Bulldogs in the NFL: Three Questions Surrounding Dak Prescott in 2021
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's season was cut short last year when he suffered a compound fracture and a dislocated ankle.
The Cowboys struggled greatly without him there to take the snaps, losing seven of their 11 remaining games after the quarterback was sidelined.
But Prescott is ready to come back better than ever in 2021, and has high expectations for both himself and his team.
"Take those first five games and just say we’re going to be better than that as a team. We’re going to play more complementary football from defense to offense to special teams, and then we’re going to have a healthy team," Prescott said in an interview with Newy Scruggs of NBC 5 DFW. "We’ve all approached the offseason. We approached the season the right way. We’re just excited. We’re excited that hopefully, we can stay healthy, we can get good fortune on that end. And we can just put everything we’ve worked hard for together on all stages and all phases of the game. We’re excited for this year. It’s going to be very, very special for us and for Cowboys fans.”
Between the past injury and some of the lofty offseason predictions made about him, there are a lot of questions surrounding Prescott this year.
1. Will he have adequate protection from the offensive line?
Offensive linemen don't particularly get a lot of individual attention, but a team can't put points on the board without a solid line, regardless of the rest of the talent on offense.
The Cowboys were shaken by injuries across the O-line in 2020, with La'el Collins not playing a single snap because of hip surgery. Tyron Smith, another important member of the unit, played in just two games because of a neck problem.
At center, it's Tyler Biadasz's job to lose, and he performed well outside of the four games he was forced to miss with a hamstring issue.
This is a solid group, and if they can stay healthy throughout the year, the Cowboys offense could quickly reach new heights and become one of the most productive in the NFL. If not, Dallas (and Prescott) will have to hope the next man up can take care of the job.
2. How will his ankle fare throughout the season?
This was no minor injury that Prescottt suffered, and we've seen more players than we can count throughout the history of the sport who have had to be sidelined for at least part of the season due to a re-aggravated injury.
Prescott seems like he's on the track to be at full capacity the next time he takes the field, and it's vital for the team's success that he stays that way for the whole season. If not, well, we've already seen how quickly things can fall apart.
3. Will he lead the NFL in passing?
Prescott has quickly become one of the most respected signal-callers (and one of the most notable steals) in the league since the Cowboys selected him in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.
This could be a big season for Prescott in more ways than one, and based on the odds, it wouldn't be at all surprising to see him finish the year by leading the NFL in passing yards.
When BetOnline released its odds for this season’s projected passing, rushing, and receiving leaders, the Cowboys were represented well.
The former Mississippi State signal-caller sits nicely on the list in the passing category, with 10/1 odds to lead the entire NFL there.
Only Tom Brady (9/1), Josh Allen (9/1) and Patrick Mahomes (6/1) ranked above him with more favorable odds.
Here's a look at the complete list:
