Getty Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott with CeeDee Lamb.
Dak Prescott led the NFL in interceptions last season but the Dallas Cowboys quarterback feels like he should be able to take that number down — with some help from his pass-catchers.
Prescott tossed league-high 15 interceptions last season and added two more in the playoffs. But Prescott deflected a bit of the blame for the turnovers while speaking to the media at his youth football camp, which took place earlier in July.
“I know who I am, and you can go back and take away half of those off drops,” Prescott said. “I’m not saying it’s on the receiver, but if you cut that in half then we start talking about those, nobody is talking about it.”
Dak Prescott on his 2022 interceptions:
“I know who I am, and you can go back and take away half of those off drops. I’m not saying it’s on the receiver, but if you cut that in half then we start talking about those, nobody is talking about it”
Dak went on to say he won’t have…
Prescott has a point. Four of his interceptions were tipped or dropped by Cowboys receivers. It doesn’t absolve him of blame but an upgraded wide receiver corps and a revamped offense could help Prescott’s cause. Prescott feels confident that the play-calling shifting to Mike McCarthy could aid in getting him more in-sync with his receivers.
“They know where the hell to be, why to be and when they’re getting looked at,” Prescott said. “That’s going to be a big jump, I think. We won’t have those tipped interceptions this year.”
What Dak Prescott actually said from his youth camp when discussing Mike McCarthy’s impact on the pass game: “They know where the hell to be, why to be and when they’re getting looked at. That’s going to be a big jump, I think. We won’t have those tipped interceptions this year.”
Dak Prescott Easy Target for Criticism as Cowboys QB
As the quarterback for the Cowboys, Prescott is an easy target for criticism. The star on the side of his helmet already puts him in the crosshairs and often even minor mistakes can be amplified.
“We are a talking point,” Prescott said. “As you find something to talk about, that’s the first thing to go to.”
That being said, Prescott is facing some pressure to start putting together some postseason success. He is 2-4 in the postseason, picking up his second win by knocking off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round last season. But Prescott was not sharp in a Divisional Round loss to the San Francisco 49ers, tossing a pair of interceptions and managing just 206 yards against the stingy unit.
In his career, Prescott has tossed 11 postseason touchdowns to five interceptions. There are questions about whether or not Prescott can be the QB that leads them back to the promised land.
Dak Prescott Feels Cowboys Ready to Make a Run
The Cowboys have put together consecutive 12-win seasons, which is nothing to scoff at. However, they have just one postseason win to show for it. But Prescott is confident that they’re ready to take the next step.
“You’re able to take two 12-win seasons over into this one and build,” Prescott said in June. “It’s the first time in my career I can say I feel like consecutive seasons are building.
“You got to give it knocks. You’ve got to see what it feels like (being in big moments). Us having that now, you feel a lot more comfortable, you’re excited about the details, the changes that we’ve had on the offense and just the team. I’m looking forward to it with a lot of excitement.”
The Cowboys are +175 to win the NFC East, behind only the Philadelphia Eagles (-110), per FanDuel. Dallas is among the top contenders for the Super Bowl at +1,400, sixth on the list.