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Dak Prescott Predicted He'd Run, Cowboys QB Scores Clever TD vs. Bucs - WATCH

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has been bashed relentlessly this week as the reason why his team will not go far in the playoffs. But maybe him running, starting at Tampa Bay, is how Dallas makes its run ...

SI Editorial

TAMPA - He said it.

He did it.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott had a simple answer to a question about the Monday game plan that actually qualifies as a revelation.

Dak, in planning for this clash against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night at Raymond James Stadium here in Tampa, might you revert to being the "running QB'' you've been before?

His reply: "I understand I’m going to have to, whether it be in the pass game when nothing is there, whether it be protection breakdowns or maybe it’s play called. Regardless, I’m willing to run as many times as I need to.

"Whatever it takes to get this win."

Dak has been bashed relentlessly this week as the reason why his team will not go far in the playoffs ... even ranking ridiculously low on an ESPN playoff quarterback list.

But while he obviously needs to be a more effective thrower than the guy who led the NFL with 15 interceptions, Dak's running ability, we'll argue, is underrated and underused. 

While his horrible ankle injury in 2020 may be a reason for some caution, given how effective it is as a weapon, could it be worth returning to?

It appears so, based on the first half here in Tampa, where Dallas is up 12-0 (due to two missed PATs) ... with Dak throwing for a TD and running for one on a daring fourth-and-1 misdirection keeper.

How does this all work?

Here are the numbers:

In Dak's first three years in the NFL, he finished each season with six rushing touchdowns and had more than 280 rushing yards.

Since 2018, Prescott hasn't over 277 yards in a season and hasn't had more than three rushing touchdowns in a season (in 2019 and 2020). In the last two seasons combined, Dak has just two.

Between 2016 and 2019, Prescott rushed for 89 first downs. Since then, he has just 36 first-down runs, with 19 coming this season.

In his four playoff games, Dak has 72 rushing yards on 14 attempts and three rushing touchdowns, as he averages 5.1 yards per carry.

That'll work.

Could Dak's running ability - especially against a Bucs defense that focuses on stopping the conventional run by using its massive tackles inside - be the tonic to fix offensive Kellen Moore's "abnormal" offense?

So far, so good.

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