Cowboys QB Dak Prescott: 'This is the best I've ever felt going into Week 1'
FRISCO - Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is raving about the place to which Dak Prescott has "lifted the boat.'' That, of course, is standard fare from "Jerry Poppins.'' But three preseason games in, Dak himself feels the same way.
“I feel great,” Prescott said of his preseason work, “I’m in the position I want to be in. I feel the best that I’ve ever felt, from every aspect of the quarterback position going into Week 1.”
Dallas has one more exhibition game left, Thursday at home against the visiting Bucs. But the plan does not include Prescott playing in that one. Instead, he's now all about Week 1 and the New York Giants, and he'll proceed with some solid summer numbers and some confidence beyond that.
In Saturday's 34-0 win over Houston, Dak led Dallas to a near-perfect "dress rehearsal'' result. He completed 2 of 5 passes against Houston for 22 yards and a touchdown, throwing his first incompletions in the summer's trio of games. Prescott’s preseason totals: 11 of 14 passing for 109 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a 122.9 passer rating.
"I couldn’t be more pleased,” said Jones, who actually would be grinning even wider should the Cowboys and Prescott's representatives close in on a new long-term contract agreement any time soon.
It is Jerry's view that the shadow of contract talks will not impact Dak's on-field performance.
“He hasn’t done anything but take every challenge physically and mentally so far (in training camp),” Jones said. “So he’ll sure do it as the season goes ahead.”
The best possible Dak obviously includes lining up alongside his pal Ezekiel Elliott, the All-Pro holdout running back whose contract negotiations are casting such a shadow. Dallas remains confident that a deal can be forged there. In yet another nudge of negotiating through the media, Jerry used a familiar “lifts all boats” analogy.
“Everybody’s boat for the Cowboys, if we could have that great year, we’d (be lifted) to the stratosphere,” Jones said, "and Dak and I would be riding with them.”
Truth is, the demands on Dak Prescott go beyond him "riding'' in the boat. Especially in the absence of Zeke, Prescott is going to be steering this boat -- so his "best I've ever felt'' is going to come in very handy.
