The lack of a contract extension between the Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott has spawned questions about whether the club views the quarterback as its long-term solution to the ever-increasing postseason failures.
Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones told that there is no question within the building that Prescott can lead them to the mountaintop.
"Absolutely. I mean, I totally think Dak can lead us to a championship," Jones said. "He does everything the right way. He's certainly the leader of this football team. He keeps everybody motivated in the offseason. He's got everybody working out and doing all the things that it takes to put in the work to give yourself every opportunity to win a championship. It just so happens that sometimes, you know, that old oblong football doesn't bounce your way. And we've had some tough breaks and tough games there in the postseason. But, you know, we've won 12 games three years in a row. I think that's right at the top in terms of what teams have done over a three-year period. And, you know, we're hanging around the rim. We've just gotta go up there and grab it, to use a basketball term, and dunk it in. We're hanging around the rim. We just gotta get the job done."
The Cowboys have been to the postseason each of the past three seasons, including two NFC East titles, but bombed out of the playoffs each time. Whether they're actually "hanging around the rim" is debatable. If the rim is a Super Bowl, then Dallas is probably closer to hoisting from the three-point line right now.
Famously, the Cowboys haven't gotten to an NFC title game since the 1995 season. Since 2000, Dallas is 4-10 in the postseason.
Those are team stats, not Prescott-specific knocks. While the quarterback hasn't played his best in the postseason in five appearances, the failures aren't all on his shoulders. For instance, in last year's blowout loss to Green Bay, the defense couldn't stop a nosebleed, magnifying each possession the offense failed to score.
The offseason in Dallas has been a tumult of consternation surrounding the lack of activity. Given the future contracts and current commitments, the Cowboys not making splash moves should not come as a surprise -- despite Jerry Jones' "all-in" comments. But the lack of movement and improvements does ratchet up the pressure on Prescott, head coach Mike McCarthy and the rest of the club to do more with less in a pivotal season in Dallas.
