Why Dak Prescott throwing from different angles is key for big plays for Dallas Cowboys
Per coach Mike McCarthy, the Dallas Cowboys have six major focal points that represent the fundamental aspects of winning in training camp every day.
“You’ve got ball security; you’ve got to take care of it and take it away,” McCarthy said. “You’ve got tackling; you’ve got to break ‘em and make ‘em. Blocking; you’ve got to block them and get off of. Opportunities are the fourth. Pursuit and finish is the fifth, and winning the pre-snap, the mannerisms of going to pre-snap. So much of our game is played at the line of scrimmage with uptempo cadence and all of those things.”
The emphasis on Friday was big plays, and to that end it was a re-emphasis on why quarterback Dak Prescott working on throwing from different arm angles, similar to Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, is important to the team’s success.
“This game is all built around how do you pressure the quarterback,” McCarthy said. “You cannot be successful in the National Football League if you don’t make big plays. So the ability and the focus of the defense to put pressure on the quarterback. At the end of the day, the quarterback’s going to be the one with the ball in his hand at the end of the game, and he’s going to be the one to go win the game.
“We all know the percentage of these games that come down to the end of the game is so high, especially in playoff football. So the ability to change your arm slot is important. Dealing with pressure and all the things they have to deal with on a daily basis.”
Observations from day 3 of Dallas Cowboys training camp:
1. Quarterback Dak Prescott celebrated his 29th birthday on Friday by being serenaded multiple times by Cowboys fans before and during practice. He tried to get them to sing in unison. Last year, the Cowboys, with the help of the HBO cameras on HardKnocks, brought a cake to the field and sung to him after practice.
There was no such public celebration on Friday. But there will be cake, lots of it, per receiver CeeDee Lamb.
“We’re gonna to stuff his face full of some cake and he doesn’t even know it,” Lamb said.
2. Considering that the theme of practice was big plays, Prescott and the first-team offense didn’t have many. The defense remains ahead of the offense in practice, though Lamb did have a sweet one-handed catch from Prescott for a first down. He also caught the team’s first touchdown pass to a receiver in a 2-minute drill.. Prescott and Lamb spent extra time after practice working on their connection.
3. Former Texas Tech receiver T.J. Vasher had the catch of the day: a one-handed snag over Kelvin Joseph for a touchdown in the red zone. The 6-foot-6 Vasher jumped high and tipped the ball to himself with Joseph drawing a flag for holding, resulting in a mad celebration from his teammates.
Vasher said he hasn’t made a catch like that since his last year at Texas Tech against rival Texas. It’s that big-play potential and red-zone talent that has the Cowboys intrigued by Vasher, who spent all last season on the injured list after signing with the team as an undrafted rookie free agent. The Cowboys have been patient. Now is time for the payoff.
4. The Cowboys have wasted no time getting KeVontae Turpin involved in the action. He was signed to serve a primary kick returner. But the team is trying to find ways to use him in the regular offense as a slot receiver. He flashed his speed Friday with the jet sweep.
5. Cornerback Anthony Brown continued his strong start to training camp with pass deflections against James Washington and Lamb. McCarthy said the media need to pay more attention to what Brown has been doing.
“AB is having a heck of a camp,” McCarthy said. “ Frankly, I’ll be honest with you, he’s picked up right where he left off last year. I think he’s someone that should get more love from you guys. Just a suggestion. I think he’s done a lot of good things. But more importantly, he’s very, very consistent.
“What I love about AB is he’s the same guy every day. He’s gotten stronger. I know in my time here, this is year 3, he made a big jump from the first year to the second year. I thought he had a heck of a year last year. I think he’s really just picked up right where he left off.”
This story was originally published July 29, 2022 at 5:46 PM.
