The Dallas Cowboys’ latest collapse has Chris Simms questioning whether Dak Prescott should remain the face of the franchise beyond this year.
Dallas squandered a 14-point fourth-quarter lead in a 33-30 overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals, falling to 3-5. During Monday’s Pro Football Talk discussion, Simms delivered a harsh assessment of the Cowboys’ investment in their quarterback.
“The Dak thing is a good question. For what they’re paying him, he’s not one of the top quarterbacks in football. That’s not even debatable, and he’s got some of the best support around him,” Simms said. “We know from our eye and what we see, he’s not up there with the Mount Rushmore guys, or some of the guys right after that. He doesn’t throw the ball to the level of some of the other top quarterbacks. And he doesn’t have a scrambling, running effect either.”
Prescott signed a four-year, $240 million extension in 2024, keeping him under contract through 2028. Simms suggested the remaining games could push Dallas toward reconsidering its long-term direction.
“I could see them having some misgivings about Dak Prescott, seeing how this year goes and then maybe them going, ‘maybe it’s time to do something at quarterback in Dallas.’ If it continues down this path, I think that will happen,” Simms said.
Dak Prescott Takes Responsibility for Cowboys’ Offensive Struggles
The Cowboys’ defense surrendered the lead, but Prescott acknowledged that the offense had chances to prevent the game from reaching overtime.
“We can check the side mirrors here and there. But, we’ve got to focus on what’s important now, this moment, this play, this game. And if you do that, you have the chance to stack wins,” Prescott said, via the team’s website. “We didn’t tonight. That’s what’s frustrating about it. We had the opportunities to put them away on offense. Obviously, defense had opportunities to stop them and we just didn’t get any of it done as a team.”
Prescott completed 19 of 29 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown, adding a rushing score. Dallas managed just 93 rushing yards on 39 attempts, an average of 2.4 yards per carry. The offense then went three-and-out on its only overtime possession.
The performance followed a 38-21 win over Philadelphia that appeared to give Dallas something to build on. Instead, the Cowboys again failed to win consecutive games.
Prescott maintained that Dallas has enough talent, but acknowledged that its preparation and individual ability have not consistently translated into complete team performances.
Cowboys Remain in NFC East Race Despite Latest Setback
Dallas still has a path back into contention in a division that has struggled to separate itself. The Giants lead at 4-2-1, followed by Dallas at 3-5, Washington at 2-4-1 and Philadelphia at 2-6.
Injuries have reshaped the race. New York lost Jaxson Dart to a knee injury. Philadelphia is without Jalen Hurts while he undergoes treatment for blood clots, and Washington lost Terry McLaurin for the season to a torn patellar tendon. Prescott pointed to the standings as a reason for confidence.
“At this point, talk is cheap,” Prescott said. “Telling stories is cheap. We’ve got to go write our own story. We put ourselves in this position. Thankfully, we’ve got the pin. Thankfully, we’re in control of it. It’s a season where our division — nobody’s taking off heavy and putting everybody else behind, and that’s the blessing in it. Yeah, that gives me a lot of confidence knowing that I can do it, we can do it… but we just got to take care of what’s in front of us at that moment, whatever it may be.”
Dallas visits Indianapolis on November 8, giving Prescott another opportunity to put a disappointing performance behind him before the questions about his future get louder.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott Gets Bad News on Future After Cardinals Loss