Bucs at Cowboys 'Great Team': Can Dak Prescott Beat Tom Brady - and Dallas' Critics?
For Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott, it’s time to get back to business.
Despite some less than flattering prognostications from several NFL media members, Prescott believes that the Cowboys are primed for success in 2022.
“We got a good team,” Prescott told reporters on Thursday. “[We’ve got] a great team, great coaching, great organization. Now it's time not to have any lapse, be better than we were last year and take the next step on top of last year."
While some may view Prescott’s confidence as admirable, others may see it as abundant bravado.
Having lost a number of significant contributors in the offseason, including offensive guard La’el Collins, defensive end Randy Gregory, and receivers Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson, Dallas has been said to have regressed a bit with regard to their talent level heading into 2022. With offensive tackle Tyron Smith and wide receiver Michael Gallup recovering from injury, the Cowboys clearly have their question marks at several key positions.
Still, the Cowboys have plenty of reason to believe in the depth on their roster. In addition to fielding one of the best one-two running back tandems in the NFL in Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard, Dallas’ offense still features prolific pass catchers such as wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and tight end Dalton Schultz. On the defensive side of the ball, the Cowboys are also well-stocked with talent, with cornerback Trevon Diggs and linebacker Micah Parsons among their brightest stars.
In short, Dallas has more than enough on their roster to either equal, or eclipse their 12-5 record from last season. To do so, however, they must remain competitive with a number of significant suitors not only in the conference, but also their division. With several offseason additions, the Philadelphia Eagles have become the trendy pick by pundits to capture the NFC East division title.
Fortunately for Cowboys Nation, Prescott is not buying into the hype, just yet.
"It's definitely time for us to go back-to-back winning this division, getting to the playoffs, things that you said haven't been done in my career and hadn't been done in a long time," he said. "That's how you make those steps. You have to compile good years on top of good years to make those runs to give yourself a good chance.''
Heading into this Sunday night's season-opener against the visiting Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas recognizes that each game is a chance to build toward their goal. Though some teams choose to ignore the noise, Prescott and the Cowboys are using it as motivation. They are well aware of the naysayers, Dak suggesting they are in a "fog'' - yet seem driven to defy the odds.
At the end of the day, they are content to let their performance on the field to the talking.
Well, in addition to doing some talking.
"Where we are right now, it's all excitement. It is," he said. "It's truly a privilege to be the quarterback of this team, to be a leader of these guys, offense, defense, this coaching staff that we have. And yeah, especially with everything being said about us - you know what I mean - the lack of what we have, keep writing, keep talking.
"We're ready to go play."
The Cowboys and Bucs are set for a 7:20 p.m. CT kickoff on Sunday, Sept. 11 from AT&T Stadium. It will be the start of the test of the confidence ... and for the critics.
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