Why Mike McCarthy won’t play QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys starters in preseason
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The Cowboys defeat the New York Jets in their season home opener. Check out photos from the sidelines.
Remember the old saying, necessity is the mother of invention?
Well, what started out of necessity due to the COVID-19 pandemic has turned into a new football preparation for philosophy for Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy and quarterback Dak Prescott.
For the fourth straight season, McCarthy has no plans of giving Prescott any preseason game snaps.
In 2020, the NFL canceled the preseason because of the pandemic. In 2021, Prescott didn’t play in the preseason because he was rehabbing a fractured ankle and then he suffered an arm injury in training camp.
But in 2022, McCarthy held Prescott out of the preseason games again and the is the plan is the same for 2023.
And that includes the rest of the veterans starters, who all sat out of last Saturday’s 28-23 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the preseason opener at AT&T Stadium.
McCarthy said this is the best way to prepare his team for the regular season, using the preseason games for development of the young players and using the competitive practices in training camp to get Prescott and the veterans ready to go for the Sept. 10 opener against the New York Giants.
“I think it’s really from experience,” McCarthy said. “I’ve done it both ways. I think where your team is, what you think of your team. We feel very strongly about our roster. So I’ve always looked at roster development from the back forward. We have a really good understanding of the guys that we have here that have established themselves in the locker room. So this is really the best format for roster development.
“Then the flip side of it is and the most important side is do you have the training available to make sure your team is ready for week one. I have a lot of confidence in the way we train. And the way we compete against one another out here.”
McCarthy held joint practices with the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers during training camp last year to supplement not playing this starters in the preseason.
There was too much fighting and not enough quality practicing. So he eschewed that plan this year.
“We’ve had the chance to practice against other teams last two years. And I feel better about so far what we’ve been able to accomplish out here we’re getting against each other,” McCarthy said. “So that’s part of it. I am all about training. The preparation is a critical part of how these first four or five games go each and every year in this league. September football is different. We recognize that. We feel our plan is very good to make sure we’re ready to go against the Giants.”
The Cowboys resume preseason play Aug. 19 at the Seattle Seahawks and face the Las Vegas Raiders in the final preseason game Aug. 26 at AT&T Stadium.
McCarthy is getting no complaints from his veteran players.
Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, one of 21 veterans who sat against the Jaguars, can’t remember the last time he’s played football in a preseason game.
“It’s pointless, meaningless football,” Lawrence said. “Don’t need it.”
This story was originally published August 14, 2023 at 2:15 PM.
