OXNARD, Calif. — Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott saw enough on film to understand why Tuesday’s joint practice against the New Orleans Saints ended early.
Prescott was asked Thursday about the physicality around the Cowboys and why things have gotten heated during training camp.
“They’re just ready to play football,” Prescott said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that have a lot to prove, on a team that feels like we’ve got a lot to prove. And so I think when you’ve got that, emotions are going to be high. The passion is going to show.”
There is a limit to how far Prescott wants that to go.
“But at the end of the day, you got to live on the edge and not go over the edge,” Prescott explained. “And so we can be physical, we can be passionate, we can be aggressive, but it all has to be led from a discipline standpoint. And so I know that’s what Schotty spoke a lot about after the Saints practice.”
Prescott said the Cowboys could see on film where things started to get away from them. Some of the same choices came up again during Thursday’s final practice in Oxnard.
“We’re able to go into the film and see exactly why that practice ended like it did and went the way that it did,” Prescott continued. “And then even out there today, there’s just moments where you’ve got to make sure you’re making the more disciplined decision while still being aggressive or playing on the edge without crossing it.”
The NFL fined Dallas and New Orleans $500,000 each Thursday afternoon. Jerry Jones said the Cowboys will appeal the fine and that players involved in the fighting will also be fined by the club.
Dak Prescott Wanted The Work Against New Orleans Saints
The early ending cost Dallas some snaps against another team. That matters more for Prescott because he is not scheduled to play during the preseason.
He was asked whether that part disappointed him.
“I mean, it’s practice,” Prescott said. “Sometimes you kind of go into one of those hoping that I get the whole day, because you know it can go there.”
Prescott felt the offense still got useful work before the practice was called.
“Our field was being a little bit more accomplishing in the practice, obviously not understanding what was happening on the other side of the field,” Prescott explained. “You wanted that two-minute drive that was left. I think maybe it was a couple more plays left, but at the end of the day, I felt good with the work that we did get. I feel confident who we are versus that team, and so I feel good.”
Donovan Ezeiruaku and Caelen Carson were both thrown out after throwing punches.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer and Saints coach Kellen Moore agreed during the practice that another incident or two would end the day. That is eventually what happened.
The exact number of fights depended on where reporters were standing and what they counted. Katherine Terrell of ESPN reported at least two between the Saints offense and Cowboys defense. Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS counted seven or more overall.
Dallas had a much quieter experience in its first joint practice. The Cowboys worked against the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 11 in Woodland Hills, California, without the fighting that followed against New Orleans.
Dallas Cowboys Final Oxnard Practice Got Chippy
There were no fans in attendance Thursday for the Cowboys’ last practice in Oxnard, but Prescott did not think that changed the energy.
He said the players created it themselves. The practice still got chippy at times, which Prescott tied to a group that is ready to play somebody else and takes pride in the work.
Prescott considered the California portion of camp a success, though he made clear the Cowboys are not finished. He estimated they had about two weeks of work remaining. Schottenheimer put it closer to 10 days when he spoke Thursday.
Prescott’s last preseason appearance came in 2019. Schottenheimer said Aug. 3 that the Cowboys planned to hold most starters out of all three preseason games.
That makes the joint-practice snaps different for Prescott. They are his chance to run the offense against another team’s defense before the games begin to count.
Dallas opens the regular season Sept. 13 at the New York Giants.
The Cowboys first play at the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday. They return to Texas for open practices at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco on Aug. 25 and Aug. 26.
Dallas and New Orleans meet again in the preseason finale at AT&T Stadium on Friday, Aug. 28. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT.
