Throughout the offseason, one of the biggest debates in the NFL centered around Dak Prescott’s value to the Dallas Cowboys organization. He’s done everything he can to show that he’s potentially worth $30 million per year.
In Week 1, the Dallas Cowboys made short work of the New York Giants, who are the favorites to finish last in the NFC East. Even though the running game was quiet with Ezekiel Elliott finishing with 53 rushing yards and backup Tony Pollard averaging under 2.0 yards per carry on his 13 attempts, the passing game was beyond dominant.
Dak Prescott set the Giants secondary ablaze, completing 25-of-32 passes for a whopping 405 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions. After quietly playing at a high level to close the 2018 regular season, Prescott picked up where he left off, and he did so by using second-year breakout star Michael Gallup as frequently as he used entrenched standout, Amari Cooper.
Facing another division rival in Week 2, Prescott was just as brilliant. The Washington Redskins defense could barely contend with Prescott’s surgical precision, as the former record-breaking Mississippi State signal-caller completed 26-of-30 passes for 269 yards. Though he threw one interception to Montae Nicholson, he also tossed three touchdowns with an average of 9.0 yards per attempt. He also added 69 yards on the ground on five attempts.
Prescott added a third weapon to his arsenal, too. Devin Smith is a former Ohio State product who looked like one of the most intriguing wide receiver prospects when he joined the New York Jets as a second-round pick, with many draftniks believing he could become a high-level deep threat.
While that never happened for Smith in New York, he caught a 51-yard touchdown pass on his lone target against Washington to show Cowboys fans the deep threat ability he was once touted for. If Smith can continue to make plays downfield and veteran acquisition Randall Cobb can continue to be the solid chain-mover that replaces Cole Beasley, then Prescott will have a whole gamut of receiving options to go with Gallup and Cooper.
After making the playoffs last season behind an elite defense and an injection of receiving talent from Cooper during mid-season, the Cowboys look that much better in 2019. In fact, they look like legitimate Super Bowl contenders in the NFC, thanks to Prescott’s insane play through the seasons first two weeks.
The season is young and Prescott will be challenged by better defenses, but dismantling division rivals with his level of accuracy and downfield playmaking is incredibly promising. Prescott already has seven passing touchdowns through two games, and he is doing everything in his power to prove to the NFL world that he’d be worth every penny of a $30 million deal.
NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport recently reported that an “impasse” occurred in contract talks between Prescott and the Cowboys after the quarterback’s brilliance against the Giants, and it’ll be interesting to see how another stellar display impacts negotiations between the franchise quarterback and the reigning NFC East champions.
The Cowboys passing game is money, now the team just needs to show it to Prescott.