FRISCO, Texas — Dak Prescott said this week that nobody cares about Sunday’s 34-30 win at Houston. The Dallas Cowboys host the 0-4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night.
The short week cut down how much film Dallas reviewed from Houston. The coaches covered the wins and losses and the plan to win, and then the team moved on.
“Yeah, I mean, the fact that it’s a short week definitely helps. Just right now being able to hang on that. I mean, you didn’t even really go over the film that much with the coaches. You just talk about the wins and loss and the must wins and the plan to win and then after that you turn the page and you’re on to the Bucs,” Prescott said. “Understanding we’ve got a team coming here winless, how desperate they’re going to be, and it’s the NFL and the parity of it and just knowing that we’ve got to go prove it again. Nobody cares about the win that happened last Sunday. It’s about what we do now, and it’s about us putting out our best version of ourselves come Thursday.”
Dak Prescott Says Cowboys Must ‘Go Prove It Again’
Dallas scored 6 points in the first half in Houston and 28 in the second. Prescott was sacked three times before halftime and not at all after it. Every time the offense went on the field in the second half, the message was the same.
“Yeah, just, I mean, trying to win, just trying to find a way to win one way or another. Credit to the other ten guys around me. I mean, everybody was just doing their job, and that was the message that we echoed every time we went on the field,” Prescott explained. “Just do your job, trust the play, trust the man next to you. Something I say all the time is just do your 1-1-1 and do it with high focus and high effort. And when we all do that, that’s the result you get.”
A week earlier in Rio de Janeiro, Dallas reached the Baltimore 2 in the final minute, kicked a tying field goal, and lost 34-31 on the last play. Prescott was not thinking about Rio on the last drive in Houston. Trailing 30-27, a field goal would not have done it.
“No, I mean, I just want to win. I’m not necessarily thinking about what could have happened or should have happened games or times ago. However, yeah, when you get the ball in your hand with two minutes left and you got a chance to go win the game, yeah, I mean, a field goal wouldn’t even have done it at that point,” Prescott said. “So we’ve got to go win the game, and there’s no doubt in my mind that we’re going to be able to do that. And what a great opportunity to have it on the heels of last week just to be able to put that behind you and just reaffirm who we are and just a message more to ourselves than anybody else.”
Cowboys Adjusted To What Texans Changed
Houston did not play Dallas the way it played its first three opponents, according to Prescott. He said so on the sideline during the first half.
“No, I mean, it’s an NFL game. You got to give those guys credit on the other side. We actually said it. I think [we] said it in the first half, like, hey, they practice too. They make adjustments. They weren’t playing us the way that they had played in their first few games,” Prescott said. “And you’ve got to expect that now with just the talent that we have, and the way that we’re moving on offense is people are going to give us something different. And so, to me, it’s credit to the coaches and the players for being able to adjust. Coming back in the second half and saying we’re going to do this, we’re going to do that instead, if that’s the way they’re going to play us, and for us to make those changes and to go out there and execute them is just a credit to the whole plan.”
Prescott would love to play every game the way Dallas played the second half in Houston. He does not think that is realistic against elite coaches and players.
“Yeah, I mean, we’ve got to execute, and sure, believing in yourself, that’s one thing, but then secondly, understanding that you’re going to have to adjust and adapt, and that’s my point: that is a game of two halves,” Prescott said. “I’d love to come out like we came out in the second half at the beginning of every game and play all four quarters that way, but is that real in the NFL when you’ve got elite coaches, elite players that have the same amount of time to prepare? You’ve just got to give them credit.”
“And so for us it’s about believing in ourselves and just staying resilient. If it doesn’t happen on that drive or the play we want it to, just not get down on ourselves and understand when we go to the sideline, we can fix some things and make some things better and come back out and we’ve got to execute then,” Prescott continued.
Houston was playing soft and not letting Dallas behind it, so the Cowboys got more players out into routes underneath. Yards after the catch were a big factor.
“No, I mean, I wouldn’t say that was necessarily discussed or talked about. But, yeah, when they’re going to play us the way they did, we need to get out some more guys and get them out underneath because they’re going to play soft and they’re not letting us get behind them, or we need to get more guys out in the routes,” Prescott said. “And I think being able to throw it underneath and letting those guys go get some yards after catch was a big factor.”
Prescott Wants Cowboys To Keep Running The Ball
Dallas ran 25 times for 75 yards in Houston, and Javonte Williams scored all three of his rushing touchdowns in the second half. Running the ball is one of Prescott’s favorite things because of what it does for play action.
“Yeah, it’s huge. I mean, running the ball is one of my favorite things. You wouldn’t think it, but what it does is allow the run action and the play action to open up. And there’s no better time to play this game when the defense is trying to stop the run and you’ve got guys like George and CeeDee running down the field one-on-one,” Prescott said. “And so, yeah, it’s a huge impact. And if you’re going to load the box, we’re going to be able to take advantage of you outside. And so whether we’re doing it as efficiently as we want to or not, it’s still something that we’re going to present and something that we’ve got to continue to try to do, and we’ll get better at it.”
Prescott Says Cowboys Still Have More To Show
After the Houston game, CeeDee Lamb said the offense’s mantra is that it is godly. Asked whether he regrets anything he has said, Prescott said he is not complacent and does not think what Dallas has done four games in is enough.
“No. I got no regrets. We’re, what, four games in. I think we can get better. Am I complacent with what we’ve done? Absolutely not. Do I think what we’ve done, is it enough? Absolutely not,” Prescott said. “Do I still believe that’s who we are and that’s who we’re going to be? Damn right.”
Numbers do not move him either way. Dallas has not put together four quarters the way it believes it can.
“Yeah, sure. I guess it’s encouraging, yeah, knowing that those are good numbers. But they can find numbers for everything. I’m not a guy that gets caught in the numbers and the stats and the records or any of that because of things like that, right?” Prescott said. “We’re four games in, and they’re already pulling out numbers of teams based on their whole season. So, yeah, it’s encouraging, I guess, because we’re not even where we want to be, and we haven’t put together all four quarters the way that we believe we can. Yeah, but like I said, I believe that’s who we are.”
“I wouldn’t say it if I wouldn’t believe it. I can pretty firmly say you won’t catch me saying I regret anything,” Prescott added.
Prescott Says He Will Be 100% On Short Week
Prescott has not used the team’s sleep pods. He is cramming five days of film into a couple and using every recovery option he has.
“No, I mean, I haven’t necessarily been in them, but just trying to get my sleep, definitely will get it. Catching up, it’s a lot of other things. I’m still making sure you watch the film, get all that in, cram that, what you’d get in a five-day week and just into a couple of days,” Prescott said. “And then all the different modalities, whether it be hot tub, cold tub, the saunas, the red light, steam, just doing everything you can. Leave no stone unturned and just trying to get your body back as fast as you can.”
He will be at 100% on Thursday. If the game were the same day, he said, he would find a way.
“Oh, it’s going to be 100. It’s going to be 100. That’s how much I love this game, how much I put in this game throughout my life. And through the offseason, you prepare and you condition, you do a lot of things for these type of moments, and at the end of the day you’re getting to do and you’re getting to play the game that you’re blessed to play and that you’re so fortunate to play,” Prescott said. “Whether it be on a short week or back-to-back, if I had to play today, yeah, it might not be ideal, but I’d find a way and I’d be a hundred percent, and that starts with just your mentality and your preparation. So we’ve got three days. It’s not like it’s new to anybody in the league, so we’ll get ourselves together.”
Prescott had his hand iced after the Houston game when it was stepped on. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Tuesday the hand is fine.
“Yeah, great, yeah. I think he might have got one of his tattoos that he might have to have redone,” Schottenheimer said, “but I think he’ll be okay.”
Dallas is 2-2 and hosts the Buccaneers on Thursday at AT&T Stadium, with kickoff at 7:15 p.m. CT on Prime Video.
