The Dak Prescott discourse is back, and it’s worse than ever after the Dallas Cowboys’ loss in Rio
The Dallas Cowboys quarterback has caught a lot heat after the way things ended in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens. And this time, the blame game is worse than ever.
Let me start off this rant with one confession: I also thought Dak Prescott should have ignored his coaches on that third and goal near the end of the game in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, right before the Dallas Cowboys kicked the field goal that would give them a short-lived tie on Sunday.
Unfortunately, it’s just a ridiculous stance to take after what transpired in the Cowboys’ 34-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Let me explain.
In case you missed it, Prescott’s throwaway on third down (in which he appeared to have an open George Pickens in the end zone) was the result of head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s self-admitted “overcoaching.”
Based on the Cowboys’ postgame comments, Prescott had a clear indication: Throw it to Pickens or to no one. And based on the quarterback’s explanation of the play and the quickness with which he threw it away, it was a pre-snap read. If the Ravens gave them a certain look, they wouldn’t throw risk turning the ball over nor a sack.
In other words, the Cowboys played for overtime instead of going for the win.
The response by many fans on social media has been: Dak Prescott should have ignored his coaching. It’s his fault they lost the game. An all-too familiar approach by a large portion of the Cowboys fanbase.
And listen, I understand. The Cowboys’ approach at the end of the game was totally wrong. How can you aim for overtime when you’re at the five-yard line and you have special teams players on the secondary because of the many injuries to your defense?
But are we being so for real blaming Dak for it? All of 2025, Prescott had to drag one of the worst defenses in franchise history and was tasked with overcoming it by playing top-tier football at QB.
And now he’s being asked to do his coach’s job? He needs to worry about punching it in on the field and deciding to go against the coach?
I have never heard that about any other quarterback in the NFL. And it’s just another example of the unfair asks Cowboys fans make of Prescott. Not to mention, the unfair judgement passed on a quarterback that led his team to 31 points and 400+ yards of offense.
Just think about that final sequence. Prescott drove the Cowboys offense all the way tp the two-yard line, moving the chains four times. A false start by tight end Luke Schoonmaker pushed them back to the seven. On second and goal, with no one open, he had to take off and scramble for a two-yard gain. And on third and goal he’s supposed to ignore coaching?
Hey Dak, cute 31 points and everything, but how come you didn’t keep Schoonmaker for having a false start? How come you didn’t teleport to the sideline to keep Schottenheimer from calling a timeout way too early? And how come you didn’t do his job and override the call from the coach whose job is to maange the game?
I somewhat understand the critcism, to be fair. As an 11-year veteran, it would have been awesome to see Prescott turn down Schottenheimer’s coaching points. He even said postgame he regretted not throwing it to Pickens at the pylon.
But it’s getting exhausting to view Prescott’s play through this lense. Have a perfect game (and not just throwing the football, at that, but now overriding coaching) or be ready for fingers to point your way at the end of the game.
That’s not how winning teams operate. Even if it’s the easier approach for a fan to take.
