Cowboys 'Little Brother' Dak Prescott Embodies 'Resilience' Theme

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott again threw an interception vs. the Philadelphia Eagles, but head coach Mike McCarthy loved how Prescott responded after it.

The Dallas Cowboys moved to 11-4 on the season after a thrilling 40-34 win over the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium as they gave their fans an early Christmas present - but it didn't start well.

After Gardner Minshew led the Eagles to a field goal on the opening possession, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense was rolling ... until a pick-6 from Eagles defender Josh Sweat.

But after that interception, Prescott was, as CeeDee Lamb stated, "locked-in," completing 15 straight passes. ... and piling up successes on the way to a comeback victory that keeps Dallas in the chase for the top NFC slot.

"I don't know if you can respond any better," coach Mike McCarthy said. "Great play [from Josh Sweat], you don't see every day, that's for sure. I think clearly his performance going 15 completions in a row just played at a huge level. 

"We got it done in the passing game."

JOSH SWEAT PICK-6 👀 @SweatyJ_9

📺: #PHIvsDAL on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/Gd75wO7QMX pic.twitter.com/9gft9EEE0i

— NFL (@NFL) December 24, 2022

McCarthy's catch-phrase theme for this season is "resilience,'' and Prescott embodied that here. He would hang a 40-burger on what many call the best team in football, and he looked good doing it. He completed 77 percent of his passes, had 347 passing yards, and three touchdowns. Oh, and he had a 124.3 passer rating, too.

For Dak though, at the moment of the untimely interception, all he wanted was to get the team back on track ... and he did, leading them on a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive on the next series.

But first ...

"(Eagles defensive end Sweat) made a great catch, and I don't know if he's had an easier interception and return than that one," Prescott said.

And what was Dak thinking during his failed tackle attempt?

"It's happening again!'' he thought to himself, reflecting quickly on a walk-off pick-6 in Jacksonville that meant a Dallas OT loss.

But also ...

"Boom, they score, let me get back on the field and get this thing back rolling,'' Dak also told himself. "No ifs or buts about that."

While Prescott has seen his interception total skyrocket, his ability to come straight back and get his team on track has been a common theme. Calling himself mentally tough, he again proved it on Saturday. 

And where does that kind of mentality come from?

"That comes from a kid, when you're the younger brother, you get beat, you take a lot of losses," Prescott said. "The only way to keep going is by responding. Showing that whatever happened last play really doesn't matter, it's all about the next play."

The passing of Dak's mom and more recently the passing of one of his two brothers also play into Prescott's mentality, his "resilience'' and his ability to deal with adversity - which, McCarthy said, his QB "eats for lunch.''

And it is a Cowboys weapon, as much as arms and hands and legs - "resilience'' as not just a bumper sticker, but as a deeply rooted asset.

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