During the week 11 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, there were high expectations that the Cowboys would hit the table and emerge victorious at Arrowhead Stadium. However, things were not like that. With an offense that left a great task pending and with a Dak Prescott that was totally unrecognizable last Sunday afternoon.
However, this has already been the second meeting in three weeks where Dak looks totally erratic. The same would happen against the Denver Broncos in week 9. Where the Cowboys could barely score with just over four minutes to go. Certainly, this performance has not looked good at all and they reveal many shortcomings that the team may have between now and the remainder of the season.
The tone of the cowboy offense was clear from the Cowboys’ first offensive drive at Arrowhead Stadium. With an incomplete deep pass to Michael Gallup, this would be what we would be seeing for much of the game. Since the Dallas offense was unable to have at least one touchdown. Limiting his production to just three field goals.
Among other details, we also have the lack of confidence of some receivers, letting the ball go in important situations. In this Prescott has great responsibility, who, as already mentioned, was highly erratic in the home of the AFC West team.
Cowboys WR Cedrick Wilson with a drop on deep strike from QB Dak Prescott. We’ve come full circle.
– Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) November 22, 2021
It is understandable that some things did not turn out as they should be. The offensive line was reeling off a rival defensive line led by Chris Jones, who finished in Week 11 with 3.5 sacks to Dak. Tyron Smith’s absence on the left side took its toll and Terence Steele was not up to the task. You could well put on makeup against the Falcons, but against a rival like the Chiefs this would not be so easy.
CHRIS JONES. FOUR SACKS. WHAT ????
????: #DALvsKC on FOX pic.twitter.com/0CIiuYZI4q
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 22, 2021
You can also talk about the absence of Amari Cooper throughout the match and the eventual departure of CeeDee Lamb after finishing the second quarter due to concussion. However, these are just mere excuses. A franchise quarterback like Dak Prescott must be on the lookout for any situation. As complicated as a game may be, the starting QB must respond and move the team forward. After all, they are practically the face of the organization. And if the Marshal looks bad, the whole team will.
HUGE pick for the Chiefs to keep the Cowboys out of the end zone to end the half!
(via @Chiefs) pic.twitter.com/6o5z5TQO9M
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 21, 2021
In addition, Prescott had a great advantage during most of the game, and that is that the cowboy defense responded brilliantly against Patrick Mahomes and his group. Without a doubt, the Chiefs’ QB was not really 100% or as decisive as for example he was seen in week 10 against the Raiders.
In fact, he would end the game against Dallas with 23 completions of 37 attempts for 260 yards. And as a more interesting note, without a single score for passing plays. Both touchdowns by the opponents were on carries. Aside from getting two sacks, dropping a ball, getting it back by the defense, and a 34-yard interception by Jayron Kearse. In short, the defense did everything humanly possible for Dallas to win the game. They only allowed three points after halftime.
.@ Jayronkearse8 delivering a momentum swing!#DALvsKC | #DallasCowboys #DALvsKC | ???? : @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/YLsMVVRtoY
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 21, 2021
However, Dak would look much worse, with just 28 completions of 43 attempts and two interceptions. Another detail to take into account, and that has worried a lot about its production, is its lack of precision in third opportunities. Adding the duel against the Broncos and the latter against the Chiefs, they have only managed to advance 10 times in 28 opportunities. Clearly, it’s not something that makes the Marshal happy or makes him proud.
“The offense didn’t get the job done, and that starts with me and the way we communicate and execute the plays,” commented the Cowboy Marshal.
Of course, the fact that Dak could not count on some of his offensive elements of rigor has already been commented. But none of this should matter. Because for this the organization gave him an extension of four years and 160 million dollars in the month of March. Prescott knows that he has a responsibility to achieve goals regardless of what is going on around him. And if things don’t go the way they should be, he will end up being the main one. And that is precisely what happened after the meeting.
The criticism is going to come, because here the detail has to do with the defense doing everything necessary to give Prescott the game. Dak simply didn’t respond, looking totally lacking in pace and running for his life thanks to the punctual failures of the offensive line. None of this is important if what you are looking for is a positive result. And if he is going to lose, let it be with his boots on, not with three field goals and a difference of ten points against a team that clearly could not play 100%.
Of course, a bad afternoon doesn’t detract from Dak and the fact that he’s still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. But sadly, these are the situations that separate one group from another, the most earthly Marshals from the elite ones, and Dak keeps failing. This type of testing against the toughest teams in the league is where you should get positive results and make it clear that the Cowboys are a threat to the rest. But it is something that could not be seen against the AFC West team.
The good news is that Dak and the group will have another chance to redeem themselves against another team in that division. When they meet the Raiders this Thursday on Thanksgiving. A win is expected as it will also be at AT&T Stadium, but clearly Dak must understand that this is about wins and that the responsibility of the team falls on him. In Thursday’s game, the Cowboys are expected to keep winning and advancing throughout the remainder of the season.
