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The Dallas Cowboys, head coach Mike McCarthy, and quarterback Dak Prescott have been disappointing after a 3-4 start to the season. Prescott tossed a pair of interceptions in Dallas' 30-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night, preventing the Cowboys from having a chance at winning. Prescott admitted following that defeat that he “damn sure can’t be having the turnovers” if the Cowboys are going to right the ship.
“The second one was as boneheaded of an interception as I feel like I’ve had,” Prescott explained. “Trying to make a play, too much confidence in myself right there. Should’ve just thrown it away. …That one hurts, starting off the third quarter that way, allowed them to get a touchdown there, you look at the end at the score, a touchdown’s the difference. Once again, we put ourselves behind in the turnover battle, and that’s on me. We can’t have that if we’re playing to win games, and I’ve got to clean that up. Period.”
Prescott finished second in Most Valuable Player voting for the 2023 campaign but has tossed two interceptions in each of Dallas' last three games, two of which the Cowboys lost. Only three quarterbacks have thrown more picks than Prescott (eight) this season. However, to McCarthy, not all of Prescott's interceptions have been the quarterback's fault. Instead, it's on his playcalling just as much as Prescott's execution.
What did Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy say about Dak Prescott's interceptions?
“When you look at interceptions, you can grade them and put them in buckets and categories,” said McCarthy. “I think the first one was that he had pressure. He had pressure in the B-gap, and he had to hitch his feet, which took him late. The safety got a jump on the ball, so he wasn't able to get it to the back pylon, so that ball should have been thrown to the back pylon. That was part of my angst in play calling because of their ability to get pass rush with four rushers.
“And for the second one, the spot wasn't clean, and I called it too early. That's a better third and four-to-three call, so the leverage wasn't there, and he's trying to make a play. We have to throw that ball away there. I wish I had that play called back on the second interception.”
Regardless of how McCarthy feels, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones probably expected better play from Prescott when Jones signed the 31-year-old to a four-year contract extension reportedly worth $240M with $231M guaranteed.
“I mean me, personally frustrated. Frustrated, myself, in my play. I imagine the rest of the guys are,” Prescott said during his postgame comments. “Not getting the win, two in a row now, sitting at 3-4. But I can definitely tell you that nobody's shaken or giving up. Frustration is very high. But it's a long season.”
Prescott will attempt to avoid costly turnovers when the Cowboys play at the 5-3 Atlanta Falcons in Week 9.
