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Cowboys aren’t afraid to take risks with Dak Prescott

By Cody Rivera

OXNARD, CA - AUGUST 05: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) motions to a teammate prior to a play during the Dallas Cowboys Training Camp on August 05, 2018, at River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard, CA. (Photo by David Dennis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
OXNARD, CA - AUGUST 05: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) motions to a teammate prior to a play during the Dallas Cowboys Training Camp on August 05, 2018, at River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard, CA. (Photo by David Dennis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Even though it’s only the first week of preseason, the Cowboys aren’t stopping Dak Prescott from going all out.

In the 2017 season – his second season as the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys – Dak Prescott suffered somewhat of a sophomore slump. His numbers were down from his rookie season, and the Cowboys stumbled to a 9-7 record and missed the playoffs just one year after a 13-3 campaign earned them an NFC East title.

A large part of that was due to running back Ezekiel Elliott missing six games due to suspension, but the fact remains the same: the Cowboys need Prescott to bounce back and have a big year in 2018.

That’s why head coach Jason Garrett wants Prescott to treat preseason game as if they are regular season games, and Prescott has no problem doing it. During his limited action in the preseason opener against the San Francisco 49ers, Prescott clung to the football and darted for a 12-yard run.

Garrett was asked about it, and he said they don’t put restrictions on to what their 25-year-old signal caller can do in the preseason games.

“We tell him to go play,” Garrett said, according to DallasNews.com.

While it’s definitely exciting to see Prescott play to his full abilities, even during the meaningless practice games, it’s incredibly risky. We see running quarterbacks get hurt every single year, and it would be a devastating blow if the Cowboys were to lose Prescott before the regular season even kicks off.

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This year, Dallas will get both Prescott and Elliott for a full 16 games, and they need those two healthy and on the field in order to revive that explosive offense they displayed in 2016. Once the regular season begins, then it will be time to let Prescott do his thing. But right now, while teams are still just practicing, it’s a time to play it safe — especially considering what’s already happened with Derrius Guice this week.

Risks are for the regular season and the postseason, not the preseason.

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