Dak Prescott gives Cowboys far better chance to survive until Tony Romo's return
The Dallas Cowboys — once again — must turn to their backup plan. But this time, they appear much better off.
After news surfaced that starting quarterback Tony Romo suffered a broken bone in his back after taking an awkward hit during the team’s third preseason game Thursday night, multiple reports speculated he’d miss six to 10 weeks even though the the team has not yet provided a timeline for his return.
But in all likelihood, the Dak Prescott era will almost certainly get started much sooner than expected.
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The Mississippi State product has shined during preseason, completing 78% of his passes for 454 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions. He's also produced 53 yards and two scores with his legs. His performance convinced owner Jerry Jones not to pursue a veteran backup after the team lost Kellen Moore to a broken ankle during training camp.
It's fair to note that defenses have not been game-planning for Prescott so far. Still, he's capitalized on his opportunities, especially when playing with the starters. Prescott has flashed talent and natural ability with his ball placement, game management, decision-making, arm strength, mobility, and pocket presence — all of which Dallas will need to stay in contention in the NFC East while Romo is sidelined.
But for the Cowboys — remember, they went 1-11 in 2015 when Romo twice broke his collarbone — to stay afloat with Prescott running the show, the coaches must also continue to tailor the offense to his skill set. The plays that have been historically called for Romo haven’t been the same ones dialed up for Prescott this preseason.
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Of the 112 snaps he has played so far, 57 (just over half) have come from the shotgun formation — exactly where Prescott spent much of his time in college while triggering Bulldogs coach Dan Mullen’s spread attack. Of the 55 snaps Prescott has taken while under center for the Cowboys, only 12 have been on pass plays — nine of them play-action throws.
It's a small sample size, and the preseason isn’t necessarily a true indication of how a team will structure its gameplan. But offensive coordinator Scott Linehan's use of zone-read and run-pass options has shown where Prescott can excel by catering to his strengths.
“The offense we ran at Mississippi State was nothing short of an NFL offense,” Prescott told USA TODAY Sports after Dallas second preseason game against the Miami Dolphins.
“The only thing that was different is that we didn’t go under center. I swear to you, in (pre-draft) visits, every play they showed me, I could name it. We just called it something different. At another team I visited, they ran the exact same stuff we ran.”
To help ease his pro transition, Prescott worked out in Orlando with private quarterback coach Tom Shaw before the draft.
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But aside from Prescott's stellar August play, there are other reasons to think the Cowboys — they have several ingredients which are ideal in supporting a rookie quarterback — can survive another lengthy stretch without Romo.
Dallas boasts arguably the best offensive line in the NFL. It has dynamic playmakers in receiver Dez Bryant and tight end Jason Witten. And rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott should eat up chunks of yards on the ground and will get plenty of help from veteran backs Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden, who have combined for five 1,000-yard rushing seasons during their NFL careers.
All those factors should prevent Prescott from having to shoulder too much burden. And if he can effectively distribute the ball, that should allow Dallas to limit the amount of time a suspension-riddled defense spends on the field.
“Knowledge-wise, I think I’m the smartest quarterback that came in this class,” Prescott said. “I would love to go on the board and go head to head with anybody else. That’s how I feel. That’s how confident I am.”
That confidence is sure to be tested once the season starts, but Prescott has passed every hurdle the NFL has thrown at him so far.
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Follow Lorenzo Reyes on Twitter @LorenzoGReyes
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