Cowboys QB Dak Prescott calls loss ‘self-inflicted,’ defends George Pickens
The Dallas Cowboys lost to the Detroit Lions 44-30 on Thursday at Ford Field in Detroit.
Quarterback Dak Prescott completed 31 of 47 passes for 376 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Here’s everything he said to the media after the game:
On the team’s playoff chances after the loss
“Obviously the rest of the teams will play this Sunday. Some things will factor into that. At this point, I don’t know if I can say we control our own destiny. I know it was not a stretch saying that before, but pretty sure if we win out, we’re going to have a pretty damn good record, only having five losses, one tie. Being 6-6-1 with — what — five left now? Yeah, I’m pretty sure, especially with just the way some of the divisions are shaped, the [NFC] North, the West, we’re going to need some things to happen for us. So, I don’t think it’s in our control at this point, but what we can do is control the way that we approach this game. And I think that’s just led by the pride, the love that you have for this game, the teammates, this organization, hell, your opportunity to play this game. So, that would be my message to the players. And I think if we do that, we’ll still give ourselves a chance.”
On Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens’ performance
“I’m sure George would tell you it wasn’t his best game. And when [Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb] got out of the game, [I] told him he needed to step up. He made some catches, he made the catch right there to put us down there at the 1 on the fourth down. He made some plays. Now, to George’s standard, that’s tough. When you’re playing the way that he’s played, when you’re the type of player that he is, I’ll be the first to say, it’s hard to do that week in and week out. But I think George can, I know George believes he can, and I think that he would just say that this game wasn’t up to his standard. And I’m sure he’ll own it, and I know he’ll be better.”
On how the team can make sure the loss is not a deflating moment with four games left in the season
“I mean, I don’t think that’s something I’ve truly got to make sure of. I mean, Schotty [Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer] does a hell of a job with the messaging, controlling the temperature of this team. We’ve got great veteran leaders. I think guys are pissed off right now. I don’t think this is any deflated moment, ‘Oh, hands are up, we’re done.’ No, just no. Absolutely not. Think you’re going to get a team that’s pissed, especially as we’ve talked about, a team that’s kind of changed since the bye week. This is the first time this group, to an extent, suffered this. So, hope it pisses people off the right way. We use it as fuel. And I know starting with myself, we’ll make sure we have a great week of prep for next week.”
On how he is feeling physically after the game
“I’ll be sore, but I’m fine. Nothing major at all, just, yeah, you said, took some hits, bumps and bruises. But I’ll be completely fine.”
On how the game changed when Lamb left the game with an injury
“I can’t say it changed too much. We were still behind, we still needed to make plays. I mean, we started doing that, we started rallying. Flo [wide receiver Ryan Flournoy] making plays, Turp [wide receiver KaVontae Turpin] making catches, so guys were stepping up. GP [Pickens], I mean, guys were stepping up when CeeDee went down. I know he was hot in the time he was in there, right? Over 100 yards, and just the targets he had. And honestly, I missed him on the touchdown that we got the [pass interference] called on. So, I think guys stepped up. At the end of the day, we didn’t get the win, but we got some momentum going, I think as good as we had, honestly, when he went out there — If maybe not better than when he was in before. And that’s not a one way or another, it’s just guys stepped up.”
On losing the turnover battle
“Yeah, you can’t win a game losing the — not in the NFL, and not against a team like that — being minus-three in the turnover battle. Simple as that. Whether it be the interceptions, the fumbles. We’ve got to stop that. I know I’ve had an interception with the last three games or so, and obviously two tonight. Who cares whose fault it is, right? The ball leaves my hands, I trust where it’s going. We’ve got to make plays, and we’ve just got to stop turning the ball over. And there’s no way that — if we continue to do that, turn the ball over, an interception a game, we’re just not going to give ourselves a chance.”
On if the loss was self-inflicted by the team
“I respect Detroit. I respect [Lions head coach Dan Campbell], the way that his guys, I mean, this team, plays. It’s a great battle, honestly, it always is. But absolutely. Absolutely. And it’s no knock to them, it’s no knock to anybody. But the majority of the games that we have lost in particular, had turnovers and haven’t done what we’ve done on offense, it’s been self-inflicted. I mean, you’ve got a kicker like that that you get across the 50 can put the ball in, and I mean, he gave us a chance tonight. Simple as that. He gave us a chance that we’re only down a touchdown in the second half or in the fourth quarter and trying to make it a game, before you know it, they got up a two-score lead. Yeah, they’re self-inflicted. And that’s my point, you can’t turn over the ball when you’ve got such a safe haven and a kicker like that. We’ve got everything that we need, and we’re stepping on our own feet.”
On Cowboys running back Javonte Williams surpassing 1,000 rushing yards this season
“Love him. Proud of him as a teammate, proud of his response and resilience. From the injury and coming to a new team, and just the way that he stepped up and has had a hell of a year. As important as his success on the field, just the teammate that he is and the guy that he is in meetings and the locker room. We’re fortunate as hell to have him, and hopefully we can keep him.”
On the difficulty of connecting with Pickens in the game
“It wasn’t to our standard, simple as that. Self-inflicted. I mean, the game’s hard, the NFL’s hard, don’t get me wrong. Obviously, it was hard, you look at it, it wasn’t easy. But all self-inflicted things. Whether it be communication, things that we’ve simply got to clean up, and I know that we will. We’re too good not to.”
On what was not clicking for him in third-and-long scenarios
“It’s hard to say right now. I mean, I’ve got to go watch the film. I know that we were in some third-and-longers. I know a week ago we talked about being in third-and-short, and that’s why we were so great on third down, having those conversions to — we were third-and-6, 7-plus, 7-plus the majority of the night, or at least on the ones that we didn’t convert. And that’s tough, especially against a defense like this. And then when you’re like that, that means you’re probably in second-and-seven as well, right? And so, you’re giving them two opportunities to play third down, and that’s where they thrive, and we made it harder on ourselves by not winning first down. Now to give you the answer to why we didn’t, I’ve got to watch the film, I’ve got to look into that.”
On how much a 10-day break until the next game will help the team
“Yeah, I mean it’s a three-day break. We’ll be right back at this team meeting Monday. I’m sure some active work, and then a normal week. But it’s important for guys to rest their bodies. Like I said, I know I’ll be sore. I’m sure tons of guys, I know guys in the trenches are going to be sore, but that’s part of that game. That’s part of the scheduling. It’s just part of the business. So, you sign up for it. Now it’s on us to be pros, take care of our bodies the right way, and make sure we come back Monday ready to go and to give this everything we’ve got.”
On kicking a field goal on fourth-and-4 to cut the deficit to seven
“Yeah, definitely understand kicking. Especially just — I mean, you just want to make it a one-score game. You want to give yourself an opportunity. You don’t kick it, you just gave them the game. Or you don’t kick it, you don’t get it, you just gave them the game. No, I think that’s 100 percent the right call. You’re trying to make a — you’ve got to make a stop regardless of touchdown or field goal. And just have the confidence of our group and just being able to move the ball as — yeah, we’ll go get a touchdown when we absolutely have to get a touchdown, but let’s keep this thing a one-score game and stay in the fight.”
On the offensive pass interference penalties
“Yeah, those were tough. I mean, Pickens’ arm’s up, he’s trying to just run his route, sure. You create traffic, but the last thing you did was pick the guy. That’s tough, and then — do I get fined for talking about this? Yeah, that one was bad. I’m sorry, that one was bad. I mean, I’ve got to look at the film, maybe I can see from their vantage point. I know I talked to the ref after, and he said he aggressively pulled through. I’ve never seen a call like that. I can say that. We’re not even talking about the question of being in fourth-and-4, we’re at the 4-yard line, first down, trying to punch it in. You punch it in, and what, the score is like three at that point? And then you make it that, you’re putting some pressure on those guys now. So yeah, that’s a game-changing call that I don’t understand, but whatever. Control what I can control.”
This story was originally published December 5, 2025 at 2:02 AM.
