Cowboys QB Dak Prescott to teammates after winless preseason: “It’s for real now”

As soon as the Dallas Cowboys walked off the field at NRG Stadium following Thursday’s 14-6 preseason loss to the Houston Texans, marking the fifth winless preseason in franchise history, quarterback Dak Prescott reset the team’s mindset and agenda.

“It’s for real now,” quarterback Prescott told the Cowboys, who are now pointing toward the Sept. 9 season opener against the Carolina Panthers.

Prescott didn’t play in the game but he was intense and focused afterward.

“The first thing that Dak told us when we got in the locker room was ‘it’s for real now’,” rookie receiver Lance Lenoir said. “The final score means something now. It was the first thing he said, ‘it’s for real now.’ We got to get to it.”

The Cowboys kept all the offensive starters and key veterans on the bench and out of harm’s way against the Texans so they would be healthy and ready to go for the season opener.

Unlike Prescott and the others, who sat out against the Texans, it meant no action at all the preseason for running back Ezekiel Elliott, who didn’t play in the first three preseason games.

Prescott played 39 snaps in the first two games before sitting the final two.

But Elliott said he is ready to go for the regular season and more comfortable in the offense than he’s ever been.

He will need to be as Elliott is expected to carry a bigger load as a runner and receiver in 2018.

“This is the most comfortable I have felt in this offense,” Elliott said.”I believe I have had a great camp and enough reps that I’m ready to play. I’m excited to get back out there on the field.”

Like Prescott, Elliott said it counts for real now and he can’t wait to get to Carolina.

“I’m ready,” Elliott said. “Camp is long, the preseason is long, but there is nothing like that first game when the lights come on for real.”

This story was originally published August 30, 2018 at 11:52 PM.