Cowboys QB Dak Prescott facing new questions after loss to Giants
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The education of Dak Prescott ran into a moving roadblock at MetLife Stadium.
If Olivier Vernon didn’t have the Dallas Cowboys rookie quarterback running for safety, another New York Giant, like aptly-named Damon “Snacks” Harrison, was trying to take his lunch.
On the back end, Landon Collins was all over the place. And Janoris Jenkins did a number on star receiver Dez Bryant. It’s like something bad happened every time Prescott on Sunday night. Bryant slipped and fell to cause one interception. Prescott grossly overthrew him on another pick. In crunch time, Bryant fumbled. Game over.
“I hate to lose,” Prescott said after the 10-7 setback snapped an 11-game winning streak dating back to the last time Dallas saw the Giants, in Week 1.
“It’s a bad feeling, but I mean it kind of gets you resettled, gets you back right. I mean after we lost to these guys the first time, we went on that run, so maybe we can do something similar.”
It’s striking that Prescott and the Cowboys (11-2) are 0-2 against the Giants – and undefeated against the rest of the NFL.
Yet in the aftermath of the latest developments, when Prescott’s worst game of the season was reflected by a season-low 45.4 passer rating, the lessons are shrouded in the questions.
Was that a Giant Wall or the infamous Rookie Wall?
In the past two games, which includes a close victory at Minnesota, Prescott has looked less like the Rookie of the Year and more like an ordinary rookie quarterback.
Sure, the evolving Giants defense had something to do with it. They clearly have Prescott’s number. But before that, it was the aggressive, well-rounded Vikings defense.
The Cowboys converted just one of 15 third downs against New York, after going one-for-nine in that category against the Vikings.
That should concern the Cowboys immensely. Third downs are the money downs in the NFL. The only touchdown against the Giants came early, on a drive kept alive when coach Jason Garrett went for it on fourth down.
To go 2-for-24 on third downs in two games? That’s a trend on the verge of a crisis.
And in the…
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