'Nasty Feeling': Dak & Cowboys Dealing with Playoff Hangover in New Way

The Cowboys suffered a disappointing loss to the 49ers at home to end their brief playoff run last season. But the memory of that loss is what's motivating some players for 2022.

As the Dallas Cowboys players addressed the media at AT&T Stadium last January after the Wild Card loss at the hands of Jimmy Garoppolo and the visiting San Francisco 49ers, there was a common theme.

Frustration.

Frustration was evident in the voices as they addressed reporters seeking answers. Two voices rang louder than others, as quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott seemed to be hit harder by the loss.

As the team prepares for the 2022 season, the memory of that presser could serve as motivation.

After the club arrived in Oxnard for the start of camp, mental conditioning consultant - yes, that's apparently a thing - Chad Bohling showed the team videos from that press conference to serve as possible fuel for preparation for the upcoming season.

"(Chad) showed a video of the press conferences – my press conference, Zeke – and just kind of a video to make sure that we reflect and keep that in our mind," Prescott said. 

"(Cornerback) Anthony Brown broke down the group yesterday (at practice) and mentioned it as well.

"That feeling is a nasty feeling and one that when you think about it, you want to go work. You want to go do whatever you can to make sure that you don't feel that way again. That's what we're out here trying to do."

Prescott isn't just working on his mental health ahead of a season with high expectations from players, front office, and fans alike. He's working on all aspects of his performance, including footwork and throwing angles.

"I'm just trying to stack good days on top of good days, get in a good rhythm and a good sync with these receivers and these young guys and guys that have got to step up and make plays," he said. "It's been a great two days so far."

The clock is ticking for the Elliott- and Prescott-led Cowboys, as the seventh-year quarterback celebrated his 29th birthday on Friday. 

And there is broad speculation that this upcoming season will be Elliott's final one as a Cowboy - due in large part to the structure of his contract - as Elliott could be a salary cap casualty for the club after 2022.

But the clock could also be ticking on the coach Mike McCarthy era, as there is also postulation that unless the team enjoys a deep playoff run this season, the third-year head coach might be on the hot seat.

The good news is there's plenty of motivation to be found in a disappointing end to last season. The bad news is that similar motivation has been present in several, if not all, previous seasons, with little or no resulting success.

In short, the idea of a "nasty feeling'' has two meanings. One, the Cowboys want to regain a "nasty'' attitude. And two, by embracing and acknowledging what happened in the playoffs, they want to erase the "nasty'' feeling that still haunts them.

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Follow Timm Hamm on Twitter at @IndyCarTim

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