‘What You Want From Us’: Cowboys’ Dak Prescott Responds To Celebration Question After Must-Win Over Eagles

PHILADELPHIA — Dak Prescott called Monday night’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles a must-win. After the Dallas Cowboys won it 38-21 at Lincoln Financial Field, he pushed back on a question about how he celebrated.

Prescott went 15-of-27 for 212 yards and 3 touchdowns without an interception and ran in a two-point conversion. He also passed Tony Romo for the most multi-touchdown games in franchise history with 80, according to the Cowboys.

The win snapped a two-game losing streak and moved Dallas to 3-4. Prescott is in his 11th season, and he said he expected to win Monday and celebrated with his teammates in the locker room.

“I mean, it wasn’t still in the game. The game was over with. I just expect that. Obviously, I’ve been in the league 11 years now, and understanding where this team is, what we need to do, the importance. Yeah, when you expect to do something, yeah, you should celebrate it. Don’t get me wrong,” Prescott said. “The work that we put in, and it’s not like I didn’t celebrate with my guys in the locker room [or that] I’m not happy about it. But, yeah, I don’t know if you wanted me to be happy, or [you’re] the same one who said we were the happiest 2-3 team when we were that. So I don’t really know what you want from us.”

Dallas was 2-3 after losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-16 on Oct. 8. The Cowboys then lost 23-13 to the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 18.

Dak Prescott Calls The Philadelphia Eagles Game A Must-Win

The New York Giants lead the NFC East at 4-2-1. Another loss, Prescott said, and the Cowboys would be watching New York.

“We’ve lost two games. I mean, I don’t know if it’s much more than we’ve lost two games. We say the division’s right in front of us. It is as long as we win. And if you lose another game, then you’re probably checking to see what New York’s doing,” Prescott explained. “You’re probably watching the other teams more than we should. So, yeah, can’t. I mean, you got to win the games. You got to win division games.”

“Like I said, how big of a game this was, understanding how much they’re hurt on their offensive side,” Prescott continued. “And, yeah, huge road win for us. And, as I said, create momentum for us to go back home for the next couple weeks.”

Philadelphia started Tanner McKee at quarterback with Jalen Hurts on injured reserve and expected to miss the rest of the season because of blood clots, according to The Associated Press. The Eagles fell to 2-5 with their fifth straight loss.

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said desperation had nothing to do with the result.

“We played really good tonight, second half,” Schottenheimer said. “Had nothing to do with desperation. Our guys just played good.”

Schottenheimer said the win gets Dallas right back into the NFC East hunt.

“No, I thought it was the next championship opportunity,” Schottenheimer explained. “But again, I think it gets us right back into the hunt in the NFC East.”

Dallas has not won consecutive games this season. On Tuesday, Schottenheimer called Monday a good step but only one, and said the film showed a lot of positives to take from it.

“Inconsistency probably. A business where you have to be consistent with your execution, with your performance. And I think we’ve been lacking that at times,” Schottenheimer said Tuesday. “And another good week, another opponent coming in there with a lot of challenges that they’re going to present. But it’s more about us and the lack of consistency.”

Dallas does things the right way during the week, according to Prescott. The difference Monday was earning it on the field.

“No, no, no, not at all. I mean, I alluded to that after last game throughout the week. It’s not about our process through the week. We do things right. We prepare the right way. We’ve got great attitudes, great brotherhood shows. We’ve just got to come out and earn it and win it on Sunday,” Prescott said. “Nobody’s going to give it to us. Nobody’s going to say, ‘Yeah, you’re the better team. You’ve got it.’ That’s what’s so great about the NFL. And so we’ve got to come out and earn it each and every week, and there’s going to be no difference come next Sunday.”

The Cowboys led 20-14 at halftime and fell behind 21-20 in the third quarter before retaking the lead for good. Prescott called it a division win on the road in a hostile environment.

“You said the only thing that matters is getting a win. Huge to do that. Obviously, in what we’ve done in the last couple of weeks to get to put that behind us and come out and get a division win on the road in a hostile environment right before we get to go home for a couple of weeks, I think it was massive,” Prescott said. “And just a great complementary win right back and forth in the first half. Defense settles in in the second half, one touchdown. And we’re able to pretty much score on most of the drives. And so very balanced attack, we’ve gotta stick to it.”

Prescott On The Celebration And A Short Week

Dallas scored on 7 of its 9 possessions and ran for 204 yards. The celebration in the locker room was the culmination of the work, according to Prescott.

“It’s great. That’s the time to celebrate. I mean, all the work that you’ve put in. Hard week of preparation. You take them one by one. You understand that you haven’t won in a couple of weeks and some letdown games,” Prescott said. “It’s the culmination of all your hard work and you winning that game, just coming together, and that’s the brotherhood showing, and that’s what makes it special is it’s just that group in there. It’s just a group that sweats together, sacrifices together, and they get to celebrate together.”

“And so that’s what makes it fun, but that time doesn’t last,” Prescott continued. “Short week, being this is a Monday. Take care of our bodies, and we’ve got to be just as hungry as we were and approaching this week.”

Prescott took an elbow to the stomach on a third-and-9 throw in the third quarter. A defensive holding call on Philadelphia kept the drive alive, and Prescott said there was no injury.

“This week, it was just like an elbow right to the middle of the gut. And so I just couldn’t breathe there for a second or so,” Prescott said. “And by the time I got back to the huddle, I realized there was no injury. There was no pain. I just needed to catch my breath.”

The Cowboys host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Prescott said only this week matters.

“Momentum’s real, especially in this league. Especially in what we do and just understanding the parity and how tough this league is. When you get a win, the confidence it gives your group, the confidence it gives this team, and just being able to build off of that and the benefit of also going home, having a couple of home games in a row,” Prescott said. “Only this week matters. So it’s Arizona, right? And we’ve just gotta make sure we have a great week of preparations to make sure that translates into a big win. And from there you get two in a row, you start stacking them.”

Kickoff at AT&T Stadium is set for noon CT on FOX. Dallas visits the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 8, and the Eagles visit Dallas on Thanksgiving, Nov. 26.