Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott holds the football during a drill as quarterback Sam Howell looks on.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott works with the football during a drill as Sam Howell looks on at training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard, California, on July 29, 2026. The Cowboys practice in Oxnard through Aug. 13 before returning to Frisco, with a joint scrimmage against the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 11 and a preseason opener at Seattle. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dak Prescott Says Dallas Cowboys Found The ‘Why’ Behind Their Red Zone Problems

Grant AfsethAugust 7, 2026August 7, 2026

DSJ Quick Take: Dak Prescott Says Cowboys Diagnosed Their Red Zone Problem

Dak Prescott said the Dallas Cowboys made the red zone one of their biggest offseason studies and have already applied the findings in camp. Dallas scored touchdowns on 57% of its red zone trips in 2025, 18th in the NFL.

How bad was the red zone in 2025? Dallas reached the red zone on 65 drives and finished 37 of them with touchdowns, kicking field goals on 17 more.
What did the Cowboys do about it? Prescott said the offense built a large offseason study around the problem and started attacking the findings in spring work.
How much has it been tested in camp? Prescott said the team has held one true red zone day so far, with more coming as the preseason opens.
What’s next? Dallas opens the preseason at Seattle on Saturday at 7 p.m. CT on NFL Network.

OXNARD, Calif. — Dak Prescott said the Dallas Cowboys built one of their largest offseason studies around the red zone, and that the findings have carried from spring work into training camp.

Inside the 20 last season, Dallas scored a touchdown on 56.9% of its trips, 18th in the NFL. The Cowboys put together 65 drives that reached the red zone. Of those 65 drives, 37 ended in touchdowns and 17 ended in field goals.

Prescott said the red zone became one of the Cowboys’ biggest offseason studies because of how poorly the offense had finished there, and that the group has been attacking what the study turned up since the spring. The video was posted Friday afternoon by DallasCowboys.com.

“Just understanding why we weren’t (better in the red zone) last year,” Prescott said. “I think that’s the biggest reason. It’s hard to fix a problem if you don’t know the why behind it. And for us, we had a big study in the off season. That was one of our biggest studies because we were bad in that area. And so we found that ‘why’ and then we’re able to go and attack that starting in the spring to now.”

How the Dallas Cowboys Offense Finished in 2025

Last season the Cowboys finished second in the NFL in total yards. Prescott started all 17 games and completed 404-of-600 passes for 4,552 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He made the Pro Bowl and finished third in AP Comeback Player of the Year voting.

George Pickens caught 93 passes for 1,429 yards and 9 touchdowns in his first season in Dallas. Pickens is playing in 2026 on the franchise tag after signing a $27.3 million tender. Javonte Williams carried 252 times for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns, then re-signed in February on a three-year, $24 million deal.

Dallas went 7-9-1 and missed the playoffs for the second straight season. The defense gave up 511 points, the most in the league. Christian Parker was hired as defensive coordinator in the offseason.

Dallas Cowboys Camp Work Before the Preseason Opener

Camp opened July 29 in Oxnard, California, and the Cowboys held their first padded practice on Aug. 3. Klayton Adams is in his second season as Cowboys offensive coordinator, with Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer calling the plays. Adams ran the offense during Monday’s practice and said it was a step forward for him.

Prescott has taken to calling the offense GOTI, short for the Greatest Offense There Is. Speaking to reporters Wednesday in Oxnard, Adams said he treats the phrase as a standard the group has set rather than a ranking.

Camp in Oxnard runs through Aug. 18. Dallas practices against the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 11 in Woodland Hills, California, and against the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 18.

Later in the same video, Prescott said the compressed field inside the 20 cuts the margin for error close to nothing and turns finishing into a focus problem for a lot of players.

“We’ve only had one true red zone day or whatever,” Prescott explained. “But I already felt the growth. I already felt the jump that we’re trying to make. And at the end of the day, it’s focus for a lot of guys. The field’s shorter. The opportunity for error is almost slim to none if you want to get in the end zone. But the fact that we know the why, I feel great about us fixing it.”

The Cowboys open the preseason at the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. CT on NFL Network. Dallas plays at the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 22 and hosts New Orleans at AT&T Stadium on Aug. 28.