Why the play of Dak Prescott should make Cowboys ecstatic about the future

It didn’t take long for the brain-trust at The Star to make a decision that Dak Prescott was their man. When fate intervened and sent both starting quarterback Tony Romo and backup quarterback Kellen Moore down for the count, the rookie from Mississippi State took the keys to the offense and drove it to a 13-3 season and the top seed in the NFC. Prescott played so well that Romo never got his job back, even when was fully healthy. The Cowboys moved on from Romo the following offseason, and just like that the organization had a new quarterback.

The coaching staff has long applauded the young Prescott even through all the trials and tribulations that go with being a raw quarterback in the NFL. Dak’s approach and propensity to make big plays at the right moments made it a fun ride even though he was going through some on the job training. The team never wavered in their belief in him and it’s been a foregone conclusion for a while now that Mr. Prescott is on the cusp of earning a lucrative long-term contract, with the only questions being - when, and for how much?

Just because a team is committing themselves to a new quarterback doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to bring them success. Prescott has always shown a lot of potential, but potential and a dollar will get you a small cheeseburger off the value menu at your local fast food joint. Fans have waited to see if Dak was going to take that next step. Well, guess what - he’s taken it.

Prescott is having nothing short of a fantastic season. He leads the NFL in passing yards and is throwing for 80 yards more per game than he did a year ago. And he’s finally starting to get the recognition he deserves as the crew on Monday Night Football included him in the conversation for league MVP.

While all that is great, the Cowboys are in the middle of a tumultuous season. They’re great at times, but then disappear at other times. They went through a three-game skid earlier in the season, and consistency has been a problem that has many fans questioning whether or not they can make some noise should they participate in postseason festivities.

We have no idea how this season will play out, but one thing that should have us pretty darn excited is that this football team has one of the better quarterbacks in the league. You can do good things with a great quarterback. And we’re about to find out as we embark on this journey with Dak under center.

The Cowboys continue to put in pieces in place around Prescott. They’ve built a strong foundation with one of the league’s best offensive lines. Defenses are having trouble rattling him as the Cowboys offensive line has allowed the fewest sacks in the league. Prescott has helped that by getting the ball out on time and avoiding breakdowns in protection with his legs.

The team has added fantastic pieces at wide receiver as they’ve traded for one of the top wide receivers in the league. In the midst of his first full season with the Cowboys, Amari Cooper is making a push for Michael Irvin’s franchise record for yards in a single season. They also have a rising star in Michael Gallup who already has had three games over 100 yards this season. Even free agent signing Randall Cobb is averaging more yards per target than he did over his last four seasons in Green Bay with the great Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball.

But the fun doesn’t stop there as one of the most influential reasons for Dak’s success is the addition of former Cowboys backup quarterbacks in new roles on this coaching staff. Kellen Moore has been effective as the team’s new play-caller even if we don’t agree with every decision he makes. And taking over his job as the new QB coach, Jon Kitna has removed the training wheels from Prescott and turned him loose.

Prescott has shown great maturity from the moment he walked into the building, and despite being thrown to the wolves right out of the gate, the moment never seemed too big for him. The organization went all-in on Dak early on, and it’s becoming more apparent that it was a good move by the Cowboys. While many are still raising their arms up in the air asking for results, remember - this era is just taking off.

Will Prescott lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl victory this season? Who knows. But rest assured, with no. 4 at the helm, this team is positioned to do good things for many seasons to come. That should provide us with great comfort. Prescott is a special player who’s going to do special things for this team. He’s already putting it on full display this season, so buckle up and enjoy the ride.