Dak Prescott’s been in situations over his seven years as a pro when he had to make up for what was lacking around him. Maybe it was injuries along the offensive line. Or when the team was overhauling its receiver group. Or when Ezekiel Elliott’s been out.
This season, very clearly, is not like that for Prescott. And that point was driven home emphatically to the 29-year-old over the five games he missed.
“I know how much of a blessing it was just to be able to watch these five weeks, and these five weeks to end up with the record we have,” Prescott said, in a quiet moment postgame Sunday, after a win that ran that record to 5–2. “I was able to learn a lot. I was able to learn what this team’s capable of doing, what we have in all aspects of this team whether it be defense, special teams, whether it be our run game that I feel like is the best it’s been in the past couple years.
“So all of it’s exciting and just being able to take that into this week, that’s all I can think about is just getting back and being a part of it and just knowing that I don’t have to do too much. It’s not about me; it’s about this team and just understanding that we’ve got a lot of greatness. And then just stay within the game, manage it and make sure I put these guys in the best position.”
Truth is, briefly, Prescott said he lost that Sunday.
There were two throws, both in the first half, that he admitted to me he’d have liked to have back—unnecessary risks that, given the team he has around him, he didn’t need to take to win. But that’s where the beauty of the spot he’s in now comes in. That same team was good enough to win going away Sunday despite that.
That means, for the returning quarterback, Cowboys 24, Lions 6 was about getting his feet wet, getting reacclimated with the guys around him and grinding through a win.
And getting to look ahead, too, at what all this could look like with a little more time.
