Imagine what Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys could do without those turnovers?
Yes, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott lost a shootout to Russell Wilson in a 38-31 loss to the Seattle Seahawks Sunday.
Yes, Prescott had three turnovers in the game, including an interception on a desperation heave in the end zone in the final seconds to seal the loss.
But if you looked at that game and came to the conclusion that quarterback play was the biggest difference in the outcome, and it was more evident to you that Prescott wasn’t in the same class — and therefore shouldn’t be asking for the same money as Wilson — then you weren’t watching or paying attention to the entire contest.
Truth be told, Wilson wasn’t his usual perfect self in the game. (He said, facetiously.)
He had nine touchdown passes and 11 incompletions in the two games before facing the Cowboys. On Sunday, he had a “whopping” 13 incompletions in completing 27 of 40 passes for 315 yards and another five touchdown passes. Just an average day, for Wilson.
He broke the NFL record for passing touchdowns through the first three games of the season with 14. And now has back-to-back games with five touchdown passes.
But the capper in securing the comeback victory against the Cowboys, who actually rallied behind Prescott to take the lead in the fourth quarter, was like so many others on Sunday.
He hit receiver D.K. Metcalf running wide open in the Cowboys secondary for a 29-yard score with 1:47 left to play for the game-winner.
The same can be said about his three touchdowns to receiver Tyler Lockett and one to tight end J.J. Hollister.
All had socially distanced from the Cowboys defenders.
Truth be told, Wilson should have had a sixth touchdown. But Metcalf decided to slow down and trot in the end zone without securing the ball after a wide-open 62-yard catch. He was caught from behind by hustling Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs, who knocked the ball out of his hand and through the end zone for a touchback.
But again, wide open.
All had more to do with scheme design on offense and confusion on the defense. But Wilson didn’t miss the layups the Cowboys gave him.
The Seattle defense that Prescott faced Sunday shouldn’t be confused with the famed Legion of Boom unit that led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl title in 2011. It came into the game ranked last in the NFL in yards allowed for a reason.
And Prescott contributed to the Cowboys’ demise with three turnovers, including an interception that led to a Seahawks score right before the half and a fumble on a sack that led to a touchdown at the start of the third quarter.
But he also found himself shooting threes rather than layups for much of the game and on a much higher degree of difficulty. But even when he was on, the Cowboys still had a of lot of sloppy plays.
The gaffes included a plethora of penalties, two missed extra points, a muffed kickoff return that led to a safety, a non-existent rushing attack (Ezekiel Elliott had 34 yards on 14 carries), dropped passes and abominable play up front that prompted the benching of right tackle Terence Steele.
Guard Zack Martin was moved to right tackle. Center Joe Looney was moved to guard and rookie Tyler Biadasz came in at center.
And this doesn’t include the failures of Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy and his coaching staff that produced an unprepared product from the outset for the second straight game.
And while Seattle benefited from the mental lapses, miscues, and turnovers, the Cowboys did not receive the same level of support back. They have forced just one turnover all season, none against the Seahawks.
All McCarthy had to say for the plethora of wide open receivers was, “we’ll take a hard look at it” on Monday.
And regarding the special teams issues and overall number of turnovers, he said, “We’ve got to do a better job. I think like anything in the game of football you need a return on investment on what you emphasize. We’ve spent a tremendous amount of time handling the football and we need to do a much better job in that area.”
And few, if anyone, handled the ball more than Prescott. In looking back on the game, obviously the three turnovers were costly, but the quarterback was solid. He completed 37 of 57 passes for 472 yards with three touchdown as rallied the Cowboys from a 30-15 deficit to a 31-30 lead with touchdowns precision strikes of 42 and 43 yards in coverage to Cedrick Wilson and Michael Gallup to go long with a drive that led to a 42-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein.
Mind you, these were drives that started at the 6, the 11 and the 6. The Cowboys average starting field position in the game was their own 19-yard line.
Of course, that was before Wilson marched down the field to retake the lead, converting a 4th-and-3 to wide open tight end Greg Olson two plays before the final touchdown to Metcalf.
Prescott got the Cowboys as close as the Seahawks’ 22 before an incompletion, a sack and the final interception with six seconds left.
Stats show that the Cowboys are 8-17 when Prescott has at least one interception. He knows he must do a better job taking care of the football.
“I can’t do that. That’s how you lose games,” Prescott said of his interception at the end of the first half and fumble at the start of the second half that made a 1-point game a 15-point deficit.
The sport is in an era in which games are generally being decided by quarterbacks. Therefore, Prescott, who is playing on the $31.4 million franchise tag and is in line to make more than Wilson’s $35 million annual salary on an extension after the season, needs to start winning more of these games.
Dating back to last season, the Cowboys are now 2-8 against teams with winning records dating back to last season, and they so far are winless in that category so far in 2020.
On Sunday, Wilson got plenty of help with some easy plays, wide open receivers and a plethora of Cowboys’ turnovers and miscues.
At the end of the day, no one cares about the excuses.
Wilson has the Seahawks undefeated at 3-0, and Prescott has the Cowboys at 1-2 — and an onside kick away from 0-3.
But you know the line, you are what your record says you are.
