Dak Prescott gives coaches a pass: ‘This is simply execution and that’s on players’
Dak Prescott still believes the Dallas Cowboys can be a special team in 2019, but time is running out.
Prescott, who threw for 355 yards and two touchdowns in Thursday’s 26-15 loss to the Buffalo Bills, said the failures come down to execution. He defended the Cowboys’ maligned coaching staff and said the character of his teammates gives him hope that they’ll turn it around for their final four games of the season.
Here’s what Prescott said in his post-game press conference after the loss, courtesy of the Cowboys’ transcription service:
On not being able to maintain the fast start
“We started off fast which is something different than we’ve been doing. But we weren’t able to keep it up, weren’t able to get it going. We ended too many drives without points, it’s as simple as that. It begins with the offense converting in the red zone and getting touchdowns. We weren’t able to do that. It starts there. That’s a good football team we played, and we got behind. They controlled the clock, did what they had to do.”
On player emotions in the locker room post game
“It was an emotional locker room. It was just an exchange of words about us sticking together. Anything and everything outside of that locker room doesn’t matter. It’s as simple as that.”
Your message to the team in the locker room?
“It’s for those guys in the locker room.”
Is there still belief within the team that they can achieve a winning season?
“100%. No belief has been lost. No confidence has been lost. This is simply execution and that’s on players. That’s what that conversation was. Credit the leaders. Credit to Michael Bennett, those guys that started that. It was a great conversation, a lot of great words. But it’s just all about us executing and just getting the job done. It starts throughout the week with us doing things better.”
On finishing the season strong
“We know we can do that because we control that destiny. We control the work we put in. We control how we approach each and every day. We control the way that we prepare to get ready for these games. I have so much confidence in the men in that locker room, the character that they have. I honestly wouldn’t want to be in this position with anybody else except those men. I’m so confident in what we’re going to do.”
On why success hasn’t happened yet
“It will happen.”
What will get the Cowboys to the playoffs?
“I just said it. It’s the character of the room in there. I’ve been through so much with those guys — ups and downs on the field, off the field. When you’re a part of this organization, there’s a lot of stuff outside, outside noise. We have a group that is able to lock arms and forget all of that, ignore all of that and just focus on what’s most important. Right now, it’s about tomorrow. It’s about how we get in and clean this game up. How we get our workouts in and get better. We have to flip that mindset, that mentality, to be our best every single rep, every single thing that we do. It’s going to pay off going forward.”
On his performance against the Bills
“Not good enough. Simple as that. Turnovers, just mishaps. I can’t do that.”
On his missed throw to Zeke at the end of the 3rd quarter
“Just a bad throw. One of those where my eyes weren’t on Zeke. I was looking at the defender and tried to get it to Zeke real fast because I was seeing what the defense was doing. I just didn’t find Zeke and kind of flipped it out there. My feet were bad. It was just a bad play by me, simple as that. I hurt the team.”
Did he expect the Bills to blitz as much as they did?
“I wouldn’t say we saw too much different. They didn’t do any new blitzes or any blitzes that we hadn’t seen on film. They did do it a lot but we were ready for them. Just didn’t make a pick.”
On Jerry Jones’ support of the coaching staff
“He understands that we need everybody in that locker room — players, coaches, everybody that’s a part of it to get to where we want to be. When you have that, it gives you a lot of confidence. I said it earlier and will continue to say it. It’s on us. It’s on us as players to lock in and be better. It’s as simple as that — being better in everything that we do with the help of the coaches.”
What will help them beat a team with a winning record?
“If I had that answer, we wouldn’t be in this position.”
On 4th and inches play at the beginning of the second quarter
“It was a QB sneak. At that point, I thought I may have gotten it on that run. Obviously, I didn’t. Coach asked me if I wanted to go for it and I said, ‘Of course. Just give it to me, quarterback sneak it.’ The offensive line did a great job.”
Was he was surprised Jason Garrett asked if he wanted to go for it?
“Not at all. It was one of those games, one of those positions where you have to be aggressive and go for it. I’m glad we did.”
On Jason Garrett’s best qualities as a head coach
“He does a lot. He’s someone who approaches each and every day with the same mindset and mentality. That’s what you need in this league. You can’t get too up and you can’t get too down. You have to stay the same. What he gives to this team, the energy and focus level, we’re thankful for him and we need him to do what we have to do.”
On Cole Beasley’s strong performance
“I told him, ‘Congrats.’ I told him congrats and wished him love. That’s a brother. We’ve talked every week throughout the season. We continue to do that. It’s much bigger than football.”
