Dak Prescott 'Part Of The Solution,' Claims Cowboys Coach Mike McCarthy; Is He Right?

Dak Prescott 'Part Of The Solution,' Claims Dallas Cowboys Coach Mike McCarthy; Is He Right?

With the Dallas Cowboys flaming out in January once again, questions about quarterback Dak Prescott's ceiling have come to the forefront once more.

Prescott is coming off the best regular season of his career yet, as he threw for 4,516 yards and a league-high 36 touchdowns to earn second-team All-Pro honors. 

However, much of the goodwill he built up over the regular season vanished after Sunday's ugly playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers. His stat line of 403 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions doesn't look bad on paper, but most of his production came when the game was well out of reach. On the other hand, those two interceptions, including a pick six, led directly to two Packers touchdowns, essentially putting the final nail in the Cowboys' coffin.

Mike McCarthy, Dak Prescott

While fans debate whether or not Prescott can truly take Dallas to the top, Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, who just escaped the hot seat himself, has not had his confidence in his quarterback shaken.

"I think that it shows the connection we have and the belief in the direction we're going," McCarthy said. "Like I said earlier, I believe in Dak Prescott. I think he's the answer. He's part of the solution moving forward. I think as difficult as this time is right now, we can work through this emotional period that we're in. We'll continue to build off of what he brings to the table."

"I believe in Dak Prescott. He’s clearly the answer and part of the solution moving forward."

-Coach Mike McCarthy #DallasCowboys #CowboysNation pic.twitter.com/Q21i0149Sh

— Bri Amaranthus (@BriAmaranthus) January 18, 2024

Prescott has proven himself to be a very good, potentially great quarterback in the regular season. After throwing more than 35 touchdowns in two of his past three seasons, it would be exceptionally difficult to find a clear upgrade under center.

In the postseason, though, it's a different story. Not only are Prescott's passing stats noticeably worse, but he has a dreadful 2-5 record in the playoffs, one of the worst in league history.

This offseason, the Cowboys will have to make a hard decision on Prescott. Do they reward him for his success in the regular season - and get cap-compliant by March 13 - with a contract extension that slices down his coming $59 million cap hit ... and gamble on him stepping up in the playoffs? 

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Or do they leave the contract as is, deciding to roll the dice in 2024 with a bloated deal for a QB who can leave after the season ... in a rather fantastical hope that there is a different quarterback somewhere (Trey Lance? Cooper Rush?) who can finally get them over the top?

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McCarthy's choice is clear. He's got a one-year deal now, and presently, so does Dak. They are knotted together as the potential combo "solution.''

But the Cowboys' front-office commitment to McCarthy was once all about an extension. Now it's not.

And we wonder if the Joneses are considering a similar question with Prescott.