ARLINGTON – A month into the NFL season, Dak Prescott leads the league in passing yards (1,119), completions (121), attempts (166) and completion percentage (72.9).
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Prescott is playing quarterback as well as anyone right now. Team owner Jerry Jones said there’s a reason why Prescott is averaging an NFL high $60 million per season because of his skill set.
Jones continues to sell the idea that there’s no reason to pay Micah Parsons a tremendous contract because he’s got Prescott.
“It’s very simple, right?” Jones said late Sunday night after a 40-40 tie with the Packers. “Dak was indispensable in my mind.”
Cowboys
Yawn.
Prescott’s fast start isn’t anything new. In 2023, Prescott finished second to Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson for the MVP award. This season, he’s projected to throw for 4,756 yards, which would be the second most of his career.
Prescott producing at a high rate shouldn’t surprise anyone.
He’s good at his job.
The problem for Prescott is the postseason. He’s 2-5 in those games and he’s gotten the Cowboys no further along in the postseason than the man he replaced, Tony Romo.
On Sunday night, Prescott moved past Troy Aikman for the most career completions (2,901) in franchise history. That tie prevented Prescott from tying Romo for the third-most wins (78) in team history.
“It’s awesome,” Prescott said of how he’s moving up the charts. “It’s something I never take for granted. It’s not something that I’m patting myself on the back for, but it’s something that I understand, the history before me. I understand the players who have come before me and it’s an honor. But at the end of the day, I want to win games and I want to chase Roger (Staubach) and Troy (Aikman) and the accomplishments they have.”
Five Super Bowl rings.
The postseason looms over Prescott’s career now more than ever.
Yet, at the rate of this 2025 season, reaching the postseason looks difficult for a Cowboys team that’s 1-2-1 heading into a Week 5 contest at the New York Jets.
The Cowboys’ defense is forcing Prescott to enter into shootouts with opponents.
This defense has allowed NFL highs in total (1,682) and passing yards (1,189). Going into the two Monday night games, the Cowboys have allowed the second-highest yards per play (6.4) in the NFL. Only three NFL teams have allowed at least six yards per play.
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Schottenheimer said conversations will continue with reporters about how to fix this defense.
“There’s a way to stop having those conversations and that’s to play better,” he said Monday. “We’re capable of playing better, we need to play better.”
Prescott is caught in the middle of this defensive vortex, where the pass coverage and pass rush continue to have massive problems.
Against the Packers on Sunday night, Prescott threw for 319 yards with three touchdowns. He connected on some terrific throws, including a sideline pass to Jalen Tolbert as Prescott eluded three defenders to complete it.
“You’re talking about an elite pass rush group that was all around him,” Schottenheimer said.
George Pickens tied a career-high with eight catches for 134 yards with two scores.
Schottenheimer mentioned a fourth-and-two play in the middle of the fourth quarter where Prescott stepped up in the pocket and found Pickens across the middle of the field. The throw was where only Pickens could catch it.
Near perfection.
The play went for 15 yards, extending a drive ending with the Cowboys taking a 30-27 lead with 4:52 to play.
“The throw he makes to George Pickens on fourth down is an incredible throw,” Schottenheimer said. “It’s low and away. He’s got to move up because they’re coming off the edge, and that doesn’t happen without lots, lots and lots of practice.”
The start of this season doesn’t give you hope that a deep playoff run is in this Cowboys team. Schottenheimer has talked about this being the first year of the program and that he’s using young players.
The Cowboys have experience with Prescott, the face of the franchise. He’s off to a strong start to this season, but he’s getting judged on the postseason. And the struggles of this Cowboys defense are making it difficult to believe Prescott will get a chance at a deep playoff run.
“It’s not just me out there,” he said. “I still miss throws. I’m never satisfied with whatever performance that I put out there. I’m thankful to play this game and the peace that this game brings me. I never want to cheat it. It’s just about getting better at it, each and every day.”
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