FRISCO, Texas — Dak Prescott said Thursday that he has watched a lot of film from Dennard Wilson’s time in Tennessee, trying to get a feel for the New York Giants defensive coordinator’s fingerprint before the Dallas Cowboys open at MetLife Stadium.
Kickoff Sunday night is 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC. Prescott would expect New York to try to get its edge rushers as many one-on-ones as it can, he said.
“It’s a first game. I can’t say I’m going [in] expecting this [or] that, right,” Prescott said. “I’m going in there focused on our game plan, ready for whatever they throw at us with answers to whatever they give us to be our best, and I know if we do that, whatever they throw at us will be enough.”
“But, yeah, I’ve watched a lot of Tennessee,” Prescott continued. “I’ve watched a lot of where the coordinator’s from and just trying to get a good feel of his fingerprint, on what his fingerprint’s going to try to be on this New York defense. And as you said, some of the personnel’s there, right, great edge rushers. I would imagine they’re going to try to attack with those guys, get us in as many one-on-ones as they can.”
“That would be smart, right, in that sense,” Prescott added. “And so it’s about just protecting that and making sure, like I said, get the ball out, play in my position, put this team in the best position to win.”
Dennard Wilson On Dak Prescott And The New York Giants Pass Rush
Wilson spent the previous two seasons as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator, and Sunday will be his first game running the Giants defense. He said Thursday that Prescott is decisive and gets the ball out quickly.
“First of all, a lot of respect for Dak Prescott,” Wilson said. “He’s a top quarterback in the National Football League. He’s seen it all. He’s very decisive with where he’s going with the ball, he gets the ball out of his hands quick. They have elite receivers in CeeDee [Lamb] and [George] Pickens, and their tight ends are good.”
Wilson was on the Baltimore staff before Tennessee, and he said Thursday that Pickens is a matchup problem one-on-one. He wants his defense tough, physical, and smothering.
“I believe in no free access, no easy completions,” Wilson said. “As a quarterback, drop back and try to decipher what coverage you’re in. That’s just how I’ve been raised in this game, and that’s what I believe in.”
Brian Burns had 16.5 sacks for the Giants last season, second in the NFL behind only Myles Garrett, and was a second-team All-Pro. He also set career highs with 31 quarterback hits and 22 tackles for loss, and his sack total tied Jason Pierre-Paul’s 2011 season for the fourth-most in franchise history. New York also has Abdul Carter, a 2025 first-round pick who had 4 sacks as a rookie, and Kayvon Thibodeaux on the edge.
The Dallas Cowboys Offensive Line And Early-Season Adjustments
Dallas will be without left guard Tyler Smith, a three-time Pro Bowler who had thumb surgery and went on injured reserve. T.J. Bass starts in his place. Coach Brian Schottenheimer said Monday that the group will handle it.
“Offensive line play is tied together,” Schottenheimer said. “We’ve gone into games with four new starters on the offensive line. I’m very, very confident that this group will play well against a really good front.”
Offensive coordinator Klayton Adams said Thursday that teams usually learn what they really are by Week 4 or 5. Wilson has not run a regular-season game for New York, so Dallas has alternative answers built into its plan, according to Prescott.
“For sure,” Prescott explained. “We go into this game understanding that there will be probably some sideline adjustments, and the communication from the game plan may change after a few series. But, yeah, you go in there with a great game plan, and if they throw these things at you, we’ve got the alternative answers to be able to answer whatever problems that they’re giving us.”
Prescott led the NFL with 404 completions last season and threw for 4,552 yards and 30 touchdowns. He completed 7 of 11 passes for 70 yards in the first half of the Jan. 4 loss at MetLife before sitting the second half, and he lost a fumble on a botched snap in that game.
