Dak Prescott is the Alex Smith of the Dallas Cowboys
Alex Smith fooled the Washington Redskins that he was good enough. Might Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott be performing the same illusion?
For fans, everything is better after a victory by the Dallas Cowboys. Like many of you, I feel like I have been a member of Cowboy Nation since birth. I was born in Washington D.C., the demon seed of a house packed Washington Redskins fans. I hope the Cowboys sweep this rivalry opponent every year and this might be one of those seasons.
The Cowboys defense – led by future Hall of Fame safety Jeff Heath – looked fantastic. It’s my job to point out that they played against another playoff caliber team with a mediocre quarterback.
The Jacksonville Jaguars without running back Leonard Fournette are not able to score a lot of points. Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles, the third overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft isn’t able to put the team on his shoulders. Once the Cowboys took a 10 – 0 lead, the game was over.
With the Redskins, the Cowboys face another Bortles-type quarterback in Alex Smith. Smith was the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft and stands 6-foot-4. Fortunately, he plays like a little guy and either lacks the arm strength or courage to throw the football downfield.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid didn’t change the Chiefs offense when they got quarterback Patrick Mahomes II. The difference is – unlike Smith who averaged seven yards per pass – Mahomes looks to throw the football farther on a regular basis.
With a true pocket passer at quarterback able to accurately deliver the football to every spot on the field, the Chiefs offense looks revitalized. Mahomes has 18 passing touchdowns and four interceptions. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott currently has seven passing touchdowns and four interceptions.
For years, Smith convinced general managers and coaches that he was simply – good enough – to be an NFL quarterback. It was all an illusion. Currently, my biggest fear is that Prescott does just enough to convince the front office that he is – good enough. That will handicap and hinder the Cowboys franchise for years until they are able to move on.
I will continue to hope that fans doesn’t get fooled by successful impromptu QB scrambles. That Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan did not design passing plays with routes for the tight end, wide receivers and running backs, only to depend on Prescott scrambling for eight yards. The quarterback position remains the weakest link in Dallas, but this week, none of that matters to me.
Next. The all-time best defenders to wear the Star. dark
Cowboy Nation needs the defensive front seven to stop Redskins’ running back Adrian Peterson and to cover every receiver within 12 yards of the line of scrimmage. The Redskins are averaging 21.2 points per game – 24th of 32 teams. The Cowboys are averaging 20.5 points per game – 25th of 32 teams.
In a potential defensive battle – it’s a great thing that the Cowboys have the ultimate weapon – Jeff Heath.
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