As Bill Parcells famously said, “let’s put the anointing oil away.”
No, Dak Prescott does not have a plaque reserved in Canton just yet, but through two preseason games, he’s off to the right start.
Indeed, the “Dak Attack” hysteria is here, and for good reason.
For the past few years, the Cowboys have not only lacked a viable option to run the offense if/when Tony Romo got injured, but also lacked a quarterback to turn to post-Romo.
Look no further than Dallas’ 1-11 record last year without Romo, when the Cowboys rode on a variable quarterback carousel, unable to find a solution.
So when Kellen Moore broke his leg on August 3, an opportunity presented itself for Prescott to seize. Granted, I’m not sure anyone expected him to perform as well as he has.
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In his debut against Los Angeles, Prescott shined, completing 83.3 percent of his passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns.
Friday against Miami, Prescott made those numbers look minuscule, as the Mississippi State product posted a perfect passer rating while throwing for 199 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for two more scores.
The emergence of Prescott comes as a pleasant surprise for the Cowboys, especially considering where Dallas drafted him (4th round, 135th overall) and the fact he wasn't their first choice.
After moves to trade up and select Paxton Lynch and Conor Cook failed, the Cowboys rolled the dice and went with Prescott, hoping he could make the transition from a spread-style college offense. And even though he wasn't their first option in the draft, the Cowboys were excited by Prescott’s junior campaign at Mississippi State, where he led the Bulldogs to a 10-2 record, passing for 3,449 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Now for the $64,000 question.
His first two games have been borderline storybook, so how did he fall to the fourth round in the draft?
Well, his arrest in March for a DUI didn’t help matters, and probably spooked some scouts and coaches. But more than anything, it was inconsistencies and shortcomings in his game that led to him being selected 135th overall.
He’s been compared to the likes of Tim Tebow – a highly-mobile quarterback not afraid to get outside of the pocket and make plays with his feet. At times, Prescott’s accuracy has been suspect, and one scout said he “tends to predetermine some throws.”
Prescott seems poised to prove those critics wrong, though, as he’s accounted for six total touchdowns and thrown for 338 yards in just two preseason contests. Oh, and he holds 38 school records at Mississippi State and ended his collegiate career with 9,376 passing yards while completing 62.8 percent of his passes.
However, for Prescott to fully make the transition to the NFL, he must continue to get comfortable making throws in the pocket, which he has done with ease so far. The longevity of a quarterback is dependent upon their ability to avoid injury, and to do that, Prescott must become a pocket passer.
He has the tools to do it, though, as evidenced by his two performances against Los Angeles and Miami. And if he continues on this trajectory, Prescott has a real chance to take the reins and become not only Dallas’ backup quarterback, but the quarterback post-Romo.
Check out Reece on Twitter @ReeceWaddell15 as he follows Dak Prescott's progress all season long.
