Dak Cites ‘Chemistry’ Issue; Is That What Ails The Life-Support Cowboys?
FRISCO - Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said he “Can’t put a finger” on why this once-promising season now promises mostly misery. But the more Dak spoke in the bowels of Soldier Field after this latest loss to the Bears, the more he inadvertently stumbled in the direction of that finger.
“I wish I could (pinpoint it) right now,” Prescott said, ostensibly struggling to identify the reasons for Dallas’ seven losses in its last 10 games and now stuck in its second three-game losing streak of the season. “If I could, obviously we wouldn’t be in this situation. We’d be getting over this and out of this slump. But that’s the most frustrating part: We have the skill level, we have the players, we have the chemistry at times.”
Wait a second. Play that back.
“We have the chemistry at times.”
And that’s it. As Cowboys Nation (and the Jones family about a month away from changing out coach Jason Garrett) digs beyond the symptoms (“We’re not executing”) to find the actual disease (“Why aren’t they executing?”), we have an accidental diagnosis from a thoughtful locker-room leader.
What does it matter if the Cowboys “have talent” and what does it matter if the talent “never quits on the coach” if there is a subtle disconnect between players and coaches?
The most gifted pupils and the most brilliant teachers will accomplish very little together if the message is tired or if the message goes unheard.
“We’re not playing together as a team, complementary enough, when we need to,” Prescott said, almost apologetic about his 6-7 team leading the NFC East, “and we’ve got to figure out what it is.”
Some things about the Dallas Cowboys’ culture - “America’s Team” and “branding” and the Jones family’s hands-on involvement - will never change. But some things about the culture are curable.
Prescott has now mentioned “chemistry.” And so maybe he has“figured out what it is.”
Next step: Figuring out what to do about it.
