Dallas Cowboys: 5 important numbers for Dak Prescott

Despite a strong two year run, quarterback Dak Prescott is still facing heat for being the Dallas Cowboys QB. Here are five important numbers for him.

One thing is certain with the Dallas Cowboys: The quarterback will always play the villain at some point in his career.

Troy Aikman did it during his twilight years, where Dallas fans actually booed the three-time Super Bowl champ.

Tony Romo was a hero and a villain, which is weird but that’s a separate post. The Dallas Cowboys had their Quincy Carter and Drew Henson episodes, and of course, let’s never forget that Ryan Leaf once wore the star.

Entering year three, quarterback Dak Prescott is full steam ahead. But he may not suit up with full support from his critics or even Dallas fans, who are divided over the young talent.

Some feel he is the ultimate quarterback manager. Some see a fluke, a flop, a bust. Some see luck, others see him as an accident.

Regardless of the talk, number four will start. 2018 is a year full of promise and scare for the soon to be 25-year-old. You get the feeling that it’s now or never. Shut up your critics and secure the future. Reach for the big multi-year contract with the Boys.

Or, go away and let the Cowboys quarterback carousel make its way back to the storyline.

Year three has to bigger than the first, and it certainly has to surpass the sequel. The pressure in Big D is high and the spotlight on Dak is palpable.

Here are five important numbers for Dak Prescott in 2018.

Number 88

So, the Cowboys made the team “Dak” friendly. We can shift the narrative in any direction, but the truth is the lens is dead on Dak Prescott.

Now that Dez Bryant is out, Prescott will have to work with new ingredients. The Dak to Dez recipe didn’t work out, so the narrative going into 2018 is simply this: What can four do without the 88?

Number Nine

No, not Tony Romo talk again. Let’s talk about Prescott’s nine extra interceptions in 2017.

During his rookie campaign, Dak was the darling of all rookies who kept the football safe. He had only four interceptions in 16 games, with an interception percentage of 0.9. Things changed in 2018.

Though his passing yards, touchdown passes, and pass completions were relatively the same one-year prior, his interceptions stat line ticked up. Overall, Prescott’s quarterback rating went from 104.9 in 2016 to 86.6 last year.

Number Seven

Despite shaky offensive line play in 2017, Prescott was only sacked seven more times than the previous season. He went down 25 times his rookie year but took 32 sacks in 2017.

Now, seven isn’t so bad when you factor in the fact that the Cowboys have one of the best lines in the NFL. Not to mention that Prescott didn’t have Ezekiel Elliott for six games either.

But it’s obvious that the hits and hurries startled Prescott. Starting with the Atlanta game where defensive ace Adrian Clayborn piled on six sacks in one game.

Is 2018 the year the line instills confidence back into Prescott?

Number 21

Dak Prescott needs Ezekiel Elliott back.

Sure, Prescott and Elliott rode the same turf for 10 games. But it was obvious Elliott was reading more than X and Os in the background. The suspension tale had the running back’s eyes zigzagging all over.

With number 21 back for a full slate, Prescott has one simple job: Feed Zeke.

Four is where the heart is

In the sports world, there isn’t a harder job out there than being the quarterback of America’s Team.

In some ways, the quarterback of the Cowboys is destined to fail. First, Romo had the misfortune to live up to Troy Aikman, Danny White and Roger Staubach. For Prescott, the man who sent Romo to the bench, the road to a Dallas dynasty just got harder.

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If the loved and talented Romo couldn’t bring hardware back to Big D, where does that leave Prescott?

You could argue that this team will lean on their assets, the offensive line, play-calling, Zeke and a rejuvenated defensive back line up.

But the story in Dallas is always the same. Fair or not, the narrative is always authored by the quarterback.