of the best rookie classes I’ve seen in all of my seven years here,” Prescott said, “and I feel like I said that last year.”
The Cowboys’ attitude towards their younger players can have an impact on whether they are able to add anyone before the NFL trade deadline of Nov. 1. They’re unlikely to add someone if they think they’ll be a progress-stopper to one of their young players.
“We’ve got young depth,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “I’m as interested in seeing that depth get repetition and get to play as I am (playing) a so-called splashy (addition). … If you want Sam Williams to be Sam Williams like he was out there (Sunday), get him on the field in some early ball games. I think he’s the perfect example. Of course, it hasn’t hurt Micah Parsons to have had all the reps that he’s had over the last couple of years, too. He has grown up before our eyes. I’ve seen him just evolve into a better player. Any time we can put a younger player out there and get him reps, you’re ahead of the game.
“So, that definitely has a bearing on just how much you want to spend of your cap, not just financial but draft picks and everything … to bring in a splash player. But if there is a situation that came up, I want to be real clear, that’s one of the advantages of being structured the way we are. I can speak to that.”
Jones said that if there was a player available to the magnitude of Deion Sanders, “then I’ll grab the phone.”
“But seriously, I don’t expect to have a trade,” he added, “but that doesn’t mean you can’t get the call and respond within seconds.”
Jones was specifically asked about Odell Beckham Jr., a free-agent wide receiver. It would make sense to get help at this position. Beckham is currently recovering from the ACL injury that he sustained in the Super Bowl.
“Well, I couldn’t say that,” Jones said with a laugh. “I think you can get in a little water with that one.”
Jones indicated that he felt Prescott had made a significant difference in some areas Sunday. He also noted seeing a few throws that were in “harm’s way.” In regards to what he’d like to see more of from the franchise QB going forward, Jones mentioned more opportunities in run-pass option situations.
“I’d like to see him get more chances with RPOs,” Jones said. “Because to me, that does a lot of things that get him out of the pocket. And I think that’s some of his best football. This gives him an edge. With that in mind, the other team has something to say about it, but I thought we might see more RPOs (Sunday).”
Jones gave Detroit credit in taking those opportunities away.
“I don’t want him to do it many times, but I want to have the threat,” Jones said. “And then I want to, the throw, for instance, that he made that was a little overthrown on his very first throw. He probably could have gone seven yards higher from that throw. Matter of fact, I’m sure that he could have. That play-type opportunity is what I like. I’d like to see Dak have about five or six of those kinds of opportunities out there like that with the run as well as the other deal. Make no mistake about it, Dak is going to be a part of our running game going forward.”
Prescott mentioned that when he broke down the team after the game, it was because he knew how much work he still had to do.
The Cowboys will ultimately be judged on their January performance, not their Week 7 win over the Lions.
“The sky is the limit,” Prescott said. “We are not going to put any limitations on what we can do. It’s important to grow each and every day. That’s what I told the team today. It was a great win. Celebrate it. Tomorrow, we must come back and improve.
“We can do great things this year.”
(Top photo by Dak Prescott: Tom Pennington/Getty Images
